another day of Deutsche Kultur

I apologize to those of you who visit my blog in hopes of interesting reading, thought-provoking cultural analysis or even the "seven vulgar things you need to know how to say in German" entry. You will be hopelessly bored and I suggest you go visit Pam Anderson's blog. Maybe she has pictures.

Today I took part in an interesting discussion on the changes in the German University system. As I'm sure you all know, German students do not pay to go to university. They go through a series of tests from about age 8 that place them in the appropriate middle school, the appropriate high school (university bound or workforce bound) and then IF there is a place open at the university of their choice in their field and they manage to beat out the other bright bulbs, they get to go for basically the cost of living in that city. This is a concept I can get behind.

Strangely enough, they want to move toward a more American system where people have to pay to go to University, it's less merit based and the average success quotient is lower, but you get to wear a t-shirt that says "my university is older than your university" and put a bumper sticker on your car.

I drive a Honda. I've been to four or five different universities over the last eight years and none of them have made it onto a bumper sticker on my car. I enjoyed my undergrad and living across the street from the football stadium so I could watch the games from my airconditioned dorm room. The food sucked, but I had a full scholarship so I didn't complain too much. But if someone told me that all I had to do was work hard enough and be smart enough and I could go to college and grad school and get my doctorate for free, you bet your sweet stick shift that I'd give away all of my college t-shirts and never sing a fight song again.

I admit that I am an educational snob. This should come as a shock to no one who knows me. I think it lowers the common denominator when yahoos get admitted into college because they can play football and I had to have a 31 on the ACT to even be considered for the honors college scholarships. Granted, I have met my fair share of intelligent, sentient and culturally savvy athletes. But it sticks in my craw (there's a good Mississippi phrase for you) that I had to pay an athletic fee to Indiana University and didn't even get to go to the games for free. There was no line item on my bill that said "opera fee." There is no reciprocal justification.

And on a less inflammatory note, it's a beautiful day here in Vermont. Viel Spass.