Learning to Learn

David Voncannon
During dinner recently, my wife and I were having a conversation about the costs of a college education.  Many years ago we had the same conversation but with specific reference to our son who was a high senior and looking at colleges.  He had taken all the standardized tests, SAT etc., and done well.  He scored especially well in math and science so was looking into programs for mathematics and computer science.

As with most high school students looking to move to college he had applied at a number of schools.  As we were anxiously waiting on admissions letters he wanted to visit some of the campuses.  One of those schools was Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburg, PA which has a world renowned math and computer science program. 

The school had setup visitation programs with separate tracks for prospective students and parents.  The students were given tours of the campus, dorms and were able to meet with current students and professors.

Parents were treated to series of discussions on campus life and finances.  Finances were mostly focused to how to pay for the tuition and living expenses for sons or daughters attending their institute.  The part of the discussion that particularly got my attention was when the presenter said, “We are now looking at payment for an education being a lifelong commitment.”  At that time, approximately 25 years ago, the total cost to send our son to Carnegie Mellon would have been $40,000.  To us, not being monetarily wealthy, that was a huge sum and the concept of a lifetime commitment just made no sense at all. Ultimately our son selected a different school which was more affordable.

Our dinner conversation continued with the realization that college costs have certainly not decreased in the intervening years since our son’s college years.  The conversation then morphed into a discussion of whether a college education is still relevant taking into consideration the increased costs and the difficulty of actually getting into the classes a student needs to complete their degree.  Then my wife, being the smart woman that she is, posed a profound question which is really the topic of our discussion today.  That question is; “What does a student really learn in college today?”

I did not immediately recognize how profound that question is.  After all the answer seems obvious that a student is taught, or at least exposed to, a range of subject matter related to the career choice they have made.  But for some reason, the question stuck with me long after the dinner was completed.  The more I pondered the question the less obvious was the answer.  Does the course material and classroom experience represent everything that a student learns during their college experience?

The answer here seems obvious as well.  A college campus is a world far different than that experienced by most high school students.  For most it will be their first extended stay away from family and friends.  Expectations and responsibilities are increased dramatically.  Beyond classes and homework, for the first time, a student will be responsible for their own meals, laundry, entertainment and the myriads of other details that must be handled just to survive.  Obviously then a student learns a great deal outside the classroom.

But does the combination of experiences really compensate for the costs and difficulties related to obtaining that degree?  I would submit to you dear reader, that there are two overwhelming reasons, beyond the subject matter, that make college worthwhile.

Consider that during college you will make friends and forge bonds that will last for the rest of your life!  The personal network that is built during college will support you during moments when you believe you cannot continue.  You will provide support in return.  Some will meet your first, perhaps only, spouse or significant other.  The network a student builds during college will act as the foundation for their career offering job leads and career advice.  Those contacts form the nucleus of the network that will continue to develop throughout their life.

To understand my final point we must first embrace the concept of lifelong learning and education.  I noted earlier that a portion of what a student learns during college is the subject matter relevant to her, or his, career choice.  The downside to that is that about 70% of what is learned during college is obsolete within two years.  The implication is that to stay relevant we must constantly be learning new tools, techniques, products and concepts.

So, dear reader, my final and I think most important thought related to a college education is that a student learns how to learn.  When a person first enters college they are often overwhelmed by the difficulty and volume of material.  Out of necessity a student must learn the discipline to focus and absorb material quickly.  Every day brings new concepts added to topics introduced just a few days earlier.  Survival and success depend on learning study techniques.  Whether a student recognizes it or not, that discipline and set of techniques will remain with us long after the specific subject matter has faded.

Now consider that during our lives we will be expected to learn thousands of new products or concepts.  The techniques learned during college will enable the graduate to move forward quickly and accurately where others may flounder.  I believe that the ability to learn is probably the least obvious and yet, most valuable tool that we develop during our college experience.

Is a college education still relevant today?  I would shout a resounding YES!  In fact I would argue that with the increased competition prevalent today education is more important than ever.  It’s important to note that a person does not have to attend a college to gain knowledge, build a network, or develop discipline and learning skills.  But attending college forces the issue making the outcome more certain. 

Footnote:  To finish the story of my son’s search for a college, even though he was accepted at Carnegie Mellon he decided to attend the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, The Tarheels.  The Tarheels were a sympathetic favorite since we lived in North Carolina at that time and he was a huge basketball fan.  That was a big help on the financial side since in state tuition was considerably less expensive than any other option.  It was an emotional blow to me however since I was enrolled in a master’s degree program at Duke University when he entered college.  He graduated five years later with a degree in radio and television journalism.  Please note the extended time to graduation, caused by changing degree programs after two years.  College basketball season continues to be a friendly battle even after all the intervening years.

David Voncannon is active in Culver City working as a community spokesperson during development of the Tilden Terrace project, serving on the Culver City Advisory Council on Redevelopment and as a member of the local Chamber of Commerce.