Why Should I Go to College? The Best and Worst Reasons
Before applying to colleges, many students wonder, what’s the point of it all? This is an important question to ask yourself. College is a huge investment, not only of money, but also of 2-4 years of your life. No one should go college without a very good reason.
Good Reasons to Go to College
To earn more money – On average, people who attain a Bachelor’s degree will earn more than $1 millions dollars more over the course of their lifetimes than people who do not attend college. Those who go for Master’s, Doctorate, and professional degrees do even better. This makes sense because holders of these degrees are eligible for many high paying jobs than non-degree holders cannot get. It’s important to note that this is not necessarily true for every student. If you get a degree that won’t help you earn more money, then the amount you spend and the debt you incur to get it might never be worth it.
For the experiences – College is an amazing life experience. Students not only receive a traditional classroom education, but they also learn a tremendous amount about the ways of the world. For many students, college is the first time they live away from home. This creates a great opportunity to meet different types of people and have many brand new experiences that can make you a much wizer and worldly person.
To pursue a dream or passion – For many people college is great way to launch the next step towards achieving a dream. It can help you break into a new career path or achieve expert status in your chosen field.
Bad Reasons to Attend College
Aside from all the smart reasons to attend college, there a few that don’t make any sense at all:
- Because everyone else I know is doing it
- Because it seems like a good idea
- Because I want to party for 4 years
- Because my parents and family expect me to
- Because I don’t know what I want to do with my life
If your main reason for going to college is any of the above, you should seriously reconsider your motivations. College is not the default solution to all of life’s problems. If you go without a true purpose, you can end up getting yourself deep in student debt with little to show for it. College is great choice for many people, but it isn’t for everyone.
