Santa Cruz has an enormous, lavish 2 - year college and also a campus of the University of California, degree granting through Ph.D. level. But, since math and languages and history are not required, let's see how they fill the other classrooms.
The University of California (all campuses) is classed as a "tough school." It is paralleled by a State University system with lower entrance requirements, and this is paralleled by local junior colleges (never called "junior") that accept any warm body.
UCSC was planned as an elite school ("The Oxford of the West") but falling enrollment made it necessary to accept any applicant who can qualify for the University of California as a whole; therefore UCSC now typifies the "statewide campus." Entrance can be by examination (usually College Entrance Examination Boards) or by high school certificate. Either way, admission requires a certain spread - 2 years of math, 2 of a modern language, 1 of a natural science, 1 of
American history, 3 years of English - and a level of performance that translates as B+. There are two additional requirements: English composition, and American History and Institutions. The second requirement acknowledges that some high schools do not require American history; UCSC permits an otherwise acceptable applicant to make up this deficiency (with credit) after admission.
The first additional requirement, English composition, can be met by written examination such as CEEB, or by transferring college credits considered equivalent, or, lacking either of these, by passing an examination given at UCSC at the start of each quarter.
The above looks middlin' good on the surface. College requirements from high school have been watered down somewhat (or more than somewhat) but that B+ average as a requirement looks good if high schools are teaching what they taught two and three generations ago. The rules limit admission to the upper 8% of California high school graduates (out - of state applicants must meet slightly higher requirements).
8% - So 92% fall by the wayside. These 8% are the intellectual elite of young adults of the biggest, richest, and most lavishly educated state in the Union.
Those examinations for the English - composition requirement: How can anyone fail who has had 3 years of high school English and averages B+ across the board?
If he fails to qualify, he may enter but must take at once (no credit) "Subject A" - better known as "Bonehead English."
"Bonehead English" must be repeated, if necessary, until passed. To be forced to take this no - credit course does not mean that the victim splits an occasional infinitive, sometimes has a dangling modifier, or a failure in agreement or case - he can even get away with such atrocities as " - like I say - ."
It means that he has reached the Groves of Academe unable to express himself by writing in the English language.
It means that his command of his native language does not equal that of a 12 - year - old country grammar school graduate of ninety years ago. It means that he verges on subliterate but that his record is such in other ways that the University will tutor him (no credit and for a fee) rather than turn him away.
But, since these students are the upper 8% and each has had not less than three years of high school English, it follows that only the exceptionally unfortunate student needs "Bonehead English." That's right, isn't it? Each one is eighteen years old, old enough to vote, old enough to contract or to marry without consulting parents, old enough to hang for murder, old enough to have children (and some do); all have had 12 years of schooling including 11 years of English, 3 of them in high school.
(Stipulated: California has special cases to whom English is not native language. But such a person who winds up in that upper 8% is usually - I'm tempted to say "always" - fully literate in English.)
So here we have the cream of California's young adults; each has learned to read and write and spell and has been taught the basics of English during eight years in grammar school, and has polished this by not less than three years of English in high school - and also has had at least two years of a second language, a drill that vastly illuminates the subject of grammar even though grasp of the second language may be imperfect.
It stands to reason that very few applicants need "Bonehead English." Yes?
No!
I have just checked. The new class at UCSC is "about 50%" in Bonehead English - and this is normal - normal right across California - and California is no worse than most of the states. 8% off the top - Half of this elite 8% must take "Bonehead English."
The prosecution rests.
This scandal must be charged to grammar and high school teachers ... many of whom are not themselves literate (I know!) - but are not personally to blame, as we are now in the second generation of illiteracy. The blind lead the blind.
But what happens after this child (sorry - young adult citizen) enters UCSC?
I TELL YOU THREE TIMES I TELL YOU THREE TIMES I TELL YOU THREE TIMES: A student who wants an education can get one at UCSC in a number of very difficult subjects, plus a broad general education.
I ask you never to forget this while we see how one can slide through, never do any real work, never learn anything solid, and still receive a bachelor of arts degree from the prestigious University of California. Although I offer examples from the campus I know best, I assume conclusively that this can be done throughout the state, as it is one statewide university operating under one set of rules.
Some guidelines apply to any campus: Don't pick a medical school or an engineering school. Don't pick a natural science that requires difficult mathematics. (A subject called "science" that does not require difficult mathematics usually is "science" in the sense that "Christian Science" is science - in its widest sense "science" simply means "knowledge" and anyone may use the word for any subject... but shun the subjects that can't be understood without mind - stretching math.)
Try to get a stupid but good - natured adviser. There are plenty around, especially in subjects in which to get a no - sweat degree; Sturgeon's Law applies to professors as well as to other categories.
For a bachelor's degree:
1) You must spend the equivalent of one academic year in acquiring "breadth" - but wait till you see the goodies!
2) You must take the equivalent of one full academic year in your major subject in upper division courses, plus prerequisite lower division courses. Your 4 - year program you must rationalize to your adviser as making sense for your major ("Doctor, I picked that course because it is so far from my major - for perspective. I was getting too narrow." He'll beam approvingly.. or you had better look for a stupider adviser).
3) Quite a lot of time will be spent off campus but counted toward your degree. This should be fun, but it can range from hard labor at sea, to counting noses and asking snoopy questions of "ethnics" (excuse, please!), to time in Europe or Hong Kong, et al., where you are in danger of learning something new and useful even if you don't try.
4) You will be encouraged to take interdisciplinary majors and are invited (urged) to invent and justify unheard - of new lines of study. For this you need the talent of a used - car salesman as any aggregation of courses can be sold as a logical pattern if your "new" subject considers the many complex relationships between three or four or more old and orthodox fields. Careful here! If you are smart enough to put this over, you may find yourself not only earning a baccalaureate but in fact doing original work worthy of a Ph.D. (You won't get it.)
5) You must have at least one upper - division seminar. Pick one in which the staff leader likes your body odor and you like his. ("I do not like thee, Dr. Fell; the reason why I cannot tell - ") But you've at least two years in which to learn which professors in your subject are simpatico, and which ones to avoid at any cost.