This quote really stuck with me: “this race to get jobs becomes more important than the actual ‘let’s educate our students,’ ” Henderson said. “It’s not uncommo

This quote really stuck with me: “this race to get jobs becomes more important than the actual ‘let’s educate our students,’ ” Henderson said. “It’s not uncommon to encounter a 20-year-old who has not benefited from the maturation you get from higher education, from true engagement in a classroom — it becomes more about taking classes as an extended way to build your résumé. You think you’re talking to a 20-year-old who should have bright ideas and enthusiasm, and they can’t get out of the mode of: ‘What are the words I’m supposed to use in this conversation?’ And you see that the risk has been taken out of résumés — that’s the part that’s most disheartening.” I go to UPenn, and the pre-professionalism defines the school. The students, especially those in Wharton, do almost nothing between the hours of 8am and 8pm that isn't in some way connected to building a career. I'm not condemning this attitude though, because it is productive and realistic. In the modern economy students at Penn often come out with great jobs and a relatively secure future, and that's very important. I also can't say I'm much above it, I put a ton of effort into finding internships and jobs. I just wish there was some way to balance this with the "Hollywood" depiction of college where students sit around and engage each other in intellectual conversation for the sake of mental expansion. I wish this was the type of where people don't just join a handful of clubs/groups to build their resume, and where people don't avoid interesting classes that might hurt their GPA. I've loved my 3.5 years here, but that element has been decidedly missing.