Why college is not always the answer
For a long time, tertiary education has been regarded as the key to success. But is college education the answer? Joining college is a huge step towards academic success. However, this move doesn’t guarantee success in life. There are numerous arguments for and against college education. This post is bent at proving the fact that college is not the remedy for success.
Students across the globe go through an uphill task to qualify for admission in colleges. This decision is usually influenced by the societal norm for academic excellence and the appetite to succeed in life. But in reality, college is not the solution. Nevertheless, there are career choices that require a college certificate. For instance, if you want to become a doctor or engineer, a college certificate is a must. On the other hand, there are professions that only require your natural knowledge. So, why isn’t college the key to success? Below are detailed justifications as to why college education is not the answer.
Huge investment
College education is a capital-intensive investment. But is the investment really worth the hype? College education requires you to invest money and time. Across the world, educational loans are a popular option for enabling students to offset their college needs. Unfortunately, these loans accumulate interests and can affect your credit score. In addition, you might need to seek personal plans to help fund your educational activities. This makes college education a risky investment as there is no guarantee that you will find employment opportunities.
Emerging trends
Technological advancement has presented opportunities for earning without the need for college education. Most successful individuals under the technological era are not college graduates. Instead, they have turned their passion into a source of income. Additionally, most organizations are turning away from adopting college certificates as a qualification. If anything, most college certificates are not legitimate. Nowadays, interviews are all about evaluating your natural skill set and the ability to make an impact on the organization. Moreover, employers no longer hire on permanent basis. This has opened doors for contractual employment where you get paid after completion of a task or project.
Trade professions pay better
College education is bent on equipping you with skills to become an employee. However, the state of the global economy dictates that you can only achieve meaningful success through entrepreneurship and innovation. Internet has made the world a global village thus creating opportunities to build platforms where you can reach clients from all over the world effortlessly. Learning how to become a self-reliant individual promises better returns on investment. Also, becoming an entrepreneur presents an opportunity for personal growth which you can never learn in college.
Unaffordable
Inflation affects prices of numerous services and education is not an exception. The cost of living has become expensive and this has caused the cost of tuition fees to increase. With the increment of tuition fees, college education has become a pipe dream for many individuals. The inflated tuition fees have forced many aspiring students to seek student debt which affects their financial position. Taking student loans to fund a college course that does not promise a reliable future will be a course of financial distress in the future. Ultimately, it is better to seek loans and use the funds to invest in business that generate income.
College education is overrated
The notion that college education breeds success has attracted numerous learners. The huge numbers of students in colleges has led to excessive skill supply in the job market hence making it difficult to secure employment. College certificates have often been used as a measure of academic success. But in reality, the academic success does not translate into success in life. This explains why many young people are working in fields that they did not study.
Conclusion
College education has had a huge impact in the economic development of the world. However, the new world order does not call for academic qualifications. All you need to do is to tap into talent and use it to build success. Your decision to seek college education will be influenced by your career choices. But if you have a skill set that allows you to impact the world, you do not need education to succeed. Simply, work smart and success will follow you.