“College Prep” isn’t what it used to be.
But preparing for real and valuable higher education in the arts or sciences is very much what it has always been.
Put differently, college life isn’t what it used to be, and that’s unfortunate. Many universities have lost sight of their mission. Increased costs are coupled with diminishing returns. But college is still the default path for most young adults and a good choice for many.
Whether you intend to enter the university or look at the growing list of alternatives, a serious education remains a wonderful thing, and becoming well-versed in the riches of Western Civilization is the key.
Each year bright-eyed freshmen arrive on campus anticipating success and the freedom—finally—to enjoy life as an adult. But too many of those students fail to complete their first year.
It happens, as Professor Carol explains from personal experience.
Will a Google search get you the information necessary to write that term paper? No. Does anybody really care if your prose is dull and your syntax awkward? Yes, they absolutely do. To master any discipline, you must first acquire the tools of learning and the skills to present what you know clearly and effectively.
Professor Carol teaches the Tools for Academic Success designed for college prep students, taking a serious look at what they will face in college and beyond.
Perhaps you are already pursuing a Great Books program. If so, well done! Being well-versed in the best that has been thought or said is an essential ingredient of a good education in any field.
But high expressions of the human condition and worthy aspirations come in many forms. Along with great books, a person needs to encounter Beauty in great music and art.
One of the great divides among entering college freshmen (and a predictor of success) is between those acquainted with their cultural treasures and those without significant exposure.
To get started with Art, we recommend our course Strategies for Teaching Art History in the Circle of Scholars or an introductory free webinar on the topic.
Music lies at the heart of our educational mission. But not music in a vacuum. Rather, we strive to connect music to everything: the other arts, history, culture, science and technology, geography, politics, economics, to name a few.
Discovering Music is all about seeing history through the lens of the arts. Every society has always preserved its most important values and cultural history through its artistic expressions. It is how one generation speaks to another.
Music has the additional benefit of being the most memorable and colorful way to encounter history.