What is the point of school?

[Katterina]

My degrees were both sought primarily to "check the box" with my federal employer. My degrees could be in Llama Pajama Marketing for all they care. I've had conversations with my co-workers about what the piece of paper really means to the Fed, and this is what we came up with:

1) The recipient has the ability to learn new skills
2) The recipient has written language skills that are needed for many positions
3) The recipient is capable of abstract and critical reasoning skills needed for problem solving
4) The recipient has the tenacity to make a plan and follow it through to the end

Of course, none of these things are guaranteed by a degree, but the odds may be better of finding qualified applicants by requiring it. Plus HR would have fewer resumes to sift through for single vacancies.

That said, I studied a great deal of social and natural science in my formal education because these subjects are of interest to me. So, I feel I gained much intrinsically from the experience. I may or may not pursue another master's or a doctorate in the future, but I will always endeavor to continue my understanding of the human mind and the world around me. To me, formal schooling is just one avenue to the pursuit of an educated mind, but ultimately the student will only take out of it what they put in.