We must first establish the expectations of the value proposition of college in order to share a common ground for the premise of our argument for/against college. My value proposition for college has always been:
1. the ability to broaden your base knowledge: if you love science/tech, then you must also partake in liberal arts, fine arts, poli sci, social sci, economics, etc.
2. the ability to improve your social skills (personal growth) with like-minded peers: high school was a fail for most people in terms of maturity and dating (especially the geek set) and so college is an opportunity to get it right without the stigma; the experience and maturity gained in this key skill include romance/dating/heartbreak/bad-sex, etc.
3. Social Networking (related to 2, but more about your professional objective): most kids today rely too much on internet social networking as the answer and assume that this is the best - wrong - true social networking involves taking the interpersonal initiative to shake hands with those who have the authority, connections and knowledge to help you along in your studies, career, interests, and it's not easy to go up to total strangers whom you admire and say "hi".
These three qualities of college can not be easily replicated outside of a college environment (Number 1 is most easily replicated). However, the assumption is that all colleges possess the above opportunities for you to pursue, and therein lies the problem. How many colleges have the networking leverage that makes it worthwhile to attend that college?
So, at the end of it all, what does it come down to? Prospective Networking. The individual student MUST TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE of the one resource they cannot easily replicate outside of college: networking with the "right" crowd, including your peers (future CEO/visionaries/tech co-founders), professors, researchers, guest speakers, etc.
The problem of course is, outside of the TOP 50 Universities and colleges, what is the value of attending the second tier schools other than sex, booze and cram sessions? Nothing. If you can't get into a Top 50 schools, I believe that the value proposition does not merit the tuition paid for the other schools out there.
1. the ability to broaden your base knowledge: if you love science/tech, then you must also partake in liberal arts, fine arts, poli sci, social sci, economics, etc.
2. the ability to improve your social skills (personal growth) with like-minded peers: high school was a fail for most people in terms of maturity and dating (especially the geek set) and so college is an opportunity to get it right without the stigma; the experience and maturity gained in this key skill include romance/dating/heartbreak/bad-sex, etc.
3. Social Networking (related to 2, but more about your professional objective): most kids today rely too much on internet social networking as the answer and assume that this is the best - wrong - true social networking involves taking the interpersonal initiative to shake hands with those who have the authority, connections and knowledge to help you along in your studies, career, interests, and it's not easy to go up to total strangers whom you admire and say "hi".
These three qualities of college can not be easily replicated outside of a college environment (Number 1 is most easily replicated). However, the assumption is that all colleges possess the above opportunities for you to pursue, and therein lies the problem. How many colleges have the networking leverage that makes it worthwhile to attend that college?
So, at the end of it all, what does it come down to? Prospective Networking. The individual student MUST TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE of the one resource they cannot easily replicate outside of college: networking with the "right" crowd, including your peers (future CEO/visionaries/tech co-founders), professors, researchers, guest speakers, etc.
The problem of course is, outside of the TOP 50 Universities and colleges, what is the value of attending the second tier schools other than sex, booze and cram sessions? Nothing. If you can't get into a Top 50 schools, I believe that the value proposition does not merit the tuition paid for the other schools out there.