Archive for the 'Advice' Category

Several experts insist: “Too many Americans are going to college.”

The question, “Is college right for me?”, is a relatively simple one to pose. Unfortunately, while it is easy to construct the question, the answer is extremely complicated.

First, there is the ongoing message from a number of government officials (including President Barack Obama), that to compete in a global marketplace, we need to have an educated populace. Given the recent economic downturn, that idea translates to a more distinct message, to find meaningful work you must have a college diploma.

Backing that assertion is a great deal of data. From higher wages over one’s lifetime to greater job security during economic recessions, those with a bachelor’s degree consistently fare better than those with only a high school education.

But more and more we are learning that the above statement fails to carry the whole message. Today we know that many of those employed and earning higher wages are also struggling immensely because of the significant debt they took on while earning that degree.

Worse yet is the group that made the attempt to follow the American dream but could not complete the coursework along the way. These individuals, many also saddled with enormous college debt, now find themselves without the means to pay off the debt they accrued.

The problem with the college assertion is that officials consistently point towards the traditional, four-year bachelor’s degree program as the answer. The result is that many students who are unprepared for and thus unable to handle the academic rigor associated with such programs are pursuing access to that specific form of higher education.

Given that college has become big business, these students always find some school willing to accept them. These individuals then often borrow vast sums to pursue a degree that is not only well beyond their financial means, it is questionable as to whether they have the academic ability to be able to earn that coveted diploma.

The bottom line, according to a number of experts, is that too many Americans are going to four-year colleges to pursue a bachelor’s degree. That statement is often shortened to a more generalized assertion, “Too many Americans are going to college.”

The Experts

There are a number of critics of the assertion of college for everyone. One of the most outspoken is Charles Murray, a political scientist and scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. In a recent discussion with The Chronicle of Higher Education on this issue, Murray offered this telling assessment.

“It has been empirically demonstrated that doing well (B average or better) in a traditional college major in the arts and sciences requires levels of linguistic and logical/mathematical ability that only 10 to 15 percent of the nation’s youth possess.”

The focus on the need to handle the academic rigor associated with higher education is often overlooked. The fact of the matter is that most college majors are extremely demanding, far more challenging than anything a student faces in high school, and thus many students, once admitted, are simply unable to match the curriculum demands of their program no matter how hard they try.

Murray went on to add the right piece of information, that education in total is not the issue. He further stated:

“That doesn’t mean that only 10 to 15 percent should get more than a high-school education. It does mean that the four-year residential program leading to a B.A. is the wrong model for a large majority of young people.”

Yet another cautionary realist is Marty Nemko. The career counselor based in Oakland, CA was a recent participant in the same Chronicle discussion:

“Students with weak academic records should be informed that, of freshmen at ‘four year’ colleges who graduated in the bottom 40 percent of their high-school class, two-thirds won’t graduate even if given eight and a half years. And that even if such students defy the odds, they will likely graduate with a low GPA and a major in low demand by employers.”

Nemko believes that most students are not provided with in-depth counseling regarding the higher education decision. Prior to application, acceptance and matriculation into a collegiate program, Nemko asserts: “All high-school students should receive a cost-benefit analysis of the various options suitable to their situations: four-year college, two-year degree program, short-term career-prep program, apprenticeship program, on-the-job training, self-employment, the military.”

This sane voice not only cries out amidst the rather simplistic assertions of college for everyone, he is willing to task those institutions wrongfully accepting students.

“A college should not admit a student it believes would more wisely attend another institution or pursue a non-college, post-secondary option,” states Nemko. “Students’ lives are at stake, not just enrollment targets.”

And as for those who insist that the failure to earn a diploma results in a lifelong sentence to unemployment, Richard K. Vedder, director of the Center for College Affordability and Productivity and professor of economics at Ohio University, had this to say to folks at The Chronicle:

“The number of new jobs requiring a college degree is now less than the number of young adults graduating from universities, so more and more graduates are filling jobs for which they are academically overqualified.”

To which Bryan Caplan, associate professor of economics at George Mason University, added: “Most college courses teach few useful job skills; their main function is to signal to employers that students are smart, hard-working, and conformist.”

Shadow versus Substance

Unfortunately, we Americans have consistently sold the shadow in place of real substance. As Murray so aptly puts it, the bachelor’s degree has “become an emblem of first-class citizenship” in our country.

It is a completely misguided focus according to Murray who goes on to add, “We have a moral obligation to destroy the current role of the B.A. in American life.”

Meanwhile, everywhere one turns there is a growing consensus that America is facing a real shortage of skilled tradesman. Whether it is a reliable automotive mechanic or a competent plumber, there are a number of jobs that offer excellent wage potential without the need for a four-year degree. Yet these positions go wanting in today’s push for college for all students.

What has disappeared, likely for good, are highly-paid, low-skill jobs. To be successful today, one does need core academic skills such as the ability to read, to write, and to think. One also needs to have a strong work ethic. But one does not need to attend four years of college to obtain these basic core skills.

In addition, other skills are highly valued, but such skills can be learned in a variety of settings. In addition to the four-year bachelor’s degree option, higher education includes the vocational trades. Instead of blindly following others on the path of the four-year institutions, students should consider viable schools that teach one of the many trades. Becoming a beautician, truck driver, carpenter, mason or plumber involves learning specific skills that are available at these trade schools, often at a fraction of the cost.

Within the medical profession there are also a number of entry-level positions that offer solid career potential. Medical office personnel are in extremely high demand as are personal care assistants and other patient support personnel. Here again, a four-year degree is simply not required though students may need to pursue a two-year associate’s degree for access to the better-paying options.

Who Should Attend College?

We started with the basic question, “Is college right for me?” To answer that question, we note there are a number of students who should bypass the wrongful emphasis on a four-year degree.

First, the figures from Nemko are very telling – if you had trouble with the academic expectations set forth in high school you are truly at risk for not being able to complete a four-year college degree. As Murray notes, the level of difficulty associated with college coursework is a full shelf or two above anything the average high school student faces.

