So I was having a discussion with an old friend of mine this morning from High School and he decided he was going to go back to school to get his Masters degree at a local private college that set him back a good chunk of change. The question of college is often raised to me, as I was one of the few in my family to graduate from a local college – and they are wondering if it really worth the time and energy.

I'm going to let those of you who have never been to college in on a little secret here, something that took me about 2 years of college to figure out. You see, education is one of those funny things that people don't really realize is affecting the way their brain functions and behavior changes.

You see, there is a drastic transformation of expectations between high school and college classes that creates a challenge for students who have never relied solely on themselves for succeeding. This is where the initial benefit of college comes in. College classes traditionally do not place demands on attendance or "coddle" students who have no interest in succeeding. The result? Many students who are not self motivated have two choices, either they become self motivated and succeed or they do not and fail.

This self-motivation becomes essential in succeeding not only in a career, but quite frankly, in life. As we grow up we quickly learn that there are many aspects of our lives that we do not want to do but "have" to be done. College is a great behavioral trainer for that, as for the next four years you are conditioning yourself to perform many tasks that you may have no interest in actually doing, but are doing them because they are necessary.

The second most beneficial aspect of college, of course, is the education. I finally came up with an answer to the countless times individuals who complain about certain classes "When am I ever going to use this?" I read an article one time, and I can't remember from which magazine, but it actually illustrated that the associative parts of our brains when learning certain subjects can actually unlock the brains capabilities to make new connections to related information.

What this means is as you learn a subject, say math, you are not only acquiring the behavioral skills to do something that doesn't interest you, but you are also unlocking connections in your brain to be able to learn complex formulas and patterns associated with any other subject. Believe me, just about any subject or career you enter – you will have a need to learn patterns at a quick pace.

Essentially, the purpose of college is to learn how to learn more-so than it is to gain a degree, so that when you graduate and enter into your career of choice, you have the skills and brain associations necessary to educate yourself in a constantly changing environment. That is the secret!

So absolutely college is worth every penny, and going back is worth every penny (assuming you have some pennies to afford it). The problem with so many college students today is their mentality – they treat each class as a means to an end rather than an opportunity to grow their brain and skill set to become a better learner. Every subject has different behavioral and mental requirements for studying and succeeding, learning as many as possible prepares you for many challenges you may face in your career, and quite frankly, in life.

For those of you who are considering going to college, just do it! It will be the best time and money you spend, but remember, it is not what you get IN college, but what you get OUT OF college. How much you learn is entirely up to you, don't sit around and wait for them to teach you everything you need to know – if you find a great teacher, talk to them after classes, soak up what they know like a sponge!