Is College Really Necessary Today?

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It's the path most of us are guided to during high school, but is college really for everyone? Is it possible to still make a great living without that expensive degree?

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• Education: College • Education: Life Skills 101 • Education: Stuff You Should Know • Education: Trade School

Education is a major cornerstone in our society and it’s one of those things we strive to work for in the early years of our life, all so that we can have a better future. One has to wonder though, is college really necessary nowadays, or can we have a successful life without it? Let’s find that out!

Benefits Of Going To College

First, going to college offers you more opportunity. There are plenty of companies that are asking for a college degree in order to offer you a job. At the same time college education provides you with new ideas and a much better understanding of our world, while also offering you an insight into the topic of your choosing.

Moreover, during the college years you can make a lot of connections and you can gain valuable resources. This offers you much better chances to find a good job, something that is indeed a necessity in today’s day and age!

College Downsides

Despite the fact that it offers opportunities, college education does come with its own set of challenges and problems. One of the major issues here is that most American parents need to pay an average of $27,000 or even more, which is usually taken as a loan, all so that they can pay the college education of their kids. Getting in so much debt can be problematic, especially when many college students don’t really take this seriously.

And this can be seen from the latest results on the job market. Based on a study from Northeastern University, around 44% of all college graduates in 2009 couldn’t get a job and remained unemployed, or they worked on a job that didn’t require the degree they worked so hard to achieve.

Which Career Paths Require College Education?

Being a professor, doctor, physical therapist, a major in computer science or an engineer does require a degree, which was to be expected. But the job market seems to be transforming quite a lot, because according to a study more than 60% of all job openings might require a college degree, transforming this into something mandatory rather than optional.

You can still get plenty of jobs that pay well and which don’t really require a college degree. You can do that as a small business owner, network specialist, loan office, subway operator, web developer, gaming manager, and many others.

Other Options

While going to college might seem the best option here, there are a multitude of career options that you can take into account as well. For example, you can go to a trade school which will offer you the opportunity to learn a certain trade or skill. There are a variety of high paying jobs in various trades such as electrician, plumber, and mechanic.

You can also try to prepare on your own and then take a specific set of exams in the field you pursue. This might be a little risky but the rewards are huge if you follow these ideas!

Moreover, one can also try to work his way up through a company. This is a harder thing to do because you do need to start with the entry level job and then show your skills. While college students might be able to get a better job at first, the reality is that they might not be able to keep that for too long, so the non-college bound students will also have a good chance in the long run. You’ll also be starting that entry level job with no college debt. A college graduate may start higher up in the company or make more pay but they may also have a mountain of debt to deal with for years to come.

In conclusion, the necessity for a college is thinning out nowadays. With opportunities such as self-learning and being able to show your skill rather than your degree, there are plenty of possibilities for the non-college bound students as well. And even if the job market is thinning out for those that don’t have a college degree, there are still plenty of opportunities to pursue!