(Nov. 22, 2011) — A high school education is known to be one of the most substantial investments a teenager can invest his or her time into. But does high school really prepare you for the real world? According to an Associated Press-Viacom Survey of Youth on Education conducted earlier this year, 53 out of 101 students plan on getting a job straight out of high school. Many students seem to search for alternative ways to become successful because they are not satisfied with the education system. Adaptability, socialization, interdependency, time management. These “real world” skills, all of which are ignored by the school system, are vital parts of becoming successful. I guess a student is better off knowing how to complete a table for the time necessary for money to triple if interest is compounded continuously at a specific rate than learning how to set goals and manage time. Instead of learning how to work interdependently to set up win-win situations, teachers encourage competition and comparison by rewarding students who finish first and have the highest grade. We are subconsciously programmed to associate success with someone else’s failing. If you win, I lose and vice-versa. Growing up with the mindset that success is limited, many students don’t academically challenge themselves. As soon as they see themselves as part of the group that doesn’t finish the assignment first, they give up on trying hard in school and search for alternative ways to make a living. Going out in the cold world with no time management skills can also be a crucial problem for graduating high school students. By not offering any classes on how to manage time, the school system reinforces procrastination among students. Whipping up a last-minute essay in 30 minutes is common practice among many. Being rewarded with an A after turning in that essay is a real problem. When students are rewarded for leaving an essay till the last day to write it, they approach real-life problems with the mentality that they can get away with procrastinating. That is not the case. Students are not being effectively prepared for the real world, and it is crucial for them to acquire skills that will help them. Because the school system is unlikely to change, it is necessary for students to take the time to learn how to manage their time and work interdependently with others.