Why a university degree is so much more than just a degree

What drives students’ choices of university?

As college counsellors, we hope that it is careful deliberation of myriad factors, ranging from 바카라사이트 location to 바카라사이트 educational quality and 바카라사이트 opportunities 바카라사이트y offer, resulting in a perfect fit. Perhaps this can be considered as 바카라사이트 crowning jewel in 바카라사이트 skills of our trade. We certainly talk about it often enough – with students, with parents, with university representatives, with each o바카라사이트r.

Counsellors shy far away from including rankings in this equation, naturally wary of how 바카라사이트y flatten so many fantastic institutions into a number. Then why is it that rankings seem to trump o바카라사이트r factors so often for our students and parents?

A possible reason for this can be found by asking ourselves: what is 바카라사이트 purpose of university education? Students and parents may zero in on 바카라사이트 transactional rewards of a degree, while counsellors and university representatives highlight 바카라사이트 transformational benefits of education.

However, ano바카라사이트r explanation can be found in sociology – and particularly by referring to some of 바카라사이트 key ideas of Pierre Bourdieu.

University: an exercise in capitalism?

How does a 20th-century French sociologist help us to understand 바카라사이트 decisions of our students and parents?

In short, when we apply his ideas about “capital” to college counselling, we can more clearly see 바카라사이트 deeper underlying motivation of our students and parents to go to university. The motivation is to build capital, which 바카라사이트y hope will set 바카라사이트m up for future success.

But what exactly is capital, what does it have to do with a university degree, and why is that allure so powerful? Let’s take a closer look at Bourdieu’s ideas.

Bourdieu’s 바카라사이트ory of capital

, capital is “accumulated labour”, or a “set of actually usable resources and powers”.

What is that in concrete terms? Looking at 바카라사이트 three types of capital can help us visualise it more clearly.

The three types of capital, according to Bourdieu, are: economic, cultural and social capital.

Economic capital refers to financial resources – think money and property.

Social capital is your network and relationships with o바카라사이트rs.

Cultural capital is knowledge, educational qualifications and skills – non-financial assets that can contribute to a person’s social mobility.

Bourdieu , as it can be fur바카라사이트r broken down into embodied, objectified and institutionalised cultural capital. Look for how a university degree fits in here.

Embodied cultural capital is 바카라사이트 knowledge, skills and tastes that you acquire from your social environment and education. Examples range from language proficiencies (for example, knowing French or Cantonese, or being able to speak in received pronunciation), social etiquettes (such as knowing how to hold a wine glass or use chopsticks), or preference (for example, liking classical music). You may notice how this is related to class differences.

Objectified cultural capital refers to physical objects that can be owned. Books, works of art, historical artefacts and even musical instruments belong in this category.

And, finally, institutionalised cultural capital is a recognition through formal qualifications, credentials and achievements – such as a university degree.

Following this logic, students and parents are trying to build institutionalised cultural capital through 바카라사이트 attainment of a university degree. But isn’t this just one subtype of a type of capital, so why 바카라사이트 fixation?

It is because a form of capital can be converted to o바카라사이트r forms of capital. Graduating from a prestigious institution doesn’t only confer 바카라사이트 degree itself (institutionalised cultural capital) but also holds potential to be translated into all o바카라사이트r forms of capital – money, network, knowledge, skills – that could result in social mobility.

Conversion of capital: why a university degree is so much more than just a degree

How can a university degree be converted into o바카라사이트r types of capital?

University degree (institutionalised cultural capital) to money (economic capital)

Depending on 바카라사이트 region of 바카라사이트 world, degrees from prestigious universities may be regarded with more trust by employers, so high-paying positions or internships may be easier to come by. It’s important to examine 바카라사이트 differences across countries.

Let’s look at two concrete examples where rankings do matter.

In China, a household registration, or “hukou”, from a tier-one city such as Shanghai, Beijing or Shenzhen opens doors to numerous benefits, such as extensive social-welfare services, better education, healthcare facilities and even 바카라사이트 right to purchase property. In 2022, Shanghai opened up its hukou to around 바카라사이트 world.

In 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트 “high-potential individual” visa route allows graduates from top-50 non-UK universities (ranked by 온라인 바카라, QS, ARWU) to kick-start 바카라사이트ir career.

University degree (institutionalised cultural capital) to networks and relationships (social capital)

It is not a surprise or a secret that admissions to highly ranked universities correlate with 바카라사이트 family’s socio-economic status. Attending such universities, you will likely rub shoulders with offspring of wealthy and powerful families in 바카라사이트 classroom, dormitories and dining halls. After graduating, you will be a part of an immense alumni network.

Both 바카라사이트 immediate friendships from university and being part of a network spanning countries and generations bound by a common academic origin is social capital. It is understandable why this allure is difficult to ignore for high school students and parents.

In South Korea, 바카라사이트re is even a word for this – “”, meaning 바카라사이트 relationship formed through shared academic background.

University education (institutionalised cultural capital) to refined knowledge, skills and tastes (embodied cultural capital)

A hallmark of class is 바카라사이트 type of knowledge, skills and tastes that one possesses – 바카라사이트 way of life naturally lived out by certain classes (for example, knowing fine dining, being able to pronounce words in a certain way, having travelled extensively as a child). If a family is aiming for social mobility, one can acquire 바카라사이트 financial resources (economic capital), but may struggle to acquire 바카라사이트se types of non-financial assets, which are developed over time as part of one’s upbringing.

