Group Projects

As many of you know, I'm currently getting my MBA at XU. When I finish my degree (next May) that will constitute 19 years of my life having been spent in school. What I'm about to write was true 19 years ago, is true today, and I'm sure will be true 39 years from now: GROUP PROJECTS SUCK.

I'm in a MGMT class right now and am presently working on my second group project with the same horde of people. While everyone is very nice in real life, why is it not possible to find a group of people who all have the same diligence of working, caliber of writing skills, and intent to get an ‘A’?

On the last go-around at this 2 months ago the editor my group sent out the “final” draft of the paper for last-minute reviews. When I read it I was appalled that anyone would consider submitting it for a grade. Grammar was horrid, punctuation was about non-existent, and half of the content was repetitive. I had to spend an hour during work revising the paper just so I wasn’t embarrassed to have my name on it. No surprise that now, for our final project together, the same results ensued.

The concept of working together and learning how to deal with conflict is admirable, I suppose. But can’t professors achieve that goal in a non-graded format?! Why is it that my ‘A’ has to be in the hands of 3 total strangers?

All you teachers out there- listen up. No good comes from group projects. Ever. The only thing that ever results is that the high-achievers in the class get irritated and the slackers pull off an undeserved grade because the other sect can’t stand not getting good grades. Group projects suck.