The Great Aim of Education

Today my little brother graduates. He finished all four years of college. He will now start applying what he has learned. The college education is the great dream and many complete it. To me, completing college is a dream which I woke up in the middle of.

If you asked me about getting my degree a few years ago I would have said “yes, I'm sure of it.” Graduation was the goal. Instead of graduating though, I dropped out to move to Silicon Valley.

Moving to Silicon Valley was the best experience of my college years. Education isn't just about knowledge. Herbert Spencer stated that “the great aim of education is not knowledge but action.” Moving from simply learning to doing is a big step. For a typical college person this happens after he or she graduates. Others take this step before graduation. The goal is not a piece of paper, it is the chance to apply knowledge.

I have not graduated and I do not have a diploma. I have completed the goal of a college education though, to apply what I have learned. The most valuable eduction comes from actually doing, not learning. So while I have not been handed a piece of paper, I know the piece of paper isn't what really matters.

At some point I plan to go back to college, but I'll probably end up studying something else!