This quarter in Writ 101 has been great in every way possible, helping me develop as a more confident writer. This year I learned:
• That I can consistently think on a college level basis, and translate these thoughts onto paper
• How to organize a essay so its more effective, and use transitions better for clarity
• How to make an emphatic thesis
• How to create an outline that’s organized and effective
• That I need to improve my research skills to have clearer and stronger content
• How to apply strong topic sentences at the beginning of every paragraph for clarity
• That I can write a essay with a specific deadline, even if the directions aren’t as clearly laid out as they were in high school
• That I have personal voice when I write
My second essay was where I struggled the most this year. Every part of the essay was repulsive to me, I hated the time frame we had, and the creative writing mixed with the analytical writing. I also found the research to be extremely difficult, especially compared to essay number one. That affected my content as seen in this line, “Our ancestors were forced to flee from Britain to escape religious persecution; now however, we are strong enough to fight back that same cause.” They weren’t fighting religious persecution in the revolutionary war. But I can’t deny I did learn from the experience. I learned I don’t work well when writes genres are mixed, but I can still manage to get it done in time. My grade on it pleasantly surprised me, and next time I will make sure I have only one genre to work with.
However, my first essay was something that I am very proud of. In the beginning, I was extremely worried because this was my first real assignment as a college student. This seemed like the first big obstacle, not to mention the stories I had heard about Craig’s grading that did nothing to soothe my nerves. But, for the first time, I let my fear motivate me and worked consistently on it for the entire three weeks. When I got my score back I was thrilled. As much as I wanted an A, I think a B was both fair and exciting. I liked the following lines from my essay because they show my voice, and an example of they say I say templates. “I believe his actions were equal to little more than a colonial-age stress ball. I concede that he brought change, and did indeed act as the liberator of the settler’s anger, but I maintain that his actions were little more than cowardice.”
Another thing I am proud of was when Craig said I was one of the best people for peer review. I had spent a considerable of time helping other people with their essay as much as I could, and it was great to be recognized for the time I put in.
Form my shaky start, I think PSEC and especially this writing class has helped me immeasurably. The thing I learned in this quarter I will be using for the rest of my academic career. Along with academic skills like being able to introduce “They say” into my writing, I received something I thought I wouldn’t from any scholarly setting: self confidence and pride in what I write. Everything I work on feels like a challenge, and everything I completed is testimony to how hard I worked.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Portfolio: Essay 1
How do you tell the difference between heroes and villains? Some would say the difference is actions, others say about perspectives. Since history is an art of interpretation, it gives us different versions of the same people or events. For example, take Nathanial Bacon of Bacon’s Rebellion. In some reports, he seems to be the picture of heroism, a man who led the poor and underprivileged to revolt against their malign government. Other articles aren't so willing to paint him as the hero... I believe he wasn’t a hero at all.
Bacon: A Hero
The desperately poor farmers, the indentured servants, exploited slaves of multiple races, and the lower class settlers all saw Nathanial Bacon as hope for a brighter, freer future. The people had multiple reasons for their unrest; their poverty, the growing distinctions between classes, promises of wealth and land that wouldn't be fulfilled, the growing anger at the government for lack of protection, and the racial tension; all of this was simmering below the surface of the shining new world the settlers had tried to hard to create. It seems implied that the poor white Englishmen had no one else to turn to for reform and protection from the government. Bacon did have his reasons for leading this sordid group of people who were robbed of their promised wealth.
First, Bacon claimed in his Declaration that Governor Berkeley, “…raised great unjust taxes”, “advancing [advanced] to places of judicature… scandalous and ignorant favorites”, and “…assuming [assumed] monopoly of the beaver trade” among other crimes. The government was also unwilling to help protect outlying settlers from Indian attacks, on the grounds that a war with the natives would damage the fur trade. Second, they would see him a person of his word because he fought along side them in the battles he led. He sacrificed his social status and favor with The Virginian government to execute this plan. Modern day scholars might say that his actions were noble because there were multiple races in the band of rebels he lead. He was the first to (briefly) unite blacks and whites in any major political cause. Historymatters.edu agreed, “Virginia’s planters long remembered the spectacle of black and white acting together to challenge authority”. Finally, they would see him as virtuous because the colonists already had prejudice against the Indians. The natives were not innocent, and the people jumped at the chance to retaliate in force. But it must be said that he wasn’t the settler’s choice, he was their only chance to improve their situation. In his wife’s letter to her sister, she tells a story of how he is doing good for the community, risking life and limb to protect the colonists from the “troublesome Indians”.
Bacon: A Martyr
There are other accounts of Bacon being less than noble. First, in his declaration, he believes himself a tragic hero, a defender of the poor and unprotected, a champion of justice. He said himself, "Judge therefore all wise and unprejudiced men...the aspersion of Traitor or Rebell", playing the long suffering martyr in his own documents. (Note: I'm using the definition of martyr, “A person who seeks sympathy or attention by feigning or exaggerating pain, deprivation, etc.”) Second, it is true that he had reasons to be angry, but what I don’t understand is why he choose to act in the way that he did. In his list of Gov. Berkeley’s crimes, he listed “prevention of civil disobedience” as one of the governor’s faults. Raiding the elite’s estates and destroying nearby villages does not constitute civil disobedience. Thirdly, he was not “one of the people”, as some sources imply. He was wealthy, and far from experiencing the suffering of the people he represented. Now if he was not in the masses shivering in worn boots and worrying about his family’s next meal, what were his motivations for rebelling? Was he simply an angry colonist searching for justice? Or was he a malicious leader, killing whenever or whoever he deemed fit?
