Is higher education worth the effort anymore?
Is going to college going to be something you remember for the rest of your life? If yes, you may want to consider higher education; else, get in line because graduates are not the only ones looking to get hired.
Driving the debate, statistics show that people who go to university get higher paying jobs than those who don't, on average. There's no debate about whether or not a college degree is important in today's money-driven society. More teenagers are deciding to go to college now more than ever. Getting a higher education degree has become the popular choice. But consider this: the more people that go to college, the less valuable a degree becomes. It's not special anymore if everyone has one.
Is Higher Education a Good Choice?
1. College is Worth it
It depends on you and what you want at this point in your life. And remember: it is never too late to go to college. You should never feel rushed to make an important decision on your life's path.
2. College is a Waste
The way things are headed, higher education will be over as we know it. Online education is taking the place of universities as a convenient and cheap way for degrees. Who knows what the future has in store.
Take it From People Who Have Experienced Higher Education. They Have Opinions about College that May Help You Decide the Best Life Path
Higher-ed may or may not be the right choice for you. There are resources out there to help you make the best decision. Your family is the most important resource. But in the end it is up to you to decide whether to go after a higher education degree.
1. Why College is a Good Idea
You will gain valuable working skills with your higher education learning that high school graduates will never experience. There are many positives about going to college that still apply today and will continue to apply to future generations. Plus, you don't want to be the only one in your family not to go to college, right? Or maybe you want to be the first one in your family to go to college.
Fresh Start on Life
Finally, high school is over! All of the proms, popularity contests, and gossip weren't really your thing. It's time for a fresh new start in life, preferably far away from home. College is a new and fun experience with many possibilities in store for you. You will make many new friends and learn many things. The most important things you learn in higher education will be about lessons in life you won't be able to learn in high school general education. Higher studies is just what you need to break out of your shell and figure things out about yourself you never knew. Higher education courses can be challenging for some people, but if you have determination then getting that education degree should be no problem.
If you liked high school, here's to hoping that college will be even better. If you didn't like high school, here's to a new start and new friends that won't judge you for your troubled high school days. Things are a lot different in college. If you have a good head on your shoulders, you should do just fine in your classes. And you may also enjoy your social life in the college dormitories, as well.
Finally Gain Independence
College is your chance to break free from your parents and learn lessons that you would have never learned at home. Higher education is good for helping us grow as individuals. However, not everyone who goes to college is independent. Some people just never quite seem to break out of their own little bubbles. College is merely a tool to help you become an independent adult, but you have to make the choice to attend higher education programs with an open mind.
That experience of accomplishing higher study on your own without outside influence is a great feeling by the time you graduate. The lessons you learn on your journey of adolescence will provide you with more important knowledge than the actual information you learned in class. You will learn life lessons that will serve you well for many years to come.
College is Fun
If high school was a good time for you, then you might have a really good time when you go to college. It depends on personal preference, but normally college is the best time of some people's lives. It is because college is more of a community than the high school experience. People are more intelligent, and more like-minded. It is easier to talk to people, and if you choose to you can make many friends. Getting a college degree through online education can't hold a torch to the college experience. But party in moderation: many of the people who had the most fun in college were also the ones who failed to graduate.
In order to find a good medium between study and fun, you must remind yourself the reason that you are paying tuition and plan your time accordingly. Have fun, but don't allow things to get so out of hand that all of that hard work ends up being wasted. It's happened to many young adults; don't think that it can't happen to you as well.
Travel Abroad Opportunities
Many higher education programs offer opportunities to study abroad in other countries. It is a very exciting opportunity that many students never think to take advantage of. This is something I would recommend for undergraduate studies, as it is less pressure. You don't want the high amounts of stress from a masters education while you're in a foreign country.
In addition, not everybody gets to experience an actual travel opportunity in their lives, period. If you can afford it, and are open-minded, you could potentially find your travel abroad opportunity life-changing. Living in a new place opens your mind to possibilities that you wouldn't have had studying in your home country. You may even decide that you like your new country better, and it will be a future candidate for somewhere to live with your future family. The opportunities gained from this adventure are invaluable and I highly recommend to take this chance while you are still young.
2. Why College May Not Be the Best Option for You
Let's face it: the world is constantly changing and so is the job market. Careers are constantly changing and what may have been a good option 10 years ago may not apply anymore. Look for more than just advice from your parents before making the leap to higher education.
Less Jobs are Beginning to Require a Higher Education Degree
As the value of a higher education continues to decline as more people are deciding to go to college, more companies are just deciding that a degree is not required anymore. Obviously if two candidates with the same level of skill were interviewed, the one with a college degree gets the nod over a high school graduate. But entry-level jobs are becoming more difficult for college graduates to get. This is the reality that we must accept before considering going to a university for four years.
In order to ensure you don't price yourself out of the market, you need to be sure that along with your higher degree, you will also have marketable skills on your resume to show off. If you aren't skilled at anything in particular, then your value as an employee takes a tremendous hit. Because all companies require certain amount of skill for a particular job. If you just spend time goofing off in college, not learning anything and not improving yourself, then life after college will be tough for you. College is not a guarantee anymore to provide you a wonderful life. You need to keep all available options open, if you hope to succeed in this recessive job market.
Prices of Tuition are Skyrocketing
In recent years, higher education tuition is showing signs of ballooning to unbelievable prices. We could be nearing the "peak" of college tuition where it starts becoming unaffordable to middle class families. As a result, students will either have no choice but to find financial aid or not go to college. On top of that, many students are racking up college debt that will take years to pay off after graduation. Be aware of your financial situation and your goals in life before accepting any student loans. Having higher education issues with money is common among college graduates with no sense of direction in their career choice. College didn't used to be so expensive, which is why your parents might not be the best source of advice when it comes to your college decision.
Will the cost of higher education ever go back down to reasonable levels? Nobody knows for sure. The only thing we do know is, it's getting out of control. And the reason is because everyone is going to college now. Those degrees aren't so special anymore and doesn't necessarily guarantee you a good job after you graduate like it did in the old days. Just make sure you have a backup plan in case college doesn't work out for you. Because right now it's a huge investment that may not be worth the time and effort.
Is college a good choice for me right now?
The hot debate about whether or not college is a good choice will continue on despite the changing times. Right now, high education may seem like the perfect fit for someone but five years from now it may not be anymore. Times are changing quickly. Don't forget to check college bucket list ideas off of your wish list when you do decide to pursue a higher education.
