the DARK SIDE of private colleges and everything....THINK...

[khor_albert]

OKOK...I maybe called a jealous pig, resentful fellow, or anything...but I hope that this thread and post will encourage an ENLIGHTENMENT rather than UPRISING...so read with thoughts opened..

We all know about private colleges(PC). Most successful and "not-so-successful" students from PC will make it to overseas university or do twinning programs locally. However, how exactly is the quality of the private colleges in Malaysia?

Let me give my views based on my observations and researches. PC offer a wide range of attractive courses that perhaps many local universities (LU) do not offer such as actuarial science. Then PC also offer a more comfortable living condition and facilities of research. PC also offer students a big chance to study overseas.

However, let's not overlook the DARK SIDE of it. The sky-high price compromised the "prospect" and the "good studying condition". I thought colleges and universities' main objective is to EDUCATE, not to MAKE MONEY, but all evidence to the contrary. Many poorer students are rather discriminated by the tuition fees. Then are PCs as good as it seems?

Let's see....I have a friend in PC (name of PC not told here for privacy). He says that the attitude of the students there are "a joke". Real bad...bad influence. Very hard to concentrate in studies while all other students are busy chatting about nonsense and SMOKING?? This is way out of acceptable. Where is the discipline control? Just because the students paid a high sum, their activities should not be monitored? But then again, I am NOT talking about good students there, onli those spoilt fellows. But they are the one whose sprayed paints to the reputation of PCs? NO, NEVER!! They are not the only one, but also everybody especially the PC's governers and administrators who should do SOME discipline control...

There are just many many more things I wanna say, but I leave it to ReCommers to give their opinion. This is once again I say, NOT a complaint, but rather an enlightenment to everybody. So give your opinions wif an open heart....not an argumentative heart.

I will follow up later....thanks for your reply

[seiken]

You are quite right...but I think not all colleges are like that. Yes, they ARE attractive to most of us with their top-of-the-notch facilities but the standard is not actually known. If Im not mistaken, a college in Selangor is full of filthy-rich students...some even drives a Ferrari to that college. I think all of you know what college Im mentioning. Just that I don't want to say it out...as it may offend some people..

[digimushu]

Let's see....I have a friend in PC (name of PC not told here for privacy). He says that the attitude of the students there are "a joke". Real bad...bad influence. Very hard to concentrate in studies while all other students are busy chatting about nonsense and SMOKING?? This is way out of acceptable. Where is the discipline control? Just because the students paid a high sum, their activities should not be monitored? But then again, I am NOT talking about good students there, onli those spoilt fellows. But they are the one whose sprayed paints to the reputation of PCs? NO, NEVER!! They are not the only one, but also everybody especially the PC's governers and administrators who should do SOME discipline control...



Not surprised. But then the whole idea of university life is learning how to filter out things that you dont find conducive. In the US, if you go to any schools, esp 'preppy schools', you will see this behavior over and over again. Pretty much all these people have daddy's money written all over their cars.

[qedx]

frankly, the idea of colleges, be it private or public, monitoring the behaviour and morals of its students repulsive.

[masterof_none]

I would say we could improve this situation by having some kind of competition of earning the title of the most "nerdy" status, well, not exactly, but increasing the quality of education and research falls into govt's as well as people's agenda. If people don't speak up, if no persatuan ibu-bapa dan guru-guru speak against this behavior, if govt. don't really care about the situation, of course, everything could go wrong!.

The notion of "paying high tuition fee and you can do whatever you want" proved to be wrong in my school, usc. usc used to be a party school, for kids who just want to have fun in LA. But since our President (the current President) took over, he realized that this is unhealthy and he attracted various star professors working on various fields. Now, kids here become very competitive, no more excessive fun. (well, of course, the frats and their parties are here), but the situation is more conducive than before (now you know why usc stands for univ. of spoiled children!).

People here drives fancy cars too like hummer, corvette, etc. but hey,you've got to do what you've got to do. Pass school or dropout.

The point is, things can be improved. The mission ends when we think
that this kids can't be controlled, just because they're paying tuition fees.

My suggestion is to reduce private colleges, and have govt. introduce more community colleges. That way, kids who can't pay for the "PC" could go on continue in community colleges. And now, we have more alternative (don't have to take SPM if they know they don't want to).

(This applies to all of you who want to study in the US also. If you think you can't afford US colleges, think of community college. Do well, and transfer to one of the colleges here. )

Plus, our media should pay more attention on increasing quality of education for these colleges, be it public/private/community, rather than focusing excessively on kids who get 20 A1s. Of course, people who get many A1s can be in the paper, but not suddenly become instant star. I think the school should be given more attention too, that way, school board can be motivated to think ways to improve their own academic status.

More competition among schools. That's what we want.

But I want to make it clear that not all PC's are bad. I went to Sunway and I think their A-Level program is awesome. They care about their students, and I learn tons of things from that college.
(and the quality of PC depends on kinds of program too).