It also must be said that the people on whom he focused the settler’s guns were innocent. True, not all Indians were guiltless at this time, but the Doeg and Pamunkey tribes that he lead attacks on were peaceful. Indeed, the tribes were so reluctant to offend the settlers that they did not raise a hand to defend themselves. His attack ruined trust with those and other Native American tribes. The government had placed peace treaties upon their land, which he ignored completely.
Zinn and Steffof emphasize Bacon being merely a leader in their book. They reiterate that the colonists concern was not either the Indians or Government, but a combination of both. They also observe the overall stress inflicted on the colonies by the over-zealous taxation by England. The book acknowledges, “He probably cared more about fighting Indians than about helping the poor."[Pg 36].
Michael Puglisi elucidates in his article,” Whether they be Friends or foes”, "He [Bacon] claimed that he was providing a release for the colonist’s frustrations." [Pg 77]. Puglisi forgot to mention that killing and plundering innocent Indian villages is hardly a hobby. Both these documents imply that Bacon had no reason to attack the Indians; that the attacks against the Doeg and Pamunkey tribes were merely retaliation against Gov. Berkley's crimes.
Bacon: What I think
If the sources are to be taken as truth, I believe there were no heroes in Bacon's Rebellion. Each side of the conflict had their own faults and wrongdoings. Each side had reasoning for their anger; reasoning that may have been misguided, but was present nonetheless.
The Indians played a major role in this conflict, but I believe they were the most innocent our all the parties involved. For example, in, “A True Narrative of the Late Rebellion in Virginia” by the Royal commissioners, they show the example the following Indian conflict. “…Indians… stealing some hoggs… were pursued by the English on a boate… whereupon the Indians complained to their superiors that they had been… abused and cheated… so they took the hoggs for their own satisfaction” This emphasizes that the Indians did not steal for their own gain, they acted in revenge, which may have been part of their culture, “a eye for and eye” situation. The Indians stole property, attacked, killed, and even tortured settlers. But their actions, though far from being justified, had at least motivation based in a logical place.
The government’s crimes also contributed to the revolution. If we interpret Nathanial Bacon’s Declaration as truth, Governor Berkley was largely at fault. But I am wary of classifying had Declaration as a truism. There are fewer sources stating that the government was at fault for the rebellion, (the higher taxes, the favoring of friends in political positions of power, monopoly of the fur trade ect…). The document that stated Governor Berkeley was guilty of these crimes was a highly official document; signed by many colonists, so it does have credentials. Then again, it was signed by people who were against him and his actions, they were not exactly bipartisan. In any case, the Government was obviously a factor in causing public unrest, and the people were champing at the bit to receive the equality and protection they deserved.
And finally, Nathanial Bacon. I believe his actions were equal to little more than a colonial-age stress ball. I concede that he brought change, and did indeed act as the liberator of the settler’s anger, but I maintain that his actions were little more than cowardice. In anger at the authority, he attacked an uninvolved 3rd party? I see no heroism there. Any man who endorses the destruction of the innocent should not be awarded medals of honor. His lack of personal suffering implies that his motivations were more of prejudice and anger than for justice and economic equality. That brings up the question, was he a leader, or more a character created out of desperation? I believe a little of both. He was a leader, but he was a man who could rally a crowd, assign guilt, acts as arbiter, aim a gun. That, I believe, is the extent of his leadership capabilities. And that extent is also the extent of his authority.
In conclusion, as I stated before, Nathanial Bacon was not a hero to the early Virginian colonists. The argument that state his intentions were noble is quelled by the fact that his actions were motivated by racism and were completely irrational. There is no denying that he did bring revolutionary ideas, but the long term significance out shadows his reasoning. His revolution foreshadowed the American Revolution, and therein lies Nathanial Bacons heroism in history.
Bibliography
“Bacons Rebellion: The declaration (1676) by Nathanial Bacon” (online) available at http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5800
“Nathanial Bacon Declaration, 1676” Reading the American past, pg 55
Puglisi, Michael “Whether they be friends or foes: The roles and reactions of tributary native groups caught in colonial conflicts” Marian College, pg 77
Zinn, Howard and Steffoff, Rebecca. A Young People’s History of the United States. Pg 35-51.
Bacon: A Hero
The desperately poor farmers, the indentured servants, exploited slaves of multiple races, and the lower class settlers all saw Nathanial Bacon as hope for a brighter, freer future. The people had multiple reasons for their unrest; their poverty, the growing distinctions between classes, promises of wealth and land that wouldn't be fulfilled, the growing anger at the government for lack of protection, and the racial tension; all of this was simmering below the surface of the shining new world the settlers had tried to hard to create. It seems implied that the poor white Englishmen had no one else to turn to for reform and protection from the government. Bacon did have his reasons for leading this sordid group of people who were robbed of their promised wealth.
