Why Are You Going To College?
By Bob Roth
While in high school, most students begin to select a general
career direction. Some make careful choices, while others
leave things to chance. Either way, the process usually begins
there. When college is in the offing, those young adults will
attend college for a wide variety reasons. Those reasons
usually fall into four distinct categories: Parents, Career, Money
and Interests.
Parents frequently try to steer their children into
college. These parents generally recognize that many corporate
employers now consider the college degree to be a requirement for
administrative, supervisory, technical and management
positions. However, college is not right for
everyone. Some students aren’t ready. Others are
better suited for careers in areas where a college education is not
all that useful.
Career goals can drive those students who have a specific
career in mind.
They may want to be an attorney, a doctor, a scientist, an
accountant or a social worker, etc. Students who know where
they are trying to go usually have an advantage over students who
are confused and less focused. Other students may have already
entered the world of work and have come to recognize that their
career progress may depend on obtaining a degree in their specialty
or perhaps in business and management. Such students may
attend college on a part-time basis, often at night or on
weekends.
Money affects the decisions of some students. These
students may select their career direction based on the amount of
money they think they can make in that field. People with
college degrees often hold higher positions and earn considerably
more money than people without a degree, in similar
positions.
Highly desirable degrees, from the most well-respected
colleges, can put high performing students on a career fast
track.
Other interests will motivate some students to attend
college. Those interests can include a love of learning,
athletics, the arts, science, politics and even friendship may come
into play (to follow a girl/boyfriend) or for social reasons (meet
members of the opposite sex). In other cases, students may
attend college by default. These students may go to college
simply because all of their friends are going or they don’t
have a job and don’t have a better alternative.
Ultimately, upon graduation from college, most young adults
will be starting a new job, going on to Graduate School or seeking
a full-time job. And so,
the reason that most students are going to college is to
obtain the knowledge, wisdom, experience and successes that will
impress potential employers and help them land a good job or get
into Graduate School.
If students and parents accept this statement, the question
then becomes, what can students do to impress potential employers
or help them get into Graduate School?
And so, if students want to improve the odds for being
successful after graduation, they must make the most of the entire
four-year college experience.
Employers and Graduate Schools look for seven things:
1. Academic success usually means a
“B” average or better. Many employers
and
Graduate
Schools will not even consider you if you don’t meet their
academic
standards.
2. The quality of your college
education refers to the rating, reputation and status
of
your
college.
3. A well-rounded college
experience.
-
Participation in clubs and athletic activities
- Work
experience
- Community
activities
- Campus
events and activities
- Willingness
to try things
4. Successes, accomplishments and
results.
- Leadership
roles and experiences in your area of interest
-
Demonstrated strengths that differentiate you from
others
-
Communication skills (speak, write, present, listen, teach,
etc.)
- Examples of
competence with technology and computers
- Ability to
build relationships and function in a team environment
- Examples of
having accepted responsibility
- Ability to
overcome obstacles
- Willingness
to be held accountable
5. A powerful resume that presents
the student's assets and capabilities.
6. Outstanding communication and
interviewing skills.
7. Strong references from professors,
advisors, coaches, employers, community
leaders and
other impressive people.
