What Is the Point of College?

[OHMomof2]

Much of it is forming relationships. With peers, teachers, mentors. Some of that is structured, a lot of it is not.

This may be on my mind because D has just entered a structured mentor (alumni) program at her college, or because I’ve read these two things recently:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/adam-weinberg/thriving-in-college-the-p_b_8167578.html - the pres of Denison talking about the importance of forming relationships in college

colleges are bundles of people. The quality of an education is driven by the relationships that form, (or do not form), between them. Students get the deepest education from colleges that focus on getting the relationships right, particularly in three critical areas:

1. The power of mentors: (adds peers and networking)

http://www.questbridge.org/intro-letter - QB president’s letter to applicants which is also about the important of forming relationships, esp with mentors.

The hidden resource within elite colleges is not the listed classes, but rather the mentor energy within the faculty and the alumni network. Alumni, by and large, are supportive of their alma maters (their colleges) and of the students. In this case, you have a wide support network eager to help you simply because of the institution you attend.

Every elite college has accomplished alumni in pretty much every field. It is the dream of every genuine teacher to find sincere, bright, eager students who are more turned on by a new idea, or even creating their own new ideas, than they are by popularity contests in their dorms.