Saturday, October 4, 2014

Illini Bucks

Using Illini Bucks as a method of transfer pricing would drastically change the economics at the University of Illinois. Timing is everything, and using Illini Bucks to save time for an individual’s priorities would benefit every student. This would benefit every student as different people set priorities differently. Currently, I am a senior with 12 hours of class. Consequently, I would use weigh the use of my Illini Bucks on recreational activities more than on educational activities. However, I could imagine that a majority of students would use their Illini Bucks on educational activities more than on recreational activities, as the purpose of college is to obtain a diploma or diplomas.

The pricing of the Illini Bucks would have to be priced just like a store prices their inventory, or like a restaurant prices the items on their menu. Every item would have to be analyzed by data analysts. The data analysts would look at trends regarding how many students are interested in a particular use of Illini Bucks. The Illini Bucks would be able to fluctuate just like interest and inflation rates fluctuate in the economy based on the current state of the economy.

With an easier schedule, I do not have to focus my time on education, especially when this is my final year in college and I will never have the opportunity to work less than the standard 40 hours per week. When I graduate, I hope to get into an investing career, and investors work long, hard hours. In conclusion, I would allocate 60% of my Illini Bucks towards recreational activities and 40% towards educational activities.

Furthermore, the 40% of the educational activities would be geared towards obtaining a full-time job. In using my Illini Bucks towards getting a full-time job, I would use them to cut the line at career fairs. Career fairs are the best way to obtain a job with iLink being next in line. Typically, a career fair will be run between the hours of 12-5. When at the career fair, the bigger and well-known companies will have long lines that may take a student 30 minutes to finally talk to the company; hence, the student will lose the opportunity to talk to all of the companies at the career fair. By using Illini Bucks, I would be able to talk to all of the corporations that I need to talk to, which is an insurmountable investment. I would also use the Illini Bucks to get my resume looked at first on iLink. By doing this, I would have the greatest opportunity to have a few options to choose from when graduating.

I am not concerned with using my Illini Bucks towards my schooling. I do not need to get priority for signing up for classes since I am a senior and am taking two different economics seminar classes that were not full, and I have hundreds of options in choosing my free electives. Apart from signing up for classes, there is no need to use my Illini Bucks on getting a good studying spot since I study in my room.

Finally, the other 60% of my Illini Bucks would be allocated towards recreational activities. This would include cutting the lines at the bar called Red Lion. Red Lion has very long lines, especially on Tuesday because of senior night, Thursday, and the weekend, since there are no classes on the weekend. Other students may use their Illini Bucks at different bars, but I prefer to go to Red Lion.  Also, when at the bar, I would use my Illini Bucks to be the first person to obtain a drink, since many times, it takes a few minutes to order drink. Aside from the bar scene, I would use my Illini Bucks at restaurants with long lines or restaurants that take awhile to serve. Everyone knows how long the line at Chipotle gets, so being able to get to the front of the line at Chipotle would benefit my craving for Chipotle.


1 comment:

  1. Let me take your last example first. Illinibucks, as in the prompt, were meant to be used at University run activities. At commercial establishments I doubt they'd be embraced - because these places have nothing to gain from implementing them. So let's look at your other uses.

    The career fairs have long lines - true. If everyone spent their Illinibucks at the career fair, would it help the situation at all? Perhaps if each person could jump one or two lines but have to wait out the others, that might work. I don't know. Does anything good come from having done the waiting? I'd be afraid that some people use up their Illinibucks, get their one or two interviews, and then leave without interviewing enough. But maybe that would be a good thing. I don't know.

    I hadn't heard of iLink before as a resume service. Is there some non-credit course that's offered for this purpose? Or is all handled by the Career Services Office on a one-on-one basis?

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