Attending College Is Not Necessary Essay Example

Growing up in the United States we are taught that college is a must. College is the norm here and we as kids are expected to follow that and go to college regardless of what we want to do. In reality, college is not necessary to make a living wage so why is it pushed so hard? Is there a stigma behind not going got college? For this cause and effect essay, I will be discussing the cause of “pushing college” on students and the effect on their mental and physical health while also discussing their financial state. Throughout this essay, I will be discussing my opinion on these topics. 

College is pushed so hard, but why? College is almost considered to be the determining factor of our value to society. College in my family is super important and my siblings and I are/were expected to graduate with a four-year post-secondary education. Some people think it is difficult to make a living without going to college, which is not the case. I think that lack of experience and lack of knowledge are to thank for that. I understand that some parents push college so hard because they want the best for their children and they want them to have many opportunities but what they do not understand is that experiences and world knowledge may go just as far as book knowledge. In 2020 62% of students who graduated high school went on to get a degree from a four-year university (Divison of Labor Force, 2020). To me, this number is really high and it makes me wonder how many students knew the possibilities of learning a trade, etc. 

Although students are not forced to go to college, it is almost expected that they will in the United States. A student may pick a degree just for the sake of having to and not because they are interested in it. If I look at this from my point of view, I would not be happy if I had to work a job for the rest of my life that I do not enjoy. It worries me that people who don’t want to go to college and do anyway because of societal norms will be unhappy in the future. It can be extremely stressful to go to college, so why endure the headache if you don't thoroughly enjoy it. Financially, going to college is smart if you are willing to work and pay back your debt. Going into college you have to be aware of the cost before you dive right in. The average cost of a four-year university is $38,320 for in-state tuition and $109,748 for out-of-state tuition (Hanson, 2021). College is expensive as it is but when you add on living and book costs it could potentially be double the price. People who do not attend college claim that debt from college loans are too high. Attending college also delays buying a house, saving for retirement, etc. Many successful people never graduate from college and do just fine for themselves. Basically, what I would like to ask is this; is college really worth the cost financially in the long run? 

In conclusion, higher education is a good idea for people who are genuinely interested in going to college. The only thing I want to make clear is that there are other options out there, other than a four-year university, for people who do not wish to attend college. It is very common for people who did not attend college or even dropped out to make a very good living. People can do this by joining the workforce or even going to a technical college. It is important that people follow their own paths in life and do what they are passionate about, and not just follow what everyone else does.