Company prepares grads for real world

As graduation approaches in May, college graduates in Connecticut are sharing what they learned during their first few years after college to inform students of vital life skills not learned in a psychology, history or business management course.\nAfter noticing a difference between the knowledge acquired in college and the skills needed to face challenges after graduation, Jesse Vickey and Andy Ferguson began a company called Cap & Compass in 1999 to prepare thousands of college students for the basic demands of life -- like signing the first apartment lease, investing in a 401(k) and knowing the correct fork to use at a luncheon or business dinner.\nAbout 73 percent of college students do not feel that college prepares them for the practical skills needed when living on their own after graduation, according to a survey of college students around the U.S. taken by Cap & Compass. \nIt seems most graduates learn these skills through friends or trial and error, Vickey, co-founder of Cap & Compass, said.\nTo solve this problem, Vickey and co-founder Ferguson give seminars at colleges, businesses and leadership conferences around the U.S. Either Vickey or Ferguson presents each seminar, which covers two of their five topics: guidelines for understanding and completing taxes; tips on finding and keeping an apartment in a major city; translations of what HMOs, PPOs and 401(k)s mean; explanations of how CDs, money market funds and mutual funds work; and advice on proper etiquette for attending business dinners or luncheons.\nThey approach the serious topics with simple language, quirkiness and humor, Vickey said. The seminars last about 45 minutes and include slides with colorful graphics and charts. The presentations are meant to be very interactive with role-playing skits that allow participation from the audience and a question and answer session with candy as a reward for correct answers.\nCap & Compass has given seminars at 20 campuses so far in 2002, including the University of Evansville and Hanover College in Indiana.\nAt Hanover, 30 of their 1,100 students attended the seminar, said Ali Caraway, assistant director of student organizations for Hanover College.\n"Andy gave the seminar for us and elaborated on apartment shopping and money management," Caraway said. "Every student there that night participated in the presentation. It wasn't just him spilling information out and it wasn't just a lecture. I think every student who left there felt like they learned something new. It's information that you need to know and that no one ever tells you before you graduate."\nThe IU Arts and Sciences Placement Office is considering bringing Vickey or Ferguson to IU and co-sponsoring the seminars with the Union Board or another student organization, said Sloane Boyd, associate director of the ASPO.\n"I get requests from many vendors, presenters and resume posting services wanting to bring their resources to IU students and rarely do few catch my eye, but this group did," Boyd said. "They have struck me as very professional, savvy, young and energetic. Their style is very appropriate for undergraduates and recent college graduates. They've got some serious messages to get across, but are done in an extremely engaging way."\nIU has a number of courses that cover similar topics talked about in the Cap & Compass seminars, Boyd said. The College of Arts and Sciences offers Q400: Job Search Strategies for Liberal Art Students, the Kelley School of Business offers X420: Business Career Planning and Placement, and the School of Public and Environmental Affairs and the School Of Education offer similar courses.\n"We bring in actual employers and graduate school representatives that share their words of wisdom, but with a campus this size not everybody can take one of the courses," Boyd said. "Sometimes people may be more likely to go to a half-day workshop or an evening presentation. Even if someone has taken one of those courses, they could benefit from these seminars. Whenever people present on this subject there's always a new little twist"