Second, you need to understand your preferred learning style. Traditional colleges rely extensively on book learning, i.e., reading and writing, to introduce material to students. While some schools have shifted to e-learning, higher tech models that offer more in the way of visual and auditory stimulus, the bottom line is much of what you learn at the university-level is done in abstract formats.

If your preference is to learn by doing or by using your hands, then you may want to consider something other the traditional four-year, higher education model. Otherwise you could become frustrated and disenchanted over time by the book learning process. The last thing you want to have happen is to become one of those negative statistics, five and half years of higher education, tens of thousands in debt, yet still without a diploma in hand.

Most importantly, unless you or your family possesses unlimited means, you owe it to yourself and to them to carefully think through the concept of college. The fact of the matter is that too many students are mortgaging their future by borrowing huge sums to be able to pursue that bachelor’s degree.

Today the average school-related debt for college graduates tops $20,000. That figure does not include other debt students might soon incur, whether it is in the form of a credit card, the purchase of that first automobile or ultimately buying a home.

If you are one of the people who will need to borrow such sums, then you must take the time to do the cost analysis described by Nemko. Taking on such a debt level requires a full cost-benefit analysis based on potential future earnings you can expect to receive upon completing your diploma. In too many cases, students have taken on debt levels that require such large repayment schedules that they essentially crippled the very future they were hoping to secure.

College Is Not for Everyone

There is a growing consensus that college, specifically the traditional four-year bachelor’s degree option, is not for everyone. There are many other viable options of higher education that can lead to promising careers, options that feature solid earnings potential and job satisfaction.

As a student, it is imperative that you do not get caught up in the rhetoric or the idea that the only path to career success in America involves a four-year degree program. Instead, assess the various options according to your skills, your interests and your means, then select the path that is right for you.

By all accounts, the job placement data for the Class of 2009 was exceedingly dismal. While everyone is hopeful of a better future and most signs point to an economy on the rebound, career experts insist that the Class of 2010 could well see similar job placement challenges.

The reason is quite simple – it seems that the poor 2009 job placement rates came in great part because a large number of 2008 graduates had been unable to secure a job in their field. Now, the Class of 2010 faces a double whammy, the cascading effect of two consecutive poor placement years.

Therefore, even as the economy turns the corner, next year’s grads will be competing with a number of currently unemployed folks for the few additional jobs that become available.

Becoming a Recession Proof Graduate

Given this sobering scenario, today we turn to Charlie Hoehn, the author of the interesting SlideShare ebook, “Recession Proof Graduate.” A 2008 graduate of Colorado State University, Charlie holds degrees in marketing and media studies.

Currently touring the country with Tucker Max during the screening of his new movie: I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell, Charlie continues to work with Ramit Sethi, a partnership that led to Sethi’s recent book becoming a NY Times and Wall Street Journal best-seller, and with Tim Ferriss, author of the NY Times best-seller, The Four-Hour Workweek.

Charlie provides some pretty radical advice in Recession Proof Graduate. After reading his recommendations, we wanted to give Charlie some time to discuss his job search process, particularly his decision to throw out the traditional search model after seeing conventional techniques produce dismal results for him.

In your book, you talk about your initial job search upon graduating and the difficulties you had. At some point you came to the realization that the recession was not the issue, it was your use of conventional job-hunting methods and your expectations related to that search. Which realization came first, the need to change your expectations or your need to try a new search technique?

The need to change my expectations definitely came first. After I got turned away from a company I’d interned with for three months (and they LOVED me, by the way), I kinda knew the odds of me finding a well-paying, fun job were pretty slim. I changed my job hunting tactics later on out of sheer desperation, after trying the traditional methods for a few months and seeing godawful results.

You certainly turn one standard goal of the job search process on its head. Can you explain why the goal for graduates should not be focused so much on making loads of money?

I’m all for making a lot of money, but I knew that I didn’t necessarily deserve a big paycheck right away. I had to earn that right. So I think the goal for graduates should not be to immediately find a high paying gig, but rather to figure out how to maximize their potential future earnings. This can be done by learning in-demand skills, doing free work for specific people, etc. This way, you’re setting yourself up for making more money in the long run, while also making yourself more valuable as an employee and building your network.

Another reason I don’t think grads should be too focused on money is because it will REALLY force you to figure out what your priorities are. I have a few friends who jumped into industries they don’t like because they were tempted by the promise of $60-80K in the first year on the job. Even I played with the idea of being a landman for an oil and gas company because I would have made $70K straightaway. But I also would have quickly grown to hate my life. And after a certain point, I would have been so emotionally and financially dependent on that big paycheck that there’d be no turning back. It’s far better, I think, to do free work for a few months. You’ll figure out what you truly want to do.

And really, should a student consider throwing away their resume?

Maybe not literally, but I do think resumes suck. Just from an aesthetic standpoint, I think resumes are awful. They all look the same — plain and boring — and when you consider that you’re in a pile with dozens (and sometimes hundreds) of other resumes, you have to realize that it’s nearly impossible to stand out. The average graduate will not have any remarkable credentials under his belt, so how is he going to beat out all these other faceless resumes? He won’t. So I say throw away your resume. A one-page document shouldn’t represent your past, present, and future. A blog or a portfolio are superior alternatives, and they can vividly illustrate a person’s thought process and skills.

The idea of working for free to obtain critical experience and skills isn’t really new is it? Is this not just the concept of an internship? And, didn’t you get the skills you needed in college?

Free work is very different from an internship, as Seth Godin pointed out. Free work allows you to work on your own terms: you get to work with the people you want to, on the projects you want to work on, in the industry you want to work in. The relationships with the people you work for will develop organically, and they won’t look at you as just an intern — they’ll actually want to help you learn and grow.

Did I get the skills I needed while I was in college? Yes and no. Yes, because all of the skills I’m currently hired and paid for were things I taught myself while I was in college. No, because college didn’t really teach me any new skills that employers would want to hire me for. College gave me a degree, a GPA, and four years of fun memories. None of those hold much weight in a recession.

In your ebook you explain that many folks insist that you have this new job search process all wrong – one honest fear of some of the folks I have talked to is that once you work for free that will become the ongoing expectation – how do you respond to folks who raise this concern?

