Every May, thousands of families, friends and faculty gather to celebrate the graduation ceremony of graduates. It is one of the most memorable days in some people's lives and one of their greatest achievements. Enthusiasm and excitement are written on the faces of students as they shake hands with teachers and mentors. Each handshake is closer to what they've been working towards for the past four years: a piece of paper that serves as an entry ticket to a career. Higher education provides students with only rudimentary skills that must be developed to excel. Earning a college degree is not enough to be successful because success itself depends on the individual's innate abilities, their level of motivation, the amount of time invested and their mindset. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In recent years, higher education has become the norm and is considered the backbone of success. When you think of a successful career the terms engineer, doctor, lawyer and CEO come to mind. They are all well-paying jobs and require a college degree. This is because people believe that success, money, and college all go hand in hand. This is partially correct because when one becomes the best at their job, they normally climb the promotion ladder until they can no longer advance. Once someone reaches the pinnacle of their career, that is most likely when they earn the most amount of money. What makes someone successful is the journey someone takes to reach the pinnacle of their career, not how much money they make. For example, a person who never pushes himself and has an “I don't care” mentality wins the lottery one day. They might have a lot of money but that doesn't make them successful; it would only make them lucky. This means that success is much more than simply living a luxurious lifestyle; it's about wisdom and living to your fullest potential. A common misconception about success is that grades play an important role. In my opinion, grades have no ability to measure or predict a person's future achievements and innate abilities. According to Grading and Its Discontents by Afzaal, “Given the nature of the grading process and the limited purposes for which it is designed, the grades they receive in no way reflect who they are as people or even what they are capable of achieving. in the long term” (Afzaal par. 26). Afzaal and I both agree with the idea that people can achieve great things regardless of what their grade point averages show. For example, a student might barely pass all of their classes. This does not imply that the student will have a mediocre future and will struggle to make ends meet. They may have an innate talent that makes them exceptionally gifted in terms of theatre. The individual has the potential to become the next Grammy or Oscar winner, but that will depend on how motivated and interested they are in perfecting their talent, not on whether or not they receive good grades and a college degree. A determining factor in someone's success is perhaps their wisdom. This is acquired with experience and countless hours invested. According to the book Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell, “The idea that excellence in the performance of a complex task requires a certain minimum level of practice emerges repeatedly in studies of skills. In fact, researchers have established what they believe is the magic number for true proficiency: ten thousand hours” (Gladwell 63). This ten thousand hour rule that Gladwell refers to is the amount of time thatyou should dedicate yourself to become a phenomenon or an expert in a specific area. If someone intends to master a subject, there needs to be a time commitment. Higher education cannot provide students with all the time and experience needed to be the best in their careers. It can however provide a foundation of knowledge, but it is the student's responsibility to take what they have learned and spend more time expanding that knowledge. Higher education does not provide students with a guaranteed career. Many students go to college and choose a major that they like. However, there is a common misconception regarding the relationship between passion and career choice. People always say, “Follow your heart” and “Find your niche.” This might seem like good advice, but when it comes to statistics, earning a college degree might seem like a disillusionment. According to Brad Plumer of the Washington Post, “Second, the authors estimated that only 27 percent of college graduates had jobs closely related to their major” (Plumer para. 3). This statistic was taken just a few years ago and is incredibly low. After students earn a degree in their specific area of ​​interest, there is no certainty that they will find a job relevant to their specialization can seem like a pothole on someone's road to success because it is sometimes forced to pursue a career in a field they are not that interested in. If someone truly aspires to succeed, this hole can be easily filled and overlooked because that person will adapt and persevere. Knowledge and brainstorming are vital components to succeed As bell hooks states in Teaching Critical Thinking: “By the time most students enter college classrooms, they have come to think with fear. Those students who are not afraid to think often come to class assuming that thinking will not be necessary, that all they will have to do is consume information and regurgitate it at the appropriate time” (Hooks 8). Hooks is conveying that college students are more interested in memorizing information for tests than in actually grasping and learning a concept. I completely agree with Hooks' statement because it seems like students no longer want to think critically or below the surface. Students just want to get good grades on all their exams and then leave class with nothing more than some facts they have memorized and a good grade on their transcript. With a mindset like that, people and students do the bare minimum to get by. This is not the mentality of those who are successful. If someone wants to live to their full potential and specialize in something, then they need to learn the ins and outs because memorizing simply isn't enough. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom EssayHigher education does not lead to success because success depends on the individual's aptitude, aspirations, time commitment and mindset. Innate talents and abilities are an important factor in one's success. As long as someone has enough passion and ambition to perfect their talent, any obstacle they encounter can be overcome. Every hour someone spends practicing and learning is closer to ten thousand. Dedicating that amount of time to a specific career or area of ​​interest shows that the individual is motivated and has a growth mindset. Someone who exhibits a growth mindset is more likely to move forward, continue to learn, and live to their full potential than someone who offers only the bare minimum and.