Is College Worth It?

Operation Varsity Blues has a lot of people asking the question, is college really worth it? This scandal has left many people wondering what now…

I believe colleges aren’t going anywhere. Yes there is definitely a need to overhaul the college admissions system but unless you are a self directed learner and have the discipline that goes along with it then I think there will always be a need for College.

Colleges offer more than just academia. A college is also a place where students learn how to assimilate and collaborate. Students learn tolerance, compassion, how to live and cohabitate amongst a diverse population, how to advocate for themselves and other very valuable life lessons. One would argue that you don’t need to go to college to learn these lessons however one does need a means and fortitude to go out and find the resources to put these things in place for themselves. If you are an introvert you will not seek out these kinds of experiences. Going to college has a way of helping us step outside of our comfort zones. Again someone would argue that you don’t need to go to college for these experiences and yes college isn’t for everyone but it is for some.

There are some learned skills and experiences that you just can’t put a price on. I know in my daughter’s case, she led a pretty sheltered life in high school. She immersed herself in her studies and did very little socially with her friends. She played varsity soccer which was one of the only social outlets she had outside of school otherwise she preferred to stay home.

Going to college was a new start for her. She was eager to leave high school behind and set out on a new adventure. Reinvent her self so to speak. College was a vehicle in which she could let her walls down to discover who she really was. She used her college experience to try new things, travel, and join groups and organizations that you can only find on a college campus.

In college my daughter still worked very hard carrying an average of 18-21 credits a semester, this is just who she is. At college, she was able to continue to develop her strong work ethic and self-determination something that to this day continues to serve her well at her job. Employers know and recognize these strong, ethical traits and like these qualities in their employees.

There are many kinds of students and a learning style that works for one student will not always work for the another. I would argue that unless you are highly motivated and have laser focus you will probably do just fine teaching yourself with online courses, however, there is something to be said about being accountable to your professors and classmates. The thing about professors is if you don’t care, they won’t care. They aren’t going to hunt you down and make you come to class. Going to class every day takes a great deal of self-discipline which is another admirable trait. Employers will expect you to be at your job every day. College was not designed to get people jobs, it was designed to prepare people for the job market.