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You can travel around the world and "interact". You can even bury yourself in a public library and try to learn on your own for free. Both could be valuable but neither would be a good substitute for what you can learn in college. There are lots of great colleges and universities where you can be inspired by scholars and leaders in their fields, where you can be introduced to new ideas, new ways of thinking, new ways of looking at the world, and where you can acquire of wealth of knowledge in many fields. You might also go to college to learn some employable skills. If that is the only reason for someone to go to college, they might acquire those skills but are likely to be otherwise no wiser or better educated than they were before. What a shame. I call that being fat, dumb and lazy even though not everyone in that category is physically overweight.
maybe, but from a financial sense, you could learn a lot just by traveling the country/world for 4 years too, I mean if you didn't care WHAT kind of job you got at the end of it. It might be a good job, might be bad... but college at least affords people the chance to tilt the in the direction that they want by connecting them with people in that industry. But it doesn't seem like many students realize the networking opportunities that colleges provide, and not just with other students but with the professors and internships too or at least they act like they don't take advantage of it.
Tell an employer that you travelled the world for four years and that is your education. Even Google wants to see degrees.
By age 17 or 18, kids have been in school for 10-12 years. Certainly they have had opportunities to learn basic math skill through beginning calculus. They have gained some knowledge of sciences, history, government, literature and the arts. They can express themselves orally and in writing, often in more than one language. Many have had opportunities to play several sports, to play musical instruments, and to appreciate some of the academic disciplines. They have started to learn about themselves, their interests, their individual strengths. The more selective colleges and universities will probe those young minds through recommendations, essays, interviews and any other means to try to find those with the strongest abilities and most passionate interests. By 17-18 or usually much younger, many kids will already have distinguished themselves in academics, in music, in sports and other activities. Those who have not achieved much used to skip college. In recent decades more are going on to college. They go to institutions which will accept them and their money. Many of those are none too demanding. They join into the herd of partiers and drinkers. Eventually many of them get degrees. Interestingly the most common degree is in "business", whatever that is supposed to mean.
Tell an employer that you travelled the world for four years and that is your education. Even Google wants to see degrees.
Not surprising. Google is a company that excels in highly technical areas. Sure they are also looking for non-technical people who are creative and innovative. That does not just happen by wandering around the world or by accident.
but it went on for four years... yes you can blame their age on the first year, but what about the second, third or fourth years?
you know the saying, fool me once, fool me twice, etc?
AND then some even go back for a second degree/grad degree with no more planning than the first time around?
Oh come on....there are a few that really know what they want to do for the rest of their lives.
How does one really know? What is the percentage of people that really end of doing what they studied??!!
How do you expect someone who is 18,19, 20, 21, 22, etc to decide what they want to do for rest of their lives?
Around 40 I think I finally figured out what I should have studied. But it is okay...it all worked out and I am happy with my life. If I had to do it all over again, knowing what I know now---I would have taken a completely different path.
Not surprising. Google is a company that excels in highly technical areas. Sure they are also looking for non-technical people who are creative and innovative. That does not just happen by wandering around the world or by accident.
the exec at google who died on mt. everest pretty much did just travel around the world
and getting a sweet job in silicon valley is often by accident
Well, if all clothes were unaffordable, say $1,000 for a shirt, $100 for a pair of socks, would you walk around naked? No, because you consider clothes to be a necessity, especially in cold weather.
The same for higher education - it is still a necessity, at least for most, even if unaffordable.
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