Pros and Cons of a Little Place Called College!



 

 

Cons of College

 

College is a big question for a lot of students that are entering the next chapter of their life after high school. the years, college has gone from an extreme honor and privilege, to more of a necessity to survive in this day and age. Now don't get me wrong, going to college is still honorable and I feel privileged everyday that I go to college, but the fact is, we as a society have made college a requirement for many if not all of the higher paying jobs. Many people feel as though there is too much of a push for every young adult to go to college. For example, in today's world a young adult coming out of high school is limited to three options; either they decide to go to college, they decide to go into the armed forces, or they try to pursue employment to sustain a quality of living.

 

The biggest argument I personally hear from people I talk to about why they didn't go to college is lack of money, and this leads me to the next Con of college. The amount of debt piled up throughout all 4 or 5 years spent at the certain college or university can be insanely high! A study by the Chicago Tribune shows that the average debt among college student in 2012 is an astonishing $40,000. That includes student loans and the average credit card debt by the average college student. Now I don't know about you, but that is a truly scary number to be put in my head, and it is almost overwhelming. That is why financial aid expert Mark Kantrowitz says that each student should have a major in something that they not only have a passion for but also will have the ability to pay for after college. For example, if you have student loans that are going to be 10,000 dollars a year, then you will need to find a job in your field with a starting income of that least $40,000 dollars.

 

 

Pros (Why college is good.)

 

Those cons might seem very overwhelming and might have made you second guess if you want to go to college or not, but now let me show you why I personally support going to college, and why you should also!

 

Now I know some of you are still in the process you picking your jaw up off the floor after seeing the number 40,000 dollars in debt, but you need to look past that number and realize how little it is compared to the life lessons and quality knowledge that you learn in college. It has been statistically proven over and over again that the average salary for a person with just a high school diploma is significantly less than those with a college degree. In a professional study done by the National Center for Educational Statistics, roughly $32,000 is the average income for a young adult with just a high school diploma. In contrast, the average salary for a college graduate is roughly $50,000. Seeing these two numbers side by side helps you see the economic advantage of college.

 

Another reason for pursuing college are the priceless lessons you learn both mentally and physically.In college there is a certain growing up process you go through where you transition from relying on your parents/guardians, to having to rely on yourself as an individual in this big world that we live in. In college you also learn how to interact with big groups and all different sorts of people. Being around all different types of people helps shape who you are, how you are, and also what you believe in as an adult. Being able to mature and being able to function as an adult are taught in college without realizing it.

 

Lastly, but by far the most important aspect of college is the educational knowledge that we as humans in a way "thirst" for. College takes something that you feel you have a passion for, and actually teaches you everything you need to know in order to thrive in that career! Take me for example. As most of you know, I am wanting to be a Hospitality and Culinary Manager. I have a passion for cooking and being a great owner of a restaurant one day. By going to college I will learn everything I need to know to be successful. I will learn things from the financial aspect, the leadership aspect, and the culinary aspect, so that whenever I get out of college I will be able to easily transition into a work environment and take my knowledge and apply it to a place of occupation.

 

I hope this blog was useful to everyone who reads it! God Bless!