First, Bacon claimed in his Declaration that Governor Berkeley, “…raised great unjust taxes”, “advancing [advanced] to places of judicature… scandalous and ignorant favorites”, and “…assuming [assumed] monopoly of the beaver trade” among other crimes. The government was also unwilling to help protect outlying settlers from Indian attacks, on the grounds that a war with the natives would damage the fur trade. Second, they would see him a person of his word because he fought along side them in the battles he led. He sacrificed his social status and favor with The Virginian government to execute this plan. Modern day scholars might say that his actions were noble because there were multiple races in the band of rebels he lead. He was the first to (briefly) unite blacks and whites in any major political cause. Historymatters.edu agreed, “Virginia’s planters long remembered the spectacle of black and white acting together to challenge authority”. Finally, they would see him as virtuous because the colonists already had prejudice against the Indians. The natives were not innocent, and the people jumped at the chance to retaliate in force. But it must be said that he wasn’t the settler’s choice, he was their only chance to improve their situation. In his wife’s letter to her sister, she tells a story of how he is doing good for the community, risking life and limb to protect the colonists from the “troublesome Indians”.
Bacon: A Martyr
There are other accounts of Bacon being less than noble. First, in his declaration, he believes himself a tragic hero, a defender of the poor and unprotected, a champion of justice. He said himself, "Judge therefore all wise and unprejudiced men...the aspersion of Traitor or Rebell", playing the long suffering martyr in his own documents. (Note: I'm using the definition of martyr, “A person who seeks sympathy or attention by feigning or exaggerating pain, deprivation, etc.”) Second, it is true that he had reasons to be angry, but what I don’t understand is why he choose to act in the way that he did. In his list of Gov. Berkeley’s crimes, he listed “prevention of civil disobedience” as one of the governor’s faults. Raiding the elite’s estates and destroying nearby villages does not constitute civil disobedience. Thirdly, he was not “one of the people”, as some sources imply. He was wealthy, and far from experiencing the suffering of the people he represented. Now if he was not in the masses shivering in worn boots and worrying about his family’s next meal, what were his motivations for rebelling? Was he simply an angry colonist searching for justice? Or was he a malicious leader, killing whenever or whoever he deemed fit?
It also must be said that the people on whom he focused the settler’s guns were innocent. True, not all Indians were guiltless at this time, but the Doeg and Pamunkey tribes that he lead attacks on were peaceful. Indeed, the tribes were so reluctant to offend the settlers that they did not raise a hand to defend themselves. His attack ruined trust with those and other Native American tribes. The government had placed peace treaties upon their land, which he ignored completely.
Zinn and Steffof emphasize Bacon being merely a leader in their book. They reiterate that the colonists concern was not either the Indians or Government, but a combination of both. They also observe the overall stress inflicted on the colonies by the over-zealous taxation by England. The book acknowledges, “He probably cared more about fighting Indians than about helping the poor."[Pg 36].
Michael Puglisi elucidates in his article,” Whether they be Friends or foes”, "He [Bacon] claimed that he was providing a release for the colonist’s frustrations." [Pg 77]. Puglisi forgot to mention that killing and plundering innocent Indian villages is hardly a hobby. Both these documents imply that Bacon had no reason to attack the Indians; that the attacks against the Doeg and Pamunkey tribes were merely retaliation against Gov. Berkley's crimes.
Bacon: What I think
If the sources are to be taken as truth, I believe there were no heroes in Bacon's Rebellion. Each side of the conflict had their own faults and wrongdoings. Each side had reasoning for their anger; reasoning that may have been misguided, but was present nonetheless.
The Indians played a major role in this conflict, but I believe they were the most innocent our all the parties involved. For example, in, “A True Narrative of the Late Rebellion in Virginia” by the Royal commissioners, they show the example the following Indian conflict. “…Indians… stealing some hoggs… were pursued by the English on a boate… whereupon the Indians complained to their superiors that they had been… abused and cheated… so they took the hoggs for their own satisfaction” This emphasizes that the Indians did not steal for their own gain, they acted in revenge, which may have been part of their culture, “a eye for and eye” situation. The Indians stole property, attacked, killed, and even tortured settlers. But their actions, though far from being justified, had at least motivation based in a logical place.
The government’s crimes also contributed to the revolution. If we interpret Nathanial Bacon’s Declaration as truth, Governor Berkley was largely at fault. But I am wary of classifying had Declaration as a truism. There are fewer sources stating that the government was at fault for the rebellion, (the higher taxes, the favoring of friends in political positions of power, monopoly of the fur trade ect…). The document that stated Governor Berkeley was guilty of these crimes was a highly official document; signed by many colonists, so it does have credentials. Then again, it was signed by people who were against him and his actions, they were not exactly bipartisan. In any case, the Government was obviously a factor in causing public unrest, and the people were champing at the bit to receive the equality and protection they deserved.
And finally, Nathanial Bacon. I believe his actions were equal to little more than a colonial-age stress ball. I concede that he brought change, and did indeed act as the liberator of the settler’s anger, but I maintain that his actions were little more than cowardice. In anger at the authority, he attacked an uninvolved 3rd party? I see no heroism there. Any man who endorses the destruction of the innocent should not be awarded medals of honor. His lack of personal suffering implies that his motivations were more of prejudice and anger than for justice and economic equality. That brings up the question, was he a leader, or more a character created out of desperation? I believe a little of both. He was a leader, but he was a man who could rally a crowd, assign guilt, acts as arbiter, aim a gun. That, I believe, is the extent of his leadership capabilities. And that extent is also the extent of his authority.
