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.

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.

Thompson was awarded a degree last April in information technology. She is suing the school based on her failure to attain employment in her field of study, insisting that the college’s Office of Career Advancement did not provide her with the leads and career advice the school had promised.

According to her mother, Thompson is “very angry at her current situation.” Indeed, being without work and with student loans now coming due, Thompson finds herself in a real predicament.

Expected Response

Not too surprisingly, Monroe College took strong exception to being sued on such grounds. College spokesman Gary Axelbank used very strong language in responding to the claim, stating that suit was “completely without merit” and did not deserve further consideration.

We suspect that the response of many other school spokespeople would be similar if their school were to be served with such a legal claim. We also have to say that Axelbank is essentially right on legal grounds.

Certainly a college cannot be held liable simply because one of its graduates cannot find employment. Even if the student successfully completed her academic program and was awarded a diploma, a degree is not a job guarantee, certainly not in this job market.

But while Monroe’s response might be expected, it is interesting to note that there are colleges who take this matter to heart. In fact, one small college in Maine, Thomas College, has what it calls its “Thomas Promise.”

Yes, this school stands behind the education it provides and insists that it will help graduates find a job in their profession. And the school backs it up with real dollars.

The Promise

Thomas College is in Waterville, Maine, sharing the town with one of the nation’s top small liberal arts schools, Colby College. For ten years now Thomas has made a special promise to its graduates: a guaranteed job after graduation.

And we are not talking about summer fill in, part-time work. We mean a real job in the student’s chosen field of study.

If a student is unable to find a job by graduation, he or she continues to meet with a college career advisor to find a permanent job. If the student does not find such a job within six months of graduation, then Thomas College will pay the first year of the student’s subsidized federal loans or until they find employment, whichever comes first.

Perhaps even more amazingly, if a graduate finds employment but does not like their chosen profession, he or she may return to Thomas to study tuition-free. The offer includes the costs of up to two additional undergraduate years to take more courses or half of the graduate courses required to complete a Master’s degree program.

The school does set forth two criteria that students must meet to be eligible. You do have to earn at least a 2.75 grade point average and you must, during your undergraduate years at school, do an internship.

Both requirements make sense. You cannot simply skate by, you need to show decent academic progress. And doing an internship just might be one of the most valuable aspects of any college program as it gives students first hand experience working in their chosen field.

Colleges Should Deliver the Goods

The promise represents an amazing commitment but clearly the school works hard on behalf of graduates. Thomas has a placement rate of better than 90% for the ten years of the program. In 2008, in a normal job market year, the school’s placement rate was 96 percent.

Of course, Maine is a bit unusual as only one in three Mainers has a college degree. So, graduates certainly have enormous advantages when it comes to applying for work.

Though the school is the only one we know of making such promise, the steps taken by Thomas are definitely more in line with what one would expect if colleges were to operate within the business sector. Standing behind a product is something we have come to expect especially if that product represents a significant purchase dollar-wise.

Monroe might be okay with its response in a legal sense. And it may be a bit unfair to pass any judgment on the suit; certainly it must be a collaborative effort between the student and the school when it comes to the job search process and we cannot fairly comment on the efforts made by the plaintiff.

But given the cost of a college education, the overall matter deserves serious thought. In fact, we think that it is time that every school stands behind the product it delivers.

Here in the northeast we cannot quibble. It has been a phenomenal year for the Rain Gods.

And nationally the death toll seems to be matching serve. Without a doubt, after the recent passings of Michael Jackson, Walter Cronkite and Frank McCourt, it would seem that 2009 is shaping up to be an phenomenal year for the Grim Reaper as well.

Pulitzer Prize Winning Author and Teacher

While the deaths of Jackson and Cronkite have dominated the news cycles, the passing of McCourt surely ranks as another noteworthy loss. The author of Angela’s Ashes earned literary stardom late in life, receiving the Pulitzer Prize for his heartfelt memoir of his Irish-Catholic upbringing.

The author was also a teacher who plied his trade in New York. McCourt later revealed some great tales regarding that time in his life in yet another strong work, Teacher Man.

One of the most referred to stories in the book features the true brilliance that embodies McCourt and the best of the teaching profession: the ability to make a relevant lesson plan. In this instance, McCourt returns to his students some of the excuse notices that he has received, the very notes they forged in an effort to pull the wool over the old man’s eyes.

