College: To Go or Not to Go?

By now, college is expected.  No one asks whether or not we’re going to college; instead, we’re asked what college we want to attend. Does the higher percentage of students going to college signify better standards in the American school system, or has college become the scam of the century?

Let’s admit it, high school isn’t for everyone, at least not for its education.  Not all students are fit to spend hours each day filling their minds with information they find useless.  Often, the most common question asked is “why exactly are we learning this?”  Many simply don’t care to know the functions of a eukaryotic cell, or what x is in a math problem, or the properties of a complex sentence.

Yet an additional four years of such schooling has steadily become the norm.  And that’s not necessarily a good thing.

Certain professions are fit for high school graduates.  Graduates could essentially complete internships, apprenticeships, or volunteer to learn how their job-specific field works and then climb their ways into prestigious positions.  Internships wouldn’t be a good money source for the first months, but at least people wouldn’t spend that money on tuition.  Students could learn through experience, a more effective method for many people and definitely a more profitable one.

According to EarnMyDegree.com, the average difference of salaries of people with a 4-year degree and those who’ve only graduated high school is $21,000.  It may seem impressive, but you have to consider the cost of those four years (per year about $20,000 for tuition, $2,000 for books, and $500 for room and board according to CollegeBoard.com) as well as the time lost to gain experience in the field.  Those math classes and science courses taken won’t really be useful if you want to be a make-up artist or pre-school teacher.

After twelve years of school, most people want to see the fruit of their labor already and not have to wait years for it to arrive.  It would be more convenient if they could. Besides, many students absent-mindedly attend college and later drop out because they realize it’s not for them.

According to the NY Times, only half of the students who enroll in college graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree.  Out of all developed countries, only Italy has a higher drop-out rate.  Or maybe students focus on one career during their college years, work, and then change their minds.  College is always going to exist, so why should students rush into such a costly decision?

Yet, society in general often acknowledges the level of education as the primary indicator of intelligence and success.  It’s not.  People are accomplished in areas beyond academics that can make them lead successful lives.  Some of us can easily thrive based on our talents in singing or writing, personality, or social skills.

Of course, there are people who like to learn and want to go to school for the experience.  There are those who aspire to be doctors or lawyers, or other professionals for whom an education is mandatory.  For the remainder of us, a college education is worth the tuition.

The point we are trying to make is this- everyone learns differently and aspires to be someone different.  Therefore, college shouldn’t be the only path to success, especially when it costs so much.

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