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If not to learn, why go to school?

There's a strong sentiment that most "kids" who go to college, go to party and cut loose, rather than to learn/better themselves. Yet there's an entire group of people who work two-jobs just so they can go to school. I'm curious (on all education levels) why people go to school if not to learn? #college #education

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Leslie’s Answer

While partying is definitely a big part of college culture, even people who have fun in college are there to learn. Additionally, for many jobs a college degree is a requirement, so for people who perhaps don't want to learn more or don't have an interest in going to college, they may feel the need to get a degree in order to get the job they want. Also, a lot happens in college besides classes. There are tons of clubs and groups that students participate in, and oftentimes things like this help people figure out what they want to do with their lives. For example, you might be the editor of the school newspaper and then decide to be a journalist. So, in sum, I think that most people ARE in school to learn, even if it doesn't appear that way, and that they get a lot of out school even besides classes.
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Linda’s Answer

I agree with Leslie's and J's answers. Interestingly, students are learning even when they don't realize it. A key aspect of college life at the university I both attended as a student and taught at as a professor was for students to learn about and develop a social conscience. We stressed, both inside and outside the classroom, that being civically minded and engaged was central to being a member of society. College life provides many important experiences to this end. Such learning has many benefits in deciding how one might contribute to making positive social change.
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J’s Answer

I completely agree with what Leslie wrote. For me, I probably learned as much if not more from my peers and extracurricular activities in college as from my classes. But, I had a liberal arts experience that was about exploration rather than developing very specific skills. From my non-class interactions, I learned about things ranging from career opportunities I had never heard of before college to "soft skills" like verbal communications and working in a team. Through my social interactions, I also gained life-long friendships and access to networks of people who are important to me professionally to this day.
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