Understanding that following up on such notes would require near 24-hour-a-day vigilance, he instead collects the notes before one day he has an epiphany. Though forged, the notes represented a piece of creative writing from his charges, a treasure trove of fiction and fantasy that could serve as a catalyst to some great writing.

Teacher Extraordinaire

One day, McCourt typed out roughly a dozen of the notes he had received and distributed them to his senior classes. After the students read them silently, McCourt informed them they were about to become the first class to “study the art of the excuse note.”

He tells them one day they may well need to construct excuse notes for their own children. McCourt instructs them:

“Imagine you have a 15-year-old who needs an excuse for falling behind in English. Let it rip.”

The results were so astonishing, a “rhapsody of excuses” so brilliant, so creative, and so exciting that even the students liked what they were doing. They wanted more. McCourt was able to deliver once again.

He asked them to write excuse notes of mythical proportions: ‘An Excuse Note from Adam to God’ or ‘An Excuse Note from Eve to God.’ Not only did students come to class the next day with their homework done, they had taken the lead, one bringing in Lucifer and another young lady who simply claimed she was tired of God sticking his nose into other people’s business.

Those notes promptly created heated discussions of guilt and sinfulness and that perhaps God could “have been more understanding of the plight of the first man and woman.” So enthralled were the students that McCourt kept going, throwing other names up on the blackboard, and asking the students to write a good excuse note for some historical figures: Eva Braun, Judas, Attila the Hun, Lee Harvey Oswald and Al Capone.

Not too surprisingly, at that point one student wanted to know if McCourt could put the names of certain teachers on the board.

If You Are Thinking of Teaching

The story reveals a special trait that great teachers embody: a full understanding that to get students interested, one first has to first reach them where they are at.

If he could, he had the chance to do great things, to then take them someplace they would never have gone on their own. Ultimately, McCourt doesn’t just get these kids to review the notes they forged (oh my, what lessons were never discussed), he takes them on the creative journey of a lifetime.

For those considering teaching as a profession, Teacher Man is a must read. The author certainly was someone to emulate.

And with McCourt’s passing, one can’t help but wonder how his charges might handle this news, what they might pen for a note these days. No doubt, many would seek to chastise the Grim Reaper for taking their ‘teacher man’ so soon.

• The ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting; insight.
• Common sense; good judgment: “It is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things” Henry David Thoreau.
• A wise outlook, plan, or course of action.

Lessons from Graduating Seniors

Those about to enter college or in their first two years of higher education could do themselves a huge favor by examining some recent feedback from their graduating peers. Experience is a great teacher and it can provide a real dose of wisdom in the right circumstances.

A real key is that some students can learn from the mistakes of others without having to first make those mistakes themselves. If one can observe the actions of his or her peers and learn from them, then he or she can gain wisdom without having to experience all the pain and suffering firsthand.

A recent survey from CollegeHumor offers just such a chance. The site that offers a weekly “Cute College Girl” feature and “The Stupid Question Hall of Fame” might not be one that we associate with the word wisdom, but the results of their recent survey have much to offer those willing to listen.

Taken collectively, the results offer underclassmen a chance to learn from the mistakes of their peers. For far too many graduates, college has been too much about avoiding responsibilities and adulthood and too little about preparation for life and a career.

Consider:

In the “Avoidance of Reality” category, nearly 22% of survey respondents indicated they would fail on purpose to avoid life outside the classroom. On the flip side, 55% stated they would like to use grad school for the same reason. As to satisfaction with attending college, 31% indicated they wished they had spent their money on something other than tuition.

Further indications as to dissatisfaction with their choices fit the category of regrettable majors. The three most regretted major choices for students were communications (29%), psychology (27%) and political science (25%). Of course, graduation is the worst time for one to regret their field of study.

Again, on the flip side, there were some folks who were far more happy about their choices. Those demonstrating less regret had chosen the fields of nursing (6%), engineering (10%) and teaching/education (13%).

The graduation survey offers some very telling tidbits regarding the current employment status of those earning their degree. While 71% of graduating students said that a year ago they thought they would have a job, only 27% actually reported having secured employment.

But in a clear indication that life is about what you make it, 62% of graduating students without jobs had not had an interview yet. Maybe that is because 55% of graduating students had spent one hour a week or less seeking employment.

As for merit, of those who have secured a job, 41% indicated employment came by way of college alumni or relatives.

