There was a time when students went to college “to get an education” — or that’s what they claimed. They no longer claim that as their motivation for a college degree. Now students want a job. If they already have a job, they want a better job. Also high on their list is the “college experience,” which includes socializing with peers, becoming involved with clubs or sports, and participating in a study abroad program. Students long for the lifestyle portrayed on the covers of glossy brochures they’ve received in the mail.
As has always been true, future college students dream of the independence of being away from home, of late-night discussions on the meaning of life, of partying with no curfew, and of leaving behind all the self-consciousness and exclusivity of high school cliques. They long for the freedom and relative safety of college campuses where student behavior is frisky, but usually not out of control.
| What kids are reading |
| This weekly column looks at lists of books kids are reading in various categories. Information on the books below came from Amazon.com’s list of best-sellers for children. They are listed in order of popularity. |
| Children’s books on college |
| 1. A Girl’s Guide to College: Making the most of the best four years of your life by Traci Maynigo (young adult) |
| 2. Mahalia Mouse Goes to College: Book and CD by John Lithgow and Igor Oleynikov (ages 4 to 8) |
| 3. Judy Moody Goes to College by Megan McDonald and Peter H. Reynolds (ages 9 to 12) |
| 4. On Your Own: A College Readiness Guide for Teens with ADHD/LD by Patricia Quinn, Theresa Laurie, Maitland and Bryan Ische (young adult) |
| 5. Can You Keep Your Faith in College?: Students from 50 Campuses Tell You How–and Why by Abbie Smith (young adult) |
| 6. Ultimate Guide to Summer Opportunities for Teens: 200 Programs That Prepare You for College Success by Sandra L. Berger (young adult) |
| 7. Dean’s List: Eleven Habits of Highly Successful College Students by John B. Bader (young adult) |
| 8. Chicken Soup for the Soul: Teens Talk Getting In to College: 101 True Stories from Kids Who Have Lived Through It by Jack Canfield, Mark Hansen, and Amy Newmark (young adult) |
But reports during the recent recession have revealed that students are altering college plans because of families’ reduced circumstances. The “ideal” is no longer practical for many students, so some apply to community colleges and live at home in hopes they can transfer to their “dream” school when the economy improves. For those students, working while going to school is a necessity, and not something they do for additional spending money. Student jobs often pay tuition.
Students also seek internships in increasing numbers for the same reasons: They look for networks that will pay off in the job market. At George Mason University, the semiannual job fairs sponsored by Career Services are always mobbed. At those all-day events, local employers set up booths and speak to drop-ins about future employment. Students are often given the opportunity to schedule a formal interview in the future. These events are “matchmakers” for today’s job-seeking student who doesn’t have the luxury of graduating with no paycheck in sight.
Where do academics fit into this scenario? A sobering fact for college professors is that academics usually rank fairly low on an entering freshman’s list of priorities. Certainly freshmen want to enroll in interesting classes, but they are more concerned with keeping a high grade-point average and will often opt for the easier course (after consulting with RateMyProfessors.com) over one that is challenging. Are the current job-seeking, bottom-line-focused students very different from college students of the past? In my experience at both high schools and colleges, the difference lies mainly in how students perceive themselves in relationship to their educations.
“A good education” is no longer students’ stated goal with a “wait and see” attitude on graduation. They want a good job and a good life. They want to socialize and be independent as stepping stones to the real world of work. They are not less serious, but more pragmatic about how education relates to their futures. Becoming more grade-conscious is one of the unpleasant (to their teachers) corollaries to this pragmatism, but pragmatism is a healthy effect of being a student in a less-than-ideal world.
Students still want to “get a good education,” but that education must result in dollar signs. Their educations have not altered from before; it’s their definition of “education” that has changed.
Erica Jacobs, whose column appears Wednesday, teaches at George Mason University. E-mail her at [email protected].
