I entered college without much science. In fact, I entered college with virtually no science, and very little math.
My parents traveled a lot for my father’s job; until I was 13 we never stayed in one place longer than a few weeks, except for a couple of months each late summer when we returned to the family compound to help with the wheat harvest.
My mother homeschooled us children, using library books and correspondence lessons from a catholic organization. I started reading at about 4 and so mostly, I read books. When my father’s health forced him to take on less stressful work, we settled into a neighborhood and I began attending a local Catholic girl’s school. My older brothers had all left home for college by then (where their total lack of organized schooling was never a question - I have no idea what the entrance requirements were in the late 60’s, early 70’s - my brothers all became professionals, two doctors, a lawyer, an architect, a teacher, an accountant)
Apparently my lack of socialization and academics didn’t make much of an impact, I remember having lots of friends, going to slumber parties, skating parties, horse back riding parties, all the normal things girls did on weekend in the early 70’s. We listened to three dog night (one is the loneliest number!) and sang along to Rod Stewart’s Maggie May when it came on the radio. I was on the honor roll every term. I played sports. I don’t remember science. I barely remember math.
Okay, we had “ecology of Oregon” in 8th grade, remembered only because of the backpacking trip that ended the class. I took some kind of rudimentary general science in 9th or 10th grade, but science isn’t real important at a Catholic girl’s school. Lots of English, literature, and just enough math to pass whatever requirements Oregon had in 1977, the year I graduated (with honors). I never took chemistry, physics, or advanced math. I think Algebra II was it. I did take honors Latin though!
I entered college and took classes designed to turn me into an electrical tech, something I figured I could get a job doing so I could afford more school. My parents would have sent me to university but I was stubborn in a weird way and wanted to do everything on my own (and the apples don’t fall far from the tree around here, sigh). I had to take more math, which wasn’t a problem because apparently all my public school peers didn’t take enough math either and we were all in the same classes. In two years of community college I somehow battered my way through a bunch of electronics courses (with no science background) and advanced math (calculus and trig) without understanding that I was unprepared - because the classes were full and we all seemed to be on the same page academically. I passed all my courses with A’s.
I’ve always wondered how one is supposed to be prepared for a class they haven’t yet taken. If you already know the material, why take the class?
I went to work for a huge electronics company in Oregon, you can guess which one if you’d like. They had tuition reimbursement and I took full advantage, working and going to school. Somewhere along the way to what I assumed would be an electrical engineering degree, I had to take biology to complete a stupid science requirement. Biology! Ugh. Bugs and dissecting frogs. Three weeks into the course I was hooked. I quit my job at big name electronics, applied for student aid, took every biology class (and microbiology, chemistry, physics, anatomy, pre med, and pseudo science like sociology and behavioral science) class the university offered. I transferred to Oregon state and took even MORE science. I kept graduating and then going back for more, until they got sick of me and made me start teaching classes and doing research. I guess that wasn’t so bad.
The real point is, it didn’t matter if I was “prepared” or that I’d had very little science and math. I took them in college. If I’d had more math and science, I’d still have had to take them in college for the undergrad requirements. If every student in public school is so much more prepared academically, then why do they offer 100 level science and maths, and why are those classes always full? I can guarantee you this - not once did any of my professors ask me about my previous schooling - since I was in their lower level class, they assumed I didn’t know anything and taught me. It wasn’t a big deal.
And I can also tell you this - 99% of the time, I never knew my own students academic background. They may as well have all come from caves. They were in my class, and either I taught them, or they figured out the class was too high a level and they dropped down. Or it was too easy and they withdrew and took a higher level. I didn’t ask them if they were homeschooled - the only times I knew - when the student shared that info - usually the fundies who wanted to question a few minor science topics. When you get your schedules at the beginning of the term, it doesn’t tell you where the students went to school, so all this BS about public school teachers “knowing” their homeschooled students is just that - b u l l s h i t. I would venture that ALL the students I ever flunked were publicly schooled.
Educational gaps? Show me a high school graduate who doesn’t have gaps. Show me a bright student with little or no science background who can’t handle an entry level biology class. Please, if you’re too lazy to teach science to your students, find a new career. They come to you to learn, don’t expect someone else to have taught them. Biology isn’t rocket science. Okay, sometimes it is, but it’s not like it can’t be learned as easily at 19 as it is at 12. In fact, it’s usually easier.
Unprepared for college? Says who?
