Unlike many high school students today, I always knew I was going to go to college. My mom says that when I was younger, I joked that I would have to choose between Yale or Princeton. Maybe it was growing up with parents who believe education is the key to success or maybe it was my middle school and high school teachers who talked about college as if it were the best path.
Either way, by the time I was in seventh grade, I knew that I had to take the right courses (meaning honors and AP courses), get good grades, and get involved in extracurricular activities in order to get into a 鈥済ood鈥� college and land a 鈥済ood鈥� job. And I wasn鈥檛 the only one who felt this way. Most of my peers (and their parents) were also set on college, not because they wanted to go, but because it was the only path that they knew. By the time I was a high school senior, everyone I knew was taking their SATs for the last time, finishing up college applications, and evaluating financial aid packages.
So fast forward five years later. Imagine my surprise when my younger brother shared that he didn鈥檛 want to go to college.
To Go or Not To Go?
Our argument went a little like this:
鈥淚鈥檓 not going to college. I don鈥檛 need to go,鈥� he said simply.
鈥淣o one鈥檚 going to hire you without a college degree,鈥� I argued. 鈥淎nd college graduates make more money, you know.鈥�
鈥淭hat’s debatable. There are lots of good jobs out there that you don鈥檛 need a degree for,鈥� he fought back.
鈥淏ut college will help you become more well-rounded,鈥� I argued relentlessly. 鈥淵ou鈥檒l learn so much about yourself.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 smart. I鈥檒l be fine. And college is so expensive. I can learn skills now and I can always go to college later.鈥�
And in some ways, he was right. While I had never considered any other option other than going straight to college after my high school graduation, my younger brother, as well as his friends, found themselves wondering, 鈥淚s college worth the cost?鈥�
Important Factors
The more research I do on the topic, the more I am convinced that it鈥檚 a question without a clear answer. There are many factors that go into making the decision to attend college:
- The high costs of college: Can I afford it? Will I be able to pay off my debt?
- Job security: Even with a college degree, will I be able to secure a job?
- Salary: Will I really earn a higher salary with a college degree than a high school diploma?
- Skills: Will I learn valuable skills in college? Can I just go to trade school?
These are questions I didn鈥檛 ask as a high school student. And while they are difficult and frustrating questions, they鈥檙e important ones, considering the amount of money and time that goes into a college education.
Resources
If you鈥檙e a high school student struggling to make a decision of whether you should attend college, you鈥檙e not alone. Here is a list of resources to help you make the decision that is right for you:
General Information/Overview
- (The Art of Manliness)
- (Forbes)
- Don鈥檛 Know If You Should Go to College? 5 Things You Need to Do Before Making a Decision (Life and Learning, 91吃瓜)
The Argument Against Higher Education
- (The Choice blog, The New York Times)
- (PBS)
The Benefits of Higher Education
- (Collegeboard)
- (Business Insider)
- 7 Reasons You Should Go to College (Life and Learning, 91吃瓜)
Alternatives to College
- (Forbes)
- (Art of Manliness)
Making the decision to go to college is a tough one. I hope these resources are helpful to you as you make the decision to attend college, take a gap year, or find an entry-level job. And for those of you wondering, my little brother ended up going to college.
