5 Life Myths Taught in Universities Debunked

Let's be honest: apart from a few close friends, some interesting acquaintances, student parties, and the skills to craft cheat sheets and take notes, the university system offers little else. You spend 4, 5, or even 6 years in college, graduating with a diploma in one hand and a bag full of illusions and unrealistic expectations in the other. Consider yourself lucky if you already have a job lined up a year or two before graduating; otherwise, you'll face fierce competition in the job market and struggle to secure a decent position unless you move to a major city or even abroad.

Professors often drill excessive theory into students' minds—90% of which will never be applied in real life—while also feeding them five harmful myths that have no basis in reality.

Myth 1: "Top students achieve the best results." This may hold true when it comes to grades on your transcript, but outside university walls, it means very little. For example, four out of five of the highest-ranking students in our master's program were unemployed one to two years after graduation. Only one of them works in their field today. There is no correlation between straight A's (or perfect scores) and success in life beyond your alma mater. Instead, persistence, adaptability, and life circumstances are the true determinants of success—not your academic record.

Myth 2: "The longer someone works, the more experience and competence they gain." This myth underpins much of the bureaucratic systems in post-Soviet countries and our education model. Everywhere you go, you will encounter employees in their 40s or 50s who have spent decades in the same position without updating their skills—like struggling to use a computer in 2024—yet are considered "valuable" or "experienced" simply due to tenure. Meanwhile, many young professionals in their 20s and 30s possess skills, knowledge, and innovative ideas far exceeding those of their older counterparts, having gained diverse experience across multiple companies and startups. Do you really want to learn from people who have been recycling the same textbook for ten years?

Myth 3: "All skills can be measured and evaluated." This myth works well in universities where grades are assigned based on exams, but it falls apart in the real world. For instance, a "certified specialist" might need two years of practical training in accounting after graduation. Skills in areas like design, interface development, copywriting, and digital marketing are especially difficult to quantify. No reputable university prepares web designers or copywriters adequately. Someone with two projects in their portfolio over five years is not comparable to another with 25 projects in just two years.

Myth 4: "There are recognized authorities, and you must accept them." This favorite belief of traditional professors and managers dates back to times when political parties dictated knowledge, and decades-old political and economic works were considered unchallengeable sources across disciplines—from science and medicine to art and literature. Today, except for theoretical and quantum physics, doctrines and concepts are revised every 4–5 years on average. Critical thinking and research skills are far more valuable than blind faith in "etched-in-stone" teachings.

Myth 5: "You must follow the rules." If this were true, innovators like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Bob Dylan, the Klitschko brothers, and Tiger Woods would not exist. Not following rules does not mean jaywalking, eating with your hands instead of utensils, or swearing in public. It means there is no universal life formula or conventional path to follow—such as "kindergarten-school-college-job-marriage-kids-mortgage-grandchildren-retirement-death." Education is meant to enhance your knowledge in a niche and empower you to create new ideas that challenge outdated economic, social, and technological norms. Unfortunately, this nuance is often overlooked in many universities today.

I'm almost certain you have your own "myths" to add to this list. Don't hesitate to share them: the sooner you realize how you were misled after leaving university, the easier it becomes to let go of illusions and achieve real, practical success.

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