You Are Not The Name On Your Sweatshirt

http://richardsiskey.com/richard-siskey-offers-advice-college-graduates/

On my last blog post I discussed the four primary experiences that correlate with a sense of well being after college.  If you do those four things in college you will most likely be “extremely satisfied” with your experience and have a higher sense of well being, regardless of the schools ranking.  In this blog post I am going to address the idea that…where you go to school does not necessarily determine financial success.  After reading the article “Relax! Where you go to college doesn't seal your fate” by, Kelly Wallace. I agree with her stance that the college you attend does not determine your success in life.

Going to college matters, just receiving a degree and an overall education is highly beneficial, but the name of that school, not so much.   It’s not a good idea to choose a school simply based on it name, this is because there are so many other driving factor that contribute success after graduation. Success after college is determined by your personality and ability to communicate, negotiate, and lead.  All these characteristics are who you are as a person not the school you attended.  Granted the school you attend may help shape you into the kind of person that exhibits those characteristics, but again like I said in my last blog post, your college experience is what you put into it.  Wallace references Frank Bruni’s book, “Where You Go Is Not Who You Will Be” which addresses the deeply flawed competitive and anxiety filled path parents and students take to get into Ivy’s and other selective schools.

It is not uncommon for someone who did not go to a prestigious school to be very successful. From my personal experience based on the people I know, it is actually very common.  My family’s friend is one of the top corporate lawyers in Chicago and very economically successful, went to Muskingum University in Ohio, a school that most people have never heard of.  Another family friend is a digital entrepreneur who recently sold his second business for a billion dollars and graduated from a lesser-known Midwest school not among highly ranked.  The point is, the success that both these people achieved is purely on ability and personality to communicate, negotiate, lead and take risks…not the name of their school they attended.  But something I find sadly ironic is that one of these parents is heavily pushing “Ivies” on their children.

The conclusion is the name of a school does not, for the most part, determine financial success or happiness.  This understanding is helpful, to parents and perspective students like myself, who are stressing over what college to attend.  For me at least, knowing this takes a lot pressure off the admissions process.

You are more than the name on your sweatshirt, and you should not defined by it.

In my next blog post I am going to address how people from more selective schools on average have a better chance at financial success but, there is no guarantee and it doesn’t make them necessarily happier.