College is one of the most transformative experiences for many people. While a college degree does not ensure a bright economic future like it used to do in the past, it remains one of the most reliable means to achieve the American Dream. Many college students hope that a college degree will allow them to enter their dream professions, however, being a college student is a lot more than just acquiring knowledge and skills that are desired by the employers. The most important job of a college student is to be open-minded because college education is as much about becoming a productive citizen of the society as it is about getting a good job.

College students should be open-minded because they will often encounter ideas and theories that challenge their prevailing worldview. The instinctual reaction to opposing worldviews is usually to get defensive. However, the college students do have a responsibility to learn about the ideas that are unconventional or make them uncomfortable. Even if exposure to opposing ideas may not change their mind, it will still help them test the relevance of their prevailing ideas and develop better understanding of them. It is common for college students to embrace opposing worldviews over time, and it only happens because such students are open-minded and are willing to consider different point-of-views. As a result, they end up with better ideas than their old ones.

College students should be open-minded if they want to learn about fellow students. College students interact with fellow students who may have come from quite different economic, social, political, and cultural backgrounds. If they are close-minded, they will let their biases and prejudices discourage them from learning about fellow students. However, if they are open-minded, they will gain valuable knowledge about different classes, cultures, and groups around the world and this will greatly enhance their overall educational experiences in college. Being open-minded when interacting with other people is one of the best ways to become aware of biases and prejudices that may be clouding our judgment.

College students should be open-minded because up until college, other people such as their parents shape many of their ideas and beliefs. College years should be the time for students to test their prevailing ideas as well as develop new ones through personal insights and experiences. If the students are not open-minded, they will continue to hold the ideas they inherited from their parents and other influential people in the past, and will leave college with few if any additional insights. After all, college should teach us how to think rather than just memorize a given set of facts. The ability to think requires one to be open-minded so it is reasonable to say that the college is a failure if it cannot teach the students to think and being open-minded.

In conclusion, college years are some of the most transformative for many students. College students should be open-minded to make the most of educational opportunities available to them. Being open-minded will allow the students to deal with the ideas and beliefs in the class that may oppose their prevalent ideals. Being open-minded will also help students learn about their fellow students who may have backgrounds quite different from their own. It is also important for the college students to be open-minded so that they can acquire insights through their own efforts rather than continuing holding the ones they inherited from their parents and other influential people in life. The most important job of college is to teach students how to think, and the ability to think independently requires one to be open-minded.