When I was a high school senior, our teachers heavily pushed the idea of going to college. We’d receive talks about the importance of researching different universities, religiously applying for scholarships, and taking the SAT. I threw away my dreams of becoming a business owner and forced myself to pre-commit to a “normal,” stable career and went on to get my baccalaureate as I was expected. But after graduating, I decided to listen to my initial dreams. Today as a business owner and writer, It’s more apparent to me more than ever before why college shouldn’t be treated as if it’s the only route.
I’m not the only one with this perspective. It turns out, many parents today are feeling the same way about college, seeing it as an option rather than a requirement. But why the shift away from higher education?
The rising cost of tuition is one reason. This is one of 44-year-old Katie Bingham-Smith’s, a mother who’s still paying off her own student loans, concerns about college today.
“The reality is, college is even more expensive than it was in the early ’90s when I was a college student. I don’t want never-ending student loan repayment to be my kids’ life when they are my age. I don’t want them to be shelling out money every single month until they have grown children of their own,” she said.
The higher costs aren’t only hard on the college student juggling three part-time, minimum wage jobs but also on students’ parents who planned on paying for their education who discover that the money they accumulated in their child’s college fund is only a fraction of what they really need. Even with financial help from scholarships and grants, which are highly competitive, the aid may not be enough to cut it. And because at least 80% of college students end up changing their major at some point, this could mean even higher expenses, and with higher costs means the student is either forced to drop out or take less classes as they slowly get through their program.
Apart from the issues directly related to college, there’s another fiasco: skilled trade laborers are needed now more than ever before, but there’s a shortage. Sadly, with high schoolers being strongly urged to go to a university rather than enter the workforce post-graduation and much of society stigmatizing those working trade jobs, finding those with vocational education and physical skills is becoming more scarce. Yet, many of those working trade jobs make at or even above what the average college graduate may earn.
For all of these reasons plus more, parents (and even non-parents such as myself) believe the younger generations deserve the right to choose their own future career goals, even if it doesn’t involve college.
“There is an emphasis on the four-year university track [in high school]. Being more aware of other types of options may be exactly what [students] need,” Chris Cortines said.
Don’t get us wrong. A college education is a luxury. It’s something that has value in society and can help land you the job of your dreams that you otherwise may not qualify for. It can also act as a backup plan. However, with hefty costs for college and a shortage in physical laborers, it makes little sense to tell high school students that the only way to make it in life is to go to college and get a degree.
“I want my kids to be happy and not just follow the crowd and sign up for an educational commitment that is going to cost them a ton of money simply because they think it’s what you’re supposed to do,” Bingham-Smith said.
Gain further insight on the topic by checking out the video below.
