Student Self Perception and Goals

     A common phrase at freshman convocation around the country is “you are the best and brightest this university has ever seen.” The pressure on students to succeed is higher than ever. Success to most of them is a high paying job after graduation. Today’s college student is more likely than ever to believe that success is not only achievable, but expected. These results came from a study through CIRP that also found that students were bragging about their ‘drive to achieve.’ There were two major themes in several articles on the results of the CIRP study. The first being about the expectations of what a college degree provides and the success it should garner. The second theme was that students believe their drive to achieve is relatively high. Students believe they can be successfully with a college degree.
      Success to according to today’s student is the ability to make more money because of their degree. More and more students are attending college not only to get an education, but for job-related goals. Students seem more certain of the results a degree can offer in the job market even in an uncertain economy. While some are questioning the value of higher education it seems that today’s student correlates going to college with success. Are these students really willing to do the work in order to be successful in the job market? How seriously are they taking their education to attain the skills to be successful? Unfortunately, these questions are ones that many students may fail to ask themselves until it is time to enter the job market. 
     Today’s student believes they have a high drive to achieve, according to the CIRP study it is worthy of bragging. One article stated this supported a previous study that showed students had inflated ambitions. From my experience this is true and goes hand and hand with students’ expectations in high paying jobs upon completion of a degree. Often students who fail or greatly struggle with prerequisites for professional school, such as medical school, continue on that career path. In some case passion for the field may play in, but frequently it is a matter of their belief in their right to be successful. This is hard for students to accept that success comes in many different forms. Their drive to achieve is high, but it also can get in their way of actually achieving.

 Articles:

 Freshman Survey: This Year, Even More Focused on Jobs in The Chronicle of Higher Education

Perceptions of Self in The Chronicle of Higher Education

 U.S. College Students Feel Super Special About Themselves: American Freshman Survey in The Huffington Post

 More college freshmen view diploma as gateway to better job in Los Angeles Times