SelfWriter 8 | - Freelance Writer
Aug 19, 2019 | #1
Call it step-by-step, status quo or the thing to do...the result is the same. Parents and teachers label a child "smart" to suggest he is more capable than others in the class. Here, college symbolizes success. The child takes Advanced Placement (AP) classes in high school, only to bomb the actual exams and earn college credit. Remember, the "smart" kids are in AP classes, and the smart kids go on to college opening the door to a multitude of opportunities in the so-called real world, which is quite frankly the workforce. Fast forward four (or five) years and the smart kid graduates college. Degree-in-hand, he is ready to dazzle a soon-to-be employer with this degree, symbolic of hard work, tireless nights of studying, and most importantly being one of the smart kids. Unfortunately, the piece of paper symbolizes nothing more than failure to utilize the college environment, attain real skills, and set a higher standard. The smart kid has done nothing to seize this alleged advantage that he had over the kids who didn't take the AP classes and graduate college. The college degree fails to deliver on its promise of improved opportunities and a better life; yet, can we really blame education for the slacked mentality of a praised, smart kid?
Students are blinded by the mirage that is the finish line. "They mistakenly think that since they've made it through four years of jumping through professors' hoops, they deserve a great job. That's just not true" (Pozin, 2017, para 2). Now, let's consider the individual labeled non-capable and not worthy of the college experience. Over the last five years, this individual has worked for the same company, learned critical business skills, pursued advancement opportunities while demonstrating positive leadership and interpersonal skills. Comparatively, the college graduate is walking into the same company feeling he's entitled to a managerial position because of the degree, which is framed and stuck to the wall in his overpriced apartment shared with four roommates. Who, in this scenario is more worthy of the management spot?
The college degree has come up short. This is not an exaggeration, but a trend where the path to success is shaped by individualism, not the mythical path consisting of smart kid, college, degree, six-figure salary. Most college graduates will never apply the skills learned in their area of study, at least in the projected capacity (Merino, 2016). In fact, most are going to work in what David Graeber (2019) would label "Bullshit Jobs." Sure, college is a meaningful experience even for those who are better off tossing the degree in the garbage bin as it holds little value in the workforce, other than a credential claiming X amount of work has been completed under academic requirements. Moreover, let's account for the college students who have outsourced their projects to an experienced writer for a fee. This trend is all-too-common today, where parents, faculty and tenured professors would be mystified at the student sample size of those who did not write their own essays, or even participate in meaningless online discussion posts.
Education is accomplished through learned behavior. The formal elements of an educational institution and the end result, which is a piece of paper stating "Good Job" does not transition into the workplace. While four years in an educational setting has (potential) critical benefits in collaborative learning, instructional expertise, knowledge-based assessment and the like, too many are abandoning this opportunity. Instead, the goal is to get through college and obtain the degree. For this reason, so many are then asking, "now what?" and remain without any clear direction, usable talents, or desired skills adequate for the modern work environment.
References
Graeber, D. Bullshit jobs: A theory. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Merino, N. How valuable is a college degree? Greenhaven Publishing.
Pozin, I. "College students: In the real world, your degree is worthless." Inc.
Students are blinded by the mirage that is the finish line. "They mistakenly think that since they've made it through four years of jumping through professors' hoops, they deserve a great job. That's just not true" (Pozin, 2017, para 2). Now, let's consider the individual labeled non-capable and not worthy of the college experience. Over the last five years, this individual has worked for the same company, learned critical business skills, pursued advancement opportunities while demonstrating positive leadership and interpersonal skills. Comparatively, the college graduate is walking into the same company feeling he's entitled to a managerial position because of the degree, which is framed and stuck to the wall in his overpriced apartment shared with four roommates. Who, in this scenario is more worthy of the management spot?The college degree has come up short. This is not an exaggeration, but a trend where the path to success is shaped by individualism, not the mythical path consisting of smart kid, college, degree, six-figure salary. Most college graduates will never apply the skills learned in their area of study, at least in the projected capacity (Merino, 2016). In fact, most are going to work in what David Graeber (2019) would label "Bullshit Jobs." Sure, college is a meaningful experience even for those who are better off tossing the degree in the garbage bin as it holds little value in the workforce, other than a credential claiming X amount of work has been completed under academic requirements. Moreover, let's account for the college students who have outsourced their projects to an experienced writer for a fee. This trend is all-too-common today, where parents, faculty and tenured professors would be mystified at the student sample size of those who did not write their own essays, or even participate in meaningless online discussion posts.
Education is accomplished through learned behavior. The formal elements of an educational institution and the end result, which is a piece of paper stating "Good Job" does not transition into the workplace. While four years in an educational setting has (potential) critical benefits in collaborative learning, instructional expertise, knowledge-based assessment and the like, too many are abandoning this opportunity. Instead, the goal is to get through college and obtain the degree. For this reason, so many are then asking, "now what?" and remain without any clear direction, usable talents, or desired skills adequate for the modern work environment.
References
Graeber, D. Bullshit jobs: A theory. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Merino, N. How valuable is a college degree? Greenhaven Publishing.
Pozin, I. "College students: In the real world, your degree is worthless." Inc.