8 Skills They Left Out of Most Schools

1.

Taxes: What if, instead of wondering whether Section B of Form 828364375 applies to you -- or alternatively just paying a stranger to care about that problem -- you could file your own taxes with confidence, because someone taught you when you were young?

2.

Budgeting and Finance: Americans of all ages suck at personal finance, studies show. It's stressing us out that we can't live within our means, which takes a toll on our health and even our IQs.

3.

Computer Coding: Coding skills lead to well-paying jobs in a market that's only going to keep growing -- outpacing numbers of students in the field -- but still only one out of 10 schools in the U.S. offers computer science courses.

4.

Emergency Medical Training: If the American Heart Association had its way, every high school student would undergo mandatory CPR and automated defibrillator training at school to help prevent one of the leading causes of death in the U.S.

5.

No BS Sex ED: In the so-called Information Age, misconceptions about contraception and sexuality are entirely too common. Some students have been told that non-virgins are basically chewed bits of gum, birth control will make you sterile, and sex inevitably leads to STDs. And death. Alone.

6.

Cover Letters and Resumes: School prepares students for life, and in life, people need jobs. We get jobs by applying for them. You see where this is going.

7.

Sustainable Living: As climate change denial continues to be boxed out by real scientific debate and data, a number of organizations are advocating for better environmental education programs that teach people to make eco-friendly lifestyle choices from early on.

8.

Splitting Checks at Restaurants: Splitting the bill as a large party is a multidisciplinary problem. Inevitably, some unfortunate soul will end up having to write down who ordered how many of which drink, paired with what entree, all while determining whether sharing a few fries off the appetizer plate with your friend justifies splitting that cost evenly with her.