In what would have been an unthinkable development just a few years back, 32% of those graduating indicate they will be moving back in with their parents. Only one in four of those who will move back stated that was something that they wanted to do.

Time to Act

Collectively, these statistics offer some enormous lessons for those willing to pay attention. They include a thorough understanding of the reasons for going to college in the first place.

College is not about avoiding adulthood. It is simply far too expensive for the average student to be used in such a manner.

Hopefully, all underclassmen will take the time to glean from this survey the teaching points. As graduation approaches, the last thing you will want to be feeling is remorse and regret.

Learn from your elders – choose your major and course of study wisely. Use your four years to prepare for the next phase of your life and as that phase approaches, embrace it.

Think of the time you spent in your final years of high school applying to and selecting a college. Match that intensity and effort as you end college, with your efforts focused on applying and securing a job opportunity.

Otherwise you could simply be heading back home, deep in debt and with very little to show for four years of study.

And there is no way that can be a very good feeling for anyone.

At age 21, Matt McCarthy could hit 92 mph on a radar gun. And in a rare development for a Yale graduate, the lefthander would give the world of pro baseball a whirl.

If you have ever dreamed of the opportunity, you can now see just what the experience entails with McCarthy’s new book. All told, “Odd Man Out” offers a less-than glamorous look at minor league baseball.

But the book, if accurate in its portrayal (some are now questioning the veracity of the tale) should be required reading for every parent who dreams of a professional career for their son, as well as for all college athletes (the language makes it tough to recommend to high school students).

Chasing the Dream

In McCarthy’s case, the time pursuing the dream ended up as the proverbial cup of coffee, not much more than a year. But the time was memorable for the future Harvard doctor and the man who would ply his medical skills in distant Cameroon and Malaysia.

In one way, McCarthy’s short-lived battle for baseball greatness matched the experiences of the majority of aspiring pros. For every player who makes it to the big show, there are hundreds who one day receive the ultimate pink slip.

The one that says sorry buddy. You just aren’t good enough.

Yet, as a Yale graduate, McCarthy’s perspective was quite different. Such is the case if someone brings balance and a touch of wisdom to the experience.

McCarthy began his efforts in 2002, in Provo, Utah, in the California Angels farm system. He notes it was at the height of the steroid era and that amphetamines were passed around the clubhouse like candy.

While top draft-picks could expect to receive contract offers of hundreds of thousands of dollars, McCarthy was drafted in the 21st round. That meant a take-it-or-leave-it signing offer of a $1,000 bonus and the monthly minor league standard salary, $850 a month.

The small money came because at 21, McCarthy was also “old” for a prospect. More importantly, as a college graduate, he had no leverage, the if I don’t get a great signing bonus I will return to college type of leverage most real prospects have.

Like Politics, Baseball a Two Party System

Unbeknownst to most fans, McCarthy categorizes the baseball minor league as a two-party system. “You’ve got your Dominicans, and you’ve got everybody else.”

The term Dominicans being what the non-Hispanic players called all the Hispanic players.

McCarthy notes the majority of those Hispanics were just 17 or 18 years old. Many had been rescued from poverty.

In contrast to McCarthy, these youngsters had signed six-figure contracts. They wore “large smiles, larger gold chains and designer sunglasses” and “they seemed to be playing life with Monopoly money.”

The two-tiered system also featured the U.S.-born players, most of whom had signed professional contracts directly out of high school.

Baseball was “the only life they knew or wanted to know” and they were “fond of saying that Don Zimmer, then the Yankees’ bench coach, had lived a model life because at 71 he had never drawn a paycheck outside of professional baseball.”

Interesting Insights

McCarthy offers some other very interesting tidbits about the entire experience. He discusses the baseball version of the Wonderlic test, the exam used by corporations and the NFL for decades to evaluate prospective employees.

The Wonderlic is administered as a timed test that features 50 multiple-choice questions. The less-challenging version administered by ML baseball featured 100 true-or-false statements.

McCarthy offers this sample: “Athletic competition began on Earth in 1974.”

To fit in McCarthy portrays himself as something he is not. He tells folks
he is not typical Ivy League, that he barely graduated.

“I didn’t go to class and didn’t do any work,” he says. “I just played baseball.”

Such lines seemed to work, allowing the Yale graduate to fit in with a group of men who were quick to assert, “I’m sure you’ve got some Wall Street job if this (a chance at a baseball career) falls through.”

