Or at least that’s what one professor in particular thinks.

A recent essay in The New York Times written by Joanne Ciulla, a University of Richmond professor, discusses the modern work ethic and how college students today have a somewhat warped view of the world.

It struck me as interesting, and I must admit, it is hard not to be offended by the characteristics she describes college students of today having:

ENTITLED TO A DO-OVER
“It has become common for students to ask to retake tests or to rewrite papers in order to get a better grade…While the apparent desire for self-improvement is admirable, usually the higher grade is what really matters. Sometimes a student’s second try is not much better than the first, but he or she still expects a better grade for the effort. This attitude leads to the second problem.”

So, we want to work hard to do the best we possibly can on an assignment and now professors are pissed about this?

CLOCK PUNCHING
“Students tend to take an industrial view of work. They commonly contest a grade by saying they deserve a higher one because they put so much time into studying or writing a paper. Such students see grades as pay for the time spent on the job, not the quality of the product.”

Don’t you think this might be a direct result of the college system and grading as a whole?

THE LAKE EFFECT
“Like the children in Garrison Keillor’s fictitious town of Lake Wobegon, many college students believe that they are above average. This is not entirely their fault, as grade inflation runs rampant in many universities. When professors inflate grades, they give students a misleading picture of how their work stacks up against others, and they deprive students of the feedback they need to improve.”

So, we are all full of ourselves and believe we are better than we actually are?

Ciulla goes on to explain how because of these characteristics of today’s students, employers are going to have a rough time managing us. “Recruiting and retaining the best of these graduates will be a challenge,” she writes.

In my opinion, college has never been so competitive, and many of these inherent characteristics come as a result of trying to stay afloat in an environment of overachievers and type A personalities. And don’t get me wrong, this is not entirely a bad thing. I feel that graduating students are now entering the work force with an immensely high work ethic. We realize that we will have to put in the time and pay our dues in order to work our way up and are totally willing to do that.

But, that’s just my opinion, what do you think of the essay? Is she right about us or do you think she may be just a bit off?