College Isn’t The Only Way

Throughout your schooling career, you are often asked “What do you want to do with your life?” Which is then followed by “What college do you want to go to?” For years college prep has been pushed onto students way too early in their lives. Although some say early college prep readies children for the next step in their lives and pushes them towards a successful career path. These people are wrong, pushing college prep on students doesn’t ready them for college, adds stress to students mentally and financially, and creates a biased view of what a successful career is. As seen through the unnecessary stress of their futures and financial burdens.

College prep has been one of the leading stressors for students. Opponents think when you are prepped early for college you are better equipped to make a decision. However, this is wrong, Pushing college prep on younger students adds a layer of stress that ruins the carefree joys of being a child. Why should children who aren’t mature yet be asked what they wish to do 10 to 15 years from then, knowing their opinions will change? It is widely known by all that as you grow up your opinions and values change. This will change all the previous choices you’ve made. what field or courses you wish to pursue or any college decisions you had previously made which only adds to students’ stress as the whole plan they have made previously they now wish to change.

It is widely known college is expensive, many students have to take out loans and go into severe debt in order to be able to take classes. It will be said that through financial aid and scholarships, college can be made affordable. This is false, these scholarships and financial aid are made very difficult to get ahold of. You often have to fit certain criteria and are made to fill out long and complicated applications or even write whole essays on why you should be selected for the scholarship of choice. The full expense of a good college can often be as expensive as a nice used car or even a house mortgage. Going to college often leaves students in lifelong debt that can ruin a young adult’s financials. As young children, you often can’t grasp the value of money, why should schools be pushing young children to understand big financial decisions such as college?

Schools create a biased view of what a successful career is. Many teachers and administrators often say that college is the only way to have a successful career, and other methods often aren’t explored or talked about. Such as the trades, from carpentry to electrical or even plumbing and heating. When you pursue these careers you either can go to a two-year school or graduate high school and go straight to work. This leaves trade students with less debt than the average college student. It is easier to get a job in the trades over a job out of college. Trades professions are hurting for workers, the average age of a plumber is 55. As many blue-collar workers are preparing for retirement there is nobody being pushed to take their place. All of these jobs are very lucrative and will always be needed, as in modern society we are always needing new houses build or even new schools built.

Why as a society should we push young children to make adult decisions? Why should we stress children out with the mental and financial struggles of college? And why can’t multiple views and ideas be explored? Prepping students at an older age allows them to be mature and better equipped to make and explore their decisions for the future. Prepping students older also allows them to better understand how big of a step college is financially, and how it can affect their whole lives. It also gives students a chance to explore other options, as older students understand how to look past what just their teacher says. Young children should be allowed to enjoy their childhoods free of the worries of adulthood.

Featured Image; “Stressed College Student” by CollegeDegrees360 is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.