McCarthy shares his showering experiences (one might expect juvenile behavior from the 17-and 18-year-olds) and his first meeting with number one draft choice Joe Saunders, the 12th player selected in the country. A man who signed with the Angels for $1.8 million.

At their first meeting Saunders asked McCarthy what round of the draft he was selected in. The newly signed phenom was a little uncool in asking according to McCarthy, a bit “like a Yalie who went around asking people what they got on their SATs.”

And when the man dubbed Joe Millionaire inquires about Yale, the former president and his daughter, McCarthy again struggles to fit in, offering some lies about the younger Bush and her attendance at Yale.

McCarthy also shares his experiences regarding young Bobby Jenks, the man who would help the White Sox win a World Series title in 2005. Jenks featured a 100 mph fastball and after failing with the Angels farm system, he would “pitch in each game of the ‘05 World Series and get the very last out, after which his teammates charged the mound to celebrate the franchise’s first title in 88 years.”

Other than that description, what is shared about Jenks is anything but flattering.

McCarthy also shares in detail his receipt of his pink slip in March of 2003. The tears of the other players receiving pink slips that day overwhelm the man delivering the news to McCarthy, causing Tony Reagins, the executive, to break down as well.

However, McCarthy’s tears come when he talks with another released player, one without a future.

Great Reminder

For those wanting a real, gritty look at the world of professional baseball, Odd Man Out is a must read. The book clearly indicates why, with-in the process of playing organized, interscholastic sports, the real key is to be sure you take the education part seriously. Without an education, those pink slips represent not only the end of a dream for most of these players, it spells the end of any chance at a career.

Not so for McCarthy and it seems to allow him to look upon the whole experience with a certain detachment that renders this experience just another step in his life.

Exactly what athletics should represent.

Editors note: In recent weeks, a number of people quoted in McCarthy’s book have sited what they insist are fallacies or inconsistencies. McCarthy has stood by his work, insisting that he kept meticulous notes during his time with the Angels. Sports Illustrated’s baseball editor Chris Stone notes: “To suggest that the book is fraudulent is a stretch and unfair.”

However, while the medical profession most often conjures up a career as a doctor, nurse or therapist, the fact is that healthcare now offers a wealth of new opportunities. The emergence of technology as a tool for the profession is creating a number of new work options.

One of those new paths centers upon the growing industry related to medical informatics, a field certain to explode with the recent government push towards an expanded electronic medical records system.

Technology and Medical Literacy Skills

The complexity of the medical informatics field demands workers with a dual background. Not only is it essential to gain critical experience in the information technology (IT) sector, workers must also have a fundamental literacy in the healthcare profession.

While at first glance the field may seem very mundane, career opportunities are actually quite varied and offer employees a chance to be on the cutting edge. Among the fields within the informatics sector include chief information officer, chief medical information officer, systems/applications analyst, and information technology department director.

Essentially positions will exist in three separate areas. While all jobs involve the management of health care data, the collection of such data could be used for clinical, financial, or analytical purposes.

Two Roads

One path to a career in informatics involves current healthcare workers obtaining a graduate certificate in the field. For example, UMass-Lowell offers a four-course graduate certificate in health informatics for current health care professionals.

This program focuses primarily on the IT side as potential students would likely come with extensive healthcare work experience. At Lowell, in addition to the focus on informatics, students could also choose to continue on to a master’s program in health management and policy.

One very enticing aspect of the Lowell program is its delivery structures. Using a blended format of classroom and online courses, the UMass-Lowell informatics option allows most students to complete their coursework even as they maintain full-time employment.

In addition to the certificate program option for current healthcare employees, some schools are now offering a program that starts students on a path that features both the IT and healthcare training. For example, Cape Cod Community College (CCCC) recently launched a pilot program in health care informatics designed to prepare students for entry-level positions in acute care or ambulatory care healthcare settings.

A second option is to consider a 2+2 program such as the Medical College of Georgia’s bachelor of science degree in health information administration. A student completes the first two years at any accredited college of choice then completes the final two years on the MCG campus.

Entrepreneurial Options

Technology folks indicate there is far more to the informatics movement than the elimination of paper. Being able to work with and manage specific systems will demand certain levels of expertise and roles.

At the same time, the field is so new that there will no doubt be opportunities for entrepreneurs, those who want to pursue a business that caters to wherever the informatics field goes. Options exist for companies that could deliver an entire system for a medical facility as well as smaller creations depending on the demands that come about for the medical records that accumulate.