I briefly addressed this at the end of the e-book. It’s all about managing expectations. If you don’t lay down a deadline for when the free work transitions to paid work (or introductions to other people, new opportunities, etc.), then you’re setting yourself up to be taken advantage of. Most people who take you under their wing to do free work will be more than willing to reciprocate and help you out if you do a really great job, but you need to make that clear upfront. I’ve done free work for a bunch of people over the last year and a half. I only felt like I got burned once, and that was when I did work for a struggling entrepreneur who was working on his first startup (which is why I recommend that graduates work for successful entrepreneurs).

I also try to work with people who are dependent on maintaining a strong, healthy personal brand online. I’ve built up enough credibility and have enough followers that it’s a bigger liability for them if they take advantage of me. This is not to say I would ever hold this over their head, or threaten them with it if things started to go poorly. Rather, it’s just to point out that it’s in their best interest to take care of me (which they do).

One key element is the suggestion to seek to do this free work virtually – why is this a point of emphasis in the process?

Doing work virtually really frees you up to work with anyone you want — you’re not limited to whatever local opportunities are available. You can work with people in other states, or other countries. Virtual free work is probably the best dynamic for graduates, because you can take on a bunch of projects all at once and choose which ones you want to continue pursuing. There’s very little risk involved for the employer (no money spent, no time wasted training), and there’s very little risk for the graduate. What’s the employer going to do if you screw up? “Fire” you? Probably not — you’re not eating up their payroll and you’re not using much of their time either. Even if you do end up parting ways, it’s not the end of the world.

You not only talk about the importance of a person’s online presence, you honestly inform folks that your initial online presence did not portray you in a very flattering light. Can you explain to readers what your initial presence looked like and the process you used to bury the negative elements to the Google hinterlands?

What shows up in Google when you search for someone’s name is a little different from having an online presence. A few years ago, I had a Facebook and LinkedIn account — technically, that’s an online presence. But when you searched for ‘Charlie Hoehn,’ a CollegeHumor video of my friend riding his bike drunkenly down a flight of stairs (and crashing) was one of my top 5 results. Another one of my top results was an online article from CSU’s newspaper where I was quoted talking about abortion. My old Google results didn’t really give any employer much to work with in terms of figuring out what I’m like or whether I’d be worth hiring.

I had to start a blog for the virtual internship I did with Seth Godin (I never planned on having one). Eventually, people started to link to me and actually write about me, for whatever reason. And all of those posts started to accumulate and bury my negative Google results. It wasn’t actually an intentional process to put me in a positive light online — it just sort of happened on its own.

How long did this process actually take?

I’m not entirely sure, but I want to say it was between 2-4 months before I had control of the top 5 search results for my name. It took a few more months to really get a stranglehold on the top 10 results. I have a fairly rare last name, so I’m sure it will take a lot longer for some people.

Your advice about starting a blog to help define your online brand comes with a couple of cautions – talk a little bit about those cautions.

A lot of people, especially graduates, make a huge mistake when they start blogging: they’re honest to a fault. They treat their blog as a personal diary, where they can talk about their alcoholism, or their inability to talk to women, or whatever other shortcomings they have. If you want to do that, go find an anonymous forum or something. Don’t do it on your personal blog if you’re legitimately trying to use it as a tool to get hired. You want to paint an honest yet flattering picture of yourself, so be professional.

Quality of content is also HUGELY important. If you write up something half-assed and you know it’s not very good, don’t post it. I think it’s more of a liability to have a bad blog than it is to have no blog at all. You can talk your way out of mediocre search results, but if the writing on your blog sucks, you can’t really dig yourself out of that hole.

Two really key elements of your philosophy are to choose the right person to work for and to choose projects you really care about. Can you talk a little bit about the characteristics you focus in on when deciding which person or industry to target?

I have several questions I ask myself when deciding whether I want to work with a person or not:

• Does this opportunity excite me?
• Is it going to be fun, challenging, and intellectually stimulating? i.e. Will it help me grow as a person?
• Will more opportunities open up to me when this is over?
• Can I learn a new skill set if I work with them?
• How flexible will my schedule be if I take this? This is important, because if it’s a huge time-kill, I won’t take it.
• Is this person a successful entrepreneur? If no, proceed with caution. Entrepreneurs who have never succeeded are a big risk, and are usually too poor to ever pay much. They’re fun to work with, but it’s usually not worth the time.
• How well does it/will it pay?

There aren’t many criteria for deciding which industry to target. Basically, I just go after the ones that look the most fun.

When contacting potential targets, you rightfully note the need to do some intense homework on the target. You then note that that the student should suggest specific examples of free work he/she could do that will have a measurable impact on the targeted business. My fear is that this would come off sounding a bit presumptuous to the recipient?

It’s hard to approach an employer with some vague description of what you can do for them or, even worse, saying you’ll help out however you can. It’s too broad and vague, so it’s hard for them to visualize how you’d be an asset. But if you lay out in specific terms how you think you can help them, and give them a few suggestions, it helps them fill in the gaps. You won’t force them to rack their brain on how they can use you. Instead, you’re helping them visualize how you’ll fit into the picture. Trust me, they’ll be very impressed that you brought a list of ways in which you could help.

Can you give our readers a sense of a how you used this strategy to land some critical first opportunities?

Everyone I’ve approached for work in the last year has hired me because I laid out how I could help them specifically. Ramit Sethi was the first person I used this strategy on, and he eventually introduced me to Tim Ferriss. I gave Tucker specific examples of how I could help him, as well. Giving suggestions shows your initiative, and your willingness to emotionally commit to a job before you even get it. Try it, you’d be surprised at how effective it is.

Photos courtesy of Charlie Hoehn.

We have cautioned students on more than one occasion to think very carefully about the items they post on their social networking profile. The stories of Stacy Snyder and Kevin Colvin provide great examples of why one must carefully guard their personal online brand.

Of course, many current students as well as adults in their twenties and thirties have cried foul over what they deem an invasion into their private worlds. They argue that doing something on their own time, whether it be in poor taste or not, should play no role in their everyday world of work.

