Benz versus Honda in education

Apart from robbing a bank, it might be a good idea to assess your value judgement - fancy words for thinking about what something is worth to you. Even if you could afford a Benz, would you be comfortable driving it?

It is the same when students are considering going overseas to study and are obsessed with university rankings.

"Wow, this is the fifth best university in Australia - I want to go there."

It may sound like the Gucci equivalent for universities, but there are many more serious questions you should be asking yourself: What do I want to study? What kind of location would suit me best? What can I afford?

All these questions bring us nicely back to the Benz in question - it's a great car, luxurious, powerful and great for the image.

But what you must really ask is if the university you are choosing is right for you; if you are capable of studying there; if you can afford the course; if it's the right course and, of course, if it suits your qualifications.

If you think of it in another way, getting a Benz maybe very well, but what about the parking?

Similarly, in terms of education, what you should really be looking for is something that is suitable to your needs, something in the medium range, of medium price and suited to general use - something sensible, really. It is fun to dream, but do you really want to go to Harvard? In reality "ranking" questions are only of use to those who have top-level qualifications or are off to do research.

So there you are, Ms or Mr "kind of ordinary" - what's the point of focusing on image? Wouldn't this need for an image suggest an inferiority complex?

Just to reassure you, there are plenty of people (the majority actually) who've done very well in their careers by studying at medium- or even lower-range universities. And what's wrong with that? I love my Honda and it serves me well.

John Kelly

Director

Mentor International

www.mentor.ac