Schools are often described as the foundation for a successful future, but students remain divided on how well schools actually prepare young people for life after graduation. While schools provide academic instruction and structure, many students feel there is still a gap between classroom learning and real-world skills.
One of the most common concerns students raised was the emphasis on memorization and standardized testing.
“Standardized testing and anything involving decoding those types of questions feel the least useful,” Jackson Callahan said.
Junior Niko Croft expressed similar frustrations.
“Math is very unnecessary,” Croft said. “You don’t need that.”
Sophomore Teddy Hartzell also criticized the structure of many classes, describing them as “all memorization.”
At the same time, students acknowledged that school teaches important habits and responsibilities.
“I think it teaches students to pay attention, get stuff done on time and develop a work ethic,” senior Zachary O’Connor said.
Callahan agreed.
“School helps students develop responsibility and slowly prepares them for working a day-to-day job, meeting deadlines and completing tasks,” Callahan said.
However, many students said they still feel unprepared for adult life, especially in areas such as money management and communication.
“I wish schools taught more personal finance skills, like investing and managing money,” O’Connor said.
Callahan also emphasized the importance of communication skills.
“I think schools should prioritize communication, especially speech activities,” Callahan said.
He explained that public speaking plays an important role in everyday life. Callahan also stressed the importance of financial literacy, joking that he “still doesn’t know what the numbers in [his] bank account mean as a 28-year-old.”
Financial literacy repeatedly emerged as a missing skill in modern education. O’Connor said he wanted more education focused on “financial management and stuff like that.” Hartzell also emphasized the importance of practical education, saying schools should focus more on “life skills because they’re more practical for life.”
When asked which subjects were most useful, many students pointed to English, business or practical elective classes.
“English class is probably the most vital class students can take,” Callahan said. “It teaches you to think, write and communicate.”
Croft said business classes felt the most relevant to real life.
“Probably the cooking class because I’m going to use that my whole life,” Hartzell said.
Some students also criticized certain subjects and graduation requirements. Croft argued that math classes should be updated or replaced with more practical alternatives. Hartzell questioned school structure, saying the least useful part of school is “having so many electives forced onto you.”
O’Connor, however, had a more balanced perspective.
“Not really,” O’Connor said when asked whether any subjects felt completely unnecessary.
Another major theme throughout the interviews was the value of real-world experience.
“The only way to learn is to do,” Callahan said when discussing internships and job-shadowing opportunities.
Hartzell agreed, saying those experiences should become “more of an option” for students.
Croft also said internships and job shadowing “prepare you for the real world.”
Despite the criticism, students also recognized positive aspects of education. O’Connor said school helps students learn “how to build a community, function in society and talk to people.”
Callahan added that school gives students opportunities “to express their talents,” especially through project-based learning.
Overall, opinions remain mixed on whether schools fully prepare students for real life. Schools provide structure, discipline and academic knowledge, but many students believe schools fall short in teaching practical life skills. As O’Connor explained, schools should support multiple pathways because “people are going to take different paths,” though many students still believe greater emphasis on real-world preparation is needed.
