I have to agree whole heartedly. I'm just out of college and the best modules (i.e. the ones from which a learned the most) were those which drop you in the deep end this is where many struggled (only 2 ppl made from 1st yr to grad)

But the problem starts long before 3rd level.
Anyone above average intelligence (like myself (-; ) who attends a school in (especially in small town) Ireland can coast through school without ever be challenged academically. School becomes no more than a memory challenge.

I drifted from class to class without straying from my comfort zone of concentration/academic abilities. From this I go to college and the notion of facing into a project I don’t know how to do is daunting and frustrating. In addition for the first time it’s important to catch up on anything I miss as the course is building upon itself all the time, again I’m not use to this

Two major hurdles meet within the first 2-3 weeks of college where as previously all I had to do was pay attention and memorise things.

And if practicalities were put aside in favour of pure academic pursuit those who come through these challenges would be so much the better but that’s not the world we live in

For standards to improve we must start young

In addition we need a post on the importance of improving standard as a nation if we are to complete the transaction (economically) to a skilled work force