I'm sorry, but who exactly is punishing you for having broad activities? It couldn't be the employers because they love broad resumes, and it couldn't be the university because student organizations need participation for you to survive. Or do you mean that if you participate in lots of activities, it could lower your scores? Because that isn't the fault of employers OR the university. That's your own fault for not managing your time properly, and for not knowing when you've bitten off more than you can chew.
And if you think there was ever a time when businesses "did what they were told," I think you need to do some reading up on the US industrial revolution and the work conditions and monopolies of the late 19th century/early 20th century. Historians agree the industrial revolution was one of the most corrupt eras in American history, both politically and bureaucratically. It wasn't until strict regulation came into play after WWI and the Great Depression that they stopped hiring children and making them work in front of dangerous machinery that could mangle them in an instant, gave reasonable work hours with regular breaks, stopped jacking up railroad prices in rural areas where they had the monopolies, and became required to provide basic safety equipment such as functioning fire escapes. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangle_Shirtwaist_Factory_fire]
Plus the tax situation back then? It was ridiculous. See, it was property tax rather than income tax. The reason they had property taxes was because owning lots of property usually meant you had lots of money--because you were on a farm. But then the factories came. The factories could sit on a tiny plot of land and generate more in revenue than even the largest farms could ever dream of. So while the millionaire business owners were sitting on piles of money in the northeast, impoverished farmers in the south were paying the bulk of the taxes that went to pay for the infrastructure that would in turn only benefit the urban businesses. They got that changed too, but it was still in the midst of the second worst depression in American history (I'm sure you know which one was the worst).
So quit victimizing yourself. Businesses have always been out to screw people over, that doesn't mean you have to go ahead and bend over for them. Again, make YOUR education work for YOU. And if you REALLY hate it that much, why don't you just quit? Do the benefits of having the degree outweigh the little grievances you've put for there? Then suck it up. Quit whining about it and work to make your situation better. But if that's just too much work then you have no room to be complaining.
Oh, and what is this?
Good Lord. Did you not read what I wrote? Or is it that you just didn't comprehend my point? My point was to NOT only do exactly what you are told to do,
when it comes to making decisions about your future and your education. That's just a ridiculous way to live, mindlessly following whatever path somebody else tells you to take. Yes there are requirements you must fill, but you should never just stop there.
Now, when I said getting good scores shows employers you can do what you are told, I was referring to those required tasks set before you. Because let's face it--most workplaces usually don't offer as many opportunities to be avant-garde as school. You are asked to perform certain tasks by your bosses, and you are expected to complete them. That's sort of the point of working, you know? And having good scores shows that you are able to complete those tasks with a level of efficiency and quality.
But all in all, that's a very common trait. Doing what you are told isn't exactly a rare gift. Which is why I said at the end to not JUST do that. Doing more than the minimum is a much rarer trait, and speaks worlds of your character and dedication. Ultimately, employers don't want someone who will do the job set before them. They want someone who will not only do the job, but not hesitate to do whatever more is required to do the job as best as possible.
So, summary: Following the minimum requirements for your degree is not the way to go. Broaden your horizons--do other things. Go beyond what is required and find other useful things you can do or learn on the side. Doing what you are told is no longer good enough. The reason a degree is no longer a guarantee for a job is because they are so common now. Post-graduate jobs have officially become competitive. You can't just earn your degree then sit on your ass. You've got to work yourself up and prove yourself to be worthy of your degree and your job.
