Students entering their senior year of high school will face many decisions regarding life after graduation. Should they attend a four-year university, a two-year Junior, or a Community College, or will they avoid furthering their education and begin working right away? At such a young age, do teenagers even know the realization of the importance of a college degree? “Statistics show that 30 to 40 percent of an entering college class will not complete their studies with their classmates. Some persons will find that college is not to their liking and then seek other forms of training or go directly to work” (www.Brighthub.com). What young people may not realize is, only receiving a high school diploma or GED is not sufficient enough to find a good-paying job. Obtaining a college degree holds the potential to open many more doors of opportunity for their future. “On average, a college graduate with a bachelor’s degree earned $30,000 more per year than a high school graduate, or about $500,000 more over a lifetime, as of Apr. 2013” (www.Procon.org).
Many students who are undecided on a major or who obtain a job while in school may put off college temporarily until they decide what they want to be. While in this transition period, they may work full time making a low or minimum wage income. Although it’s a low wage, in the mindset of a teenager, it’s more money than they’ve ever made which may cause them to become financially comfortable. The thought of once starting college may get postponed further or even start to diminish. What they don’t understand is by obtaining a degree, whether an Associate, Bachelor, or higher, you will be rewarded financially in the future. “The knowledge you gain and the ways of thinking you learn in college make your mind stronger – and more valuable” (Choices Pg. 23). Many employers seek individuals, and sometimes only hire those who have a degree. Not only will many companies hire college graduates, but they will also pay higher wages and offer better benefits. “The earning potential of a person who completes a college degree significantly increases after leaving college. It is a reality that most businesses base their reward system on educational achievements or how much training was completed for a particular job. The higher your knowledge, skills or abilities, then the higher your reward” (www.Brighthub.com). College graduates have a lower poverty rate than those who do not attend. “In addition to earning more, college-educated Millennials also have lower unemployment and poverty rates than their less-educated peers. They’re also more likely to be married and less likely to be living in their parent’s home” (www.Pewresearch.org). College molds you into being responsible - maintaining a structure and having the motivation to focus on your future and goals. The value of education offers the empowerment of making a career versus having a simple job. Because of taking a low-income job, due to the lack of earning a degree, the likelihood of poverty is very high. Earning a low-paying or minimum wage is not enough to maintain a household.
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Your income may not be sufficient enough to care for a family or cover the ongoing monthly living expenses which may force you to require government subsidy – a subsidy that is paid by the tax dollars of successful college graduates who earned a degree and have a high-paying salaried career. In addition, a lot of low-wage jobs do not offer benefits such as health insurance which is a costly expense. “People who do not go to college are more likely to be unemployed and, therefore, place an undue financial strain on society, making a college degree worth it to taxpayers” (www.Procon.org). Many people do not attend college because of the escalated expenses involved and use the length of time as an excuse not to go. Some may decide to obtain a certificate in a certain trade which would only take a few months to get versus going to school for several years. In addition to the period of getting a certificate for a specific trade, the cost is very minimal compared to a four-year college. The problem with this is unless you know that trade will not be demised if there is a recession, that certificate could be useless.
A certificate is only good for that trade and does not broaden your skillset or broaden opportunities such as earning a degree. When it comes to paying for college, there are many programs available. The problem today causing a barrier preventing disadvantaged or low-income families from furthering their education is lack of or misinformation. There are Pell Grants, Financial Aid, loans, and scholarships available. What people may not realize is are there any websites that offers scholarships, but you have to take the time to research and apply? You have to work hard in high school and have the motivation to want to attend college. Everyone in this world competes for the same job. Although you may acquire work experience throughout the years, and yet may be searching for a new job, employers are more likely to hire a college graduate with no experience versus an experienced worker without a degree. Knowledge is power. Earning a college degree is an important part of a well-fulfilled and financially stable life. The longer you wait to attend college the harder it will be to juggle education, family, work, and all of life’s unexpectancies. To avoid any obstacles in your future, it is imperative to make good choices as a teenager and follow the right path, the path that is less traveled.
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