[Dr_Tay]

Interesting post. I worked in a private college, was assaulted by a crazed excolleague who also verbally abused everyone else in sight. Management did nothing, pure apathy. I worked in a private college, was threatened by a student that if I did not pass her she would complain to management, again the management placed the onus and blame on the lecturer. I worked in a private college, the students were of a mix bunch, those that were nice were very nice and took the time to sit down and discuss matters of the heart with you and there were those that did not give a darn what ever happened. I worked in a private college where the conditions were grim and where toilet paper was being scrimped and saved. I worked in a private college where we had to put a brave face whenever there was an audit so as to have a continuous place to work in. I worked in a private college where it was small, warm and friendly, where people took time to talk and get to know each other. I knew another college where people were alway waiting for the next person to make a mistake so as to get a personal promotion upon telling. It goes on and on and on.

[el_empty]

all the bums you find in private colleges, you find them in public colleges too, no?

besides, it's a private venture. unless the govt implements some stringent quality minimums for private schools, they can do ANYthing they want, even if it means sucking money out of the joes and janes.

also, good education doesn't come free. you need money to pay for good professors, good facilities, and good programs. whether they use the money efficiently or not, is a different matter.

[windrunner]

Well, all PC are like that...

I am in Taylor's, most students are rich brats, some smoke, some don't. There is nothing we can do, the money is theirs , if they want to waste their father's money, so be it, it is not their money anyway!!

But trust me, there are good ones (students i mean), and some of the lecturers are top notch (super experienced) , so i guess there is always 2 sides of the coin. I think i saw a ferrari at Taylor's before...

Please, if we want to complain, we should name the PC and not just keep it secret.....

[masterof_none]

I am in Taylor's, most students are rich brats, some smoke, some don't. There is nothing we can do, the money is theirs , if they want to waste their father's money, so be it, it is not their money anyway!!


I just made a point above that just because students pay lots of money, it doesn't mean they want to do whatever they want.

Just because people pay huge some of money to go to Harvard, does that mean that they can do whatever they want once they're in Harvard?. No.

Harvard needs reputation, they want to maintain their "Harvardness".
So do we. We could do the same thing.

I might repeating myself, but we don't need plenty of superflous private colleges. I still remember there colleges like Kolej Lagenda and others.

We need community colleges. Affordable colleges. And some of them need to be good.

We do have Santa Monica college here,which is an equivalent to Private college and I still remember, they employed my TA (who obtained his professorship and eventually teaches at USC), for their summer school. (and I saw their schedule,
it's almost exactly like ours. ). Hectic schedule.

In other words, these private colleges pays a lot for educating kids there (professors, etc). Just because it's Santa Monica college, it doesn't mean that you go there and have fun. You pay , you've got to do your work. Else, you dropout college. Simple equation.

but if our government, our people , our schools don't really care about maintaining the quality of education. If everyone says that "there's nothing we can do about it", I think we should look around us again.
Just think.

[naoj]

However, let's not overlook the DARK SIDE of it. The sky-high price compromised the "prospect" and the "good studying condition". I thought colleges and universities' main objective is to EDUCATE, not to MAKE MONEY, but all evidence to the contrary. Many poorer students are rather discriminated by the tuition fees. Then are PCs as good as it seems?

Let's see....I have a friend in PC (name of PC not told here for privacy). He says that the attitude of the students there are "a joke". Real bad...bad influence. Very hard to concentrate in studies while all other students are busy chatting about nonsense and SMOKING?? This is way out of acceptable. Where is the discipline control? Just because the students paid a high sum, their activities should not be monitored? But then again, I am NOT talking about good students there, onli those spoilt fellows. But they are the one whose sprayed paints to the reputation of PCs? NO, NEVER!! They are not the only one, but also everybody especially the PC's governers and administrators who should do SOME discipline control...



The reason they are PRIVATE colleges is that the main objective is to make money in the education line which is fast beginning to occupy a large proportion of the market. Basic economics. "Spoilt fellows" as u call them exist everywhere in private or public institutions - just that spoilt people tend to be richer so they tend to go private instead of bothering to fight it out for local uni.

How well u do in an education institution depends mostly on how much drive u have. If u can't concentrate cos people around u are talking...go study in the library. Don't blame the entire college, really. U make all private college attendees sounds like immoral, ambitionless oafs with your shameless stereotyping.

Oh and maybe this i offtopic but i don't really like the condescending extremely disapproving tone (or font rather) that u expressed for smoking. Does not make u a worse person. And "chatting nonsense" is er..necessary to survive - a basic communication tool. And that too is a choice. No one can or will discuss Immanuel Kant the entire day - now, you may go look up who he is.

[naoj]

frankly, the idea of colleges, be it private or public, monitoring the behaviour and morals of its students repulsive.

Touche! I agree wholeheartedly.

[qedx]

rather than focusing on the students' behaviour, colleges would do well to police their lecturers and improve their facilities.

the school i go to, a lot of the lecturers appear not motivated and seem to have emergency leave every other day. what kind of example is this?

and the facilities, don't get me going on this. for one, the library is small and noisy. if they can't even enforce rules in a library don't dream about making students actually study, and quit smoking.

i see tertiary ed. as the time when kids learn to grow. some don't and fail and some do and succeed. that's all there is to it.