Defending My College Degree

Growing up, I went to a college preparatory high school where the majority of the students transitioned to college after getting their diploma. As of May, I graduated from USC and have found that my friend group is split between college graduates and college dropouts. Most of the college dropouts are entrepreneurs who have enjoyed varying levels of success. As someone who considers herself fairly entrepreneurial, I have been asked many times why I didn’t drop out to start my own company.

I am pro alternative education. There are a million different ways that someone can learn: university, internships, and work experience to name a few. With the rising acceptance of so many different types of education, there has been some backlash against tradition university. This is why I still treasure my college degree:

1. Some people actually like learning in a classroom setting.

Do I like grades? No.

But do I like being able to dive into a subject with a professor and really challenge my way of thinking? Yes.

Self-teaching can be very effective, but sometimes you will find that you single out subjects and positions that align with your already-held beliefs.

Take for example my class in strategic management. By the time I took it during my senior year at USC, I had already developed leadership techniques and style. I liked challenging my thought process in that class, and even if it didn’t change my mind on a subject, I would not have been exposed to certain ideas about organizational structure and leadership had I dropped out.

2. The “student” title helps. A LOT.

Student discounts. Student clubs. Student festivals.

I was able to network all the time thanks to my "student" title. There was a festival at least once a month on campus where we were able to network with people of different industries and backgrounds. It meant that I didn’t have to go to a General Assembly or WeWork to meet other people like me (although I did anyway).

People are much more willing to talk to you as a “student”, and I took full advantage of that opportunity. I found that even the reverse is now happening and, I am much more willing to talk to a student who comes to me asking for advice or a favor. But one thing is for sure, the student title is only as valuable as you leverage it to be.

3. I was able to diversify my learning strategies.

Did I learn in the classroom? Yes.

Did I learn at work? Yes.

Did I learn in my student organizations? Yes.

Did I take extra classes online from other universities? Yes.

Did I go to alternative education hubs like WeWork and General Assembly? Yes.

There are many ways to learn. However, people are limited by time, energy, and expenses when it comes to their education. I had the resources to go to college, the energy and time to really take advantage of the opportunities there, and I’m proud that I finished my degree. I took classes that applied to my industry and ones that were different from anything I would have chosen for myself.

Even though I don’t use the study in my work, taking the Ethnic History of LA allowed me to see the city in a whole new light and expose myself to new communities in my own hometown. Working as an intern for Variety while going to school allowed me to combine my real-world experience with the same principles I was learning in the classroom. It is hard to look at the value of college as separate from my other experiences during this time in my life. Every project and class amplified each other.

4. Signaling

In preparation for writing this article, I went back to USC for the first time since graduating. I met up with one of my previous teachers and talked to him about his class, my current projects, and this article. He suggested that I read the book The Case Against Education: Why the Education System Is a Waste of Time and Money.

Upon listening to the audiobook version, the book breaks down how useless general education classes are and the rising cost of education. The book showcased how many people have “beaten the odds” that many college marketing directors peddle of making a decent living without a college degree. At first, I didn’t completely understand why my professor suggested it.

But then the book continued to explain that you were probably not going to “beat the odds” and that the societal value of college came from what it signaled about you. The first question people ask you when you drop out is going to be “Why? What happened?” and unless you had a great financial opportunity that you left college for, there is a large population of people who will assume that you are lazy or don’t know how to finish something you started. College is a sign that you are able to put in the work necessary to finish a program.

Not everyone wants or needs to go to university. As someone who wanted a large network and loves the classroom setting, USC was a great choice for me to kickstart my career. The value of university was not limited to the classroom lessons on business. It was a combination of the community, the diversity in classes, and the opportunities it provided that allowed it to be of value to me. I was able to combine it with alternative forms of education and encourage others to do what fits best for them.

Did you go to college? What was your experience transitioning into full-time work?