As I see it, “Being Mentored” has never been a part of my life. For that reason, I have always taken the liberty of advising young people – regardless of whether they ask – to do four things:
- Go to, and finish, College: You will likely be able to find a job if you have a degree – in something.
- Be a Liberal Arts/Sciences Undergraduate: You will learn a number of different ways to think about the world. Also, you will learn to do the following: how to write; you will have a sound grasp of algebra and the basics of calculus; and you will become familiar with the rudiments of statistics – therefore, you will be able to distinguish between the probable an the possible. These are tools that will not appear significant at the age of eighteen or nineteen, but you will need to know them as you mature.
- Get a Professional Certification/License: I’m a classical liberal; therefore, I should never encourage one to “side with the man,” and limit the number of suppliers of a good/service with occupational licensure and certifications. That said, I too am an Aristotellian – therefore, I tell it as I see it. And as I see it, having a professional certification will assist one in wading through the vagaries of life.
- Get A Ph.D: Yes, I believe that this is something that one should probably begin in their early twenties. But, as a Ph.D student, I have witnessed the following: people “missing” from my regression courses, failing comps, never complete their theses and dissertations, etc. etc.
Dr. Brayden King, over at Orgtheory, linked to this excellent post. If you can, read King’s post and the comments, and read the entire “Dear Abby Letter” from Unfogged. His post created the context for this post.
Brian A. Pitt
