...and we all believed it.
by Kelley Rosario, M.S.Ed.
We all remember our four years of high school. So much of it was spent preparing for college. Everyone I knew was asking me about life after high school and the conversation always included college as if it was the natural next step after 12th grade. At 15, I was convinced that college was not only the goal, but it was the great separater: if you wanted to be a cut above the competition for jobs in your field, a degree was the way to do it. This seems to be the general idea in our society. But what if we’ve got it wrong?
The Problem
College once made a difference in whether or not a person got the jobs for which they applied. With few people attending college, degrees were a rare indicator of specialized training, education, and expertise. Now that the freshman year of college is essentially 13th grade, degrees are like high school diplomas: no one’s impressed by them because it’s the expectation. Consequently, many college graduates find themselves in the same kinds of jobs they were hoping degrees would help them avoid. Then, comes the debt. With 42 million families being affected by student debt, the numbers suggest that the average college student will borrow to get their degree. This is a crisis - underemployed, college-educated, and buried in debt - that could have been avoided.
The Solution
As a society, we need to do better in educating our kids about other options after high school. Many school districts offer Career Technical Education (CTE) or vocational training as an alternative to pursuing college. Often, these districts offer dual enrollment, so students are receiving college credits as they complete high school courses. Essentially, when they’ve finished high school, these students have already made some progress in their college education or they’re equipped with the skills they secure a decent paying job in their field.
In addition, there are academies: public high schools that offer specialized training and education so that, like those who get vocational training, students can get a job that pays well or become licensed contractors immediately after high school.
Entrepreneurship is also an excellent option. A student who develops a successful business might choose not to attend college or to let the business pay their tuition and use the payments as a tax write-off.
No matter what your family chooses, money should be at the center of the conversation. College is an excellent choice, but the best choice is the one you can afford. There is no prestige associated with a college degree if, in the end, a person can’t feed, clothe, or house themselves.
How Can Greater Writing Help?
Whether the goal is college, an academy, or a trade school, Greater Writing Tutoring Service assists students in drafting compelling essays that will stand out. We support students throughout the school year with their regularly assigned essays, but our College Bound Bootcamp is equally effective in helping students secure acceptance to their school of choice and the scholarships needed to fund their education. College Bound services are also available in private sessions. Students who aren’t headed to college should book our Personal Narrative service to get help writing those trade school and academy essays.
No matter what your dream is, Greater Writing can help you achieve it. Book your free consultation today.
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