HIGHER EDUCATION

Good day. Today's post is about teaching our young people how to research their futures. The other day I was talking to an educator who advises students on their college or trade school selection. She pointed out the fact that most college graduates do not end up in a career for which they studied in undergrad. These days many students have no idea what curriculum will prepare them the most for life in the real world, and they are afraid to follow their passion because they think they cannot make a living from it. The frustrating thing for educators is that at the events where large population of trade school and college representatives are present, most students do not know what questions to ask. In fact most students just gather information and brochures and do not ask a single question.   I am all in favor of letting the younger generation pursue their dreams in college, however a discussion regarding the real world and career path is something that needs to take place at home.    At the very least parents should discuss with their children what questions to ask at career fairs. These questions should not be dictated to the youngsters, but through questions parents should guide the youngster to come up with their own questions based on their desires and interests.  By thinking about these questions the youngsters are solidifying their focus and figuring out what they really want to do without the pressure and prejudices of their parents. Certain career aspirations may very easily be met through a trade school. Sometimes us as parents feel that if our kids do not graduate from a university they will not succeed in life.  The fact remains that most graduates, even of prestigious universities, do not end up with a career for which they studied in school. Many students could have saved both time and money pursuing their desires and careers in well-respected and accredited trade school or other learning institutions. I do not want to come across as someone who is against higher education. On the contrary, I am very much in favor of higher education. However the educational atmosphere today is very much different than when I attended University. There are opportunities available for people to fast-track their real-world careers instead of figuring out that objective after graduation. By design most trade schools require a focused decision making maturity in their students. There is very little time spend on non-focused curriculum. It may have been fun to waste two years of one's life taking various courses which have nothing to do with  one's major. The staggering amounts of student loans that today's students are faced with is a testament to some of that. Alternative options include starting one's college education at a junior college in an environment less competitive and more conducive to general education learning. This also has the advantage of costing a lot less than a four-year university. This may not be appropriate for everyone. I just wanted to point your attention to some available alternatives for higher education that will prepare our youngsters for the real world with less baggage in the form student loans, and a more focused goal and career planning. I welcome any comments and opinions on this post as I am a young parent whose children have a long way to go before higher education. Your comments will help other  readers specially if you are at the point where your children are about to enter the higher education.  As always please feel free to share this post with anyone who may benefit from it and until next week have a prosperous and great day.