If You Think College is Just About the Degree Don’t Watch This Video

By David Cohen

Before I get to the video, I’d like to tell you a story about an individual I recently met in New York City – the story relates to what you will see in the video.

On the last evening of a conference I attended in NYC, the organizers hosted an event at a swanky restaurant in the Upper East Side.

Moments after I arrived, a well-dressed guy spotted ‘CollegePlus!’ on my name badge, and he began asking me what CollegePlus! is about.

I gave him the rundown about CollegePlus!, and then he started telling me his story – after getting his MBA at Harvard he was immediately hired by Goldman Sachs, at age 24.

While at Goldman, he rose to senior management, and after a successful career there, he left to start his own firm in Manhattan.

Now, the next turn our conversation took was a little shocking. He told me the worst hires he’s ever made, whether at Goldman, or at his own firm, were college grads that had degrees from big name schools.

“Why?” I asked.

“Because most of them don’t come to me with enough life or work experience to actually solve problems and get the job done.”

At that point in the conversation, I had him pull up the following video on his iPad. After watching it he said, “I’m not the only successful entrepreneur in Manhattan who is frustrated with our Ivy League alma maters. The system is broken. What I saw on the video sounds like the solution we need.”

So, if the Fortune 100 folks are looking for individuals who got real-world experience while they earned their degree, maybe there’s something to this approach to higher education.

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David I'm passionate about world travel, cooking, the book of Genesis, and the Montréal Canadiens, and I'm happily married to my awesome wife, Khristen. If you have a story to share about life or learning, send me an email, I'm always on the hunt for a great story.

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