I recently got rejected by my ‘Dream College’.

We will now call my dream college as ‘College X’.
The discussion present below has been taken from my Facebook account. Ken and I debate over the importance of going to an extremely good college to inner values which an applicant must have to make a difference in this world. While I support the importance of going to a good college he supports inner values which an applicant must have which are ultimately responsible for his/her success. I must warn you though we haven’t reached on a conclusion yet!!

Ken
‘yeah, do apply again but don’t let the system tell you that you need the brand names to make you what you can be. What about if it is you that makes the brand have something to stand up for!

Me
‘hmmm I thought about it and I don’t agree with you there. The system is generally right about a lot of things especially when it comes to colleges. It’s like Xians on one side and the other college students on the other side.’

Ken
‘Kofi Anan was one of the better known graduates but in the end it is not what (in the words of Kennedy) College X can do for you but what you can do for your College X. The graduates have without a doubt built companies worth many billions of dollars but the questions especially in a world post global warming, is what are the colleges producing as far as serving the world rather than mere search for ways and means of getting a larger slice if the pie? Any college can be good if the person has the right principles but no college can produce tomorrows heroes unless the applicant is having some inner value system that motivates him to see a bigger picture’

Me
‘Ah sir…..but don’t you see you have given an example of ‘exceptions’. And you have kind of supported my point of view. It is generally ‘what College X can do for you’ and not the other way round. The numbers of opportunities present in College X, to change the world, are far greater than they are in other colleges. I don’t think a student from let’s say a community college has that many opportunities.
As far as a ‘larger slice of pie’ is concerned you don’t expect someone who’s broke to look at the bigger picture? Everyone can see a bigger picture but one needs funds to actually make it a reality. And the billion dollar companies of grad students are providing employment so its kind of a happy ending right?’

Me
‘Well Suryansh, I can only say that I appreciate your clear thinking and your ability to argue logically.
I work in some of the schools with the very best facilities, most opportunities here in Dehradun and other place in India. Looking at results comparing with our school for the orphans and village children, I am amazed at how many more graduates we have who have gone on to effect their country or state for the better socially than those from the “good’ schools.

Look at Kiran Bedi and Abdul Kalam and their humble backgrounds for example. Oh but here we go getting into a logical interaction again. Would these greats been great independent of where they studied even Steve Job or Bill Gates for instance whop neither one even completed college forget about “the” college! By the way are you aware of where I have done my PhD?’

Me

Well I feel the same way Ken. Although I can think of a few excellent points to prove you wrong, I don’t think we’ll ever agree on colleges. However I do respect your point of view and won’t deny that it did force me to think but it did not change my thinking.
P.S:- I don’t know where you did your PhD from. An extremely refined search on the internet revealed you to be a ‘a tall, bright eyed Canadian’ but there was no mention of your PhD.

Ken

About the PhD, if truth be known, I never completed high school. I was already having a staff of 30 under me at the age of 18 and earning more than my father. At that point I was focused on being millionaire by the time I reached 32. School moved too slow and made me feel like I was being babysat rather than prepared for the world around. There are too many things now that I wish that I had studied but the system for me looked too focused on helping people to know that which they had no use for, rather than opening up the chance for exploration in the areas of our heart and searching. 3 idiots said some things that are on my heart.

End

There has never been a clash between work and college education in India. What with its huge population, emphasis on college education has been great. But the downturn of economy has changed the dynamics of education and work particularly in the U.S. The U.S. has been transformed from a manufacturing-based economy to an economy based on knowledge, and the importance of a college education today can be compared to that of a high school education forty years ago. It serves as the gateway to better options and more opportunity.

This drastic change of scenario has increased the pressure on students. Now we struggle to get into the best colleges we can and thus hope to change our lives.

But the question still remains…. Is going to a good college everything? Your thoughts……

——————————————————————————————-

Links : – Shishya School

Related posts:

1. Letter to Bapu from Generation Next Chetan Bhagat 4 October 2009, 12:25am IST Dear Gandhiji, You...
2. What about values & ethics ? Dear all, I am in a private road construction company...