How To Make College Pay Off
At $20,000-$50,000 per year, the cost of a college education is staggering. And even before the current economic recession, only 20% of employers believed that college graduates possess the skills to enter the workforce. The good news, according to Bill Coplin, Ph.D., is that with the right advice, parents can turn their substantial investment into one that yields a high return and a truly satisfying career for their son or daughter.
Coplin’s key mantra? “Aptitude plus hard work equals success.”
Coplin is a renowned Professor in the Maxwell School of Public Affairs at Syracuse University and author of over 100 books and articles. For the past 30 years he has been actively involved as a faculty advisor to undergraduates, challenging them to acquire critical competencies that prepare them for a rewarding profession. In his book, 25 Ways to Make College Pay Off: Advice for Anxious Parents from a Professor Who’s Seen It All, Coplin offers suggestions on how parents can help their sons and daughters achieve three goals: skills development, character building, and career exploration. Coplin recently shared with Career Vision some updated recommendations, in light of the current economic recession, for getting the most out of the college experience and leaving school well-prepared for the real world and employment.
Build employability skills in college, don’t just acquire knowledge
“Years ago, students would talk about wanting to be a doctor, lawyer, or engineer. Now the expressed goal is ‘Go to college. Period.’ ” Coplin said. “Higher education and the media drive ‘college’ into everyone’s head today. The College Board is a relentless engine directing students to four-year colleges. This implies that the students headed for community college or trade apprenticeships, or the ones who don’t excel on tests, are losers. We need to change that perception and help students see the rich variety of post-secondary education options that exist.”
“We also need to change the focus of our questions to students. Instead of ‘What college are you going to?’ and ‘What is your major?’ we should be asking ‘So why are you going to college?'” Coplin continued. “For some students, college is a four or five year summer camp, where parents just hope their child will grow up. That’s not enough.”
Coplin has identified these skills as:
| 1. Establishing a Work Ethic | 6. Influencing People |
| 2. Developing Physical Skills | 7. Gathering Information |
| 3. Communicating Verbally | 8. Using Quantitative Tools |
| 4. Communicating in Writing | 9. Asking and Answering the Right Questions |
| 5. Working Directly With People | 10. Solving Problems |
The components of these skills and ways to develop them are more fully explained in Coplin’s book 10 Things Employers Want You to Learn in College.
Coplin clarified, “What I mean is that the content, the knowledge, is changing all the time, and that’s what is taught in higher education. The educational system overvalues theory and test-taking. Students think they want to go into marketing, so they take a marketing class. I say, ‘No! Go work for the college office that solicits funds from alumni, or do a marketing project for a local organization. Conduct a survey or do fieldwork.’ That’s how you learn if you’re good at marketing and if you like marketing enough to make it a career,” according to Coplin.
Parents are great role models for building character
“The challenge [for parents] is to figure out how to help your children build character that will make them great hires, not to mention good people in all aspects of life,” said Coplin in his book, 25 Ways to Make College Pay Off. Conscientiousness, punctuality, cooperation, self-confidence, adaptability, self-management, integrity, and motivation are some of the attributes commonly thought of as the elements of good character. They comprise what is considered a good work ethic. Parents can be most effective as teachers of good character by being great role models. He encouraged parents to talk with their children about how they developed these character traits. Children can learn from listening to the difficulties parents faced and the mistakes they made. “Parents can also share their pride in their own good character traits which have served them well in life, said Coplin. “This also means that parents should not be a negative role model by writing or proof-reading papers, and encouraging their kids to call them with every little question.”
What activities are recommended for career exploration?
Coplin is a strong advocate for career exploration, by getting involved and learning by doing. He recommends jobs on campus that can provide hands-on skills and leadership training. For example, a resident assistant (also called an RA) is a peer leader in a college residence hall and learns communication skills, problem solving, organization, and a strong work ethic. A treasurer for a campus organization learns money management, attention to detail and management skills. In campus government roles, students can deepen communication skills, team skills, conflict resolution and evaluating actions and policies. Students can learn how to work with management (campus administrators) and build professional relationships in a variety of paid and unpaid student activities jobs.
Lastly, high quality internships, co-ops and summer jobs are more important than ever today. Sixty percent of new college graduate hires have had internship experience, and often more than one. A significant percentage of the hires were students who had internships with the companies that hired them. Parents can support their children as they plan their job search approach, organize themselves, access resources, prepare a resume, practice interviewing, and choose among options.
What’s the impact of the recession on these college and career preparation issues?
As a result of the current economic crisis, Coplin tagged a number of trends he has seen in the past few years:
– Students considering more post-secondary education options, including community colleges
– Graduates so discouraged they aren’t even trying to look for work
– More students going to graduate school because they think they can’t get a job
– Increased student interest in entrepreneurship, which is for hands-on learning, but often these students are unaware of the risks and demands of owning their own business
– Educational administrators more focused and committed to helping students develop 21st Century skills, but teachers very slow to change their focus on teaching content rather than skills
– More media willingness to challenge the belief that college is for everyone and the usefulness of a Bachelor’s degree in liberal arts
Closing Advice for Students and Parents
“Aptitude plus hard work equals success,” Coplin stated. “Experience will teach students everything they need to learn in order to be successful. Formal education enhances what students have to offer, but experience develops the necessary skills. Granted, they still need technical knowledge relevant to their job, but skills are most critical.” The knowledge keeps changing at a rapid pace; skills enable students to be more adaptive and resilient.