Corey Jacobson, a junior majoring in business administration, says GW students should take advantage of internships and other D.C. opportunities rather than load up academically.

Your college degree ain’t worth what it used to be. Gone are the days when a college degree represented the gold standard of education – and students are looking desperately for ways to distinguish themselves. At the same time, students have developed a perception that modern careers require a diverse skill set. The result has been an emphasis on loading up a transcript with double majors, extra minors and dual concentrations to cover one’s bases and build career fall-back plans into one’s education. The goal of a secondary field of study is either to increase professional appeal or learn a new subject. Not only are these approaches only marginally degree-enhancing, but they end up breeding students who graduate as jacks of all trades – yet masters of none. Students should forget about a secondary field of study and instead look towards D.C.’s unique opportunities to acquire a diverse set of experiences that serve to distinguish them from every other college student in America.