Whatever the case, medical informatics offers a wealth of potential career options. Combining two distinct, high-demand fields, technology and healthcare, medical informatics could well be one of the surest career path options and therefore one of the most relevant majors to consider.

Eyebrows have been raised and critics on both sides of the concept have been weighing in on the idea that college students could soon be able to earn a graduate degree based on their knowledge and ability to use Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and Bebo.

The Program

The one-year course in social media will explain how to set up blogs and publish podcasts in addition to focusing on social networking sites as communications and marketing tools.

The designer of the program, Jon Hickman offered the following insights to the British media:

“During the course we will consider what people can do on Facebook and Twitter, and how they can be used for communication and marketing purposes. It’s not for freaks or IT geeks, the tools learned in this course will be accessible to many people.”

Required to conform to university academic standards, the course will “entail synoptic research and scholarly activity,” two fundamental criteria for approval for a Masters level program. The new concept will feature a mixture of lectures, seminars, research workshops, presentations and field-trips.

To earn a masters in social media, students will have to complete either a social media production project or an original piece of research in the form of a 15000-word dissertation.

The Basis for Providing a Program

As for a rationale for a graduate program in social media, Hickman went on to add:

“It’s very relevant and very scholarly. It’s a new course, but its importance is unquestionable.

“Social media is very important for jobs within the marketing and communications sector, as a skill set within other jobs, and as an industry within itself.”

Hickman is not the first to propose the future importance of social media. Michael Wesch, Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology at Kansas State, has often advocated that Facebook could be a useful tool in the educational setting.

Well-known for a number of YouTube videos that have taken the internet by storm, Wesch offers that as a university professor he has found Facebook to be very useful.

The professor understood long ago that Facebook was not only a great tool for expressing a person’s identity and sharing that identity with friends, the site provided all the tools necessary to create an online learning community.

Based on Wesch’s support for the use of Facebook, some have postured that all teacher training programs should involve some instruction in social media.

However, the Birmingham program will focus more on the business use of social media and using this new technology for commercial gain. Information available at the school’s web page also notes the new MA program will not only explore the techniques of social media as a creative industry but will seek to contribute new research and knowledge as to other potential uses for these networking sites.

Many Questioning the Instructional Value

Naturally, there are critics of the new program. Many people see social networking sites like Facebook or MySpace as nothing more than off-task behavior for today’s net generation. These critics find the idea that colleges have begun offering courses in social media nothing short of appalling.

At the same time, the generation that has become dubbed as digital natives is wondering why anyone would need a course to learn how to socialize on Facebook or converse with Twitter. After announcing the program, Hickman could find a number of blogs that were insisting that the program as constructed was too basic.

In addition, there was a question as to who would teach these courses as there certainly can not be any credentialed college professors who themselves have earned a degree in the social networking field. That led some to postulate that the students in the program would likely know more than those responsible for course instruction.

Indeed with such a cutting-edge program, knowledge would appear to be developing every day – in fact, as yet another critic postulated, the developments in social media are occurring so rapidly the program will likely be out-of-date before the first graduating class heads off into the sunset.

More details on the university set to break the mold are available here.

Flickr photos courtesy of Amit Gupta and Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten.

Microtechnology and Nanotechnology

When it comes to technology, the bottom line is that everything is getting smaller. From the miniature electronic accelerometers that trigger airbag deployments in autos to the incredible versatility built into today’s smartphones, technology is growing ever smaller even as it grows more sophisticated.

Perhaps no field holds greater promise for the future than the field of microtechnology. It is a career option that is so cutting edge that academic programming and degree options are just now being created.

Microtechnology is a concept that takes massive amounts of information and/or mechanical processes and then condenses them into a microchip for use in computers, mobile phones, medical devices, automobile computer systems, and security products. Items are made utilizing integrated circuit processing techniques and range in size from one-millionth (micro) to one-one thousandth (milli) of a meter.

Moving even smaller is a separate field called nanotechnology. The prefix “nano” originates from a Greek word meaning one billionth of a specified unit. Therefore, nanotechnology is a subsection of microtechnology involving the study of objects that are 1,000 times smaller.