Prospective and current college students with such a mindset need to think again – even those who understand the need for student privacy note that using social networking profiles for admissions or job-placement is reasonable.

S. Craig Watkins

To get a sense of the thresholds for using profiles, we turn to the Wired Campus blog at the Chronicle of Higher Education and the recent Q & A with S. Craig Watkins, an associate professor of radio, TV, and film at the University of Texas at Austin. Watkins recently penned “The Young and the Digital: What the Migration to Social Network Sites, Games, and Anytime, Anywhere Media Means for Our Future” and is deemed an expert in matters related to the “new age of social networking and media.”

Indeed, Professor Watkins seems to have a great sense as to what the current crop of college students bring to their respective campuses. He rightly acknowledges that we digital natives are tired of the lecture format and therefore want a more engaging learning environment.

He also notes that we prefer a classroom that actively utilizes the vast world of technology and all its elements (laptops, netbooks, pda’s and cell phones) to enhance the learning environment.

Given his stature and understanding of current culture, students must carefully consider his insight into the whole Facebook and MySpace privacy discussion.

Online Profiles and Digital Monitoring

Watkins is clear about one trend he is not in favor of, that of colleges policing material on social networking sites, specifically to determine if the postings represent facets of campus life. When asked if it is a college administrator’s responsibility to be checking up on students through online profiles, Watkins states:

“I would encourage universities not to use technologies in that way — as a surveillance mechanism or tool. I would be reluctant to agree with or believe that’s an appropriate use of the tool.”

But while Watkins sees the monitoring of such sites as off limits for policing students, he offers a very different view when it comes to college admissions officers looking through student profiles when screening applicants.

“I don’t necessarily have a problem with that,” states Watkins. “The problem becomes if they start fishing for unflattering or potentially damaging kind of content — pictures or wall posts — sort of deliberately using it to hunt for that kind of content, as opposed to simply trying to make maybe a better informed, insightful admission decision about a student. It is an opportunity to learn about people’s interest, the kinds of things they are engaged in, in terms of community-related issues and social issues. In that sense, it does provide a window into a person’s life, and into a person’s interests that can be a value to an admissions committee.”

And as for employers looking, Watkins insists it is now a permanent part of the hiring landscape.

“That’s becoming more and more of a common practice. Graduating students, one of the things that they indicated is that when they went out for interviews for jobs, one of the first thing they were asked is, ‘Are you on MySpace?’ or, ‘Are you on Facebook?’ Their potential employers wanted to get access to their profiles.”

Clearly, when it comes to selecting a new employee businesses want to be certain they are making the right choice. And because of the importance to them in making the right hire, students can expect potential employers to do some digging to see if they turn up anything negative.

Not too surprisingly, Watkins notes that such questions routinely cause a certain amount of panic among the group of students who have failed to consider the importance of their personal brand. In a flurry of activity, they attempt to undo any damage that has been years in the making.

Don’t be one of the foolish ones – carefully think about everything you post online. While it is possible, sometimes, to take down questionable materials prior to the wrong person seeing them, the chance that you will miss something is very high.

And don’t try to convince yourself that decision-makers looking at such profiles is somehow an invasion of privacy. If something should truly be kept private, then don’t post it online.

Flickr photo courtesy of Stabilo Boss.

My first semester of college was an enormous wake-up call. For starters, the academic expectations were easily a shelf above those I had seen in high school.

But the greatest difference involved what I now call the level of hand-holding. As opposed to those wonderful and understanding high school teachers, my professors made only casual reminders of long-term assignments and they never postponed an exam simply because some students did not understand the material.

Simply stated, I made some mistakes my first semester that cost me dearly – by the time Christmas rolled around there wasn’t a single A to be found on my grade report and in at least two cases, classes that should have resulted in B’s had turned to C’s.

Fortunately, I had greater expectations for myself. I also was a relatively fast-learner – I say relatively fast because it did take me one full semester to figure things out.

Established students will likely find my missteps obvious but perhaps those of you starting your first semester can learn from my “Seven First-Semester Mistakes.”

Mistake 1. Failing to Realize You Are on Your Own

This one of course is one of those obvious ones for established students but it permeated my first semester of school.

The best thing about going to college is you finally are on your own. There will be no one nagging you about getting to bed at a certain hour or about spending too much time at the gym. No one, not even your resident assistant, will be hovering over you, asking you about whether or not your homework is done or when your next test is coming.

At the same time, the academic expectations begin with the very first class. Add to that fact that semesters are short on class time (much less frequent than in high school) and you soon learn that you have much greater work expectations between class sessions than you ever did in high school.

Still, the academics pale next to the expectation that you are, and will be, a responsible young adult. Ultimately, the nagging is replaced with a basic assumption that you are old enough to handle responsibilities without being reminded of them daily.

Mistake 2. Being Unorganized

Another major mistake I made was the failure to create a master schedule of my courses and the assignments for the semester. Though I did create a notebook with separate sections with each syllabus, I never synthesized the materials on one master calendar.

The bottom line was that many times I got caught not looking far enough ahead. On more than one occasion I found myself running out of time as materials became due or test dates arrived.

That first semester I learned the importance of taking the entire syllabus for each course and plotting all daily assignments, major projects/papers and exams on one master calendar. Doing so in future semesters helped me to understand that while this Tuesday I might have had little to do, next Tuesday the expectations might be so great I would need to be up half the night to complete all that was expected.

Every Sunday night I would review the upcoming week in detail, then scan the expectations for the following two weeks to see what I should begin working on ahead of time. Of course, creating such a calendar is a time-consuming first task – but it was a life-saver in future semesters.

Mistake 3. Being Unorganized – Redux

The second organizational aspect related to retaining all materials for the semester in their appropriate notebook. Those materials included all the original handouts, the additional ones provided during the semester and all returned assignments, quizzes and tests.

On many occasions I spent five, ten or even fifteen minutes searching for a certain document that was on my desk somewhere. On other occasions, I actually lost some graded materials, papers I could have definitely used in preparation for final exams.

I learned that first semester that I would receive and produce more materials than I ever did in high school and that taking care of those materials when I received them saved countless hours of time over the course of a semester.

