This is in response to the OP who wanted to know if we are using what we got our degrees in. I get the impression that he may not think college is worth the time. I went back to college full time just this year. I have listened to recent high school graduate whine and complain about going to college. I felt the same way when I finished HS. I lived to regret not getting my degree.
After earning 37 hours this year here are a few observations I made about college and why it's important:
1. Colleges and universities provide the skill and tools necessary to compete. All the essays that you write are necessary to develop communications skills and to show you know the subject. If you are unable to express yourself clearly and coherently you're likely to end up with a job where communication isn't as important as grunt work....Do you want fries with that coke?
2. Forming study groups introduces the student to teamwork and to work effectively with others by sharing thoughts, ideas, and to develop solutions to problems. It is very rare that one is hired to work exclusively by themselves.
3. Attending classes on time every day teaches the student that tardiness is not tolerated and attendance is important to keeping a job. Who would likely keep someone on the payroll if they were constantly late or missed excessive number of days? Remember mommy and daddies aren’t around to wake up so you won't be late for work!
4. A research paper teaches students the importance of patience and accurate information gathering. Some jobs require market research, product development, etc. There is a correlation.
5. College teaches the student how to be a good listener and how to follow directions, if you fail at both of these your likely to fail the course and get fired from your job. The ability to listen and follow directions is the cornerstone of employment. What manager will keep you on the payroll if he has to constantly tell you what to do or leave written instructions because you can't remember how to do your job?
6. Earning a degree is one way to prove to an employer that you won't give up. If you give up on your degree you're also giving up on yourself. Employers want a person they can depend on to finish what they start, regardless of how challenging the job may be. The only thing between earning a degree or not is the student. There are other variables involved but people have greater control of their lives than they realize...free will.
7. Exams are a way for a student to learn to work under the pressure of a ticking clock and to deal with anxiety and the unknown. I don't know of anyone who hasn't worked under the pressure of a deadline. An exam also teaches the student how to prepare and develop study routines.
8. The process of an education is the education itself. You are teaching yourself to learn. Earning your degree is not the end of your education only the beginning. Your studies will continue when you're hired after graduation; you'll have to learn the company's accounting routine, how the billing works, you may be required to develop training material, or be asked to improve supply chain efficiency. That may not be what your degree is in. What will you tell your new manager, 'I didn't learn that in college...find someone else!' No, you'll learn what you need to do and successfully complete the assigned project.
9. Once you graduate your likely to make a lot of money. Your education may not be in finance. So, how do you avoid making financial mistakes? By learning how to manage your personal finances, the same way you learned the subjects you studied in college. If you majored in engineering, you weren't born an engineer you had to learn how to be one. The same is true with finances. If your smart you'll learn personal finances on your own so you can keep the money you make longer. If you don't learn how to manage your personal finances you'll be a victim of your own ignorance.
10. You'll learn how to effectively manage your time, to unclutter your day of time wasting activities. You'll learn what it is to be a responsible adult. OMG!!! You're learning to be a grown up!!!
11. If you want to promote regularly or become part of the management team you'll need a MS or MBA and most company's will pay for them.
12. Most companies require a minimum 3.0 GPA otherwise they won't even accept your application for employment. You have one chance to make good grades and keep them up.
College is more than books, doing research papers, making new friends, or cramming for an exam. Its also the journey, the things you experience while in college. You'll find out that you can do more than you thought you could. You'll build confidence in college and you'll need that confidence when you get your first real job or get promoted into that first real management position.
After earning 37 hours this year here are a few observations I made about college and why it's important:
1. Colleges and universities provide the skill and tools necessary to compete. All the essays that you write are necessary to develop communications skills and to show you know the subject. If you are unable to express yourself clearly and coherently you're likely to end up with a job where communication isn't as important as grunt work....Do you want fries with that coke?
2. Forming study groups introduces the student to teamwork and to work effectively with others by sharing thoughts, ideas, and to develop solutions to problems. It is very rare that one is hired to work exclusively by themselves.
3. Attending classes on time every day teaches the student that tardiness is not tolerated and attendance is important to keeping a job. Who would likely keep someone on the payroll if they were constantly late or missed excessive number of days? Remember mommy and daddies aren’t around to wake up so you won't be late for work!
4. A research paper teaches students the importance of patience and accurate information gathering. Some jobs require market research, product development, etc. There is a correlation.
5. College teaches the student how to be a good listener and how to follow directions, if you fail at both of these your likely to fail the course and get fired from your job. The ability to listen and follow directions is the cornerstone of employment. What manager will keep you on the payroll if he has to constantly tell you what to do or leave written instructions because you can't remember how to do your job?
6. Earning a degree is one way to prove to an employer that you won't give up. If you give up on your degree you're also giving up on yourself. Employers want a person they can depend on to finish what they start, regardless of how challenging the job may be. The only thing between earning a degree or not is the student. There are other variables involved but people have greater control of their lives than they realize...free will.
7. Exams are a way for a student to learn to work under the pressure of a ticking clock and to deal with anxiety and the unknown. I don't know of anyone who hasn't worked under the pressure of a deadline. An exam also teaches the student how to prepare and develop study routines.
8. The process of an education is the education itself. You are teaching yourself to learn. Earning your degree is not the end of your education only the beginning. Your studies will continue when you're hired after graduation; you'll have to learn the company's accounting routine, how the billing works, you may be required to develop training material, or be asked to improve supply chain efficiency. That may not be what your degree is in. What will you tell your new manager, 'I didn't learn that in college...find someone else!' No, you'll learn what you need to do and successfully complete the assigned project.
9. Once you graduate your likely to make a lot of money. Your education may not be in finance. So, how do you avoid making financial mistakes? By learning how to manage your personal finances, the same way you learned the subjects you studied in college. If you majored in engineering, you weren't born an engineer you had to learn how to be one. The same is true with finances. If your smart you'll learn personal finances on your own so you can keep the money you make longer. If you don't learn how to manage your personal finances you'll be a victim of your own ignorance.
10. You'll learn how to effectively manage your time, to unclutter your day of time wasting activities. You'll learn what it is to be a responsible adult. OMG!!! You're learning to be a grown up!!!
11. If you want to promote regularly or become part of the management team you'll need a MS or MBA and most company's will pay for them.
12. Most companies require a minimum 3.0 GPA otherwise they won't even accept your application for employment. You have one chance to make good grades and keep them up.
College is more than books, doing research papers, making new friends, or cramming for an exam. Its also the journey, the things you experience while in college. You'll find out that you can do more than you thought you could. You'll build confidence in college and you'll need that confidence when you get your first real job or get promoted into that first real management position.
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