The construction of new nanotube-based components could ultimately revolutionize aeronautics. Carbon nanotubes (pictured right) are lighter than steel but 100 times stronger. Such materials will allow airplanes and spacecraft to fly higher while using less fuel and have led researchers to imagine a future with spy planes the size of insects.

People who work in the field are often called microtechnicians and of course span a broad range of industries. Potential career options range from medicine to defense systems and will likely involve every technical career in between. Ultimately, scientists believe this new technology will surpass the scope of the computer revolution, potentially affecting everything from the construction of batteries to the treatment of cancer.

The National Science Foundation estimates the U.S. will need 800,000 to 1 million nanotechnology workers over the next ten years. Because of those potential future demands, the foundation has established nanotechnology centers at six different universities, each conducting research in potential cutting-edge applications.

For some additional information on this cutting edge option, head on over to the Oklahoma State University web site.

Visual Representation of Complex Data

The explosion in technology has made information gathering and collection much easier for researchers. In addition, scientific research is growing in complexity. The result can be a disconnect between the results of in-depth research and the ability of non-researchers to make sense of the data that has been created.

Therefore, representing complex data for readers, whether it be citizens trying to make sense of information online or other researchers not versed in sophisticated mathematical operations, is a growing challenge. In simplest terms, the idea is to be able to accurately reflect numbers and facts in visual form to help the public and/or decision-makers interpret the data being presented.

Today, there are now courses and a field of study that examine visual representation methods and techniques all with an eye towards increasing the understanding of complex data. The field focuses in on how we humans process information visually and therefore looks at the best design practices for visualization. This unique career option crosses over into the world of computer programming languages yet offers some of the creative flair of the graphic arts field.

The field has even spawned an interactive visualization application program called Processing. The concept is putting an end to the over-reliance on traditional graphs and charts.

At Harvard, one course in data visualization has most elements available online for students interested in learning more about this career option.

Human-Computer Interaction

Yet another amazing cutting edge career option involves the push towards meshing technological capabilities with their human counterpart. An entire institute has been formed at Carnegie Mellon that has as its mission, “To understand and create technology that harmonizes with and improves human capabilities, goals, and social environments.”

Looking to study the effects of computer science on society, these programs feature interdisciplinary research and education in computer design and the fields of behavioral and social science. In simplest terms, the field looks at the full cycle of our new exploding, information-rich society, and examines the effect of technology on how we adults work, play and communicate.

For those concerned that our technological advances are not leading to improved lives for individuals and groups, the field of human-computer interaction may just be the place to work. Ensuring that our technology does in fact improve the lives of citizens is as critical as the theoretical creation of new technologies.

For more on this incredibly important field, head on over to the Carnegie Mellon web site.

Flickr photos courtesy of St Stev, chromedecay and ario j.

In addition, with many expecting the tough times to linger, members of the Class of 2010 may also want to begin thinking about one of these alternative paths. While often seen as unusual choices in other years, these four alternatives to the traditional workforce could be just the ticket for those having difficulty securing an entry-level position.

The AmeriCorps

One consideration for upcoming graduates is the AmeriCorps. In fact, if you have spent time being of service to others then you know just how rewarding community service type programs can be.

The program clearly focuses on a way of life that involves a commitment to others for a lifetime. In fact, as part of the AmeriCorps Pledge, participants are expected to not only pledge their support for the upcoming year but in the years ahead.

In the Corps, there is a wide range of potential ways to serve. The application process begins with interested applicants filling out a form that focuses on their personal areas of interest. The second aspect offers applicants a chance to consider the specific location they wish to service.

The program offers more than 75,000 opportunities for “adults of all ages and backgrounds to serve through a network of partnerships with local and national nonprofit groups.” AmeriCorps provides individuals the opportunity to apply their skills and ideals with an eye towards meeting critical community needs.

Whether it be to tutor and mentor disadvantaged youth, improve health services or build affordable housing, the Americorps offers a wealth of opportunities that will help graduates gain valuable work experience.

One of the critical benefits of full-time members is a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $4,725. This sum may be used to pay for college, graduate school, or to pay back qualified student loans. Part-time corps’ members may receive a partial Award. In some cases, AmeriCorps members may also earn a small living allowance during the period that they provide their services.

In addition, the program offers qualified student loan forbearance. While interest continues to accrue on your loans during this period of forbearance, successful completion of your term of service can result in the payment of all or a portion of the interest that has accrued on qualified student loans during the service period.

