Why do we go to school?

Why do we go to school?

After coming home from an event last Saturday, I saw a poster that really got me thinking.

The poster read: “Can you detect trends before they go mainstream? Become a social media manager with a Bachelor’s in Communications.”

My immediate thought was, “Why would I have to study for that?”

I started thinking and found that if I wanted to become a social media manager, I would take a very different approach.

I would first start researching past and current trends and figure out what content has been successful. Then I would start contacting small businesses in my area and offer to manage their social media for free for a limited time. After a few months, I would most likely have acquired the needed knowledge to start charging my clients. I would then start reaching out to bigger brands and work my way up from there. 

Why go to school to get a Bachelor’s degree only to start doing what I could do from day one without it?

Now, let’s say your degree takes four years. While you may have gathered a lot of knowledge in that time, you’re still starting from zero after you graduate. 

What if you used those four years to start creating more content, finding clients and building your reputation? 

Just take a moment and imagine what you could achieve in that time. 

So, what value does school bring to you? Are you only there for the diploma? Is it for the structure? The security? 

Why do we go to school?