Job Discussion Forums

[Belmont]

Is anyone else amazed at the price of this conference? Just to walk in the door it's around $400. Add on another $200 to get into the job fair and another hundred or more to get into the "pay for view" events.

I'd like to hear what other, on-a-major-budget EFLers think. Thanks.

[denise]

What?!?! That's crazy!!!

I went to the Salt Lake City conference two years ago, and it was a fraction of the price you mentioned. Of course, I paid the student rate at the time, but I don't remember the "real" rate being that high. What has changed? Do they offer complimentary beverages now or something?

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[arioch36]

I think most of these thiongs are scams. People with big degrees get their schools to send them and the school pays the cost (and taxpayers in America, or students, whoever, are the ones really paying.

Mostly much ado about nothing, with people who want to look important trying to impress each other. Reminds me of graduate school, where it's all about getting published in a journal. Same for the conferences.

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't turn it down as a grad student when invited to present. They pay for your hotel, some decent food, and the "prestige".,,,and a warm place out of the New York cold

But personally I feel it's all often an academic scam. Real thought is rarely presented, because to get 'noticed" you have to say what is currently "PC", not unlike in China. New terms for ideas centurie old are presented. A wonder story of some technique that "worked"

I "learned" much more attending the seminars at my local university. true, they would be in a common clasroom. Usually grad students giving lectures (we had to), criticism, negative and positive was expected, and there were some good discussions. Sometimes a visiting professor would present.

Cynicism anyone? Sour grapes maybe? Maybe. I am a grad school dropout. I enjoy teaching, and believe in what I do, but this is my honest perception in personal experience and second hand talk, about such conferences.

I would love to the statisics on how many people actually paid their own way. But when they return to their company or school, they have to say (and maybe write a report) on how great it was, how many wonderful ideas they heard. Otherwise, in the middle of winter next year, the company/school will have no justification to send them to ....Miami, San Diego, Vegas...Shanghai, Beijing..wherever

[Belmont]

Arioch said: "Cynicism anyone? Sour grapes maybe?"

I don't think so. You're just expressing what a lot of people feel but can't; it would jeopardize their policital status to criticize a system that's their bread and butter.

No doubt there are a lot of good ideas to absorb from such a gathering, but for the most part it's a case of trying to reinvent the wheel; and to "see and be seen."

What ticks me off most is not being able to just pay the $200 to get into the job fair. You have to get soaked for the $400+ first.