Xref: utzoo comp.edu:1447 soc.college:2074
Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!husc6!mailrus!ncar!ames!killer!cy
From: cy@killer.DALLAS.TX.US (Cyrus Foughty)
Newsgroups: comp.edu,soc.college
Subject: Credit for experience!
Message-ID: <6149@killer.DALLAS.TX.US>
Date: 17 Nov 88 19:08:58 GMT
Organization: Association for the Revival of Electron Tube Computing: ARETC
Lines: 57


	I originally posted an article about how I thought It was
	unfair for colleges not to give me credit for my experience.
	I also queried for schools that did provide such a service.

	Expectedly, the replies that came in were very vicious and some
	sympathetic. I did presume that the majority of the replies would
	be negative and prepared myself for those type of replies. I really
	received some extremely decadent email, and some thought provoking
	comments. Let me sum up the responses:

	Of the total replies,

	82.1%	Were from professors, graduate students, junior and senior
		undergrads.

	12.3%	Were professionals working without degrees, much in the same
		boat as I.
	
	4%	Were in college but did not reveal their level.

	1.6%	Did not reveal what they did, but gave opinions and help.

	
	The professors and grad students were ALL attacking me. The main
	point they got across was,"Whom do you think you are! Experience
	is meaningless, school is the only place to learn!". Several asked
	to pass along any info I found. One person brought up the old
	argument,"10 years of experience is not necessarily 10 years of
	experience but could be 1 year repeated 10 times!". I say bunk!!!
	If anyone is inclined to enter the programming field without a degree,
	he would not be the type of person who would sit still for 10 years 
	and not be yearning to learn something new!! You must needs a certain
	stupidity and personality type to enter this field without a degree.
	Everything is stacked against you! 

	I did receive one special reply that gave me a reason for really 
	going to school. He made the statement,"You don't know what you don't
	know without going to school". I understand that, however, I devour
	books like crazy and try to keep up with every new thing. I did come 
	up with a solution to my problem. I recontacted San Jose State Univ.
	and found out that I could enroll in a course and in the first three
	weeks take the final. Of course if I passed I got the credit. I can 
	do that up to 60 units. I also contacted DeAnza College about the 
	same type of arrangement. I can take all my lower division courses
	at DeAnza and test out of quite a few of them and then transfer to
	SJSU and start testing out of the rest. I will not be forced to take
	a course in something I already know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

	Thanks for all the good replies and !#$%^& to all the academic snobs!

	P.S. There were a few in the 82.1% that were really great!!!  
-- 
cy
{ames,decwrl}!killer!cy
MaBell: 408.255.5990 
Don't Panic.