Our Children Are Going To College, But Do They Know Why?

There is no doubt that higher education benefits both individuals and society at large. In their recent publication “Education Pays”, the College Board reports that college graduates earn more over their lifetimes, have access to higher paying jobs, and benefit from better healthcare and retirement plans. They tend to achieve healthier lifestyles and higher rates of civic engagement, such as volunteering.

There are, however, dark trends emerging with regard to the employment and economic fate of college graduates that we need to be aware of and attend to. For instance, a recent (2013) Rutgers University Study entitled “Unfulfilled Expectations of Recent College and High School Graduates in the United States” indicates that only half of recent college graduates were employed full time, and that the combined unemployment and underemployment rate among recent college grads is higher than it’s been for more than a decade.

There are several contributors to this problem, such as global and technological shifts in the nature, complexity, and number of work options available to students. But chief among the sources of this problem is that the college selection process has replaced the career planning process for many high school students and their parents. College is not a career goal.

When a student has taken the time to narrow down and understand the requirements of the college majors that support their career aspirations, they are in a much better position to make good college choices. The resulting sense of purpose is motivating for the student and family as they invest time and resources in this exciting and rigorous phase of their lives.

However, today’s college and universities report more than 60% of their students as undecided majors. Some of these students are using their freshman year to finalize their direction. But, the majority of them lack a real sense of connection between their education and career direction. These factors contribute to the 30% drop-out rate at the end of freshman year and the growing percentage of students taking 5 and 6 years to earn their bachelor’s degree. Lack of planning before making the investment in college has also contributed to rising student debt and more graduates living at home.

Parents, as leaders and often the financiers of these transition years, can support their children best if they engage in exploratory discussions about the many purposes of investing the time and money for a college degree. Expectations, informed choices and a bigger picture also create a more confident student. Aptitude-based career planning with an objective professional can be viewed as a bit of a “short cut” in that it helps students and their parents to pinpoint talents and understand how they blend with interests, values, and personality into a range of inspiring career options (and corresponding academic pathways) to explore. With this information, the student and parent can engage in productive and positive discussions about career exploration, decision-making, and educational planning.

That said, long-range thinking and planning has never been a characteristic of adolescents. So how can parents help to promote a thoughtful and careful approach to the massive investment of time, energy, and money that college represents? Backwards planning strategies, or beginning with the end in mind, can assist students and families in discovering and understanding their personal answer to the question, “Why am I going to college?”

Backwards planning begins with identifying careers that are a good fit with students’ natural strengths and interests. Activities such as informational interviews and job shadowing help students gain first-hand information and realistic previews of jobs for which they are best suited. After gathering information, adults can mentor these students through a critical thinking process to evaluate the options and make a choice.

Once the overwhelming array of options are narrowed to a promising direction, students are in a position to make a more informed decision on what to select as an academic major and minor that will prepare them best for internships and a successful career launch upon graduation.