In conclusion, as I stated before, Nathanial Bacon was not a hero to the early Virginian colonists. The argument that state his intentions were noble is quelled by the fact that his actions were motivated by racism and were completely irrational. There is no denying that he did bring revolutionary ideas, but the long term significance out shadows his reasoning. His revolution foreshadowed the American Revolution, and therein lies Nathanial Bacons heroism in history.
Bibliography
“Bacons Rebellion: The declaration (1676) by Nathanial Bacon” (online) available at http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5800
“Nathanial Bacon Declaration, 1676” Reading the American past, pg 55
Puglisi, Michael “Whether they be friends or foes: The roles and reactions of tributary native groups caught in colonial conflicts” Marian College, pg 77
Zinn, Howard and Steffoff, Rebecca. A Young People’s History of the United States. Pg 35-51.
Portfolio: Coll 101 assignment.
Amber Springer
Coll 101 assignment
College fair review
1. Provide the name and a brief description of the following colleges
A public college –
Alberta College of Art
A famous arts college, I like this college because it had the exact degree programs I want, they will accept transfer credits because they receive so many students from other countries. I love that they specialize and are most know for the two majors I want to go to most, Photography and Graphic Design. Its now one of my choice schools, tuition is relatively low, especially for an arts college, they have a job placement program and a small- medium freshman class size. They are a small college, with a low teacher to student ration, at 1:9. The only reason I could see why this would not be a choice school for me would be that it is out of the country, living there would be a challenge, I would need to get housing (I believe on campus housing is available) and a job in Canada.
A private college –
Cornish College of the Arts
This is also a renowned college is the world of art, the name of Cornish is very famous. I like that if I attend, I would have that name backing me up, rather than a smaller or more unknown college. The tuition is more expensive than my choice schools, by about 10,000 a year. But I love the small college feel and with only 800 students you know if you are accepted, you are among the best up and coming artists. They have my choice degree programs. I love their location as well, I wouldn’t have to adjust my life seriously to attend there, I would be within driving distance of my current location, and it being in Seattle would give me plenty opportunity for fun while working, studying and in my free time.
A rural college –
Northwest College of the Arts
Because of the college fair, this is now my choice school. I love the rural location; they have a large waterfront campus close to Seattle. The tuition is the lowest I have encountered. I also like the dual major program, witch would allow me to learn and apply both of my most desired degrees (fine arts and design). Also, they have an accelerated curriculum, where I would be done in 3-4 years instead of 5 like most dual major programs. I was also impressed by the representative, he was extremely helpful in answering my questions, and I will contact him in the future for further admission questions.
A traditional large university –
Art Institute of Seattle
This would be my 3rd college of choice, and once again this college has already made a name for itself in the artistic community, witch is very helpful when looking for a job as a graduate. Although the schools I have seen before were relatively small, the Art Institute is widely established all over the country, if I decided to move out of state, the name would carry with me. I like a lot of the same things about this college that I do about others, like the rest, they are hands on, trying to focus on small class sizes in which to best stimulate creative ability, a urban campus ect. They are medium tuition, about 15,000 more than Northwest College of Art.
A small alternative college –
I did not look for a alternative college, I have a very specific major, so all of the colleges I am looking at have specialized degree programs, I don’t want to be back burnered by a institution that has a photography degree as a small, relatively unnoticed program they offer. If there was a small alternative arts college, I would certainly look into it. 2. Select a college major; describe three colleges with quality degree programs in that major.
My most desired major is a fine arts degree in photography. At the college fair I saw 4-5 prospective colleges with quality degrees in that field.
One of them was California College of the arts. CCA did not impress me much in person, the tuition is very expensive, and the first year you do not get to choose the classes you take. Their brochure was much more informative and inviting. I was impressed, however, with the representative of CCA. She was knowledgeable in my degree program, and her advice even helped me that day during the college fair. She addressed the high tuition costs and told me that a lot of it could be waived they had more scholarship opportunities than most. Considering the price of tuition, and the face that I would need to move out of state upon acceptance, I would probably not apply to this college. But if it was in state, I would be interested I attending.
The second college I explored was Alberta College of Art and Design. I was also favorably impressed by the rep there, she was friendly and knowledgeable. I did not discover anything too profound about this college, I think the only thing that really sets it apart in my eyes would be its location, I wouldn’t have considered a college that was out of country before the fair. I would like to attend this college, but I think the transition would be one of the hardest; I do not want to be that far away from my family and friends. I don’t see the educational experience being that terribly different than anything I had already seen; they are a small college, with relatively low student to teacher ratios, low tuition and an urban campus.
The last and final college I explored for their photography degree was Northwest College of the Arts. I was by far the most impressed with this college. They have almost obscenely small class sizes and teacher-student ratios. They are a private college, and I would appreciate the challenge of getting accepted there. I love the low tuition and the spacious natural campus. They have modern, state of the art facilities as they have recently moved due to expansion. They I could double major in both my fields of choice, and actually graduate faster than if I was enrolled in another dual major program. If they accepted my transfer credit, I may save a truly incredible about of money and time in college, the experience would be completely different here than any other college.
3. After attending a seminar at the college fair, describe its content and evaluate the information received.
The workshop I attended was “How to Write a Better College Essay.” I found the information very useful. She had been a dean of admissions, and she has read literally thousands of essays. The speaker told us the importance of a few main items, the first one being something as simple as follow the directions. Her next points stressed the importance of personal voice in your essay. She said be real, be yourself, use whatever talents you have. One of the best pieces of advice she gave me was to play to your strengths. If you are good at creative writing, then write it like a story. I didn’t know you could do that, I thought it had to follow the traditional essay format, that’s something I will be using when I write my own college entrance essays. She said there have been many cases where she could see talent, but the student’s refusal to brag about their own qualities in their essay may have cost them admission. She was entertaining, and what I learned in that seminar I will be able to use in other essays as well, so that was 30 minutes of my time very well spent.
