The College Struggle: Where Will I Be in 20 Years?

by Francesca Armstrong

The pencil drops, seniors scream, and parents hide their wallets as that dreaded time of year creeps up: college. The frightful question that seeps through the majority of high school seniors minds is "what am I going to do with my life?" For some, it's a confident answer of "I am going to college of course!" while others shake their head and decide if college is even something to consider.

College is expensive, especially if you live in Massachusetts. Prices can range anywhere from $17,000 a year to an upwards of $60,000, and almost no one has that money to give. Sure, scholarships help out a little bit, but not enough to take a dent out of that higher education price tag.

Some students try to opt out of two years of tight budgeting by going to community college and transferring into a different college after their first or second year. This can be a great plan for saving money, but after the two years, many students do not want to uproot and change schools to start paying the price of the monstrous tuition.

Families with especially tight funds may not have the ability to send their kids off to college, and taking out those loans tends to be out of the question. However, what's the difference between getting a college degree and working after high school instead? Some seniors see working as the better option, nearly scoffing at the fact that other people want to be in debt for the rest of their lives. The thing is, does the higher education actually benefit students.

Well, studies conclude that yes, there is in fact a reason millions of people put themselves through college. According to pewsocialtrends.com, there are several differences between people with college degrees and a people who only have a high school diploma.

The information stated on the pewsocialtrends website shows that the average person with a Bachelors degree makes $45,500 a year, while a person with a high school diploma on average makes $28,000 a year. Those numbers two numbers are different, but still not convincing enough to some.

The unemployment rate for workers with a bachelor’s degree is 3.8% as compared to the 12.2% of people who never went to college. The working world is getting competitive, and companies are going to consider a person with a college diploma much more than a person with just a high school education.

Another persuasive statistic is that among people with a bachelor’s degree or more, only 5.8% are living in poverty as opposed to 21.8% of high school graduates that are living in poverty. That means if you have a college degree, you are over three times less likely to become poverty stricken.

Some students may still believe that going to the armed forces or just working right out of high school is more practical option for them, but college deserves some serious thought. Whatever high school seniors choose to do with their lives is the right one, and every option should be thoroughly examined to ensure the best decision.