Mistake 4. Multiple Course Sections Are Available

Another element I learned the hard way was that at college you had choices as to which courses and sections you opted to take. You can pick classes according to your learning style as well as quality of teaching.

For example, lecture-based classes were not my forte and taking them on Tuesday and Thursday meant longer class periods and an even greater test of my attention span. Such classes were far more manageable for me following a Monday-Wednesday-Friday format.

Perhaps even more importantly, the multiple sections of courses means you do not have to put up with a low quality instructor. That first semester I mistakenly sucked it up and stuck out two such classes, both to my detriment.

College is difficult enough without having to try to deal with poor quality instruction or a disorganized professor. In such cases, even first semester freshman can seek another section of the course immediately.

Mistake 5. Thinking Your Dorm Room Is a Great Place to Study

The need for a quiet place to do some real studying is essential. Yes, most times you can work in your dorm room or the lounge, but no matter how good your roommates or dorm-mates are, even at the quietest moments there will be distractions.

To get some real focused time you must find a place where you can truly disappear. I have heard some say you must find a cave somewhere on campus.

They exist – I found mine in the back stacks of the library. And you must use your place whenever you need to find some real quiet time.

Most importantly, you and only you, the young adult, can determine when such a time is needed.

Mistake 6. Asking for or Accepting Extensions

Because of my somewhat lackluster organizational skills, I remember struggling to complete one major paper for my Economics class. As I stated earlier, I simply had not plotted out an overview of the semester and all of sudden I seemed to be struggling to find the time to meet a group of expectations as final exams approached.

Naively, as the deadline for that major assignment drew near, I overheard a classmate discussing a possible extension with the professor. The professor offered some simple extension terms, one-third of a letter grade per class period (one period late, a B+ would drop to a B, two periods late that B+ would drop to a B-, etc.).

I convinced myself that the extension terms were reasonable and would help me. Given I had decent writing skills, I foolishly decided to take one additional week (three class sessions) to turn the paper in.

At the time I assumed my final product would earn an A or A- meaning at worst I would take home a B- or C+ for the paper, a good enough score to maintain the B average I had worked all semester for.

Evidently I wasn’t quite the writer I thought I was – remember the point about increased expectations earlier? The professor scored my original paper a B-, with the docking it became a C-, and because of the grading weight of the paper, my B average for the semester fell to a C+.

I learned the hard way to get my work done when it was due.

Mistake 7. Limit the Social Scene

At college, social events occur virtually every night of the week. From athletic events to open-mic nights to movies there is always something available to do that seems more enticing than your studies.

Add to that the Thursday night party group, the students taking a less demanding academic program (and content with earning Cs in those courses) and you always have someone trying to get you to take a few hours off for some social activity.

Taking time from studies is critical to maintain an emotional balance. But if you are not careful, it is all too easy to get pulled away by your roommate or other dorm-mates at times when you really should be getting some much needed work done.

Remember there is always something social to do and someone you know will be doing it – that simply means you can skip specific social opportunities when work demands prevail as there will always be another fun thing to do tomorrow.

As high school students contemplate college and their choice of major, they would do well to consider some of the current buzz about the future of higher education. Many experts are questioning the failure of these institutions to adapt to a changing society.

Last November, Kent Pitman, was one of those folks raising some concerns. In “College: An Overpriced Monopoly” Pitman offered some excellent points as to why the current system may well be outdated.

More importantly, he offered some suggestions for the next generation of students, ideas that reinforce the growth of the online education model even as he suggested the eventual demise of the traditional on-campus, four-year program.

Too Much About the Sheepskin?

The first interesting Pitman assertion is that colleges today are selling degrees to students. But he is not talking solely about those diploma mills that provide a worthless sheepskin for a few dollars.

No, Pitman is suggesting that all colleges are guilty of this endeavor. The only difference is that the established schools ask for a significant commitment from the student before providing that diploma: four years, 120 hours of coursework and tens of thousands of dollars.

Pitman notes that in theory, during those four years students master certain skills and gain the requisite knowledge necessary to be successful in their field and future career. But what has come to matter far more is something other than the knowledge gained.

Instead, all of society has come to support the notion that it is the degree that matters, that without it your future will be far more limited, your earnings far lower, and your chance at a long successful life almost nonexistent.

At the same time, as Pitman notes, we are seeing a very extraordinary development. In what is considered an incredible opportunity for the public at large, “MIT has made its online courseware of about 1800 courses available online for free.” Several other highly-thought of institutions have followed suit.

Now everyone has free access to the curriculum of some of our nation’s finest schools. Learners with an Internet connection have been given the chance to develop significant competencies without so much as shelling out a dollar.

But there is one thing missing. Completing the MIT courses (or those of another school) at home leaves you without the critical component valued by society, a degree.

Pitman insists that this “is a cue that something is amiss.” Looking deeper, Pitman has this to say about the move by MIT: “At the same time as it (MIT) offers knowledge to many, it seems to me to also say, ‘we’re secure in our understanding that our value is in our name, and we’re keeping that just as scarce as it was before, even if the understanding we offer is made ubiquitously available.’

“Of course, they might be saying that the lectures just aren’t good enough to get across the course material and that the real value of their program is in the ability to ask questions interactively. But I somehow doubt that. I think it’s about the brand.”

The Purpose of College

While it may be easy to knock the current structure, there is one thing that must be made clear. Society has come to value the bachelor degree credential so much (right or wrong) that aspiring workers must play the game if they are to have an opportunity in today’s challenging job market.

At the same time, one might ask, what ultimately is the purpose of attending college? Is it solely to earn that sheepskin or is it about a series of life experiences that helps one develop as a person? Should it be all that and more?

Here Pitman speaks bluntly: “The first goal of college must be to get a proper basis for getting started with a job, and preferably a career.” Yet he goes further: “anything beyond that is great, but is not a basic educational requirement.”

Therefore, while it may be nice to be able to set four years of one’s life aside to “really think and grow in ways that don’t even relate to work,” that perhaps has become just too costly for a large number of American families. Today students need credentials; they do not necessarily need the peripheral experiences associated with college.

