Every student within Oakton is familiar with the Capstone project. According to the Glossary of Educational Reform: “It is a multi-faceted project that serves as a culminating academic and intellectual experience for students.” Basically, the Capstone itself is an assignment that lasts for multiple years, in which a student will acquire real life skills over time as a result of utilizing these skills in completing their  topic; which are usually chosen by the students themselves. Even though the concept of the Capstone sounds promising, there are multiple students who find the project completely unnecessary and too difficult.

   This belief stems from the fact that many of the required steps in properly completing the Capstone may be unneeded. One of the most important aspects of the Capstone is contacting a professional who is knowledgeable in a student’s topic. However, there have been several cases in which a student doesn’t need a professional’s help. For others students, they may be unable to gain the assistance of a professional, most likely as a result of being unable to contact one or not knowing where to start. Furthermore, several students find the Capstone itself difficult to complete due to how many steps there are to properly complete it while having to deal with assignments and other projects from their classes.

   Although the Capstone is meant to teach students how to be more self-reliant along with learning real life skills that may benefit them in the future, there’s no denying that a lot of students dislike the project. For them, the overall experience is difficult and stressful due to much how work is required to finish it. Their motivation for completing the Capstone is to avoid getting a bad grade. Because of this, some students don’t learn the skills that the Capstone itself is meant to provide. But for those who are able properly complete the Capstone he/she may learn certain skills, such as contacting individuals who may be helpful, or the fact that the road to success requires a lot of hard work. In this case, the Capstone was a worthwhile experience since it allowed the student to be more prepared for the real world.