Education has changed a lot in the last 20 years. That’s why teenagers want to find out is if a college education worth it. More precisely, they are trying to determine is if a college degree worth it or not.
Some people will tell you “yes”, others will tell you “no”. Yet, neither of those two groups of people is completely right.
The development of Internet technology gives us many opportunities to educate and improve ourselves. Because of that, the learning method and attitude of youngsters have changed as well. It doesn’t need to surprise us why kids started asking “is a college education worth it”.
Riley Hart once said – “Nothing in this world was completely black or white; wrong or right.” We can use this quote for formal education as well. When someone asks you “is going to college worth it”, you cannot give a completely right answer. There are advantages and disadvantages of formal education that will give you an answer to “is a college education worth it”. Let’s analyze them together, shall we?
Is a College Education Worth It?
The best possible way to get the right answer is to divide this section into 2 different parts – pros and cons.
College Education Pros
There are several different reasons why “yes” could be an answer to “is going to college worth it?”
- Good Salary
- Determining Your Interests
- Making New Connections
- Boosting Your Discipline
- Traveling and Meeting New Cultures
Let’s explain one by one.
Good Salary
Maybe you didn’t know that 35% of jobs in the US require workers to have at least a bachelor’s degree. If you only have finished high-school, it won’t be enough to qualify as an applicant. These things are not different in the other parts of the world as well.
The diploma you get when you graduate will definitely bring you the opportunity to find a high-paying job. This is equally important for almost every field of business. Of course, the diploma is some kind of license for some jobs. If you don’t have it, you simply won’t be able to work in that field. For example, being a doctor requires you to finish medical college and to have specialization for some area.
Determining Your Interests
It is not a secret that teenagers have the problem with lack of life experience. The first steps in the grown-up world are the toughest one. They are not sure which interests and talents they actually have. That is the main reason why you should think twice if going to college is worth it or not.
For instance, let’s imagine that you go to some kind of economic college. The economy is a big field and you are not sure which part of the economy you are exactly interested in. Going to college will help you get a clear picture of what exactly you want to do.
Making New Connections
Being a good student is definitely always going to be a good choice. You will learn new things and your parents will be proud of you. However, it is equally important to surround yourself with ambitious young adults.
Many intelligent and smart kids did not achieve their goals because their environment was bad. Going to college will help you to connect with those kids that are on the same path as you.
Besides that, connecting with them could bring you many opportunities in the future. Maybe they will be able to help you show your skills in the right place and at the right moment.
There is also another connection that can change your future completely. You can find colleges that are affiliated with some startups and companies from your industry. Some of them will probably notice your abilities and they will offer you a job after you graduate.
Are you still sure that you know the answer on “is a college degree worth it”?
Boosting Your Discipline
You won’t be able to see how it looks to have responsible duties until you find the “real” job. However, college can definitely offer you something similar. You will have to learn lessons and pass the exams. Kids that have a problem with time management are usually not so good students. They mostly start reviewing their lessons a few days before the exam.
Things are going to be quite easier for you if you know how to organize your time properly. This is not just important for colleges, but also an important life aspect. You won’t ever feel tired or demotivated because of the everyday duties you have.
Except that, you will also improve your self-confidence. Accomplishing your goals one by one will convince you that you are capable to achieve many other things.
Traveling and Meeting New Cultures
Majority of kids that are trying to discover if a college education is worth it or not start from the educational program. Yet, some things that are not related to education could give you a clear answer as well.
Many colleges offer their students to travel to other cities or countries in order to improve their education. You will be able to connect with people from all over the world and learn many new things. These things maybe won’t bring you success directly. Still, understanding the differences between people will help you become more flexible. Flexibility is one of the keys to a successful career.
After this part of the article, you probably think that you have answers on “is a college degree worth it”. However, there are also cons of formal education that every teenager needs to know. Only then you can find answers on “is a college education really worth it or not?”
- College Education Cons
Our goal is to stay objective until the end of the article. We know how hard it can be to make important decisions for the future. This is especially difficult for young adults that are still afraid to make some important moves.
Here are the disadvantages of formal education
- Not Working on Improvement of Entrepreneurial Spirit
- Lack of Soft Skills
- Too Many Pieces of Information
- Parents are not Involved in Education of Their Kid
- Not Affordable to Everyone
Let’s explain each bullet from the list.
