Actually, what makes the US school system so much worse in the sense that it doesn't encourage individuals to think independently are multiple-choice tests. Such crap and it's used all the way through college.

Here is a short article about a school microsoft actually financed. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/...n2072454.shtml

There are not books or chalkboards or anything like that. Every kid has a laptop and everything is done on it. The cool thing, which is only touched on in the article, is how they integrate classes. You learn things and then apply what you learned in other subjects. So you learn math, then you learn how to apply that math in a science class. There are no regular classes, they almost teach freeform.

Here is microsofts page on it.
http://www.microsoft.com/education/schooloffuture.mspx

I think schools like this would actually help elevate our dying educational system.

Maybe if this country didn't spend billions in senseless wars and invested them into education instead...

That would be a very good start.

I've met several C- guys who were only good at talking shit, talk, talk.....all freaking day long.......they landed a job as mortgage brokers and are now managing a whole bunch of Graduates with BA, MBAs in finance ........ gO figure....

One thing which they have that none of the A+ graduates have is the guts to sell ice to an eskimo..... yeap, guts.....and start bulldoggin' people ;)

As somebody mentioned earlier, grades aren't a good predictor of financial success in life. But it does effect the type of occupations people can choose. The A+ lab rat genius working on finding medical cures or mathmetician figuring out new mathematical models is usually not wealthy, but the C+ sociable person who can make real estate deals can be a multi-millionaire. That being said, there is a correlation between higher education and increased income because higher education opens doors to better paying occupations like doctors, lawyers, accountants etc. In industries, it opens doors to higher management levels, where inbuilt hiearchy, and not necessarily skill are most important.

Most A+ and C+ students aren't millionaires, but there are millionaires from both groups. It all comes down to the individual. There are also many more C+ students than A+ students, and the C+ millionaire makes for a sweeter story. Regardless, it's not a huge surprise that somebody who is really creative or driven may do poorly in school, because they don't care for it, to become successful.

Another thing to note is that many of the C+ students cited in the article who became huge successes were students in the 1960's and prior. This was a time when getting into business and the cost of living was very different than today. Those very same successful business owners want their employees to have credentials up the ass before they'll hire them.

Obviously personal goals play a lot into it as well. I think it's in the movie Citizen Kane where the guy says something like "you can make a lot of money, if all that you want to do in life, is make money." It's not quite that easy in real life, but you get the gist of the message.

Success is not always measured with money.

:thumbsup

:1orglaugh

This semester I'm taking a course in object-oriented programming, so am literally, both a C+/C++ student _and_ an A student.

Best of both worlds.

:thumbsup

freaky friday...:pimp

Cause A students have no balls

that article is so true....

I can say that I am the engineer type!

Agreed. They'll create any course or degree program now, just to get those entrance fees. You can get your Master's in Toy Model Plane Building.

I agree for the most part.

I was a B student. What about me? :(