In a class discussion on whether college prepares students for their careers, many felt college was not necessary to be successful.

A few students who had internships this summer felt that attending A&T left them ill prepared, compared to students who came from predominately white institutions.

Is college necessary to be successful? I do not believe it is.

Many people who have not finished high school have gone on to own major businesses or have become stars on the big screen.  

Popular household names and celebrities like David Karp, Chris Rock, John Travolta, and Whoopi Goldberg are all high school dropouts. Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, dropped out of college his junior year at Harvard.

One thing all of these people have in common is their drive to be great despite not finishing school.

Their stories are a great example of what can be done without higher education.

In a study done by Indiana University about African American engagement in HBCU’s versus PWI’s, it found that HBCU’s play a significant role in the education of African Americans.

The study concluded that HBCU’s provide greater opportunities for African American students.

HBCU students receive more support and acceptance while there, which in turn shows through their academics and occupational aspirations.

I am sure the resources Ivy league schools and PWI’s possess are compared to ours, A&T would seem out numbered in many fields.

 In some instances  I believe this to be true, because larger schools  have a variety of resources.

Although, that does not mean those same resources are not available to HBCU students.

I recall have sitting through classes that I deemed pointless, because the professor did not make learning fun, and the material seemed redundant.

Yes, it is the professor’s job to teach lectures, but as students and young adults we know there are good teachers and bad teachers, the same way there are good students and bad students.

To be great you have to use the resources you have to gain information, even if that means teaching yourself.

Granted, we expect college to prep us for the real world and our future careers.

But do you take the time to learn what it is you should, or should not do in a job?

You cannot complain as a senior, or junior and say that college has not helped you get a job.

You are aware of your academic standing, and where you want and need to be.

If you want it, you will research yourself.

If your advisor is not doing his or her job you should present them with the information and force the help.

It is all about approach, no one is going to hold your hand.  

Though it helps, and we all appreciate the professors who do the research for us, we must remember these professors already have their careers.

The same way we feel about some of our professors and their ‘laziness’ is probably the same way they feel about us.

—Email Meagan at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter  @MeaganJordan11

• Meagan Jordan, Opinions Editor