Is school necessary anymore, based on your experiences?

After reflecting on my time in school (here's a lengthy story about it, for context), I realized my life was negatively impacted by 18+ years of classroom study. The only things I learned? How to be depressed (thanks college), how to not speak up if I have a question (show of hands: who actually feels comfortable interrupting teachers?), and how to not fit in among classmates.

Now after being successful in the corporate world, all before the age of 29. I can partially thank school for getting me there. But does financial success equate to doing what you love? I quickly discovered that an office job was just an analogous extension of sitting quietly in a classroom, doing the tasks assigned to me.

Let's look at both sides, because I realize many people are employed by education, and we're already eliminating enough jobs with automation (sorry truck drivers. I hear carpentry is making a comeback though).

The argument can be made that school helps you connect socially with like-minded peers. Agreed. If you feel uncomfortable with Meetup groups or networking, hefty tuition fees can solve those problems through forceful group interactions with students who don't want to be there (because mother and father paid their way). Perhaps. But you still have to make an effort to speak to those like-minded peers. And let me tell you: once that group project is finished, you will likely bid your fellow group members adieu and be on your merry way.

You see, I paid for my education, and I worked somewhat hard to pay for it (people in third-world countries work much harder to survive, so I'm not claiming to be a workaholic). Mommy and daddy only let me live at home, in exchange for helping them with landscaping, lawn, etc. That was on top of my retail job, cleaning toilets and stocking food shelves (don't worry, I washed my hands). I did what I could to avoid debt, therefore I appreciate the value of a dollar. That dollar (quite a few dollars, in fact) went to an institution where other students didn't want to be there (I actually did, because I grew up loving school), and 90% of professors were basically cruising to retirement without a passion for their material. I'd be lucky if my teacher had good English-speaking skills. Just being blunt, but if you are teaching a marketing class with twenty years under your belt, you should be able to spell costumer customer. Seems like a simple ask. Now maybe it was because I chose the top 5 business school in the country instead of the top 3. Maybe.

Preschool is the closest thing to what school should be. Less rules, more peer-to-peer interactions, more meaningful work (who misses arts and crafts? I know I do).

I suppose the real question is, if you are not going to school for the STEM fields or law, why are you going to school? What are you waiting for? Why not learn what you want, on your terms, now? Let the debate begin.

Submitted May 03, 2019 at 12:40PM by trevteam http://bit.ly/2UZ1GtZ