--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Too many high-school graduates are…" description: "\"Too many high-school graduates are reflexively going to college as it is, without a clue what they are doing there or how to take advantage of higher e..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/737/heather-mac-donald-6566_college_too-many-high-school-graduates-are-refle_458420.jpg" --- # Too many high-school graduates are reflexively going to… ![“Too many high-school graduates are reflexively going to college as it is, without a clue what they are doing there or how to take advantage of higher education.” quote by Heather Mac Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/737/heather-mac-donald-6566_college_too-many-high-school-graduates-are-refle_458420.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/737/heather-mac-donald-6566_college_too-many-high-school-graduates-are-refle_458420.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/737/heather-mac-donald-6566_college_too-many-high-school-graduates-are-refle_458420.jpg) > “Too many high-school graduates are reflexively going to college as it is, without a clue what they are doing there or how to take advantage of higher education.” [Heather Mac Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mac-donald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Many high‑school graduates enter college without clear goals, treating it as a default path rather than a strategic choice. **In simple terms:** Students often see college as a default, lacking purpose. Key Takeaway Define clear objectives before committing to higher education. Themes education career planning motivation Mood concerned thoughtful Type advisory reflective When to use this quote - college selection - career counseling - financial planning - skill development Key Concepts sociology economics policy Questions to Reflect On - What purpose do you hope to fulfill with a degree? - How can you align studies with long‑term goals? A Different Perspective Some view college as essential for social mobility, making a purposeful approach harder to achieve. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Graduates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graduates/) [Graduation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graduation/) [Higher Ed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/higher-ed/) [Higher education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/higher-education/) ## Related quotes > [Starting in high school and continuing through our higher education system, we must ensure our students are on the right path to acquiring marketable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-mccrory/starting-in-high-school-and-continuing-through-our-higher-education/) Pat McCrory > [My husband and I are both proud public school graduates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-lippman/my-husband-and-i-are-both-proud-public-school-graduates/) [Laura Lippman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-lippman/) > [Catholic school graduates exhibit a wide variety of qualities that will not only help them in their careers but also in their family and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-baca/catholic-school-graduates-exhibit-a-wide-variety-of-qualities-that/) [Joe Baca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-baca/) > [Making community college more accessible means more of our high school graduates can learn the skills they need to get good paying jobs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-cooper/making-community-college-more-accessible-means-more-of-our-high/) [Roy Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-cooper/) > [“33 percent of high school graduates who don’t go on to college never read another book for the rest of their lives, and 42…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-merkoski/33-percent-of-high-school-graduates-who-don-t-go-on-to-college-never/) [Jason Merkoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-merkoski/) > [Men we shall have only as we make manhood the object of the work of the schools - intelligence, broad sympathy, knowledge of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/men-we-shall-have-only-as-we-make-manhood-the-object-of-the-work-of/) [W. E. B. 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But they offer neither incentive nor assistance to those students who, by reason of family or other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/student-loans-have-been-helpful-to-many-but-they-offer-neither/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [Considering community support and cost-benefit analysis, I have supported earmarks for projects of high public purpose involving such areas as higher education, alternative energy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-fortenberry/considering-community-support-and-cost-benefit-analysis-i-have/) [Jeff Fortenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-fortenberry/) > [Because I've never had any higher education of any sort, I've never held in awe those who have had it or have a sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-corbyn/because-i-ve-never-had-any-higher-education-of-any-sort-i-ve-never/) [Jeremy Corbyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-corbyn/) ## More by Heather Mac Donald > [If, by deferring or maybe even skipping college entirely, students were foregoing their one hope for immersion in Western civilization, there would indeed be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mac-donald/if-by-deferring-or-maybe-even-skipping-college-entirely-students-were/) [Heather Mac Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mac-donald/) > [Race and gender quotas, whether in publishing, the media, or scientific research labs, are becoming more extreme and more