What are good colleges in worcester? (home, high school, contractor)

[cokeman]

i have like a C+ average in high school so i think Worcester state is good because it is cheap and easy to get into?

[goyguy]

Are you thinking of commuting? If so, you might want to look into what Quinsigamond Community College has to offer instead - particularly if you don't know what your interests are for a major yet. One of the people I lived with at UMass skated through high school but was actually very smart. That's what he did to "test the waters" when he decided he wanted to get serious about academics. After he started out slow at another community college he ended up on the honor roll and then went on to do extremely well in a Bachelors program.
QCC, Worcester State, and probably most schools have a counseling office where you can go over your options. So you might want to check out that resource before enrolling anywhere. The deadline for college applications is generally in the early spring, so you still have some time.
Let's face it, though. The bias toward higher education is strong, but not everybody should follow that road. We all aren't super intelligent or super motivated. And not all those who are should go the college route either. A neighbor on my street got an undergrad degree from a prestigious university and then a Masters from another one - but what makes him feel fulfilled is mechanical labor. So he makes a living as a service contractor (plumbing, remodeling, etc.) He spent eight years chasing paper because he was raised in a suburb where that's "what's expected." Someone I grew up with also earned two degrees and went on to be a successful teacher and coach for about twenty years. Then he decided to do what felt right to him, and is now a delivery/sales driver for a food company. Both men make a comfortable living but don't take home as much as they would if they were pursuing careers in what their formal educations had qualified them to do. It doesn't matter to them, because they start and end their work days happy. This is a poem I've always liked, cut the author some slack for the words because it's from the 1930's. I'm sure Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror" was based on it:

"The Man in the Glass," by Dale Wimbrow (1934)

When you get what you want in your struggle for self
And the world makes you king for a day,
Just go to a mirror and look at yourself,
And see what that man has to say.

For it isn't your father or mother or wife,
Who judgment upon you must pass;
The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the one starring back from the glass.

He's the fellow to please, never mind all the rest.
For he's with you clear up to the end,
And you've passed the most dangerous, difficult test
If the man in the glass is your friend.

You may be like Jack Horner and "chisel" a plum,
And think you're a wonderful guy,
But the man in the glass says you're only a bum
If you can't look him straight in the eye.

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years.
And get pats on the back as you pass,
But your final reward will be the heartaches and tears
If you've cheated the man in the glass.

[cokeman]

Well i wanna do computer engineering, And a guy told me WPI is good for that but you gotta be really smart huh?

[Bob Lanata]

WPI is an internationally known school and you really need to be top notch to stay the course there. Good friend of mine went there some time ago. Worth a visit to talk with someone. My advise is to visit Worcester State, or Quinsigamond and talk with someone there. Good luck friend

[thenewtexan]

Originally Posted by cokeman

i have like a C+ average in high school so i think Worcester state is good because it is cheap and easy to get into?

When I was in HS back in the day (1990...ok I'm old, so what), admissions was easy at Worcester State. I don't know about now, though. Consider this: college is expensive, really expensive. Their are plenty of kids nowadays that have stellar grades that are starting out at Quinsig or WSU to get their core classes done. It's chaeaper that way. They finish up someplace else because they pull down awesome grades. Who cares if your friends are going to $50K per year schools. It's not about where you start out, my friend. It's where you finish. Don't sweat the small stuff.

[parkman]

As a WPI grad, I'd second Mr. Lanata's suggestion - schedule a visit and check it out. If you like it, apply. I met folks with all kinds of backgrounds and grades when I went there. It's not all just about GPA.

WPI is a tough school and being smart helps. However, it's probably more important that you want to work hard.

But if you do really want to learn engineering, it's a GREAT place.

Good luck!

[cokeman]

Originally Posted by parkman

As a WPI grad, I'd second Mr. Lanata's suggestion - schedule a visit and check it out. If you like it, apply. I met folks with all kinds of backgrounds and grades when I went there. It's not all just about GPA.

WPI is a tough school and being smart helps. However, it's probably more important that you want to work hard.

But if you do really want to learn engineering, it's a GREAT place.

Good luck!

idk i heard nerds go there gross

[jayrandom]

Originally Posted by goyguy

Are you thinking of commuting? If so, you might want to look into what Quinsigamond Community College has to offer instead - particularly if you don't know what your interests are for a major yet. One of the people I lived with at UMass skated through high school but was actually very smart. That's what he did to "test the waters" when he decided he wanted to get serious about academics. After he started out slow at another community college he ended up on the honor roll and then went on to do extremely well in a Bachelors program.

I saw the opposite in college. Kids who were so bright they could skate through high school without any effort got to college and learned that it was full of equally bright people who actually worked; usually it resulted in a painful adjustment in attitude but sometimes it resulted in "flaming out" and leaving school entirely. I think it's fair to say that the combination of intelligence and effort that gets a C+ in high school is not sufficient to be successful in a University.

Originally Posted by goyguy

QCC, Worcester State, and probably most schools have a counseling office where you can go over your options. So you might want to check out that resource before enrolling anywhere. The deadline for college applications is generally in the early spring, so you still have some time.
Let's face it, though. The bias toward higher education is strong, but not everybody should follow that road. We all aren't super intelligent or super motivated. And not all those who are should go the college route either. A neighbor on my street got an undergrad degree from a prestigious university and then a Masters from another one - but what makes him feel fulfilled is mechanical labor. So he makes a living as a service contractor (plumbing, remodeling, etc.) He spent eight years chasing paper because he was raised in a suburb where that's "what's expected." Someone I grew up with also earned two degrees and went on to be a successful teacher and coach for about twenty years. Then he decided to do what felt right to him, and is now a delivery/sales driver for a food company. Both men make a comfortable living but don't take home as much as they would if they were pursuing careers in what their formal educations had qualified them to do. It doesn't matter to them, because they start and end their work days happy. This is a poem I've always liked, cut the author some slack for the words because it's from the 1930's. I'm sure Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror" was based on it:

I've seen many of your posts and can't say I've ever agreed with you more. Sage advice that I feel is wasted on this somewhat false persona.

Originally Posted by cokeman

Well i wanna do computer engineering, And a guy told me WPI is good for that but you gotta be really smart huh?

Originally Posted by cokeman

idk i heard nerds go there gross

Who do you think does computer engineering?

Looking through your other threads its not clear if you're a high school student, a young adult, or a subtle troll who wants to comment on the trappings of wealth.