WHO GOES TO COLLEGE? - AND WHY?
Because the cost of a college education is getting higher and higher each year, no one should go on to college without first analyzing why he or she wants to be there. Part of the success of a college education is meeting the goal you set for yourself, before you enter, and knowing why you’re going to college can help you se that goal. Check the following reasons. There should be at least two!
1. TO BE ABLE TO GET A GOOD JOB - While most educators put "getting a better job" as practically the last reason for going to college, most students and parents list it first. For nearly all parents and teenagers, a college degree is synonymous with a higher income, a better standard of living, and a more satisfying job. Research confirms the highest paying occupations are open to those who have college degrees -- and all jobs are open to college students, not just a few.
2. TO LEARN HOW TO THINK CRITICALLY AND ANALYZE INFORMATION - The development of critical thinking skills and the ability to analyze and reason logically is the number one purpose of education, and college study hones these skills.
3. TO BUILD A NETWORK OF REFERENCES AND RESOURCES FOR A FUTURE CAREER - Let's face it; just as letters of recommendation from high school teachers, advisors and administrators can help you get into college, references from college professors can help you get a job or qualify for graduate school. What you do in college is as important as your grades, because the contacts and friends you make will be the people who support you when you begin to look for a job.
4. TO DEVELOP A KNOWLEDGE OF AND AN APPRECIATION FOR DIFFERENT IDEAS, PHILOSOPHIES, CULTURES, AND PEOPLE - For those high school students who truly have this as their number one reason for going to college, our hats are off to you! May you end up (and you probably will) as the leaders of the 21st century.
5. TO HAVE FUN AND EXPERIENCE LIFE BEFORE SETTLING DOWN INTO A CAREER - Combined with one or more of the reasons listed above, there is nothing wrong in admitting that enjoying college is something one wants. College should be both enjoyable and educational.
6. TO PLEASE PARENTS - Many students who go on to college come from families where their parents se a clear expectation about college attendance. While this should never be the only reason a student has for entering college, it may be fairly significant for students who have not yet become -- or started to become -- independent. Students who are going to college only to please their parents, however, will be seriously hampered in attaining any of the benefits a college education bestows and should probably reconsider their post-high school plans. Sometimes a year off makes college much more appreciated.