By Janet Ellen Raasch
The skills a student needs to succeed at school and the skills a professional needs to succeed in the "real world" are distinctly different. In order to be happy and successful within a chosen profession, a person needs to understand this difference – and take steps to bridge the gap.
The path that leads to successful completion of higher education is based almost exclusively on academic intelligence. First, you do well in high school. Then, you do well at a good college. Finally, in graduate school, it is more of the same – but in an even more academically competitive and intense environment.
After school, however, the characteristic that distinguishes a successful professional from an unsuccessful one is no longer pure academic intelligence. Almost by definition, everyone who earns a J.D., MBA, or other advanced degree is extremely book-smart. Most of them, though, are not people-smart.
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