4. Write a personal evaluation of the college fair experience.
The college fair was a complete success for me, but only because I was prepared in advance. If I had just shown up there, the experience would have been completely chaotic and nearly worthless. The fact I came prepared with what was important to me, the questions I wanted to ask, was invaluable.
The information I received that was the most important was probably when I asked the rep from NWCA how I could impress the admissions officers most with my portfolio or application. He told me that my portfolio was extremely important, that showing examples that you could grow and had talent was consequential. “But even more that that”, he said “you can impress us by showing a desire to learn, a desire to attend, a passion for your art.” That’s something you won’t get offline.
I don’t think I have any unanswered questions that I didn’t ask at the fair. Now my question is will my credits be transferred? But that will be part of the next step, which is starting communication with these colleges now. I should start thinking about my portfolio, and how it will affect me in the admissions process.
The fair was a great experience for me, I had fun, and I learned more in a few hours that I could have online. I met people, I shook the hands that might hold my admissions essay, I got numbers for the people Ill be talking to throughout the next three years, with all luck.
Coll 101 assignment
College fair review
1. Provide the name and a brief description of the following colleges
A public college –
Alberta College of Art
A famous arts college, I like this college because it had the exact degree programs I want, they will accept transfer credits because they receive so many students from other countries. I love that they specialize and are most know for the two majors I want to go to most, Photography and Graphic Design. Its now one of my choice schools, tuition is relatively low, especially for an arts college, they have a job placement program and a small- medium freshman class size. They are a small college, with a low teacher to student ration, at 1:9. The only reason I could see why this would not be a choice school for me would be that it is out of the country, living there would be a challenge, I would need to get housing (I believe on campus housing is available) and a job in Canada.
A private college –
Cornish College of the Arts
This is also a renowned college is the world of art, the name of Cornish is very famous. I like that if I attend, I would have that name backing me up, rather than a smaller or more unknown college. The tuition is more expensive than my choice schools, by about 10,000 a year. But I love the small college feel and with only 800 students you know if you are accepted, you are among the best up and coming artists. They have my choice degree programs. I love their location as well, I wouldn’t have to adjust my life seriously to attend there, I would be within driving distance of my current location, and it being in Seattle would give me plenty opportunity for fun while working, studying and in my free time.
A rural college –
Northwest College of the Arts
Because of the college fair, this is now my choice school. I love the rural location; they have a large waterfront campus close to Seattle. The tuition is the lowest I have encountered. I also like the dual major program, witch would allow me to learn and apply both of my most desired degrees (fine arts and design). Also, they have an accelerated curriculum, where I would be done in 3-4 years instead of 5 like most dual major programs. I was also impressed by the representative, he was extremely helpful in answering my questions, and I will contact him in the future for further admission questions.
A traditional large university –
Art Institute of Seattle
This would be my 3rd college of choice, and once again this college has already made a name for itself in the artistic community, witch is very helpful when looking for a job as a graduate. Although the schools I have seen before were relatively small, the Art Institute is widely established all over the country, if I decided to move out of state, the name would carry with me. I like a lot of the same things about this college that I do about others, like the rest, they are hands on, trying to focus on small class sizes in which to best stimulate creative ability, a urban campus ect. They are medium tuition, about 15,000 more than Northwest College of Art.
A small alternative college –
I did not look for a alternative college, I have a very specific major, so all of the colleges I am looking at have specialized degree programs, I don’t want to be back burnered by a institution that has a photography degree as a small, relatively unnoticed program they offer. If there was a small alternative arts college, I would certainly look into it. 2. Select a college major; describe three colleges with quality degree programs in that major.
My most desired major is a fine arts degree in photography. At the college fair I saw 4-5 prospective colleges with quality degrees in that field.
One of them was California College of the arts. CCA did not impress me much in person, the tuition is very expensive, and the first year you do not get to choose the classes you take. Their brochure was much more informative and inviting. I was impressed, however, with the representative of CCA. She was knowledgeable in my degree program, and her advice even helped me that day during the college fair. She addressed the high tuition costs and told me that a lot of it could be waived they had more scholarship opportunities than most. Considering the price of tuition, and the face that I would need to move out of state upon acceptance, I would probably not apply to this college. But if it was in state, I would be interested I attending.
The second college I explored was Alberta College of Art and Design. I was also favorably impressed by the rep there, she was friendly and knowledgeable. I did not discover anything too profound about this college, I think the only thing that really sets it apart in my eyes would be its location, I wouldn’t have considered a college that was out of country before the fair. I would like to attend this college, but I think the transition would be one of the hardest; I do not want to be that far away from my family and friends. I don’t see the educational experience being that terribly different than anything I had already seen; they are a small college, with relatively low student to teacher ratios, low tuition and an urban campus.
