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Aggielife
The Battalion
Page 3 • Tuesday, August 3, 2004
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Bob Schneider
I'm Good Now
Vanguard Records
Review by Daniel Chapman
alck
Anyone who has followed the musi-
al career of Austin indie rocker Bob
1 Schneider knows the drama. The singer-
songwriter’s honest lyrics let listeners
lake a bedside seat as pain is recalled
and heartfelt emotion is poured out. On
lis previous releases, those lending an
ar learned about heartbreak coupled
nth drug addiction that has plagued
!*] lob’s life, so many, it is a relief to see
e title of his newest album, titled “I’m
lood Now.”
Insinuating that Schneider’s life is
low on track actually refers to him being
lead. And, according to his online com-
IJjfj nentary about the album, Bob pretty
nuch thinks that life sucks, but now that
le’s dead, it’s gravy. Strangely enough,
lob is alive. It must be nice to make
trange comments and still have people
hink that you’re great. If you said stuff
ike that around here, you’re liable to be
>iven a swirly.
As a public figure, Schneider does
lot seem to be a shy man. He says what
le wants, when he wants and where he
wants. A live performance can make
:ven the dirtiest sailor, fresh off a year-
ong voyage, blush. His comments are
tinny, insightful, and usually what
leople are thinking, but scared to say. In
he recording studio, though, Schneider
s able to channel a much more mature
version of himself that creates beautiful
music.
Lyrically, Schneider’s music is laced
with subtle comedy that keeps the listen
er intently captured as the easy melodies
flow forth. In “Gold in the Sunset,” he
chimes, “Made me a beverage thought
1 had it made/turns out it was a glass of
trcaliilseeya later-ade.” He also talks about his
religious views, which feel much more
honest and real than those of gospel
singer Michael W. Smith’s latest CD.
When time is money
"Victory laps” common as four-year graduation rates decrease
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See Volume Control on page 6
By Christina Teichman
THE BATTALION
Every year poses the same question to many col
lege students around the country: “Will I graduate
this year?” It is still assumed that four years is the
“normal” time frame for a student to complete his
undergraduate degree. But times are changing, and
some reports make this four-year standard seem more
like an urban legend.
Time is not the only thing that seems to fly by
when attending a university — money can disappear
at the same alarming rate. Parents typically try and
push the four-year rule to try and save their pocket-
books from becoming non-existent. Assuming that
the students themselves pay, they want to spend as
little money as possible as well.
According to the Office of International Studies
and Planning, based on the 6,180 incoming Texas
A&M freshmen, in 1997, 75.1 percent graduated in
exactly six years, 68.2 percent graduated in exactly
five years and 31.6 percent graduated in four years.
These numbers include first-time and full-time
incoming freshmen only. These numbers and oth
ers can be found on The Office of Institutional
Studies and Planning Web site at http://www.tamu.
edu/opir/reports.
The Education Trust Fund recently reported that
only 37 percent of first-time students graduate within
four years. Twenty-six percent will graduate in five
or six years and 37 percent either do not graduate at
all or do not graduate within six years of their start
date, according to a CNN Money Web site.
There are many factors that can affect when a stu
dent graduates. Some students do not have the luxury
of taking more than the full-time status load of 12
credits per semester because they must work to put
themselves through school.
Anne Mandola, Class of 2006, is a double major
in English and theater arts and said that she believes
graduating in four years is possible if one takes about
15 hours each semester, unless he or she is in a pro
gram that requires more hours.
“(But) if (you are) working to put yourself
through college and you expect to get good grades,
then it’s impossible unless you are Superman,”
Mandola said.
Students may also have family matters that need
to be dealt with at the same time. The fact that many
students enter college not knowing what they want to
do with their lives yet and do not immediately claim
a major adds to their time in college. Students who
change their majors or double major typically do not
finish in four years, either.
Catie Jackson, an English major, is Class of 2002
and a fifth-year senior. She said that taking summer
school can increase the chance of a four-year gradu
ation, but that the pressure to declare a major can
cause problems.
“I do think the majority (of students) come in not
knowing what they want to do, or change their mind
during the process, which can add on more years,”
Jackson said.
While college can be fun, “there is the issue of
schools that don’t necessarily make an effort to keep
students on track,” as CNNMoney points out. And
while there can be nothing wrong with extending
your stay at college past four years, the trend of five-
and six-year college stints cause more precious time
and tuition money to slowly but surely leak away.
Some students and parents are of the view that stay
ing in school for longer than actually needed wastes
time and money that could be spent elsewhere.
Erin Hollis graduated in December 1996 with her
undergraduate degree from Illinois State University
in three and a half years. She obtained a bachelor’s
degree in English and a minor in philosophy. She is
now a graduate assistant instructor in Texas A&M’s
Department of English, and believes that “learning is
never a waste of time.”
“I don’t think taking five or more years is a waste
Gracie Arenas • THE BATTALION
of the student or the parent’s money as long as the
student is not just floundering in school because
he or she doesn’t know what they want to do,”
Hollis said.
When asked how if the norm of graduating college
changed since she received her bachelor’s degree,
Hollis replied, “I think the requirements are pretty
much the same. The degree I got was challenging
- I just took a lot of credit hours each semester. I did
however, have to sacrifice a lot of free time to gradu
ate so quickly. 1 did work and go to college at the
same time, so most of my time was spent studying.”
A&M is not the only university whose graduation
rate of four years is getting smaller. For those fresh
men entering in the fall of 1996, Princeton graduated
92 percent in four years, Harvard 86 percent and
Cornell 79 percent, according to CNN. The reasons
for the decrease in four-year graduation rates vary,
but for some students, the answer is obvious.
“In my experience I had too much fun during my
first year,” Jackson said. “Now I am paying for my
mistakes as a second-year senior. But it’s been fun.”
“I think it’s a waste of time if not working and not
putting full effort into school," Mandola said. “(But)
if you are taking 15 hours but sticking around to take
classes you personally enjoy, then great.”
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