What is college? This is a simple question that has been top of mind for a while. C-19 has shown the cracks throughout the education system, but college sticks out like a sore thumb. It’s the big, yellow-to-purple gradient, three eyed elephant in the room. A few posts ago, I explored this very question. I’ll save you a click and include a relevant excerpt:
I made great friends in college. Participated in clubs, sports, and competitions. Enjoyed campus life and student discounts. But, is that behind the value of college? The non-education part of it? And if it plays such a big part, is it not available elsewhere? In college, I attended events where I could find similar-minded people. In and outside of college. Mostly out. I went to meetups, conferences, and seminars. I mostly did so for the the people. For that sense of community. For a tribe. I met awesome people from all walks of life.
In other words: are college experiences replaceable?
Colleges are hard to replace because they are a bundle of many things. To try and come up with a competitor to college that ticks off all the boxes is the wrong way of looking at the problem. Let’s apply some first principles thinking (a mental model that encourages you to explore the very root of a concept and break it down) to the college bundle.
The college bundle includes the following:
Education
The content. The curriculum, the pensum, and the PowerPoint slides (just kidding). While the resources vary, highly specialized degrees (such as Aerospace Engineering) offer state-of-the-art labs and facilities for hands-on experimenting.
Accreditation & Status
That coveted paper that states you successfully went through the entire curriculum of X field of study. Beyond that, some will still casually work the college they went to into a conversation, for status purposes.
Filtering
The college you went to and the degree you chose will be on every CV you send. It allows companies to filter through the workforce. First filter is if you even went to college. Second one being what college you went to. Lastly, what degree you chose and how well you did.
Networking
The classmates, guest lecturers, professors you meet in college can define your career. Alumni networks are uniquely effective, you can think of a company you want to work in, search for alumni that works there and ask for an intro.
Access to Jobs
Close to filtering, but different enough to mention. Colleges host job expos and have partnerships with employers. Needless to say, you can’t just walk into a Harvard job expo, you need to actually attend Harvard.
Community & Finding your Tribe
It’s common to meet the bulk of your lifelong friends in college. You’ll meet more people that have a similar vision of the future, interests in and outside of the classroom, goals in life, etc. You’ll share unforgettable experiences bond, because you are figuring yourselves out while developing similar new skills, together.
Social Activities
From sports to business case competitions, colleges have it all. You can meet new people every day, and you’ll most likely leave your comfort zone and explore. Try new sports, join marathons, go to parties, run some marathons, be an MC for an event… if you find the time, you’ll find plenty of activities to fill it with.
In a nutshell, the college bundle can be broken into those elements. I should add that the case for studies such as medicine and law is completely different. In Part 2, I’ll go over every single one of the elements and suggest alternatives for each. Divide and conquer.