The last and final college I explored for their photography degree was Northwest College of the Arts. I was by far the most impressed with this college. They have almost obscenely small class sizes and teacher-student ratios. They are a private college, and I would appreciate the challenge of getting accepted there. I love the low tuition and the spacious natural campus. They have modern, state of the art facilities as they have recently moved due to expansion. They I could double major in both my fields of choice, and actually graduate faster than if I was enrolled in another dual major program. If they accepted my transfer credit, I may save a truly incredible about of money and time in college, the experience would be completely different here than any other college.
3. After attending a seminar at the college fair, describe its content and evaluate the information received.
The workshop I attended was “How to Write a Better College Essay.” I found the information very useful. She had been a dean of admissions, and she has read literally thousands of essays. The speaker told us the importance of a few main items, the first one being something as simple as follow the directions. Her next points stressed the importance of personal voice in your essay. She said be real, be yourself, use whatever talents you have. One of the best pieces of advice she gave me was to play to your strengths. If you are good at creative writing, then write it like a story. I didn’t know you could do that, I thought it had to follow the traditional essay format, that’s something I will be using when I write my own college entrance essays. She said there have been many cases where she could see talent, but the student’s refusal to brag about their own qualities in their essay may have cost them admission. She was entertaining, and what I learned in that seminar I will be able to use in other essays as well, so that was 30 minutes of my time very well spent.
4. Write a personal evaluation of the college fair experience.
The college fair was a complete success for me, but only because I was prepared in advance. If I had just shown up there, the experience would have been completely chaotic and nearly worthless. The fact I came prepared with what was important to me, the questions I wanted to ask, was invaluable.
The information I received that was the most important was probably when I asked the rep from NWCA how I could impress the admissions officers most with my portfolio or application. He told me that my portfolio was extremely important, that showing examples that you could grow and had talent was consequential. “But even more that that”, he said “you can impress us by showing a desire to learn, a desire to attend, a passion for your art.” That’s something you won’t get offline.
I don’t think I have any unanswered questions that I didn’t ask at the fair. Now my question is will my credits be transferred? But that will be part of the next step, which is starting communication with these colleges now. I should start thinking about my portfolio, and how it will affect me in the admissions process.
The fair was a great experience for me, I had fun, and I learned more in a few hours that I could have online. I met people, I shook the hands that might hold my admissions essay, I got numbers for the people Ill be talking to throughout the next three years, with all luck.
Portfolio: Final Exam- Frame 1
There are certain skills I would expect college graduates to have. They’re probably able to think analytically, form complex arguments and analyze and solve complex problems. It’s not a tall order to believe that they should be able to read. And yet some graduates “can barely fill out a simple application” according to Geoffrey Meredith. How is that remotely possible? Society spends its time pointing fingers; at the parents of these students, at the education system for making class sizes too large resulting in little personal attention, at teachers and professors for not caring about their students success. But the general population should not blame one thing for the rather large oversight of a graduate not being able to read an application, let alone “Pride and Prejudice”. Illiteracy in this scale is the result of something much larger than one professor’s teaching.
In “The Demise of Writing”, Mr. Meredith explains the tragedy of “functional illiteracy”. When reading is not only recommended, not only required, but essential to the workforce, this situation is truly inexcusable. One out of 5 people are unable to read at an acceptable level, most of that statistic being graduates who can’t analyze low to medium level difficulty text. Most disturbing of all, Meredith says that the baby boomer generation may be the best educated in history… and in the future.
My mother has personal experience in this problem as well. One of my mother’s co-workers is one in the previously mentioned statistic. This woman often comes over to my mother to ask her to explain a document. This woman does this consistently, nearly on a daily basis, despite it being part of her job to analyze these documents. That wastes both my mother’s time and the company’s. How does an oversight like that occur in an interview? Did this woman say, “I work well with people and I have a great work ethic. Also, I can’t read past an 8th grade reading level.”?
One might ask, “What’s the harm here? These people obviously can function in society, if they don’t want to learn, it’s not our job to babysit them.” Ill return with a question. These “graduates”, where do you think they’re working? I don’t want someone who can’t read as an air traffic controller or working in a police force! Of course it’s not anyone’s job to make sure people have higher education. But to say that its not the educational departments job to make sure a high school graduate can read a basic text is ridiculous. I will concede that if a student doesn’t want to learn, they won’t. But that excuse goes by the wayside when it comes to college alumni. They spend a lot of resources on gaining a higher education, having that large of a skill deficit is intolerable.
This is a paramount issue screaming for a solution. If I were in the education department I would propose a law stating that any capable student that cannot read at a 12th grade reading level will not be allowed to graduate. No exceptions. This society requires literacy. The purpose of education is to prepare a student for the future. If a student stares at his first application and cannot fill it out past his name, there is blame to be shared and work to be done.
In “The Demise of Writing”, Mr. Meredith explains the tragedy of “functional illiteracy”. When reading is not only recommended, not only required, but essential to the workforce, this situation is truly inexcusable. One out of 5 people are unable to read at an acceptable level, most of that statistic being graduates who can’t analyze low to medium level difficulty text. Most disturbing of all, Meredith says that the baby boomer generation may be the best educated in history… and in the future.
My mother has personal experience in this problem as well. One of my mother’s co-workers is one in the previously mentioned statistic. This woman often comes over to my mother to ask her to explain a document. This woman does this consistently, nearly on a daily basis, despite it being part of her job to analyze these documents. That wastes both my mother’s time and the company’s. How does an oversight like that occur in an interview? Did this woman say, “I work well with people and I have a great work ethic. Also, I can’t read past an 8th grade reading level.”?
