Making the decision to attend college is a big choice, maybe the biggest one you鈥檝e had to make up to this point. With the cost of higher education increasing every year, it鈥檚 smart to ask yourself if it鈥檚 worth it to go to college,听especially听if you don鈥檛 know what career you want to pursue after graduation. If you’re at the point where you are asking yourself “should I go to college,” keep reading!
Don鈥檛 know if college is right for you? Check out our post, 鈥�5 Things You Need to Do If You鈥檙e On the Fence About Going to College.鈥�
Why Should I Go to College?
One of the most important factors to consider in your college decision process is the many benefits of earning a bachelor鈥檚 degree. Here are a few reasons why you should consider going to college even when you don鈥檛 know what you want to do with your life:
1. College will help you expand your worldview and network
In college, you鈥檒l meet people you鈥檇 never bump into in your hometown, take courses that you wouldn鈥檛 think you鈥檇 be interested in, and read books you鈥檇 never choose to read yourself.
College is one of the few opportunities you will have in your life to live and learn with people who are very different from you, gain a breadth of knowledge in a variety of subjects, and be exposed to different perspectives and opinions.
Depending on your major, you may also have the opportunity to travel abroad where you鈥檒l explore another country, meet people who don鈥檛 speak the same language as you, and discover how big this world really is.
2. College will let you pursue your interests and passions
Interested in literature and biology? Business and art history? Music and political science? In college, you can explore your diverse interests by choosing two majors, a major and a minor, or one major and two minors. Some schools even allow you to have two majors and two minors!
If you鈥檙e worried about wasting time and money, fear not. You鈥檒l have to take general education requirements, so you can work towards your English degree while taking a biology class to fulfill your science requirement and vice versa. Some majors are less flexible, so talk to your advisor before registering for that underwater basket weaving class.
At most four-year colleges, the professors will hold doctorate degrees and are experts in the field. If you think you may be interested in a topic, meet with a professor in that field to discuss your interests and future career goals. They may provide valuable insight and point you in the right direction.
3. College is a time to figure out what you believe
You will be challenged by the people you meet, the books you read, and the lectures you hear from your professors. In college, you鈥檒l be in a place where people have different beliefs and values from you. By engaging in conversations, discussions, lectures, assignments, and personal reflection, you may find that your opinions start to change. Or you may find ways to defend your beliefs and grow more confident in what you believe. Either way, college is a great time to explore, shape, and affirm your core beliefs.
4. College comes with forming meaningful relationships
There is nothing quite like the relationships formed in college. You鈥檒l become friends with like-minded individuals and people who share your passions. You鈥檒l also become friends with people who have completely different interests and are from parts of the world you didn鈥檛 even know existed. Many people say that their college friendships are their strongest friendships. Considering the amount of time and growth you experience in college, this makes sense.
In college, you鈥檒l also have the opportunity to network and form connections which will help you land a job or internship. There鈥檚 a saying in business: It鈥檚 all about who you know. There鈥檚 some truth to the saying. In college, there are job fairs, professional fraternities, associations, societies, and more to help you network and develop professional relationships.
Some of the relationships you have with your professors may turn into mentorships or friendships.
5. College helps you gain experience
While you don鈥檛 have to be a college student to apply for internships and jobs, some companies only hire college students for certain internships. For example, hires juniors and seniors in college as Associate Consultant Interns. Many of these hires go on to become full-time employees after their internship is over. In these cases, it鈥檚 a worthwhile investment to go to college and gain professional experience. After you graduate, you鈥檒l have a degree and experience, which will make you more marketable when it鈥檚 time to look for a job.
6. College is a place to learn transferable skills
You鈥檒l be required to take classes such as English composition, philosophy, speech, and American literature. Even if you don鈥檛 like the humanities, these classes will help you become a better critical thinker, writer, and public speaker. By taking general education requirements and core classes in your major and joining a club or organization, you鈥檒l learn a number of transferable skills, such as how to鈥�
- Adapt to situations
- Analyze and solve problems
- Cast your vision
- Communicate effectively with others
- Delegate tasks
- Make major decisions
- Manage your time
- Organize events
- Plan ahead
- Set goals
- Work with others
7. Your college degree may help you earn a higher salary
Last but certainly not least, research shows that college graduates earn more money than high school graduates. states, 鈥淭he median salary for workers with high school diplomas is $38,792 , and they have an average unemployment rate of 3.7% as of 2019鈥y contrast, the median salary for workers with bachelor鈥檚 degrees is $64,896, and their unemployment rate is just 2.2% on average. Over the course of their careers, college graduates can earn hundreds of thousands more than those who don鈥檛 attend college.
College is an investment, and while the initial costs can be expensive, your degree will provide you with the skills to be qualified for more jobs, job promotions, and higher salaries.
天涯海角社区: A College Degree That Pays Off
With so many articles going around discussing the value of higher education vs. the cost, making the decision to attend college is not an easy one. Talk to your high school counselor, college admissions counselors, and your parents as you do your research and make your decision.
天涯海角社区听is a faith-based institution that exists to educate students to serve Christ in the church, society, and the world as biblically minded, well-educated, and professionally competent men and women of character. Our graduates go on to work in global ministry, local businesses, and everywhere in between. So if you’re talking about going to college, consider 天涯海角社区.
If you are considering attending a Christian university located in Pennsylvania, contact听天涯海角社区 admissions counselors听for any questions you may have at 877.786.2728 or听[email protected].
