The debate over whether college is worth it began when the colonists arrived from Europe and founded “New College” Later, they renamed the college we know today as “Harvard University”. About 19.5 million individuals will be enrolled in college across the U.S. in 2024, and a total of over $1.75 billion in student loan debt in 2024. About 62% of Americans go to college after high school leaving 38% that either go to a trade school or don’t go to college at all.
Pros and cons of college. The first pro on why somebody should go to college is most jobs require college degrees and it also helps explore careers and earn better job opportunities. Pro number 2 is higher pay. College graduates can be paid more because they are more qualified for the job. By going to college they should know more about their job and that makes them more efficient at their job resulting in higher pay. The last pro is job security. Most college graduates rarely face unemployment, because of job security. Employers value employees with specialized knowledge and higher education levels.
Cons of going to college. Con 1. College is not guaranteed a job or a better life. Like I said in pro number 3 you have a higher job security but you are not always guaranteed that job. College is also not an infinite money glitch. You may spend the big bucks to go to college and be very smart but if you don’t get the job your degree is for then you just wasted your time and money and now you’re set back even further. Con 2 is student loan debt. As I said in the first paragraph there is over $1.75 billion in student debt across the U.S. and can set people back for half of their lifetime. Depending on what you’re studying and what college you are attending you may be paying a lot or a little. Tuition has risen faster than income which is resulting in people having to take out loans just to pay for college. Con 3. Many people would be better off going to a trade school or pursuing work right out of high school. Trade professions are a necessity for society to function. Trade schools are very affordable compared to college and often pay above-average wages. More kids going to college rather than a trade school has resulted in a skill gap in the U.S. in jobs like plumbers, electricians, mechanics, construction workers, or manufacturers.
I will probably attend a trade school after high school because they are much more affordable, teach more hands-on, and, teach more of the jobs I would realistically like to do in the future. I think if you want a really high-paying job you will probably have to attend college but for what I want to to in the future a trade school fits me much more.
What are your thoughts on college?
What are your thoughts on a trade school?
Which would you attend?
https://college-education.procon.org/
https://www.bankrate.com/loans/student-loans/student-loan-debt-statistics/
https://www.bestcolleges.com/research/college-enrollment-statistics/
Replies
I don't think college is a bad thing but it is pretty expensive depending on where you go. Trade schools sound nice since there are hands on so people can get experience in the jobs they want to do. I would most likely attend college because I think I want to work somewhere in the medical field when I get older which usually requires you to have gone to college.
I think that collge education being worth the money can depend on what you want to do in life. For example, If you want to be a doctor or a psyciotrist then you might want to enroll in your local collge as that would help you get that job. On the other hand if you want to start your own bussiness or get a job at your local hyvee there is a chance you can sucseed with those jobs without a collge education.
I totally agree with what you said. I definitely think it matters what you want to be in life whether you need to go to college or not. For me, I would attend a trade school because I plan to be a farmer and a rancher, but like you said if you want to be a doctor or a psychiatrist you will need to attend a college.
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