Welcome to Tiger High!
Written: May 29 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: a wonderful, if expensive, way to get tickets to a basketball game
Cons: anti-intellectual environment, poor funding, low standards, awful professors
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| jcgrow's Full Review: University of Memphis |
I attended the University of Memphis College of Education in order to earn a Master of Arts in Teaching Degree but have taken courses in many departments of the university in order to fulfill distribution requirements. I also have lived in a neighborhood next to campus for four years, and have therefore been able to become quite familiar with most aspects of the U of M.
The Name Game
I hate calling the University of Memphis "the U of M" because in my mind "the U of M" has always meant the University of Michigan, a fine school. Until a few years ago, the University of Memphis was named "Memphis State University". The administration, worried about the school's poor reputation, decided that the solution was to give it a new name. No other significant changes were made, but the administration hoped that things would get better anyhow. This attitude prevails at the U of M, where people talk about high standards but never enforce them.
The students and surrounding community refer to the university as "Tiger High", (after the basketball team) a much more appropriate name. The education that students receive at the U of M is at the high school level, and after graduation they tend to work in jobs that require only a high school education.
Whatever you do, don't think!
The atmosphere at the University is downright anti-intellectual. Professors, who tend to be rather dim-witted themselves, struggle to get their students to write in complete sentences. The focus is on "developing" students so that they will have a high self-esteem. Grade inflation is rampant - if students show up, they're practically guaranteed to pass.
Most students pout their way through classes, sitting quietly in their seats as if they are bored and resent being made to go to school. Hardly any students are excited about learning. About half claim to have learning disabilities such as attention deficit disorder. The other half explain that they're not good at "book learning". In order to accommodate them, the professors provide opportunities for alternative "learning styles" such as earning grades by chatting instead of writing or taking exams. I know one history major who graduated with honors without ever writing a paper longer than 5 pages.
Students and professors alike tend to frown upon rigorous academics. I had many professors who gave lectures about how research cannot be trusted and people need to just use their common sense.
The whole school goes nuts over sports, though. The administration takes millions of dollars every year to subsidize the Tigers in their various incarnations while telling academic departments that they need to make cuts. Basic resources in the library are eliminated so that boys can play with balls.
The University of Memphis is an equal opportunity school that does not discriminate on the basis of intelligence. If you can write your name and address on the one-page application and keep most of your pencil marks within the bubbles on the SAT, they'll let you in.
Campus Life?
There is no campus life at the University of Memphis. Lectures are rare and poor in quality. Student organizations are small and usually only last a year or two. The fraternities and sororities, of course, are popular. The Kappa Alphas are a particular favorite of mine. They dress up like confederates and were kicked off of campus a few years ago after a racially-based assault.
The basic problem for students who want an active campus life at the University of Memphis is that almost everyone commutes, going home in the evenings and weekends to sleep in their parents' homes.
In Short...
If you liked high school, you'll love Tiger High. If you're just looking to get a better job than manager at Burger King, the U of M can give you that. If you want anything more, look elsewhere. In fact, you need to get out of Memphis entirely - a passable education is not to be found for hundreds of miles around.
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
jcgrow
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Location: Trumansburg, New York, United States
Reviews written: 238
Trusted by: 50 members
About Me:
Editor of IrregularTimes.com, looking at the world at through an irregular lens.
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