Uncollege

Growing up, it was always instilled in into my head that college was the road taken. Coming from an immigrant family, my sister and I were expected to attend college because our parents left Fiji for that reason. We had the opportunity to achieve higher education than the generation before us and our parents didn't want us to squander the opportunity they were never afforded. I agree with some of the points made by Stephens however, I do think college is still necessary for most people entering the job field. Stephens claims that college doesn't really "teach", because once you leave, the world isn't set up like a university, and he is right in that aspect. There are no syllabi when you walk into your job for the first time. Even though universities aren't necessarily set up to mimic a real world environment, the information learned there is still important. You cant learn to be a doctor by "forging your own path" or because a lawyer by sheer will power and a creative route. These types of jobs require specific knowledge that you can't just search tutorials for on Youtube. A lot of what makes our society work is because of schools. Throughout history it has been proven time and time again that formal institutions are necessary for a society to succeed. Although Stephens makes very valid points, he is only one person and even though there are probably more out there like him, I would say it's not safe to take his word for anything more than a grain of salt because the way our society runs proves him wrong. He says that students lack responsibility and are likely to not leave their comfort zone of friends to discover life. I think the exact opposite. Most students seeking a higher education aren't doing it for fun, they're doing it because they have a goal in life and college is the next step. Of course there are exceptions but those students don't have negative effects on the students who actually do know responsibility. I know plenty of people who would agree that college is where they really felt free. No longer tied to the friends they knew since childhood and free to make their own decisions at their own discretion without the backlash of a stern talking to from their parents if they stayed out late or missed class. They can reinvent themselves if they like and chances are, they do. Students take full responsibility for themselves and their actions. If they aren't responsible enough when they arrive, they will be by the time they leave and with a lot of experience in life. As wrong as I think Stephens is on a lot of what he talks about, he has a very optimistic and innovative way of thinking that colleges could definitely utilize to make college worth it even more. He speaks of group-based, real life projects. Simply put, classes that give you credit for actual work. My sisters art college offers such classes. Clients come in and for one class, they work on these project, in a real environment, for a real client, with real deadlines. If traditional colleges began to integrate this, it wouldn't give students a fake sense of reality like Stephen states. In conclusion, I think Stephens perhaps has a diluted sense of college probably due to a bad experience, or some other negative outcome and has therefore come to the conclusion that college isn't necessary for everyone just because it wasn't right for him. The truth is, college isn't right for everyone, we all know that, but you won't ever know that if you dont try. College has a lot to offer besides a degree. It offers experiences, a chance to make a life for your sense just a bit easier than maybe with a degree, and college allows you the freedom to be you while still under some sort of life safety net.