College: Your First Business
“I have a check for you for $500,000,” I unexpectedly found myself saying to a high school senior recently. That conversation spooled into a whole new perspective on introducing kids to college — one that I think will truly pay strong dividend$ in a time when every college dollar needs to count.
“To receive this check, your job is to earn a bachelor’s degree with a 3.5 GPA,” I went on to explain. “Knowing that this check is waiting for you, how would you go about accomplishing this so that you get to claim it?”
Silence. And then, finally, “I guess I’d work harder.”
“Work harder… hmmmm. What does that actually mean?” I asked.
“Well, you know, work harder.”
As the conversation went on, it dawned on her that the source of the cool half million would be her own income, if she planned her college education as a business venture. We talked about how 
to get the most for her money, where she could save, how to seek out support; we strategized about what classes to take, approaching the act of learning as a “job” responsibility in the business of attending college; and how to zoom in to find a major she’d love that would lead to a career she would also love — one that could make her a good living in today’s world.
We went on to talk about adopting a project management approach to knocking out college courses.
One thing I’ve noticed with genuine alarm is the use of technology by high schools and colleges to keep track of students’ assignments for them. With no record-keeping on their own part, a couple of clicks let’s them see what’s due.
I think this is a case of the pendulum swinging too far. Historically, writing down assignments, mapping out and completing them, keeping track of grades and turning things in on time was the responsibility of the student.
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