One might ask, “What’s the harm here? These people obviously can function in society, if they don’t want to learn, it’s not our job to babysit them.” Ill return with a question. These “graduates”, where do you think they’re working? I don’t want someone who can’t read as an air traffic controller or working in a police force! Of course it’s not anyone’s job to make sure people have higher education. But to say that its not the educational departments job to make sure a high school graduate can read a basic text is ridiculous. I will concede that if a student doesn’t want to learn, they won’t. But that excuse goes by the wayside when it comes to college alumni. They spend a lot of resources on gaining a higher education, having that large of a skill deficit is intolerable.
This is a paramount issue screaming for a solution. If I were in the education department I would propose a law stating that any capable student that cannot read at a 12th grade reading level will not be allowed to graduate. No exceptions. This society requires literacy. The purpose of education is to prepare a student for the future. If a student stares at his first application and cannot fill it out past his name, there is blame to be shared and work to be done.
Revised reflective letter
This quarter in Writ 101 has been great in every way possible, helping me develop as a more confident writer. This year I learned:
• That I can consistently think on a college level basis, and translate these thoughts onto paper
• How to organize a essay so its more effective, and use transitions better for clarity
• How to make an emphatic thesis
• How to create an outline that’s organized and effective
• That I need to improve my research skills to have clearer and stronger content
• How to apply strong topic sentences at the beginning of every paragraph for clarity
• That I can write a essay with a specific deadline, even if the directions aren’t as clearly laid out as they were in high school
• That I have personal voice when I write
My second essay was where I struggled the most this year. Every part of the essay was repulsive to me, I hated the time frame we had, and the creative writing mixed with the analytical writing. I also found the research to be extremely difficult, especially compared to essay number one. That affected my content as seen in this line, “Our ancestors were forced to flee from Britain to escape religious persecution; now however, we are strong enough to fight back that same cause.” They weren’t fighting religious persecution in the revolutionary war. But I can’t deny I did learn from the experience. I learned I don’t work well when writes genres are mixed, but I can still manage to get it done in time. My grade on it pleasantly surprised me, and next time I will make sure I have only one genre to work with.
However, my first essay was something that I am very proud of. In the beginning, I was extremely worried because this was my first real assignment as a college student. This seemed like the first big obstacle, not to mention the stories I had heard about Craig’s grading that did nothing to soothe my nerves. But, for the first time, I let my fear motivate me and worked consistently on it for the entire three weeks. When I got my score back I was thrilled. As much as I wanted an A, I think a B was both fair and exciting. I liked the following lines from my essay because they show my voice, and an example of they say I say templates. “I believe his actions were equal to little more than a colonial-age stress ball. I concede that he brought change, and did indeed act as the liberator of the settler’s anger, but I maintain that his actions were little more than cowardice.”
Another thing I am proud of was when Craig said I was one of the best people for peer review. I had spent a considerable of time helping other people with their essay as much as I could, and it was great to be recognized for the time I put in.
Form my shaky start, I think PSEC and especially this writing class has helped me immeasurably. The thing I learned in this quarter I will be using for the rest of my academic career. Along with academic skills like being able to introduce “They say” into my writing, I received something I thought I wouldn’t from any scholarly setting: self confidence and pride in what I write. Everything I work on feels like a challenge, and everything I completed is testimony to how hard I worked.
• That I can consistently think on a college level basis, and translate these thoughts onto paper
• How to organize a essay so its more effective, and use transitions better for clarity
• How to make an emphatic thesis
• How to create an outline that’s organized and effective
• That I need to improve my research skills to have clearer and stronger content
• How to apply strong topic sentences at the beginning of every paragraph for clarity
• That I can write a essay with a specific deadline, even if the directions aren’t as clearly laid out as they were in high school
• That I have personal voice when I write
My second essay was where I struggled the most this year. Every part of the essay was repulsive to me, I hated the time frame we had, and the creative writing mixed with the analytical writing. I also found the research to be extremely difficult, especially compared to essay number one. That affected my content as seen in this line, “Our ancestors were forced to flee from Britain to escape religious persecution; now however, we are strong enough to fight back that same cause.” They weren’t fighting religious persecution in the revolutionary war. But I can’t deny I did learn from the experience. I learned I don’t work well when writes genres are mixed, but I can still manage to get it done in time. My grade on it pleasantly surprised me, and next time I will make sure I have only one genre to work with.
However, my first essay was something that I am very proud of. In the beginning, I was extremely worried because this was my first real assignment as a college student. This seemed like the first big obstacle, not to mention the stories I had heard about Craig’s grading that did nothing to soothe my nerves. But, for the first time, I let my fear motivate me and worked consistently on it for the entire three weeks. When I got my score back I was thrilled. As much as I wanted an A, I think a B was both fair and exciting. I liked the following lines from my essay because they show my voice, and an example of they say I say templates. “I believe his actions were equal to little more than a colonial-age stress ball. I concede that he brought change, and did indeed act as the liberator of the settler’s anger, but I maintain that his actions were little more than cowardice.”
Another thing I am proud of was when Craig said I was one of the best people for peer review. I had spent a considerable of time helping other people with their essay as much as I could, and it was great to be recognized for the time I put in.
