So I just finished my first year of university and quite frankly I'm happy to be on a break. Don't get me wrong, my experience at university was not all terrible; it took some time to get used to, of course, but once I knew what to expect, things got a lot easier. When I was dealing with the "bad times" I constantly questioned whether or not continuing my education was plausible. But after careful consideration, I realized that for me, personally, it is a good investment.
This meme explains way too much for only 11 words. Money is probably the biggest issue involving higher education, and everything else for that matter. The issue does not only lie with parents trying to pay for college, but it also lies with the students. Most of us don't have jobs to bring in a consistent income, so we are forced to rely on savings or our parents to cover the costs. As terrible as it is, college is the time when a lot of young people realize the value of money (
With America in a recession and unemployment at a high rate, both parents and students wonder if the college experience is really worth the gamble of employment afterwards. But according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2010 (statistics received from: http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/story/2011-12-06/college-education-debt-jobs/51680176/1)
- 14.9% of those without a high school diploma were unemployed
- 10.3% of those with a high school education were unemployed
- 7% of those with an associated degree were unemployed
- 5.4% of those with a bachelor's degree were unemployed
- 2.4% of those with a professional degree were unemployed
- 1.9% of those with a doctoral degree were unemployed
Granted, it is 2012, and those numbers could easily be going up, but they could be going down. My point is that theoretically and realistically, a college gradate is more likely to get a job, perhaps not right after graduating, but the possibility is there.
I've come to the conclusion that university is necessary to an extent. The things "learned" in college are only variations or elaborations on what was learned in primary and secondary school. Meaning that, you may not necessarily learn a new skill per say, but you are more so perfecting the skills already attained. Besides that, college offers young people another chance; the chance to get away from what we are used to and experience the world in a whole new light- to become more cultured and aware of our surroundings instead of being blinded by the shields placed around our hometowns. It gives us the opportunity to make our own decisions, starting with where to attend, the major we want to pursue, the people we interact with, and so on. In high school, we are so limited; we are subjected to the same people day in and day out from kindergarten until twelfth grade and by gradation time, we are all sick of each other. College gives us the chance to widen our horizons, to travel abroad and literally see the world, experience different cultures, and interact with different people. I'd say if you are up for the adventure, college is the way to go.
Note: college is not for everyone. Some people realize that early on, and make the decision to travel the world, or join the military, or just enter the work force. I mean think about it: Bill Gates, Chairman of Microsoft, Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, and Steve Jobs (R.I.P.), co-founder of Apple, Inc. did not finish school; in fact, they all dropped out. I'm not necessarily condoning dropping out, but these revolutionaries found their calling, and it wasn't stuck in school. I would say do what you think is the most realistic and good use of your time. Don't go to school and squander your parents money if you have no intentions of actually doing something with your education.
Hopefully this was somewhat enlightening...Thanks for checking out my blog! Later!
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