U-Md. Offers Ivy League Lessons to Older Crowd

The Washington Post ^ | Friday, February 8, 2008 | Valerie Strauss

[SoftballMominVA]

For those who feel they missed out on an Ivy League education, there's this: The University of Maryland is bringing leading professors from Harvard, Yale and other top schools to teach classes, and students won't need SAT scores or prerequisites to get in.

With an eye on the booming boomer interest in lifelong education, U-Md. officials are announcing a partnership today that will marry talent from the country's best-known schools with the university's own. Professors will lead a day of seminars March 29 geared toward alumni and local residents long out of school, officials said.

Excerpt

[SoftballMominVA]

Interesting - but my question is what does the University get out of this? Is it just exposure or an intro to getting the 'over-50' crowd back into college at some point?

I may just go and check this one out when it comes to my area

[sageb1]

Hmmm...trying to indoctrinate the over 50 crowd or just tapping into their wealth?

[SoftballMominVA]

Public Education Ping

This list is for articles relating to public education. Gabz, Amelia, and I have volunteered to take over the list so that Metmom can concentrate on home schooling issues. If you want on or off this ping list, please Freepmail SoftballMominVA who is this month’s official keeper of the list (This is an older list as I am posting from a remote site and am not at home. If you are supposed to be on or off and your name is here or not here, don't worry, you are on the permanent list at my house)

[caseinpoint]

Pass. The longer you are out of school, the more you realize these profs usually know squat about real life. I have nightmares about being back in college, not dreams. (And, no, I’m not anti-intellectual. I have a doctorate.)

[metmom]

I wonder if they’re looking for donation money.

Thing is, anyone can go back to school any time. I finished up my degree when I was in my 30’s. I was what they called a non-traditional student and the college bent over backwards to accommodate such. Non-traditional students are more motivated and make better students; they go for help and participate in class.

Maybe the profs just want to teach someone that shows signs of life once in a while.

[Paleo Conservative]

But the drawback is you’d have to live in Maryland.

[radiohead]

Maybe the profs just want to teach someone that shows signs of life once in a while.

LOL! I teach in a graduate level program. My experiences, with adults, often 2nd career folks, is so much different compared to what I read on the message boards for college profs. Teaching undergrads can be satisfying, I'm sure, but it often sounds like a pain in the rear.