Not Everyone Has The Same Educational Needs

Right now we are doing a lot of talking about how college is not for every student. Or, going to college isn’t worth the expense. I worry about shallow statements like these. What I believe we need to be contemplating is that not everyone has the same educational needs. In other words we need to consider that not everyone has the means for what we consider the traditional “coming of age” experience of attending a four-year university. Do I wish they did? Yes! And, I am doing lots of work toward this end. But for some, for lots of different reasons that is not possible.

Furthermore, even though I would love for everyone to have that “coming of age” experience appropriate to their individual needs, we must realize the college education is not the end-all-be-all. Recently, I heard someone say “I’ve got a degree but I’m not going to let it ruin my life.” What I believe the person was saying is

that despite having obtained a degree, the person does not want to let their education define or limit them. They recognize that a degree is only one aspect of their life and that they want to pursue personal happiness, fulfillment, and success beyond the boundaries of their academic achievements. This statement suggests a desire to maintain a balanced perspective on life and to prioritize personal growth and well-being over the pressures or expectations that may come with having a degree.

Let’s face it, the traditional college education was built for the elite. There are strides being made to change this, but we still have a ways to go. We must keep working at this because the college degree is still the best predictor of social and economic mobility. And I want that for every student. A postsecondary education is a multi-generational wealth builder. As we continue to shift to a knowledge and creativity era this creates tremendous opportunities for our young scholars. We need to be thinking about bite-size learning or stackable credentials.

Byron's Babbles