The key element is that students must first carefully consider how much they are willing to expend to earn the credential. But at the same time, students must determine for themselves what experiences are essential to preparing them for that career of choice.

Pitman notes: “I think the solution is to get more serious about packaging the education part in a way that doesn’t force you to bundle in all the extras.

“Yes, it will be sad for some people to miss out on all the extras. But it will be sadder still if you hold rigidly to the elitist line that college must be all or nothing. Because that kind of statement is spoken by someone who’s used to getting the all, not the nothing.”

The Future of Higher Education

Pitman insists that higher education must change its format moving forward, that the acquisition of knowledge and skills has to become the thing that matters. If he is right, then the time has come for us to determine a way to figure out how to measure whether or not a student has acquired that intellectual background.

But the vast majority of schools are not currently seeking such a path. Instead, according to Pitman, most colleges today “seem focused on selling a particular type of hand-holding at a premium price rather than on maximizing the amount of learning per dollar.”

In contrast, the future will belong to those schools that can deliver their product at a price students can afford to pay.

Add to that notion a rather different development, the notion of a very different, 21st century working world. Whereas once upon a time a single four-year period of education might prepare a person for a lifetime of work, the general consensus today is that future jobs will last only a few years.

With people potentially changing careers several times, the idea of attending school once in one’s younger years seemingly will have to give way to a pattern that features frequent returns for further schooling. That will also mean the development of additional credential forms, a format other than the traditional bachelor’s and master’s degree program, to distinguish this move towards life-long learning.

Online Education Flourishing

Given the developments noted by Pitman it is easy to see why online education has become the choice for so many students. First, it eliminates those bundled extras, focusing instead on the learning. There is no costs for room and board and no athletic fees.

Second, while professors design courses and hold students accountable, there is no hand-holding. Credit comes from demonstrated mastery of the curricula, not some time sitting in a classroom. Students progress at their own pace and do their coursework at a time and place that makes sense for them as individuals.

Lastly, online education is far more attuned to the needs of those with multiple interests and responsibilities. If new credentials are to be earned, most workers are not able to simply stop working to attend classes. Family and work demands are not conducive to on-campus classes or four-year commitments.

Meanwhile, one would think that other models would soon emerge that provide similar flexibility. Such models would need to be constructed with input from a number of different constituent groups: students, business leaders, government officials and college administrators.

Collectively, these groups must create new models that address some very valid Pitman points, particularly the need for new methods of measuring the attainment of knowledge and skills. Most importantly, those measures must lay to rest the basic premise that a four-year bachelor’s degree is somehow the primary yardstick.

Meanwhile, future high school students will likely face some difficult decisions as new forms emerge that seek to compete with the current models. According to Pitman (and others), the current situation is nothing but a monopoly, an overpriced one at that.

Unfortunately, current structures are likely to remain resistant to change unless students begin voting with their feet. If students were to begin to heavily opt for schools that are more in line with the 21st century, perhaps the impetus would be in place for traditional college programs to evolve accordingly.

But if students continue to buy into the current format (such as they currently do) then we can expect very little in the way of changes from higher education.

There is a story that by the age of sixteen, George Washington had copied out, by hand (nope, no cut and paste options in those days), the 110 Rules of Civility & Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation. Foundations magazine offers the assumption that the teenager copied the lengthy set of rules as a penmanship exercise.

While the language may be a bit challenging, it is interesting to see a very different focus and approach towards others. Composed by the French Jesuits in 1595 the rules speak to the need for a focus on others above oneself and of giving to others so as to create a more common good.

It was an approach best described by “small sacrifices that we should all be willing to make for the good of all and the sake of living together.”

As for why these rules demand a review, we turn back to Foundations magazine, and to the mention of a rather unknown name to most Americans, Parson Weems. While the name might not be on every one’s tongue, Weems is the man who gave us perhaps the most famous George Washington story, the one involving a felled cherry tree and an honest young man with a hatchet.

While the veracity of that story is now questioned, it is another quote that Weems offers that is one to note. It is a thought that we wish every politician today would begin to consider more carefully:

“No wonder every body honoured him who honoured every body.’”

The civility list is lengthy but here are ten we wish our current elected officials had been asked to copy in longhand when they were teenagers – if they had, perhaps we would find ourselves being led by a government that works.

The Rules:

1. Every Action done in Company, ought to be with Some Sign of Respect, to those that are Present (Rule 1 Translation: Be respectful of others, please, especially in public).

2. Do not laugh too loud or too much at any Public Spectacle (Rule 24 Translation: These decisions are not about you, it is about the people you represent).

3. Let your Discourse with Men of Business be Short and Comprehensive (Rule 35 Translation: Cut to the chase!).

4. In visiting the Sick, do not Presently play the Physician if you be not Knowing therein (Rule 38 Translation: Defer to knowledgeable experts on major issues and drop the personal or party ideology).

5. Being to advise or reprehend any one, consider whether it ought to be in public or in Private; presently, or at Some other time in what terms to do it & in reproving Show no Sign of Cholar but do it with all Sweetness and Mildness (Rule 45 Translation: Whenever giving advice or criticism, carefully consider where to deliver those words, in public or behind closed doors – when delivering, do so delicately).

6. Mock not nor Jest at any thing of Importance break [n]o Jest that are Sharp Biting and if you Deliver any thing witty and Pleasant abstain from Laughing thereat yourself (Rule 47 Translation: Cut the sarcastic comments about the other party).

7. Wherein you reprove Another be unblameable yourself; for example is more prevalent than Precepts. (Rule 48 Translation: Let he is without sin cast the first stone).

8. Let your Conversation be without Malice or Envy, for ‘is a Sign of a Tractable and Commendable Nature: And in all Causes of Passion admit Reason to Govern (Rule 58 Translation: It is about what is best for the country, not what is best for your party or positioning oneself for the next election).

9. Be not apt to relate News if you know not the truth thereof. In Discoursing of things you Have heard Name not your Author always A Secret Discover not (Rule 70 Translation: Do not suggest the Cambridge police acted stupidly until you first have all the facts).

And perhaps the one above all others.

10. Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire called conscience (Rule 110 Translation: There is a bigger picture, a higher calling and a reason why one is serving in their current capacity).

There is an important phrase every student should come to know and understand well before heading off to the world of work:

Conflict of Interest

According to Wikipedia, the term has the following meaning or connotation:

A conflict of interest occurs when an individual or organization (such as a policeman, lawyer, insurance adjuster, politician, engineer, executive, director of a corporation, medical research scientist, physician, writer, editor, or any other entrusted individual or organization) has an interest that might compromise their actions. The presence of a conflict of interest is independent from the execution of impropriety.

For students considering working in the public sector, a thorough understanding of the term ‘conflict of interest’ is essential. And a great example was on display in recent days involving Emerson College in downtown Boston.

The Basic Issue

The school recently agreed to pay a settlement totaling $780,000 to both current and former students for steering those individuals towards a specific preferred lender. Though the maximum sum per student is limited to $833, about four thousand students will receive some money because of actions taken by the school.

At issue was the school’s practice of listing preferred lenders for students. In essence the school steered students towards a group of lenders, insinuating that the companies listed were providing students the best loan options.

The three entities were Education Finance Partners Inc., Citizens Bank and JP Morgan Chase & Co. During the period of time the school steered students towards these companies, they were not the least expensive lenders.

Employee Transgressions

So, one might ask, why did Emerson steer students to these companies. The answer may well have been the fact that each firm provided gifts to the people who worked in the Emerson financial aid office.

It seems that both Citizens Bank and Chase handed out free vacations, meals, and event tickets to folks who worked in the aid office. In addition, there apparently was a $4,500 kickback from Education Finance Partners Inc.

In what has to be a real sore spot for those thinking that colleges would conduct themselves with higher ethical standards, when students filled out the online Stafford Loan application they were given but two choices, Chase or Citizen’s. If students submitted paper applications that sought a loan from a non-preferred lender, the school reportedly “sent back letters discouraging them from using those lenders.”

In fact, the $780K figure was an agreed upon settlement to eliminate possible exposure to legal charges.

Lessons Learned

The school itself has not admitted to any wrongdoing (check that Wikipedia definition) though Daniel Pinch, the former director of Emerson’s financial aid office, was fired in 2007 for accepting gifts.

Sadly, Emerson is the 28th US school to offer a settlement to students. Unfortunately, employees at far too many schools apparently do not understand the meaning of the term, conflict of interest. Otherwise the practice would not have been so widespread.

But in an effort to further clear up potential such issues in the future, Emerson will no longer designate any institution as a preferred lender.

Ultimately, in prior articles, we have talked about the importance of being able to learn from the mistakes of others so as not to make them ourselves. Emerson’s situation is specifically one that offers a great lesson for everyone.

At long last the folks at LiveScience have confirmed what many of us have known for a long time. Swearing, if not good for the soul, at least makes our pain and suffering more tolerable.

But unlike what I was taught, that instead of keeping those colorful no-nos locked up and in its place you should utter some other more appropriate phrase, something like, OH FUDGE or CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, well that was just plain wrong. It seems that it takes the real thing, one of those down and dirty expletives that your mother best never hear to make the pain and suffering truly more tolerable.

Universal Human Linguistic Trait

Yes, it seems that when one stubs their toe, it matters not if we are American, British or some other nationality. It is essentially a reflexive matter – the pain causes us to promptly mutter a curse word that instinctively makes it easier to withstand the pain we have been so blessed to receive.

In connecting the uttering of a cuss word to the actual physical experience of pain, the researchers noted that the reactive phrase emerges from our emotional brain center. Whereas most language production occurs in the left cerebral hemisphere of the brain, a truly blistering expletive comes forth from the right side of the brain.

The researchers began with a supposition that did prove false. The initial idea was that swearing was more of an exaggerating effect that sought to overstate the severity of the pain striking the recipient. Because of that assumption, the researchers thought that swearing would lessen a person’s tolerance.

Not so.

The Experiment

According to LiveScience, the results were based on the following experiment:

The researchers enlisted 64 undergraduate volunteers and had them submerge their hand in a tub of ice water for as long as possible while repeating a swear word of their choice. The experiment was then repeated with the volunteer repeating a more common word that they would use to describe a table.

The surprising result?

Contrary to what the researcher expected, the volunteers kept their hands submerged longer while repeating the swear word.

Accordingly, the researchers surmise that swearing triggers the body’s natural “fight-or-flight” response and therefore allows for an increase in pain tolerance. Ultimately, the belief is that swearing may increase aggression (seen in accelerated heart rates) and downplays weakness to appear stronger or more macho.

Just Let It Fly

So if you stub that toe or more to the point, if you have to stick your hands in ice cold water for a really long time, don’t utter some ordinary word like fudge or table. Not if you want to reduce your pain and suffering.

Instead, just let those cuss words roll off, hard and fast and as nasty you can fire them. It seems, it is in fact, good therapy.

Just as long as your mother doesn’t hear you.

Today, students can expect multiple requests for interviews. From applying to college to seeking out scholarships to pursuing a job opportunity, students will receive multiple requests for a face-to-face question and answer period.

In those situations where competition is keen, students must understand just how important these interviews are. The impression you make is critical and these face-to-face conversations are the single largest determinant separating a number of very worthy candidates.

While most advice focuses on the type of questions being asked and the answers that should be provided, there is growing agreement that the actions you take are as important as the actual answers you provide.

Those actions involve a person’s body language and the general behaviors that create an impression that you fit the characteristics the interviewers have in mind, whether it be for admission to school, selection for a scholarship, or a job offer.

The critical behaviors:

Setting the Right Tone

The consensus is that within the first five minutes the interviewer or the committee conducting the interview will form their impression of you. If it is negative, the remainder of the interview will be immaterial – simply stated it is nigh-near impossible to change a poor first impression.

We will skip the standard about your attire as it goes without saying that your appearance is the very first aspect that will be assessed. Assuming you have dressed neatly in clothing that is appropriate for the type of interview setting, the first step is to greet the interviewers with a smile, engaging the person with your eyes and offering a firm handshake (not too firm, but not dead-fish limp either).

