UNITED STATES—I recently had a reflection while looking at my tuition bill for college. It seems the cost of tuition is constantly on the rise, and it makes you question rather it is worth it. The price of a college education just climbs more and more each year. I’m not concerned with the cost, but I do sometimes question rather what I’m paying for is worth it. Why?
There is no guarantee. You get all these sorts of promises or beliefs that if you earn that degree rather a Bachelor, Master’s or Doctorate’s you are expected to just have a job waiting for you upon completion. However, the reality of the situation is that the case. The job of your dreams isn’t there waiting for you if you want it. You have to put in the work, which a lot of undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students don’t know.
Your professors, the main ones are not telling you that, your counselor might hint it, but it’s not really pushed from my perspective unless you bring it up in a conversation. Trust me I know this from my undergraduate years. You sort of have to be an advocate for yourself and drop subtle hints to your counselor to see if they bite or not. Just for the record, I only saw my guidance counselor TWICE during my entire undergraduate career.
I knew what classes I needed to take in order to graduate, but then things started to hit me towards the end of my junior year and senior year that I have to kick it into gear about a career, especially as a liberal arts major. I knew what I wanted to do, but the realization struck it would NOT be easy to make that into a career overnight.
Should we be paying thousands of dollars for an education where what you’re learning you’re not actually applying them to your real life? No, we truly should not, but it feels like this hidden promise sold to young adults. Paying for all these courses that feel like wasted money. I’m not utilizing these courses for my actual career. Tell me what the hell all of these social science courses that have NOTHING WITH MY CAREER!
Yes, I loved the notion of going away to school, adulting, but I was doing it before college. I had a full-time job, it was just being an environment that was foreign, but I loved every minute of it. This new culture, new people, new friendships, relationships, life choices, decisions that can change your life. Were my eyes open to new things? Yes, but should have to pay thousands of dollars and to socialize and delay the inevitable of having to get a job?
I couldn’t fathom NOT landing my very first job until the age of 22 or 23! That would just leave me speechless to say the least because I feel like it stifles your ability to adulting. Growing up is not fun for anyone, but that is life; it is inevitable. College tests you in my opinion. Some crack under the pressure, others rise to the pressure which is a good thing. Will you endure or will you cave in. I prefer not to cave in and endure as much as possible.
Maybe as Americans we need to push our politicians to make bills to ensure the price of college education is more affordable. People who want to go should NOT be penalized because they cannot afford it. That makes it so those with the ability to go to college has an edge over those who don’t have the financial backing for it. College should be an equal footing for all parties. Not always the case. You might be thinking I’m advocating that college is a must for success. If you think that you didn’t read this column fully. College is not for everyone and if you know that, do not feel the need to go to appease others.
College is no guarantee to success or a high-paying job. We are made and told to believe that, and you have to prevent that internalized theory because it’s a false promise with no actual guarantees.
Written By Jason Jones
