Why is college always pushed upon students after high school? Should one go to college after high school? Is college right for everyone? Many people ask themselves these questions while still in high school or even after receiving high school diplomas. During four years of high school, students figure out how to pay for college, find an interesting college, fill out scholarships, and then finally apply for that college. To say the least, these efforts are all worth it in the end because a college graduate makes more money, people who go to college not only have an education in a field, but also learn social skills, and go on to be leaders in communities. Therefore, after receiving their high school diplomas, students should go on to college.
Obviously, one can see that if a college degree is accomplished, employment rate goes up. The unemployment rate for high school dropouts is 7.7%, for high school graduates it is 5.3%, for people with some college or associate’s degree it is 3.8%, and for people with a bachelor’s degree it is 2.5% (United States). Therefore, knowing these percentages, if a college degree of some sort is obtained, one will get a job that is usually a higher paying job requiring a college degree. The average college graduate earns $570,000 more over a lifetime than the average high school graduate (Currier). With that being said, the poverty rates in college graduates is almost non-existent; whereas people with only a high school education there is a bigger percentage. Consequently, there are high-paying jobs that do not require a college degree. These people either learn the needed skills through a skilled employer, vocational training, or a certificate program. According to Emma Newcombe, “These skill-based jobs can be found in a variety of industries. They are particularly common in healthcare, information technology (IT), and manufacturing.” But these kinds of jobs are great for people who do not mind moving job to job frequently. Occupations that do not require a college degree are usually occupations that are the most unsteady for employers. Generally, people do better in life when the job is reliant. As one can see, obtaining a college degree will benefit in many ways, including pay.
Furthermore, when one goes to college, it is very likely that interpersonal skills will be developed. These skills are perfected when talking with a professor, joining students for a club or organization, taking part in debates or discussions, or simply making friends and interacting with fellow students. These social skills also include speaking up in class and becoming comfortable talking in front of a big group of people. According to Randall and Kathrine Hansen, who both have Ph.D.’s in organizational behavior, “Too many students avoid making presentations while in college, and yet most will need to do so on the job — whether to one or two clients or co-workers or to larger audiences.” In order to be prepared for what a job may bring to the table, standing out in a class will always benefit.
Additionally, when on a campus, one can see lots of friends chatting. Making new friends is sometimes difficult, but the more friends made, the more it could benefit in the future. Say for instance, a student became good friends with someone who had already been through the classes he was taking. Advice about those classes could be very beneficial. The social skills used to talk to fellow students could be a blessing in the future. Therefore, connections made in college could possibly widen the chances of getting that awesome job, all while earning an education. Interpersonal skills are one of the most important skills learned in college.
