The ENTJ Education Experience

The ENTJ Learning Style

ENTJs are often voracious learners. They’re abstract thinkers, who easily follow theoretical ideas from start to finish, while their extroverted thinking process shows them how to apply their new knowledge to solve problems in the real world. This makes them ideal students in one sense.

However, ENTJs also have a natural disrespect for authority that may get them into trouble in traditional classrooms. Because their auxiliary function is constantly connecting new ideas, working out new ways of doing things, they usually end up questioning everything. This includes the ideas and authority of their teachers. And when an ENTJ questions something, or doubts something, everyone hears about it. This questioning may be the ENTJs way of learning, but it isn’t generally appreciated by teachers.

The ENTJ Learning Challenges

The main learning challenge for this type is usually impatience. This applies to every part of their life and can color their learning as well as many of their interactions. ENTJs lead with the cognitive function of extroverted thinking. This is a decision making function, which means that it works fast to make choices and move into action, and it also likes to get things done. ¹ Now. Traditional schooling, with its slow progression and predetermined curriculum, can seem like a chain around the neck of this personality type.

This challenge is particularly important because the ENTJ uses introverted intuition as their secondary function. As this function develops it makes connections between ideas and facts, showing the user new and fascinating pieces of information and ways of looking at the world. But it may also make ENTJs even more impatient with the established path of academic achievement, as it can show them gaps in reasoning and alternate ideas that work even better. And the ENTJs natural disdain for authority that’s unearned, such as traditionally or institutionally based authority, just makes things worse.

ENTJs in High School

ENTJs can have difficulty with socializing in every type of environment. They lead with extroverted thinking, which drives them to complete tasks. This function works in conjunction with their auxiliary function to plan far into the future, which is why ENTJs often have years of their life mapped out. However, in this personality type the combination can result in a lack of emotional input or understanding. ENTJs can get so obsessed with getting things done, and getting what they want, that they may completely steamroll over anyone in their way. This is the reason why the stereotypes about this personality type exist. Even at the high school level, their ruthless rationality can alienate them from others and this will be a challenge that ENTJs will face at every level of their development.

ENTJs will usually thrive in any academic environment they see the value of and this applies to high school as well. With their extremely rational, logical minds, they usually find school work easy and their extroverted thinking drives them to complete every task set for them. In fact, this type hates laziness and will usually take great pleasure in excelling in the academic arena. This competitive drive will often push them to be the best in their classes, and the sense of achievement they get from being the best will be all the reward they want or need.

Higher Education and the ENTJ

Socially, ENTJs will probably have the same issues they faced in high school. People will often find them cold or even cruel and their drive to succeed may cause them to dismiss or condemn other types. This type is famously bad with emotions, both their own and other peoples, which can lead to them dismissing emotional input completely. The ENTJs inferior function is introverted feeling, a decision making function that makes choices based on emotions. But this is the blind spot for the ENTJ, something they can’t see and have the most trouble understanding, which perhaps explains their difficulty with emotions. If the ENTJ ever wants long lasting and healthy relationships, overcoming this weakness will be their most important challenge at every level of development.

ENTJs will probably thrive in college. Most college professors are also intuitive types, which means that the curriculum and the structure is more congruent with the thought patterns and needs of intuitive thinkers. ² They’re also extremely competitive, organized, and thrive on getting things done, all traits which will help them in their college life. So as long as the ENTJ can see a clear purpose for the studying they’re doing, and it helps them on their chosen life path, they’ll usually do very well in this environment.

Final Thoughts

ENTJs are driven people who know what they want, and this extends to their academic life as well. They work hard towards their goals, often seeming robotic to other types in their dedication and their ability to get things done. But the ENTJ is just as varied as other personality types, with complexities and personal quirks that make them fascinating, if usually quite forceful people. And in this crowded, noisy world, the ENTJs blunt confidence is usually just what’s required to propel them to success in their academic lives and beyond.

References

1. “ENTJ Friends“. (Retrieved Jan 2018).
2. “Sensing or Intuition“. (Retrieved Jan 2018).
3. Dr. Drenth, A. J. “Extraverted Intuition (Ne) vs. Introverted Intuition (Ni)“. (Retrieved Jan 2018).
4. “ENTJ – The CEO“.

Footnotes

1. Cognitive functions are either decision making functions or learning functions. The learning function gathers information and the decision making function makes judgments based on that information. When someone leads with a decision making function they’re usually much quicker to make choices and move into action. Someone who leads with a learning function will usually stand back and gather more information before taking action.
2. Intuitive functions are either introverted intuition or extroverted intuition. Only a small proportion of the population uses these functions as strengths. This means that their dominant or auxiliary function is an intuitive function. People who use these functions often have trouble coping in a world that’s set up for people who use sensing functions.