Not Working on Improvement of Entrepreneurial Spirit
We already said that a college degree will help you find a good job. Yet, we also said that the attitude of youngsters has changed as well. Majority of them would like to become entrepreneurs.
A college degree can’t guarantee you will become a good entrepreneur one day. The educational material is more focused on making students become good workers one day. There are many skills you will have to improve “out of college” if you want to become a successful business owner.
Let’s use real-life examples. There are many individuals in the world that became the most successful business owners in the world without a college degree. Some of them are Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Ellen DeGeneres, etc. They had to improve themselves through informal education.
Lack of Soft Skills
Every successful entrepreneur in the world has high-quality soft skills. These skills include a high level of communication skills, time management skills, creativity, to name a few. Students are usually focused only on learning lessons for the exam. They are not working on the improvement of their soft skills that are equally important for their success.
Are you still asking “is a college education worth it?” Continue reading!
Too Many Pieces of Information
It is great if a student wants to explore new things. That will definitely help him to determine his interest precisely. Yet, colleges are offering a lot of information that could confuse you. There are many things that you will find in books that are not so important for the improvement of your knowledge about a certain field of business. More precisely, it won’t help you a lot to improve important skills.
However, this could actually be an advantage as well. It will help you to improve your work ethic. This is definitely something you need if you want to become a successful business owner one day.
Parents are not Involved in Education of Their Kid
Let’s be more precise. Parents can be involved in the education of their kids, but only at home. They could help them finish their homework or learn new lessons. Still, that is not enough. The support of parents means a lot to every young adult. They need to grow together with them.
Colleges usually do not offer the opportunity to the parents to be involved in the entire education of their kids. Education is not only made of skills that will help you find a good job. It also helps you become a self-disciplined, self-confident, and creative person. Parents know exactly how to motivate their kids. That is the reason why they need to involve themselves in the education of their kid.
Not Affordable to Everyone
There are definitely colleges that offer high-quality education to their students. Yet, a big number of them are expensive for a large part of the population. Parents feel bad because they can’t afford a good education to their kids. Youngsters feel like they won’t be able to achieve their goals because of that.
However, there is no need to feel demotivated because of that. If you can’t afford to go to the college you want, there is a solution you should know about.
Risepreneur – The Best Alternative to College
“Is a college degree worth it” is probably not the question you are still asking. After reading the entire article you can make some important decisions about your future.
If you are looking for alternatives to college, there is one that will definitely satisfy your needs. The solution to your problem is – RISEPRENEUR.
Risepreneur is a course, a coaching program, and a community that educates high-school kids to boost their business skills. Their youth entrepreneurship program includes 10 important steps to becoming a successful entrepreneur. Employees in Risepreneur are successful entrepreneurs that are ready to help teenagers. They will help them think and act like business owners.
We already said how important it is to improve all areas of your life. People in Risepreneur are aware of that. That’s why they offer teens to learn about:
- Productivity
- Healthy Lifestyle
- Mindset
- Leadership
- Finance
- Marketing, etc.
Each mentor will be there for students when they get stuck for any reason. They will also help them if they feel demotivated in any way.
More importantly, parents are involved in Risepreneur’s education program! The importance of parents’ support is huge. That’s why you will know everything about the improvement of your child at every moment.
Conclusion: Is a College Education Worth It?
Before we finish this article, there is something we would like to share with youngsters.
You are the only one who can decide if college is for you or not. Of course, talk to your parents, family members, and friends. It is always good to hear the opinions and advices of people that you love. After you hear their side, it is important to make your own decisions.
Besides that, it doesn’t matter if you want to go to college or not. Whatever you decide on, it is important that you constantly improve your knowledge and skills. Things are changing a lot faster than before. You can receive millions of pieces of information on a daily basis. It is crucial for your success to constantly learn something new!
College degree is not the end of your education!
Many people stop their education after they get a diploma. Even if you choose some alternatives to college, that mustn’t be the end of your education. For example, Risepreneur will teach you everything that is necessary for your success. Still, if you stop after finishing the course, you won’t be able to achieve your goals.
Hard work, effort, and dedication are three things that will bring you big success. If you believe in yourself and you work hard on the achievement of your goals, nothing will be able to stop you!
So, what do you think now? Which way of education sounds like the better one? It is time to make some important decisions!
