Cruising VS College

[zillabe]

We are going on a cruise March 09. We choose it based on it's itinerary not on school schedules. The week we have spring break there aren't any cruises we are interested in. So we invite our friends who went last time and they wont go because it isn't during a break :mad: I personally feel I can miss a week of school and be just fine. I want to make sure we aren't being unfair by asking them to go while they are in school...

 

What does everyone else do?

[Travel Angel]

They already said they won't go why push the issue??.....If you feel you can afford to miss one week of school, that is really up to you.

[Essiesmom]

This is a hot topic and has been covered exhaustively recently. I believe many feel college moves too fast to miss a week. Also, there are some schools that deduct from grades for classes missed. Your friends are wise. They can cruise later, but you can't change a bad grade. EM

[Nuttycruisegirl]

My professors would have died if I took a week off to go on a cruise. They frowned on being gone longer than a day for a family emergency. I guess it just depends on your classes/instuctors and how intensive your program is.

[Chigirlcruzin]

Depends on what they're studying and where in their studies they are. Freshman/sophomore year would have been ok for me to miss a week (but only for a really good reason, and IMO, a vacation isn't when you have so much other time off during the year), but no way my junior/senior year. I had so many group projects, and many classes had a limited amount of absences allowed. Same with grad school. I think you need to be more understanding of your friends. They are paying $$$$ for their education, and as much as I love cruising, school comes first.

[Travel Angel]

I'd be checking with the instructors and seeing what potential consequences you may be getting into before making the final decision !

[Chigirlcruzin]

My professors would have died if I took a week off to go on a cruise. They frowned on being gone longer than a day for a family emergency. I guess it just depends on your classes/instuctors and how intensive your program is.

 

Freshman year, my roommate's dad died. She took a week. Some professors gave her a hard time about that!!!

[TowMan]

As the parent of a college student...I would KILL her if she skipped a week of classes just to go on a cruise. That's why we are celebrating her 21st birthday on a January 2009 cruise instead of a February cruise!

 

bonnie

[Chigirlcruzin]

I'd be checking with the instructors and seeing what potential consequences you may be getting into before making the final decision !

 

 

I agree, but this will be tough with a March 09 sail date! Final payment will most likely be due before they know who all of the professors are!

[Chigirlcruzin]

Can you go in January when you're on winter break? Rates are great at the beginning of Jan - much better than spring break!

[Carnival Game]

My son and I always vacation when he's between semesters.

[ShedQueen77]

I'm a college student right now. That's why we cruise in January over winter break. There is no way I'd miss a week of school to go on a cruise. I've had to miss one day here and there to stay at home with one of my sick kids or something like that. I felt like I missed 3 days. Once you fall behind in some classes, it is very hard to catch up.

 

What works for you obviously doesn't work for them. I wouldn't push the issue. If you want to cruise with your friends, go on this one alone and then work out another time that works for you both. You said you picked the itinerary. Maybe your friends would have been happy with the Spring Break options? IMHO, it sounds like a good compromise to pick a different itinerary and to be able to spend time with friends.

 

Honestly, I think I'd be more than a little miffed if my friends tried to pressure me into going against my desires, especially involving my education. JMHO.

 

Good luck whichever way you choose. I hope you have a good time!

[parrotthead]

My college kid wont miss...even for a cruise. She said the professors are not happy with the kids who take off. I tryed to get her to go on our Sept Cruise with us, she flat out said she couldn't. So thats that. I think that elementary education (grades K-12)- I took them out to cruise/vacation when I felt it was approprate, but higher education is a different story. Its just harder to catch up.

[zillabe]

We haven't nor are we going to ever push the issue with them. If they don't want to miss school that is their choice. I was just curious what everyone else does. I didn't realize that this was already discussed so much or I wouldn't of posted. We are all older and not full time students. I would say maybe 3 - 5 credit hours a semester.

 

I would say if you are a full time student doing 12+ credit hours a semester it would be crazy to be absent for a week!

[AZ Karaoke Girl]

My college kid wont miss...even for a cruise. She said the professors are not happy with the kids who take off. I tryed to get her to go on our Sept Cruise with us, she flat out said she couldn't. So thats that. I think that elementary education (grades K-12)- I took them out to cruise/vacation when I felt it was approprate, but higher education is a different story. Its just harder to catch up.

It is tough even for high school. My daughter told me she didn't want to miss a week of school and I didn't really want to cruise during spring break (cost & dangers of drunk college kids) so her desires have to be considered. My DH has straight A's and technically could afford to miss a week of school but she says it is really hard to make up the work that is missed and not worth it. College would be a total no-no in my opinion.

