Kate Zernike Summary

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Is College even ‘Relevant’ Today? In a January 3,2010 article titled “Making College ‘Relevant’,” written by Kate Zernike, and published by the New York Times, shows how colleges and universities across the country are shedding light on majors that are not as popular as they were before, for example: paleontology. The articles main focus is how today’s college students are only planning for a well paid career and not allowing time for self-development in college. “Katherine Brooks, director of liberal arts career center at University of Texas states, ‘students think too much about majors. But the major isn’t nearly as important as the toolbox of skills you come out with and the experiences you have’”(Zernike). Students are increasingly focused on how their major will translate into a job. Zernike interviews multiple professors and advisors from schools all over the country and somewhat of a consensus is found. Taking ‘abstract’ courses and getting involved with different things other than having a set major will lead to more ‘self-discovery’. “I think people change a great deal between 18 and 22” – Dr. Neuhauser, president of St. Michael’s College. Not only could such courses open doors to this ‘self-discovery’, but also having a larger set of skills is going to make one a more knowledgeable, credible, and interesting person. Colleges want to prepare an individual for the ‘real world’ and are putting their best foot forward to help develop certain tools to help the students. If you are a person who can communicate well with writing and also orally, that alone will help you in any situation, not just a focused major. Also brought up in the article is being able to make a choice, or an argument and being able to defend your side of that argument. This a tool that will be
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