In the case of multiple questioners, take the time to engage each of them by adding a “pleased to meet you” followed by the person’s name. Taking the time to pause and truly listen to the person as they introduce themselves is the best method to ensure you make solid eye contact.

Be sure to control the early energy. You will no doubt be excited and nervous. That is a given. The key for interviewees is to refrain from having that excess energy emerge in a negative manner.

A Calm, Confident Demeanor

Once seated, keep you hands in front of you as you answer questions. Preferably, the goal is to not clasp them as that is considered a sign that you are closed off. More importantly, experts insist that you must refrain from touching any aspects of your face, your nose, ears, throat or mouth. Such gestures are considered a sign that you may be hiding the truth.

As you begin answering questions, it is extremely important to come across as calm and relaxed as is possible given the situation. Everyone will expect a certain level of nervousness – interviews can be extremely intimidating.

The key is to project an air that you can overcome that feeling. The ability to conquer one’s fears is considered one of the most positive traits a person can have.

To ensure an appearance of openness and confidence, keep your hands directly in front of you at all times, relaxed and on the table surface or your lap if no table is present. Refrain from shifting in your chair and from crossing your arms.

Likewise refrain from crossing your legs. Maintaining a firm, erect posture with shoulders back is the best way to physically demonstrate an air of confidence.

Listen to, then Answer the Question

Given the nervous tendency that will be natural, it is critical that you slow the interview process down. The first way to do so is to be sure to listen very carefully to the question being asked.

Here again, the key is to give an impression that you are firmly in control of your emotions. Some find it can be helpful to repeat a portion of the question aloud when the interviewer is finished.

Turning your head towards each questioner is considered one of the few acceptable body movements. Nodding to the interviewer as he or she delivers the question is a great way to make them aware of your focus on what is being asked and is also considered acceptable.

A second element is to be sure to answer the question asked and only that question. Keep your answers concise and resist the temptation to answer that question and another that comes to mind.

It is a definite negative to go on and on about yourself and what you know. To demonstrate a true level of professionalism, the line should be drawn when the question has been answered.

Lastly, when there are multiple persons conducting the interview, the protocol is to begin answering with your focus on the person who asked the question. He or she should get the majority of your focus during the time you are answering but it is very important to try to make eye contact with the others in the room at some point while answering that specific question.

Sustain Interest until the Interview Is Complete

While you must set the tone early, it is also important to understand that others will do so as well. Those who are able to control their nervousness and project their basic level of confidence throughout the interview stand the best chance.

This includes the final steps at the conclusion of the interview. Body language must remain open and confident and you must remain in control of your energy level. Such control means your focus must not trail off as the interview moves into its final stages.

Lastly, when the time has come to conclude, repeat your opening. Shake hands and engage each person, thanking them for the opportunity. It can be too much to use the person’s name though if the position is one of true subordinate it can be a nice touch to say thank you Mr. so and so. With multiple interviewers, using first names again and again might come across as a tad too confident.

Lastly, walk out with that same, in control posture that defines the air of confidence you were hoping to project when you came in. The key is to leave one final, very positive impression.

More than Answers to Questions

There is no doubt that your answers will form a basis for an interviewer’s evaluation. But the general consensus is that you, the person, is just as if not more important.

To be the chosen one, it is essential that you project the right image. If you keep these tips in mind whenever you are interviewing you will create a very strong impression, one that ensures the committee will give you careful consideration.

Stating that the internet has changed life as we know it is an understatement of epic proportions.

Still, even for those who understand the power of the internet, it is hard to imagine stories like that of Miss Pipi Quinlan, certainly not prior to the technology age. But her story offers some critical lessons for those of every age.

For those who missed it:

Three-Year Old Purchases Excavator Online

Young Pipi Quinlan had, at last, been given permission to use the family computer. Of course, at three-years-old she was still a tad on the youngish side for such permission and her access had been allowed for but a week when she made internet history.

You see, her mom had done what so many of us do (here’s the first place we all need to pay attention). Ms. Quinlan had asked the computer to store log-in information to make it easier to bring up those sites she would use frequently.

Mom had set up such a log-in on an auction site which Pipi then managed to reboot. While mom had used the site earlier to bid on some toys, Pipi took a little different track.

Instead of a kid’s plaything, she bought a man’s toy, managing somehow to place a bid on a Kobelco, a “digger” as folks in New Zealand referred to the excavator. Though still no one is not quite sure how, the youngster had posted a bid of 20,000 New Zealand dollars, about $12,300 by our standards, for an earth mover that was anything but a toy.

Momma Quinlan learned of her daughter’s action when she opened her e-mail the following morning. There she found several e-mails from, the auction site TradeMe, announcing she had won an auction and from the seller noting that she would love her new purchase.

Fame and Notoriety

The story of course reminds us why we should never store personal information on a computer. It also makes it clear that when we become parents we need to think things through a wee bit more carefully because children are amazing little creatures.

In the age of the internet, technology can create issues we never conceived of previously. Most of the focus has been on the actions of the youngster.

And of course, the press had a field day with one liners (toddler usually prefers high-heeled pink shoes over giant yellow and black diggers).

But what is truly amazing is an internet search of the name Pipi Quinlan now reveals page after page of links to reports and commentary of this cute little story (OK, us too). It reminds us that in this day and age, privacy is minimal and our actions can be shared globally in the matter of minutes.

Whether she likes it or not, this information will always be part of her online brand. Fortunately, this could be one of those cute stories that ultimately works in her favor sometime in the future. We hope so as it will be archived forever.

All’s Well that Ends Well

Meanwhile, it seems the story has ended positively. The auction site has negated the winning bid and reimbursed the seller’s costs. Reportedly another adult went on to make the purchase for real.

The elder Ms Quinlan also noted one of parenting’s greatest challenges. You see, it was extremely difficult explaining to the three-year-old the gravity of her actions, especially doing so without laughing.

In addition, the parents have learned another valuable lesson. Pipi has since been banned from using the computer by herself but, just in case, the Quinlans have deleted all their automatic log-ons just in case.

The only question remaining is how long before you delete yours?