Form my shaky start, I think PSEC and especially this writing class has helped me immeasurably. The thing I learned in this quarter I will be using for the rest of my academic career. Along with academic skills like being able to introduce “They say” into my writing, I received something I thought I wouldn’t from any scholarly setting: self confidence and pride in what I write. Everything I work on feels like a challenge, and everything I completed is testimony to how hard I worked.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Reflective essay Draft
This quarter in Writ 101 has been great in every way possible. The class has helped me develop as a more confident writer. This year I learned:
• That I can consistently think on a college level basis, and translate these thoughts onto paper
• How to organize a essay so its more effective, and use transitions better for clarity
• How to make an emphatic thesis
• How to create an outline that’s organized and effective
• That I need to improve my research skills to have clearer and stronger content
• How to apply strong topic sentences at the beginning of every paragraph for clarity
• That I can write a essay with a specific deadline, even if the directions aren’t as clearly laid out as they were in high school
• That I have personal voice when I write
My second essay was where I struggled the most this year. Every part of the essay was repulsive to me, I hated the time frame we had, and the creative writing mixed with the analytical writing. I also found the research to be extremely difficult, especially compared to essay number one. I found it one of the most difficult pieces of writing I have ever attempted. But I can’t deny I did learn from the experience. I learned I don’t work well when writes genres are mixed, but I can still manage to get it done in time. My grade on it pleasantly surprised me, and next time I will make sure I have only one genre to work with.
However, my first essay was something that I am very proud of. In the beginning, I was extremely worried because this was my first real assignment as a college student. This seemed like the first big obstacle. Not to mention he storied that I had heard stories about Craig’s grading that did nothing to soothe my nerves. But, for the first time, I let my fear motivate me and worked consistently on it for the entire three weeks. When I got my score back I was thrilled. As much as I wanted an A, I think a B was both fair and exciting.
Another thing I am proud of was when Craig said I was one of the best people for peer review. I had spent a considerable of time helping other people with their essay as much as I could, and it was great to be recognized for the time I put in.
Form my shaky start, I think PSEC and especially this writing class has helped me immeasurably. The thing I learned in this quarter I will be using for the rest of my academic career. Along with academic skills like being able to introduce “They say” into my writing, I received something I thought I wouldn’t from any scholarly setting: self confidence and pride in what I write. Everything I work on feels like a challenge, and everything I complete is testimony to how hard I worked.
• That I can consistently think on a college level basis, and translate these thoughts onto paper
• How to organize a essay so its more effective, and use transitions better for clarity
• How to make an emphatic thesis
• How to create an outline that’s organized and effective
• That I need to improve my research skills to have clearer and stronger content
• How to apply strong topic sentences at the beginning of every paragraph for clarity
• That I can write a essay with a specific deadline, even if the directions aren’t as clearly laid out as they were in high school
• That I have personal voice when I write
My second essay was where I struggled the most this year. Every part of the essay was repulsive to me, I hated the time frame we had, and the creative writing mixed with the analytical writing. I also found the research to be extremely difficult, especially compared to essay number one. I found it one of the most difficult pieces of writing I have ever attempted. But I can’t deny I did learn from the experience. I learned I don’t work well when writes genres are mixed, but I can still manage to get it done in time. My grade on it pleasantly surprised me, and next time I will make sure I have only one genre to work with.
However, my first essay was something that I am very proud of. In the beginning, I was extremely worried because this was my first real assignment as a college student. This seemed like the first big obstacle. Not to mention he storied that I had heard stories about Craig’s grading that did nothing to soothe my nerves. But, for the first time, I let my fear motivate me and worked consistently on it for the entire three weeks. When I got my score back I was thrilled. As much as I wanted an A, I think a B was both fair and exciting.
Another thing I am proud of was when Craig said I was one of the best people for peer review. I had spent a considerable of time helping other people with their essay as much as I could, and it was great to be recognized for the time I put in.
Form my shaky start, I think PSEC and especially this writing class has helped me immeasurably. The thing I learned in this quarter I will be using for the rest of my academic career. Along with academic skills like being able to introduce “They say” into my writing, I received something I thought I wouldn’t from any scholarly setting: self confidence and pride in what I write. Everything I work on feels like a challenge, and everything I complete is testimony to how hard I worked.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Essay 2 Reflection
This essay was without a doubt one of the worst I have ever written. There were other things going on in my life that distracted me and left me unfocused. The time frame felt too short as well. I had a horrible time with research, I'm not sure if it was the use of the data bases or maybe I wasn’t creative enough with my search terms.
There was nothing I did well or enjoyed on this essay. I resented the “analytical with creative elements”, Even though Craig said that could have been simply a guideline. I didn’t like that we were split into states. Although the one thing I liked was the community posting of useful sources, that was potentially helpful.
I feel the best way to learn from this experience is to either
A. Forget everything about this essay and move on or
B. Look at this essay as a negative example for all further writing.
Next time we start an essay, hopefully there won’t be so much going on at home so I will be able to focus and really put some time into my research. If that happens, maybe Ill have something worth reading next time.
There was nothing I did well or enjoyed on this essay. I resented the “analytical with creative elements”, Even though Craig said that could have been simply a guideline. I didn’t like that we were split into states. Although the one thing I liked was the community posting of useful sources, that was potentially helpful.
I feel the best way to learn from this experience is to either
A. Forget everything about this essay and move on or
B. Look at this essay as a negative example for all further writing.
Next time we start an essay, hopefully there won’t be so much going on at home so I will be able to focus and really put some time into my research. If that happens, maybe Ill have something worth reading next time.
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