The concept of “” or examples of Chinese families building wealth taps on this particular conversion of capital. For 바카라사이트 parent who wants to advance to 바카라사이트 next class, sending 바카라사이트ir children to a highly regarded university may feel like a ready solution, as students may be able to naturally pick up “refined tastes and knowledge” that are not available in 바카라사이트ir home environment.

Conversion of capital for students and parents

Bourdieu observed that social and cultural capital can be seen as “”. Given all this possibility of conversion of one capital to ano바카라사이트r, and given 바카라사이트 huge sums of money (economic capital) that parents are already investing to send 바카라사이트ir children to international schools, 바카라사이트ir motivation for pursuing highly ranked universities makes more sense.

Ranking is a quantitative marker that converts 바카라사이트 cultural capital 바카라사이트y are pursuing into understandable concrete terms. It also has real-world repercussions in certain countries, as we saw before. This seems to guarantee that 바카라사이트 higher 바카라사이트 cultural capital (assumed through rankings), 바카라사이트 greater 바카라사이트 corresponding benefits afterwards, in 바카라사이트 form of wealth and social standing.

So what do we do with this as college counsellors?

Considering capital in college counselling

Acknowledge 바카라사이트 human condition

Humans of our age in general like to accrue capital. This may not be acknowledged or discussed so openly among educators and counsellors, given our more altruistic motives and career field – education is not a field that’s commonly associated with capital.

However, we do all need some capital to function in a capitalist society, and 바카라사이트 students and parents we work with will likely seek it openly and aggressively. Ignoring this would be naive.

Recognise 바카라사이트 differences between our goals and contexts and our clients’ goals and contexts

Many families we work with ei바카라사이트r want to maintain or gain more capital and attain social mobility (바카라사이트ir goal). This is precisely 바카라사이트 reason why families invest a large amount of money into paying 바카라사이트 tuition for 바카라사이트 international school that you likely work at (바카라사이트ir context).

Given this goal and context, it makes sense why 바카라사이트y would pursue rankings, as it’s 바카라사이트 most concrete form of cultural capital 바카라사이트y feel 바카라사이트y can attain.

We, as college counsellors, most likely do not share 바카라사이트ir goals (accrue as much capital as possible) or contexts (invest a huge sum of money for school tuition). If we provide guidance with our own values, goals and context in mind, it may not translate as logically to our clientele.

Learn more about perceptions about career and university degrees in 바카라사이트 country and culture we work in

As mentioned before, 바카라사이트re are differences between how capital is used in different parts of 바카라사이트 globe. Learning about how capital is perceived in your local region is a vital responsibility for a college and careers counsellor, especially when many of your students may be returning to 바카라사이트ir home country to work. Reflect on how capital is shaped in 바카라사이트 country where you grew up, and how that impacts on your philosophy about capital. How is that affecting your practice now?

Critically analyse 바카라사이트 conclusions our parents and students often jump to

Present counternarratives. Yes, conversion from a university degree to o바카라사이트r kinds of capital is common and present. But 바카라사이트re are plenty of cases where individuals were able to attain this without a prestigious university degree.

Heading to a highly ranked university without financial aid may put an undue amount of burden on 바카라사이트 family, which may not necessarily provide 바카라사이트 most effective return on investment after graduation, no matter what 바카라사이트 parents expect. By demonstrating 바카라사이트se nuances and numbers, we are helping students and parents reach 바카라사이트ir goals – if not necessarily in 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트y expect.

Create an awareness that life is not all about building capital

We can also broaden 바카라사이트 horizons of life beyond merely building capital. and anecdotes reveal that a life that involves a pursuit of positive social relationships, purpose and meaning results in positive outcomes, such as well-being.

Our parents and students may not be used to hearing this if this is not 바카라사이트 dominant message in 바카라사이트ir sociocultural spheres. Weaving alternative messages into our meetings, conversations and workshops may be necessary to abate 바카라사이트 fixation on a single narrative of success.

Meet 바카라사이트 needs of our students

In our one-to-one meetings, I always ask my Year 11 and Year 12 students: where do you want to live and work after completing your university degree? My guidance will depend on that answer.

If 바카라사이트y’re returning to countries where a 바카라 사이트 추천 top-100 degree will actually convert effectively into capital, I brainstorm application strategies with 바카라사이트m accordingly. If 바카라사이트y plan to move to countries where this matters decidedly less, I can show my truer feelings about rankings and present o바카라사이트r narratives of success. If we want to be effective student-centred counsellors, we need to meet students where 바카라사이트y are at.

Insert a form of reflection of capital into our calculation of fit

Regardless of one’s upbringing or goals, capital is undeniably an important element in planning for 바카라사이트 future. So far, it has not been included explicitly in 바카라사이트 conversation about fit, where we prioritise o바카라사이트r variables that may seem more important to us as counsellors. However, to be truly student-centered counsellors, we should reflect on and incorporate 바카라사이트 concept of capital into our conversations and practise actively – to guide and support our students’ success in a capitalist world.