Xiwen Zhou

03/15/15

Choosing a major in the college is like people go to a restaurant to choose a

favorite food from the menu. Students have to look over all the majors then to decide
which one we are going to choose. Some students choose their favorite major, some
will choose major which have an advantage in future employment.
When I first entered college, I did not know what major I wanted to choose. I
thought just chose one major that I was interested in. Then, I asked a lot of my friends
and did a lot of research to decided my major. Finally, I heard someone said that If I can
became a CPA, I can make a lot of money. It also would be a globally recognized
certificates, which means I would have a lot of job opportunities in all over the world.
Although, to get the CPA certificate is very difficult. Many people took several years to
pass the CPA test.
I was very hesitated to choose the major. I made a lot of research to get more
information and learn about accounting, I visited and interviewed one of my friends
husband, Frank Yang. He is in charge of entire Accounting and Finance Operation
including full accounting cycle, monthly closing, financial statements preparation, budget
actual variance analysis, review cost center performance and corporate finance. He
also oversees payroll, inventory control and merge acquisition division. However, when I
interviewed him, I hope that I can have the same achievements as his. Once I have
decided that my accountant is a professional, and the next step is to choose which
career path would be my goal. Relatively popular accounting jobs can be summarized in

three main areas: public accounting, private accounting, as well as government and notfor-profit accounting. I would try my best to learn it.
When I interviewed Mr. Yang, he mentions that he uses a different type of
language in real life and in the workplace. It is call discourse community. The meaning
of the discourse community is a community of people who use a particular kind of
language to talk a topic, so in different work environments need to use the jargon to
communicate.
In daily life, we use everyday language to chat each other about the weather,
gossip and trivia happening around us. When we are working in the workplace, we need
to talk about the work of professional knowledge, so we need to create a common
language that belongs to the work. I have ever been share around with a lot of people a
common enthusiasm that we know nothing about. Perhaps this is a special sport or
activity, or work, but probably do not share the same passion. It's hard to follow their
conversation because people do not have to speak in a community. Although they all
speak the same language, occurred in the context of the discourse of social change is
the language being used, and the content of the languages.
Yang told me that he needed to email, text and made a phone call to his
subordinate every day. They always talk about their business thing. for him email
becomes part of his life, and he is sort of salve of it nowadays. Meeting is love and hate
relationship when people love the communication platform, but hate excessive and
unnecessary meetings people were dragged into. Phone calls at that point are you
should love voicemail and email. Why? then ask yourself why you love text. Sometimes,
hand talking is just more effective than actual words, especially in working environment.

When I interviewed Yang, he told me to took all courses of the general education
required in the college and major class is necessary because he used the knowledge
and skills that he learned in the future. He said it can help students prepare to face the
challenges of the workplace. I asked him what kind of skills do you think they were
worth to learn in college? He said that It depended on my future career selections, a
solid understanding of accounting essential is must if I chose to be an accounting
professional. Other than that, studying mathematics also provides great training for
critical thinking. But people should never discount other skills, like teamwork spirit,
social skill, self-study and discipline when they are their own boss. He also told me that
all accounting knowledge from college was the foundation, but how to apply them to the
real world problems. That requires experience. When he was in school, he was more
focusing on understanding or memorizing the concepts and that was how he get a good
score. However, when he was on the real job, how to applied the concepts and applied
them correctly makes him different from others.
.

I agree with him said that self-study and discipline are very helpful and important.

It can help students get good grades in the pop quizzes and tests, and avoid cramming.
Professor always gives students a lot of tests in the class, so in class tests may
encourage students to learn consciously.
Too many tests makes many young people think school is a very hard thing, and just
because they have to go to. Some students who play truant because they think school
is boring and unnecessary. But I think that going to college is very important, and we
can gain a lot of knowledge for our career. College is the place where students learn a
lot of very important skills. College teachers not only teach students the basics

knowledge, like math, physics or chemistry, they educate students more on students
major classes, and to provide students with adequate preparation to prepare working in
the future. Therefore, many teachers have different teaching methods, I appreciate the
teacher give students a lot of information and knowledge during one class would help
push themselves to study harder. Testing students frequently is one of the teaching
styles. I think that the professor need to test college students frequently in the general
education class to ensure students already prepare transfer to the other university, or
ready to find a job is a good teaching method.
Although frequent tests in general education class will make students feel more
pressure, but it can encourage students to study harder and get better grades. Many of
the students have the fear of exams because they do not have the habit of reviewing
notes. I believe that quizzes also help students understand the material better. As I am a
college student, and in my personal experiences is that if I have quizzes or tests in
class, I was inclined to study the material more often and think more frequently about
the class and notice. I should not choose to review only a few days before the midterms
or final exams. However, when the quiz gradually increased, I can force myself to
review frequently, and I don't have to swot up. So, in my opinion I believe that the
professor give more tests to the students is necessary.
Also, professors can test frequently in the general education class to check the
students learning outcomes and get a higher grade in the major exams. If the professor
did not test students, they will never know the developments of students. Many students
will review overnight before some major exams like midterms and final. I think it can
only help students pass the test, but not get a higher grade. If students take tests

frequently, it will force students study consciously. When the midterm or final comes,
they will avoid the last minute rush to review all the homework. Students need to
prepare every test, then they will not afraid the final test because they already have
enough adequate preparation to bravely meet the challenges and get a high grade.
However, not all of students can use a positive attitude to overcome the difficulties
and pressures, so a part of students choose to drop the class because they may think
that is too much pressure, and they just give up. Many students wish school can relaxed
and enjoyable. When they met the teacher who give them a lot of exams, they will go to
retreat and lose enthusiasm for learning. Ernest L. Boyer said in his article Creativity in
the Classroom, Most students are quite satisfied with the teaching on their campus,
but the pressure to get good grades diminishes their enthusiasm.(P84) It is true, but I
only agree half it, because I think that half ot the reason cause the student lose
motivation for learning not only the pressure but also the students lack of willpower
would diminish their learning enthusiasm. Maybe teachers can let a few tests to be
extra credit will help students reignite their morale.
Personally I think professor test frequently in the general education class to
insure students already prepare transfer to the other university, or ready to find a job is
necessary because tests not only reflect students learning outcomes, but also can
encourage students to study harder and get better grades. If the teacher only give
students one or two test in one semester, students will not seriously study all the
knowledge in the book. After they move on to the next level, they will probably fail the
class.

So, I think taking every course required by students selected major is necessary,

students cannot get their degree otherwise. But how useful they will be in my future
career? I am not sure. It will be wasting time to learn American history if my future job is
to deal with credit and debit. Like E.D. Hirsch article said that some school use Core
Knowledge guidelines to teach students, and the first class will teach identify the seven
continents (115) and learn the difference between evergreen and deciduous trees
(115), I guess college is the way to give students exposure and let them have the
opportunity to touch a lot of subjects which one of them might be they interest and they
might have thought about it. Most importantly exposing students to various disciplines
gives them the way to develop their understanding of the environment, people, society
and world. Like E.D. Hirsch mentioned that identify the seven continents (115) and
learn the difference between evergreen and deciduous trees (115), So take the
advantage and explore, do not wear your shaded glasses and be open minded, you
never know what might interest you.