Choosing to go to college or not is one of the most important decisions anyone will ever have to make in life. Whatever the choice is will follow them in all of their life decisions and opportunities.
In high school, teens can only think about graduating and finally going to college to get away and move on with their lives. Teens nowadays are being told that they cannot get a good paying job unless they attend college for at least two years.
Time and time again young adults around the ages of 16-20 are being directed away from their dreams and towards something more “practical”. They are often pushed into majors with higher success rates and they are expected to complete at least some type of college degree. Parents are not doing this just because they want to. Parents and guardians truly believe that they are doing what is best for these young adults. It is evident at the age of 16 up to the age of 20 it is inherently difficult to decide what you would like to do for the rest of your life.
Young adults have the world in their hands after they graduate. The world is a place of opportunity and wonder. Now, once people start influencing them and their decisions, the world slowly loses the bright wonder it once had. What’s left is the dull and the basic. What’s left is what’s known and safe to parents, guardians and others who influence life decisions.
The world should appear as an open book just waiting to be written in for young individuals. They should feel free to write their own stories. They should listen to themselves and only the people who support them in their endeavors.
Students should do what they love because this will change the whole course of their lives. Tests and questionnaires won’t help determine what one truly enjoys. An individual must look within and decide what they really desire, what they may want to do and if the individual is able to dedicate themselves fully to that decision.
Society, each and every day, attempts to control people’s decisions, actions, and words. This decision cannot be made by anyone else but the individual alone. They know their skills, their brain, their body, and best of all what they truly want and are really capable of.
What society has failed to recognize is the rising need for skilled workers. Much of the skilled labor force is made up of baby boomers. As the baby boomers reach retirement age they leave their jobs behind. Since everyone is being pushed towards college young adults become overqualified and unskilled for these positions which must be filled. With all of these openings it is time to reconsider whether people should go to college or not.
If one feels that college will not personally benefit him/her, trade school may be a better option. On the other hand, if money seems to be the only issue then there are many opportunities for help in this area. There are scholarships, loans and more that can help in regards to paying for tuition, meal plans, books and housing. Looking into different school options which may not be one’s first choice school could help to save hundreds, if not thousands of dollars.
Some students may benefit more from starting out in a skilled labor position before eventually completing some type of upper level schooling such as: an associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or doctorate. Additionally, while in a skilled labor position some individuals may choose to attend trade school where they may earn certification in their specific area of expertise.
Often, some people find that they could have been more successful working skilled labor positions instead of attending college due to the amount of time and money that it takes to earn a collegiate degree. Many see this as time they could have been spending to make money. It truly is all in the eye of the beholder.
Overall, if someone is a hands on person who feels that college may not be right for them and that skilled work is more his/her thing, then they shouldn’t go to college. They should follow their dreams and do what they think is right for them as an individual.
