“What do you think is the biggest problem facing undergraduate education?” I asked a multitude of undergraduate and graduate students (as well as a few dropouts) sitting in a coffee shop downtown, popular among students for offering coffee at any hour of the day or night.
I received a variety of answers, some that I was expecting, and others that I absolutely was not. The overwhelming majority stated that money was the greatest issue, in some form or another. Most were bothered at having to accumulate a substantial amount of debt in order to begin their careers somewhere, only to end up having to work just to pay off their student loans.
One former student of the University of Colorado, Leo, said that it was a major problem that there is a general “feeling [among college students] that they can’t succeed unless they take out a good amount of money from the get go. You end up starting out your life behind.” Leo has actually since dropped out of college, having only spent the first semester of his freshman year at CU, and then opting to take classes at the local community college instead. I asked him whether he would do it again, to which he replied, “There’s no doubt I learned a lot in the one semester I spent in college; I matured a lot by being out of the house. But I’m not sure that college was necessary to facilitate that transition.”
Doug, an Ohio State University graduate of Engineering who went on to receive his MBA at the University of Denver, also contended that student debt is a huge burden with which to begin your life. Part of the issue, he thinks, is “the ability to graduate with majors that don’t offer good financial return. This has the potential to become a long term problem.
" Education should be relevant to their customers, the students, so that they can earn a good living, in order to justify steep tuition expenses.”
Shelby, a current English and Journalism major at CU, voiced her own financial concerns. She found money to be a very limiting factor of education, stating that “money hinders people from going to universities they want to go to, or even from leaving home.” She also feels that the “pressure to have everything figured out at so young an age” is stifling.
On the other hand, a CSU International Studies and Japanese History graduate student argued that there isn’t enough of an emphasis on the future in undergraduate education. He thinks that this lack of emphasis leads students to believe that their education will guarantee them an income after graduation, thus setting them up for failure. He advocated required courses for all undergraduates in personal finance and career skills.
Then there was Lewis, who stated that having to take classes that he didn’t want or need was a waste of both money and time. Near Lewis was a man who was studying Communications and Psychology, with a minor in Philosophy at CSU, who contends that everyone ought to take classes outside of their declared major, especially classes that teach about culture. He said that the “prevalence of white community,” especially in places like CSU, prevents the promotion of diversity.
Finally, there were those who cited disinterested students as the biggest problem facing undergraduate education. Joel, a graduate student at CSU in Education, thinks that “kids should have to do workshops to get a better idea of what each major actually looks like” before diving into a four year (and perhaps lifelong) devotion to that particular discipline. Connie, a KSU graduate, stated a similar concern. She says that students ought to “be aware of their purpose in life before engaging in their education.” They need to seriously be asking themselves questions like “What’s my passion? What am I going to use my education for? How does this help me grow as a person?” She argues that having intention is huge. Connie is a 67-year-old who works long days in order to put her son through rehab. She spends her nights coming to the coffee shop, where I found her writing fervently on her laptop. “I’m writing my second novel,” she said. “Living your passion at any age keeps you young.”
All in all, within the small community of this coffee shop, which may or may not be representative of the whole community of students, the general consensus was that money was the biggest problem facing undergraduates today, though they differed on how it should be dealt with. Many voiced concern over students not being responsible in choice of major, while others argued that you should do what you’re passionate about.
My personal opinion? Don’t go to college just because it’s the status quo. It will inevitably be a huge investment of money, there’s no doubt about that, and a massive accumulation of debt with no plans for post-grad life will probably not be a fun way to begin your life on your own. Instead, discern your passion. If college is a prerequisite for you to live your passion, then, by all means, pursue higher education. If not, seriously consider other, more financially responsible alternatives that allow you to pursue your dream. Listen to your heart; it will not lie to you, and “no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dream.”
