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Help – the university has been a disappointment to my daughter

The problem this week

The first year of our daughter in college has been a setback. There is little collaboration or including student participation, and contact with teachers is mostly online. How will she develop the interpersonal and organizational skills that demonstrate the "graduate bonus "?

Parents, 60 years


Jonathan writes
The first year in college may seem disconcerting, since which occurs after the educational and structured environment of the school. Your daughter will not be alone experiencing initial problems with classes, teachers, housing or social life. In general, these are temporary obstacles and at the end of their courses, between 71 and 94 percent of students are generally satisfied, according to the National Student Survey.

So, if she's going to continue with that, what could your daughter do? College courses can be remarkably business environments where students have the freedom to be creative in the way they approach problems, prepare and investigate issues, and the amount of guidance they seek. Teachers expect students to actively participate in the class and address them with specific questions, and this is usually more productive if the student has tried to solve the problem and is prepared for the discussions.

And if some teachers are not always accessible or useful, students do well to find others who can and can help, for example, other teachers, students in the same year or in previous years and even graduate students in the department. While your daughter may feel that not all of the students are participating, there will be one or two like-minded peers that she might look for. Setting up shared study sessions, or just discussions about a coffee after conferences, can attract others.

While a college degree can allow a graduate to apply for many jobs, by itself it does not usually secure a role. Recruiters ask applicants to demonstrate how they have overcome challenges, solved problems, worked in teams, were creative, led others and communicated clearly. You can develop these skills in many different ways at the university, sometimes in or around the classroom, but also in sports, on stage, in a student society or through volunteering.

The postgraduate prize is not just the title, but just the ticket to play. It is developed during three or four years in all the activities that are offered.

FT Readers Respond
As a speaker at one of the leading universities in the United Kingdom, I can say that one of our key objectives is to get students involved in the classes. The only time students come to talk to us is when they want to know what will be "on the test" or when they need a letter of recommendation. Considering that it is usually the first time I see them (despite countless office hours and tutorials), there is very little I can say in those letters. Then my advice? Speak, talk, interact. R

In college, a student needs to seek resources, teachers and opportunities for collaboration. Do the professors or tutors of the university have "office hours" for the students to pass? Participation in clubs and activities can provide contact with committed students and develop interpersonal skills. Fonz

A student can get involved in many additional enriching experiences. A part-time job? Volunteer for a charity? A social club? In fact, the more I think about this, I realize that I spent too much time being spoon fed in college and I should have been doing my thing. Ted


Next problem
I love working in finance and I want to build my career around that, but I also think that the sector is in a crossroads.
I could stay and start a career with my stable job, or follow my business mind and look for some of the great new opportunities in the sector. How do I know what to do? Male, 28

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