College is not for EveryoneOne question that comes to mind when graduating high school is, “should I attend college?” For many graduates this question have a very obvious answer. A high school graduate may state that, “college is the best option if one is trying to get a higher level of education, and will help one compete for a higher paying job.” However, in my opinion most graduates do not consider the fact that going to college is a very big decision to make and that the schoolwork will not be easy. Going to college is not the best choice for every high school graduate because many students cannot handle college, colleges’ lower standards, and not all jobs require a college degree.
First of all, many high school graduates cannot handle college. Isabel V. Sawhill and Stephanie Owen describe college as a place, “one can obtain a traditional four-year bachelor’s degree”. The work load outside of the classroom could be compared to working a full time job. For example, if a student is enrolled in four college courses and is in class a minimum of four hours the student should spend at least four to six hours of studying. This may be extremely agitating and stressful to a student that is not good at studying. The new college student may realize that the schoolwork is too much for him to handle and instead drop out. In Pharinet’s blog post, Is College for Everyone? He states that “…it is estimated that in the U.S., approximately 50% of students who begin college never graduate. There exist students who are not yet ready for the academic and financial challenges of college. There exist students who do not have the desire for college or learning.” This statement is important because if 50% of students that begin college never gradua. . .nefit the young adult, or cause many financial problems if the student were to drop out.
Works Cited:
- Sawhill, Isabel V., and Stephanie Owen. “Why We Still Think College Isn’t for Everyone.” http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/up-front/posts/2013/05/13-college-for-everyone-criticism-response-owen-sawhill.
- Web blog post. Brookings. The Brooking Institution, 13 May 2013. Web. 02 Dec. 2013.
- Pharinet. “Is College for Everyone?” Practical Argument. Ed. Lauren G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2011. 635-636. Print.
- “Is College Worth It?” Pews Research Center. May 15, 2011. Pg. 26. http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/files/2011/05/higher-ed-report.pdf. Web. 02 Dec. 2013.
- Murray, Charles. “What’s wrong with Vocational School?” Practical Argument. Ed. Lauren G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2011. Pg. 632. Print.