AmeriCorps is made up of three main programs. The AmeriCorps State and National Program supports a broad range of local intensive service programs to meet critical community needs. For those interested in supporting organizations and public agencies to create and expand programs that build capacity and ultimately bring low-income individuals and communities out of poverty, there is the AmeriCorps VISTA program. And finally, the AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps), a full-time residential program for men and women, ages 18-24, that seeks to strengthen communities while developing leadership traits.

While it is getting late for the Class of 2009, interested applicants may still find some limited opportunities available.

The Peace Corps

One of the oldest service programs, the Peace Corps began in 1960 with John F. Kennedy’s calls to service. As opposed to the Americorps focus on our own country, the Peace Corps is designed around the establishment of world peace through living and working in less-developed countries.

Today, the number of volunteers is nearing 200,000. Working on such important matters as AIDS education, information technology and the protection of the environment, those volunteers have served in 139 different countries. Ultimately, Peace Corps Volunteers “continue to help countless individuals who want to build a better life for themselves, their children, and their communities.”

As with the AmeriCorps, the Peace Corps offers tangible benefits beyond those of skill development and the feeling of satisfaction that comes with helping others in need. Corps volunteers receive pay and living expenses, some vacation time, and transportation to and from the country of service. In addition, they also receive student loan deferment.

Those interested will also find a great array of potential service opportunities with each area offering many different options for duties and responsibilities. There are truly possibilities for every graduate irrespective of college major.

Peace Corps Volunteers work in the following areas: education, youth outreach, and community development; business development; agriculture and environment; health and HIV/AIDS; and information technology.

Perhaps the best aspect is that the Peace Corps accepts applications on a rolling basis. Therefore, there are still plenty of opportunities for 2009 grads to consider.

Teach for America

One of the most popular and competitive options is Teach for America. Program spots are limited and the number of applications has been going up every year, but the financial benefits of the program are significantly higher than either the aforementioned AmeriCorps or Peace Corps positions.

The program also features essentially only one option, teaching. The goal of the program is to bring the nation’s best and brightest to the classroom in an effort to end educational inequity.

Teach For America is currently a member of the AmeriCorps programs and therefore currently offers corps members who have not served previously as AmeriCorps members the traditional benefits of loan forbearance (the postponement of loan payments) and an education award of $4,725 at the end of each year of service (a potential of $9,450 over the two years), that may be used for future educational expenses or towards the repayment of qualified student loans.

In addition, Teach for America Corps members receive the same salaries and health benefits as other beginning teachers. Corps members teaching in urban sites can effectively see starting salaries of anywhere from $30,000 to a high of $47,000 while those placed in a rural area would typically earn somewhere between $27,000 and $45,000. These salaries are also dependent on degree qualifications with the higher sums available only to those who have earned a graduate degree.

New applications for the 2009 fall year are now closed but those interested in the program will soon be able to pursue opportunities for 2010.

Graduate School

One of the fall back positions for undergraduates has always been graduate school. Entry allows students loan forbearance, a critical development for those unable to secure meaningful employment.

Adding to the luster of graduate school options, several schools have responded to the current situation facing graduates. For example in the northeast, Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Northeastern University are offering significant tuition discounts for master’s degrees programs to both this year’s graduates as well as new alumni.

What can make the graduate school option even more viable is to obtain an graduate level assistantship. Among the various options are Teaching Assistants (TAs), Research Assistants (RAs) and Service Assistants (SAs). Each may offer pay and/or tuition-room and board adjustments in return for your services.

One truly great option is a program that features a partnership between the Peace Corps and a number of colleges and universities across the US. The partnership offers master’s degree level academic credit at more than 50 colleges and universities as well as financial incentives for Peace Corps service.

In addition, another Fellows/USA program offers scholarships or reduced tuition at more than 40 participating schools. Ultimately, the Peace Corps partnership program offers students the best of two worlds, viable and personally rewarding service experiences and the foundation of a meaningful graduate program.

Think Ahead

The exceedingly difficult job market certainly may have managed to sneak up on the Class of 2009. Though your opportunities are far more limited at this time, if you are struggling to find an entry-level position you should be sure to exhaust each of these service/study areas as well.

And if you are about to graduate in December of 2009 or the spring of 2010, you would definitely do yourself a great disservice by not examining the opportunities that may be available through these options.

Flickr photos courtesy of Sare-Bear, afagen, Monkey & Tree and Old Tasty.