[squideater]

As a life long learner, I hate to miss classes because I always feel a bit behind the 8-ball when I am not there. As a college administrater, I get concerned when a student's priorities are not on their educational investment. Not only can absence effect the student's final grade, too many absences may result in being suspended from the class. With May to September, 1 month at Christmas, and the first two weeks of March off during the year, I would hope that a my students would keep their priorities straight. But then, who says this student is a successful student? Maybe they should take a cruise now because when they flunk out of college and get that minimum wage job, they won't be able to afford to cruise again.

[Travel Angel]

As a life long learner, I hate to miss classes because I always feel a bit behind the 8-ball when I am not there. As a college administrater, I get concerned when a student's priorities are not on their educational investment. Not only can absence effect the student's final grade, too many absences may result in being suspended from the class. With May to September, 1 month at Christmas, and the first two weeks of March off during the year, I would hope that a my students would keep their priorities straight. But then, who says this student is a successful student? Maybe they should take a cruise now because when they flunk out of college and get that minimum wage job, they won't be able to afford to cruise again.

 

While I agree that a students priorities should be in place, you are a tad harsh in that last statement to say that if they take a cruise they will flunk out of college.... their flunking out of college would not just be caused by taking a cruise !

[Tapi]

When I was in college, I took a course where your first absence was a freebie. After that, if you had one absence your grade automatically dropped one letter, 2 absences, 2 letters, and so forth. (This policy would not apply for a death of an immediate family member or medically documented illness).

 

By my calculations, had I taken a 7 day cruise back then, an "A" would've dropped to an "F" by Friday!

[Stallion]

My question is how can you be sure there isn't an important test that week a year in advance. I guess in law school tests are only at the end of a semester but in College who knows.

[parrotthead]

While I agree that a students priorities should be in place, you are a tad harsh in that last statement to say that if they take a cruise they will flunk out of college.... their flunking out of college would not just be caused by taking a cruise !

I agree. Also the statement about a 'mimimum wage job' was a bit tacky. :rolleyes:

[zillabe]

As a life long learner, I hate to miss classes because I always feel a bit behind the 8-ball when I am not there. As a college administrater, I get concerned when a student's priorities are not on their educational investment. Not only can absence effect the student's final grade, too many absences may result in being suspended from the class. With May to September, 1 month at Christmas, and the first two weeks of March off during the year, I would hope that a my students would keep their priorities straight. But then, who says this student is a successful student? Maybe they should take a cruise now because when they flunk out of college and get that minimum wage job, they won't be able to afford to cruise again.

 

That is really nice to say. To be a college administratior I really hope that you don't give your students that advice. I already have a degree and I'm back at college trying to work towards another. I have a 4.0 gpa and usually never miss any classes. I figured a week off would not be a big deal and I would be able to catch up. Not to mention I don't get May-Sept, 1 month at Christmas and two weeks in March off.

 

I appreciate everyone who posted on my question without making negative statements.

 

However, I don't understand why if someone decides to post something on here that some people feel the need to bash them.

[lovebug33]

I beg to differ about elementary aged kids being able to miss. I teach elementary school and it is so hard when a kid misses even a day. I do group projects, tests, and all the instruction that I do each day. You can't make that up by just doing worksheets or assignments. Back to the OP, I never would have missed a week of school for a cruise. I missed a week because I got hospitalized for an illness and I never quite got back on track.

[parrotthead]

However, I don't understand why if someone decides to post something on here that some people feel the need to bash them.

Some people just do. :rolleyes:

I say if you can afford the time and are mature enough to make that call, then go and enjoy your cruise. If your friends cant make it this time, perhaps next time.

:)

[ShedQueen77]

We haven't nor are we going to ever push the issue with them. If they don't want to miss school that is their choice. I was just curious what everyone else does. I didn't realize that this was already discussed so much or I wouldn't of posted. We are all older and not full time students. I would say maybe 3 - 5 credit hours a semester.

 

I would say if you are a full time student doing 12+ credit hours a semester it would be crazy to be absent for a week!

 

Well that's one, maybe two classes tops. It really depends on what types of classes you are taking. If I had missed my Legal Management, Health Stats, or Anatomy class for a week, I would have never caught up. I wouldn't have had a clue what was going on. If I had missed a literature class, I could have possibly caught up.

 

It also depends on the type of student and learner that you are. Some people need that one on one instruction; some learn easier on their own.

 

I'm an "older" student too. I carry a full load, about 15 credit hours a semester. I also have 3 kids and work too. I'm crazy, I know. That's why I need that cruise over winter break! :D

 

PS- The statements about minimum wage and flunking out were pretty extreme. Many factors play into this scenario, including the dedication of the student along with age, experience, and learning style.

[zillabe]

Everyone has brought up some good points. I guess I was only looking at it from the point of view if I have a class 2 nights a week I could miss 2 classes and be alright. If I had class M-F I wouldn't even think about it.