You Are Going to College for All the Wrong Reasons
Posted: Tuesday, April 29, 2008
by Jeff Brown
Inner Projection
A sobering statistic: Within ten years, seventy percent of college graduates will not be working in the field of their major.
What are the causes? Some, certainly, have little idea as to what they want to do and change fields, and to a great degree, this is not their fault. Some get laid off and begin anew, among other miscellaneous reasons.
Ultimately, it's not even about what anyone else wants or a misinformed desire but more about a lack of focus on what the student wants--need that has not been addressed or nurtured to any great degree. Addressing the problem concerns working with the student before she even reaches college, so let's take a look at the early school years.
Unfortunately, the most important issue that needs to be addressed at the secondary school level regarding not just the student's education but success in her life is not emphasized enough or even dealt with in some districts. And that issue begins and ends with an understanding of the self--the student's wants, needs, and desires.
If this understanding is left unexamined, then the student begins down a path seeking to satisfy parents, society, or some misguided need to enhance a sense of self, resulting in lost time and ultimately failure. The focus, therefore, should not be so much on the child's "education," or receiving a well-rounded diet of science, math, language, phys ed., and art but rather a focus on the student's needs and how she desires to be educated. Here the focus doesn't have to be exclusively on college. It's not the end-all and cure-all many believe it to be. It may entail trade school, co-op education, apprenticeship, or just getting the student some books and tapes. But even education at the high school level is, unfortunately, more problematic than most know and, to a great degree, a waste of time. (I explore this issue in great detail in my upcoming book Education is a Waste of Time (late 2008)). But let's get back to the issue at hand.
Considering that the majority of students will never use biology, chemistry, algebra, trigonometry, calculus, literature, and so on, what is the point of them learning these subjects? On the short side, considering that people forget 80% of what they read in 24 hours, what of students a few years after graduation? Especially students who barely studied the material because of lack of interest in the first place. In reality, the majority of jobs don't require anything beyond basic math, and even fewer require any science. Most jobs are clerical and administrative. Even in most high tech jobs, employees are using canned or pre-existing software that doesn't require a college degree to use efficiently. On top of that, let's consider that the majority of students entering college don't even meet the minimum requirements for math and writing. Above all, the student who has the intellectual curiosity and mental discipline to work in the advanced niches of the science, math, and engineering fields is few and far between.
Certainly, there's the age-old argument that math and science help the student to think logically, or there's the belief that by taking a variety of classes the student will "discover" an affinity or desire for a particular subject that she wouldn't have know about without the exposure. Hogwash. High school, to a great degree, is advanced baby sitting. Not to degrade the teachers or administrators but it's the system itself that needs cleaning up, but that's something I go into more depth in Education is a Waste of Time.
Regardless as to whether or not certain classes even need be taught to all students, the bottom line is that if the student isn't interested he is not going to learn. He may learn how to get good grades, but if he's not interested he will not retain the information. And it doesn't take years of exposing science and math to a student to determine whether or not he likes it. That answer will often be discovered in a matter of weeks not years. But let's get to the real issue.
The real issue is not about what's being taught, for the student will reject or accept what she will (regardless of what parents, teachers, or administrators desire,) but that we need to sit down with the student on a consistent, persistent basis and simply ask, "What do you want to do with your life?" Are we too silly to believe that teenagers don't know? Do we respect their intelligence so little?
It is vital to sit down on a regular basis and work with the student to see what she wants to do. What are her interests, desires, goals? What are her aspirations? And at this point, the best suggestion I can give to the parent, teacher, counselor, is to shut up and listen. Don't interject by giving alternatives because you think that going into acting, dress design, or the circus is not a good idea, but rather sit still and acceptingly appreciate and encourage the student's honesty and openness, encouraging and informing in a positive manor.
I can't count the number of stories I've heard where famous people who became actors, movie directors, business owners, designers were told by their counselors to think about doing something else. As a matter of fact, this type of "counseling" often backfires. There is one famous movie maker who was only inspired by the counselor who told him to do something else. He was actually motivated to succeed to prove the silliness of the counselor's suggestion. Goes to show how rushing water oftentimes gathers its own strength to take down unwanted dams.
Bottom line, those who succeed only do so because they love what they are doing. They love it so much that they would do it for free. And some do. If you don't love what you are doing, you are not only not going to be successful but you are not going to be happy. And most likely, at some point you're going to drop out and do what you love. And please, don't be of the unhappy people (the opposite of the shinny, happy people), for there are simply too many of the frustrated and grouchy in this world as it is (probably the main cause behind most economic downturns).
So don't waste time listening to bad counseling, listen to your inner knowing. You are much more qualified to tell you what you want to do than anybody else. If you're in school and you're not happy, make yourself happy. Do what you love. The money will only come if your heart is in it. Don't try to make anyone happy but yourself when it comes to your career, for work is too large a chunk of your life to be piddled away on unhappiness.
One last point before I close.