ineluctable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mac-donald/race-and-gender-quotas-whether-in-publishing-the-media-or-scientific/) [Heather Mac Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mac-donald/) > [Opponents of New York City's proactive style of policing struggle mightily to downplay its most obvious benefit: the largest crime drop on record, concentrated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mac-donald/opponents-of-new-york-city-s-proactive-style-of-policing-struggle/) [Heather Mac Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mac-donald/) > [Without question, women can act with bravery, foresight, and tactical intelligence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mac-donald/without-question-women-can-act-with-bravery-foresight-and-tactical/) [Heather Mac Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mac-donald/) > [Police departments are under enormous political pressure to hire based on race, despite existing efforts to recruit minorities, on the theory that doing so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mac-donald/police-departments-are-under-enormous-political-pressure-to-hire/) [Heather Mac Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mac-donald/) > [It is not the case that I can predict your views knowing that you are a white male. I cannot predict your views if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mac-donald/it-is-not-the-case-that-i-can-predict-your-views-knowing-that-you-are/) [Heather Mac Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mac-donald/) > [Received left-wing wisdom holds that the police cannot lower crime, only massive welfare spending and the redistribution of wealth can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mac-donald/received-left-wing-wisdom-holds-that-the-police-cannot-lower-crime/) [Heather Mac Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mac-donald/) > [Hispanics' welfare consumption - and their affinity for the Democratic message - will decline over time as they climb the economic ladder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mac-donald/hispanics-welfare-consumption-and-their-affinity-for-the-democratic/) [Heather Mac Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mac-donald/) > [Mandatory stints in the private economy before college enrollment could do wonders for study skills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mac-donald/mandatory-stints-in-the-private-economy-before-college-enrollment/) [Heather Mac Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mac-donald/) > [A core plank of left-wing academic thought is that gender and race are 'socially constructed.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mac-donald/a-core-plank-of-left-wing-academic-thought-is-that-gender-and-race/) [Heather Mac Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mac-donald/) > [For decades, liberal criminologists have tried to corroborate the Left's cherished belief that the criminal-justice system responds to similarly situated whites and blacks unequally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mac-donald/for-decades-liberal-criminologists-have-tried-to-corroborate-the-left/) [Heather Mac Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mac-donald/) > [The more frequently officers encounter violent suspects from any given racial group, the greater the chance that members of that racial group will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mac-donald/the-more-frequently-officers-encounter-violent-suspects-from-any/) [Heather Mac Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mac-donald/) > [A strong police presence keeps individuals involved in 'street life' from triggering the most severe penalties of the law by providing a surrogate for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mac-donald/a-strong-police-presence-keeps-individuals-involved-in-street-life/) [Heather Mac Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mac-donald/) > [A federal government with enough money to buy iPads for local gym teachers is not a federal government that has been cut to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mac-donald/a-federal-government-with-enough-money-to-buy-ipads-for-local-gym/) [Heather Mac Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mac-donald/) > [I don't understand how people of intelligence can reconcile what I see as constant proof of divine indifference to human outcomes with a reverence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mac-donald/i-don-t-understand-how-people-of-intelligence-can-reconcile-what-i/) [Heather Mac Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mac-donald/) [Explore all 98 Heather Mac Donald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mac-donald/) ## More College quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. 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Submitted by Lisa Letto, Coordinator, Nutrition Resource and Volunteer Centre, College of Pharmacy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/plant-flowers-in-others-gardens-and-your-life-becomes-a-bouquet/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) > [Doing away with separate black colleges meets resistance from alumni and other blacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-baker-motley/doing-away-with-separate-black-colleges-meets-resistance-from-alumni/) [Constance Baker Motley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-baker-motley/) > [My son going to college is a big milestone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gore/my-son-going-to-college-is-a-big-milestone/) [Frank Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gore/) > [The reason I got into acting was not to explore myself. I was a reader, I didn't care about acting. 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