Basically, we are making circles again. The only thing our On or Off Campus program doesn't offer is the mathematics. The question at hand is, does a broadcast met. need the math to accurately forecast, because more or less forecasting is what it is all about. There is a main title given to us, that is Meteorologist. Then there are sub titles, Broadcast Mets. Research Mets. and so on.
Those of you who are making degrading comments regardless if you say you are or not, come, sit in and join us. Check us out. See what we are all about. Then make your judgments, otherwise keep your negative comments to yourself.
We learn theory, we learn applications. Do you feel you are more knowledgeable than we are just because we haven't had all the math you had? Is that the question at hand or is it you just want sympathy for taking your tough math classes? If so, your barking up the wrong tree!
Why don't you ask the NWS out of Jackson MS for their opinion on the MSU program. I bet it differs from most of those out there. I say that because we seem to accurately report information during our storm chases. As a matter of fact, we were/are the reason for a number of warnings that are posted by the NWS. I guess you could say we are the eyes of the NWS during Severe wx. They manage to put trust in our knowledge.
We are probably more weather oriented than a lot of schools out there. We have so many hands-on applications in this on campus program that it is unreal. Our people in this program are very dedicated and motivated, and work very hard to become as good as they can be. We participate in the National Collegiate Forecasting Contest. We spend hours of time looking at models, and so forth to do the best we can do. Sometimes we are wrong sometimes we are right. I recall last year MSSTATE won 3 cities.. I want to say they were B-ham, Miami, and LA. We cracked the top ten a number of times. We managed to do it without the so called necessary math.
As for the off campus program, I don't know much about it, so I can't make accurate comments. However, I do know Dr. Binkley, he was my major advisor. I'm sure for those who may brag about 'skimming thru' the off campus program first off are only cheating themselves, second, Dr. Binkley doesn't condone it, and wouldn't allow it if he knew the person(s). It is not designed for those who want to just skim thru. I've seen the material used, and I assure you it is not as easy as one may think.
Furthermore, if you have enough time to contact your local representative over such a childish thing, then you have way to much time on your hands. Maybe you should apply that time to forecasting. Isn't that the most important thing, making sure the public is aware what potentially could happen?
The government doesn't set the standards. You should petition to the AMS, or maybe the NWA. If they raise their standards, well, we'll raise ours to match them. That doesn't matter though, you will still find something to whine about.
What dang difference doesn't it make anyway? As long as an accurate message is being sent out to the public, that is all that matters. Not whether we should be called a met or not.
Do you think we don't work our butts off?
Furthermore, my station misspelled my title, 'meteorologist' instead of meteorologist, maybe that's what we could call ourselves at state, no, that wouldn't work either...
Please post this, if you would on your editorial.
Thanks