Why are you going to school?

There is a call to change how colleges and universities are measuring student success because of high student loan debt. That may take years if not decades, to change because of the slow nature of change in our current educational system. As a student or parent, you don't have time to wait on that. So what do you do? How do you change your outcome of higher education?

You decide before you go to school on why you are actually going to school. I believe there are three categories of students who enter the halls of our universities. The first is the actual student. This person is going to school for an education in the sincerest form. Students who attend colleges and universities in this category commonly are those who just love learning. Second, is the Believer. This individual believes the marketed hype that a college degree brings you success in and of itself. Students that are believers tend to be the ones who have the most debt and are the most frustrated with college as a whole when they are done. The Believer is often a first-generation student whose family pushed them into school without adequately preparing them. Third, there is the Hustler. Hustlers are the ones in class, not just for the education but to use a degree as a means to their ultimate goal. They are the ones applying for financial aid, scholarships, studying abroad, and interning. The Hustler understands that a degree is just one facet of success and not the sum total of it.

As a parent or student, you should identify which one of these categories you are in to ensure you are not entering into school with the wrong expectations. If more students understood this concept, less would be marketed into a lifetime worth of student loan payments.

At Spark-ED University, we help identify why students are attending school to better prepare them for the riggers and rewards of higher education.