The notion that one must go to college, that one must do so for job security and better pay, is just not true. Today, a college degree will not ensure job security. Many experts believe that people will have up to 10 career changes in their lifetimes, a result of the lack of job security and a work environment that is rapidly changing not only from year to year but at times month to month. With outsourcing, downsizing, multinational corporations, and an ever changing and expanding economy, you owe it to yourself to do what you love, for only in doing so will you find the happiness that will bring the financial security you and your parents desire so much.
Find what you love and do it. Do the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help your sanity. Amen.
This Article has been viewed 2,172 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
Top-level comments on this article: (4 total)hi jeff, well, you described our home perfectly. my daughter didn't know what she wanted to do, so her father suggested CAD, and she went for 2-2 1/2 years, and is delvering mail since last week, at a nice pay scale. my son was pushed into going to Lincoln tech, because he, too, didn't know what he wanted to do. 30,000 dollars later, he dropped out with 3 months to go...it was too hard, he knew nothing of calculus, and he wasn't interested. he's now working at home depot, on the night shift. i have one more to go, and we're trying to do it right this time. it's not easy. you want so much for your kids, but if they're not happy doing what you thought they'd be great at, they'll rebel and find a job that makes them happy, and you can kiss their tuitions good-bye. thanks for a well written, interesting, and honest article. best regardsm sueSusan, Yes, being a college instructor for over seven years, I saw the prepared, under prepared, and clueless. Most were in the last two categories, but usually it wasn't their fault. It was mostly due to 'education propaganda' espoused by the many, understood by the few. As The Don says, there's a real need for financial education in this country. And I'd like to add to that, an understanding of what is useful education, and the fact that it's got little to do with grades but a lot to do with what you love and what you really need to know in this thing called life. Thanks for stopping by.
I used to say that I changed majors more often than my classmates changed hairstyles. And after over forty years I never did major in what I would like to have made my career. I finally stayed with business management because I had to go to work straight out of high school and went to college only part time. My parents couldn't afford to send me to college, but my employers would pay my tuition as long as I was going for what they needed. I wanted to be a journalist. My advice to young people would be to go for what you want and love in the beginning; don't wait until it can be too late. Great article, Jeff. SandraSandra, So true. Too many people, way too many, get hung up on reasons why they should not do what they want: not praciticle, won't make enough $, etc. But eventually their hearts won't let them lie and they change. Our educators need to be educated on the realities of life and not some fictional concept of education. Thanks for dropping by.
Yes! Exactly. Luckily, I don't have any children, because I probably would have taken the route my own parents (mostly Dad) did. I wasn't until I was in my 30's that I realized what a mess our educational system is in. My father thought I should be an M.D. It took me awhile (6 years at university) to figure out that wasn't for me. I am happy now...creating away...making jewelry and writing. Yeah. Jeff, you made some really good points. Especially about interest and retention. I've always thought that kids should be allowed to intensively study what interests them most, even if that changes from week to week. Eventually, they will figure it out. Great article! Hope your book helps lots of people. DianneDianne, Yes, academics (secondary to college / university) live in a vacuum. They don't know or understand or look to the realities. Maybe at one time the "job factory" was the way to go--get your 4 years in, get out, get a job--but that's not gonna do it any more. What with the death of pensions, SS, medicare, medicade, the cost of living so high people more than ever have to do their own homwork to take an honest and informed look at the work-a-day world and what they not only have to do now (which can include a job but also investments beyond their IRA's, CD's, 401(k)'s, etc.) but in the future to secure their own financial and personal happiness well into retirement. Thanks for stopping by.
Hi Jeff,First of all - great article.I think you've pretty much managed to write down my pattern of thoughts these past few years if not even before that quite accurately.I agree with it all, and it makes me sad.I think also that to extend on what you've said, young people, much like myself, are not so much pushed as they are attracted to the traditionally prestigious careers (law, medicine, etc.) because there is so much more help, information, and clarity on following that kind of path, in comparison to anything more creative, for example. It's comforting to know that there are lots of other people prepared to give you advice and nudge you in the right direction when you come to deciding what you're going to do, potentially, for the rest of your working life. With other subject areas, the thought that there is actually no obvious degree to take, amongst other things, just brings insecurity and anxiety to the decision-maker.We need to start providing more support in other subject areas, appreciating students for their determination and drive as individuals, and not just praising those who have chosen to give themselves to the 'harder' careers. Yes, they command extreme expertise and devotion, but for these reasons shouldn't automatically be given respect over others.Anyway, I really enjoyed it!Yes, the "comfort factor" really plays into education, but as I've told my students, it's not the degree or the school that will provide success / opportunity it's them. I've told them many times that the most successful people I know are a high school and college drop out. The college drop out did eventually get his degree, but he still avoids books like the plague (not the brightest bulb in the pack). And I also speak of a graduating class of Harvard in which 5% made the majority of the money earned by that class. Why? Not because of their education but because they set, envisioned, and worked toward specific goals. Another point to ponder is that no amount of skill, ability, genius, or knowledge will make up for goal setting and stick-to-itiveness. There are just not enough people prepared for failure, and if you live, failure you will get, fail you must. Thanks for stopping by and for your intelligent comments.
We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.