Almost three-quarters of Americans believe college isn’t just about school—it also teaches important life lessons.
That’s according to a new poll of 2,000 adults, which revealed 73% agree that college educates you about adult life beyond coursework and the classroom.
While doing well in school and getting good grades was found to be the hardest part of college (46%), time management (45%), having more responsibilities (44%) and living on your own (43%) also were some of the top challenges.
Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Texas Tech University, results also revealed that 44% of respondents are currently considering returning to college or going for the first time—with 42% saying they are interested in learning new skill sets or changing career paths.
Of the respondents who have attended college, 85% believe college prepared them for adult life, but 80% agree if they could go back, they would change some things about their college experience.
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42% cited ‘helping with job interviews and applications’ as an area where colleges could improve. Being more affordable also ranked high on the list (39%).
When it comes to choosing a school, 41% of those surveyed are looking for classes or seminars that teach about life beyond the classroom.
“We all hear the national conversations about the costs of attending college, asking whether the experience is worth it,” said Texas Tech vice president for enrollment management Jamie Hansard. “While what students learn in the classroom can be foundational for the goals and careers they want to pursue, it’s important to understand that the value of college goes far beyond a person’s academic achievements.”
Of the life skills those respondents picked up during their time in college, organizational skills (53%) and discovering their passions (47%) ranked as the top two.
When asked what skills college taught them that they still apply to adult life, respondents highlighted, “how to be independent,” “how to arrive when instructed” and “how to approach people in the correct way.”
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Nearly a third of respondents who attended college said the highlight of their experience was making friends.
Seventy percent of those who attended college work in the field associated with their degree, and agreed that their career goals are more attainable if they attend college.
“It’s nearly impossible to assign a dollar amount to the value of college,” Hansard said. “How do you put a number on discovering your passion? How do you put a value on the friendships you make in college, many that last a lifetime and may help you reach your goals later in life? How do you put a number on the personal growth and development you experience along the way? College can help you do all these things and give you an education. If you take advantage of those opportunities, it’s absolutely worth it.”
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Hmmm, I might have believed this 10 years ago but not now. You can learn all of that and more through working in a trade or gaining real world experience on the ground floor of the profession you’re passionate about. Then once you see how it ‘really is’, if you decide it is what you want to do, you can get help from the company you work for to help pay for college.
You are absolutely right! On the job training beats college books. While pursuing a medical degree to become a doctor, I decided to work inside a metropolitan hospital to gain experience. I was able to work in all departments from the emergency room to obstetrics to post surgical floors.
Billionaire Warren Buffett and many other college grads disagree with this claim. When Buffett was asked, “What were the most important elements in your life that led to your success?” Warren replied, “First, the Dale Carnegie book and course on How to Win Friends was the most important, followed by the book The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham.” Total cost of both books is less than one hour tuition in any college!
I hardly think Warren Buffett is an apt comparison for millions of youth, though I don’t doubt it was true for him.