52
by telefunken_Archive
From my experience, the difference between students at “good” schools and lower community colleges is marginal at best. And I've really seen both sides of the spectrum in my college experience as I've gone from basically the lowest of the low "community" colleges in NY to transferring to arguably what's considered the top school in my state in a matter of two years.
I study English, and in general, most of my classmates are complete morons, just as they were at the community college. About the only difference is there are some people at my present university who are f'ing brilliant; the kind of kids who probably could have went to Harvard but decided to go to a state school to save money. I didn’t encounter many students of this caliber at the community college, if any.
Unfortunately, for myself and most professors here, the presence of those students is a rarity.
The complicate things even more, I know a kid who graduated from Yale this year, and if you met him, you’d think he never even graduated high school. Mentally he comes across as if he’s 12 yet dude scored an 800 on his Verbal SAT. Go figure.
Basically, my point is, no matter where you end up teaching, most of the students will be rather sub-par at best. And, there will always be a select few students who will enhance the class discussion and genuinely bring joy to your life as a professor. Just ask UVA professor Mark Edmundson.
Life doesn’t end for a professor teaching 100 level courses at a community college to myopic 13th graders. There are always conferences and the like to at least get some of your writings out there and still maintain a reason to continue learning/researching.