{"id":1415,"date":"2013-07-02T12:11:09","date_gmt":"2013-07-02T12:11:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/johncanning.net\/wordpress\/?p=1415"},"modified":"2013-07-02T12:11:09","modified_gmt":"2013-07-02T12:11:09","slug":"17-things-every-graduate-should-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/johncanning.net\/wp\/?p=1415","title":{"rendered":"17 things every graduate should know."},"content":{"rendered":"
What everyone should be forced to learn <\/a>was the title of a recent thread on the Chronicle of Higher Education forums. I think the discussion os still going on, but last week I noted 17 things which appeared on that thread in some form.<\/p>\n
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  1. Basic probability and statistics.<\/li>\n
  2. Basic social psychology principles, enough not to get suckered by con artists and manipulative politicians.<\/li>\n
  3. Basic micro and macro economics<\/li>\n
  4. Basic understanding of American government<\/li>\n
  5. \n
    Understanding of the scientific method, error and uncertainty.<\/div>\n<\/li>\n
  6. \n
    The work of Elvis Costello<\/div>\n<\/li>\n
  7. \n
    How credit works, how to make a budget, and basic financial planning skills.<\/div>\n<\/li>\n
  8. \n
    Where food actually comes from and how to get it yourself.<\/div>\n<\/li>\n
  9. A course in Decision Theory<\/li>\n
  10. \n
    Etiquette.<\/div>\n<\/li>\n
  11. \n
    Pass the test to grant citizenship to foreign nationals<\/div>\n<\/li>\n
  12. \n
    be able to read and understand a semi-literate news magazine cover to cover (i.e. Time; Newsweek)<\/div>\n<\/li>\n
  13. \n
    Understand the basics of world geography<\/div>\n<\/li>\n
  14. \n
    Change tyres and oil on car<\/div>\n<\/li>\n
  15. \n
    Basic first aid<\/div>\n<\/li>\n
  16. \n
    Basic chemistry (not be taken in by claims about water and skin creams).<\/div>\n<\/li>\n
  17. A second language<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n\n\n