The 24-25 school year is coming to an end and now the class of 2025 is fully focused on what they are going to do with their future and most of all college. But is college genuinely beneficial?
There is no right or wrong answer to this question, but there are validated opinions. If students are planning to have a career in the medical field then college is a must, same with engineering. On the other hand if you want to be a hairstylist, electrician, or real estate agent, then you do not need college to accomplish those goals.
College is a huge financial investment with the average SEC school being $33,500 for the school year. For trade school tuition it averages to around $10,000. While doctors and surgeons do make great money, $120,000 a year, engineering average is $105,000 a year, which is amazing money for not having to go to college.
While going to college is a huge investment, it can also have an effect on students mental health. Students going out of state have to make all new friends, learn their way around the town and campus, stay on top of their schedules, and learn to live apart from their family at such a young age. The article, “Student mental health is in crisis. Campuses are rethinking their approach” covers some of the thoughts and stresses that campuses are going about, “During the 2020–2021 school year, more than 60% of college students met the criteria for at least one mental health problem, according to the Healthy Minds Study, which collects data from 373 campuses nationwide” (Zara Abrams), it is difficult to believe that parents and students are paying so much money just for the student to be struggling with their mental health. A positive light that college can provide is teaching students self-discipline. Students gain a lot more freedom in their final years of high school such as, Driving, having their own chores, keeping up with schoolwork by themselves, and staying on top of extracurriculars. But going to college, students are completely responsible for themselves. So if they were not practicing their self discipline before it really shows when they are out on their own at campus. Students have to wake themselves up for early classes, do their own laundry, keep the dorm clean, possibly find a job, and still have a social life on top of that. In the end, everyone has their own opinions about college and no on is right or wrong, it really just depends on what the student prefers.