Stick 'em up

Despite all of the statistics and advice college students are bombarded with each semester - doing the “right thing” in order to succeed after college is confusing. On the outside looking in it’s obvious. Get good grades, get involved and gain work experience. As always the advice handed down from many of our all-knowing elders is if we think this is hard, “just wait till we get to the real world,” going through college is a piece of cake.
 
In November of 2008 Cedar Falls began experiencing a string of seven robberies at Cedar Falls banks and credit unions. Just one week ago Iowa City Police apprehended a suspect in a local robbery and evidence connected him to the robberies in Cedar Falls. Jay Harkless is now behind bars in Iowa City and will be charged with 2nd degree robbery for five of the Cedar Falls crimes. He is also a registered student at the University of Iowa, according to the university web site.
Although we don’t know his motive, it’s hard not to wonder if he would have spent some his alleged stolen funds to survive the $100 spring tuition surcharge.

While the “real world” no doubt will be a reality check for many students, for others it’s already not that simple.

According to a recently released NACE Research Job Outlook study, in 2009 employers reported hiring 22 percent less college graduates than they did in the previous year. Employers expect to hire about 7 percent fewer graduates during 2009-10 then they did in 2008-2007.

The student loans we have to pay back six months after graduation are piling up. What does it take to get a job to pay back those loans in this difficult economy? Advice is easy to come by, it doesn’t always make sense. 

According to the NACE study, in the last five years employers have placed an increased emphasis on a good GPA (usually 3.0 or higher.) However, previous work experience or internships were ranked by far the most influential, followed by leadership experience, major and then the candidates GPA. Employers ranked leadership positions, major, a high GPA (3.0 or above), extra curricular, the school attended and volunteer work as the order of which they place importance.

According to this study, students today have to get good grades, obtain practical work experience through often unpaid internships, get involved to the point that they hold a leadership role in an organization, choose the right major, and maybe find time to do volunteer work on the side. Most college students are not involved in bank robbery during their free time, so finding a way to pay for college also must fit in somewhere as well.

But, it’s important for students not to give up, or feel discouraged about entering “the real world.” As a whole UNI students have faired well in the job market. In 2007-2008 85 percent are occupied meaning they’ve found work, are attending graduate school, are in the military, etc making an average of $32,271 a year. In 2008-2009 80 percent were occupied earning

 $36,751. The “real world” is coming hard and fast for many of us, but where there is a will, there’s a way to make it (that doesn’t involve a getaway car.)