Every fall, tens of millions of young adults are rushed off to college to earn educations that are believed to vault them successfully into their next station in life. Many Americans hold the belief that college is a must and that they will not be a success unless they choose to go to university. The college craziness in America exemplifies the philosophy of life as a linear series of triumphs, unmarked by detours and failures. Though college is an excellent route, proven to catalyze careers, not everyone’s adult life necessitates the college experience.
For many, college is the right route. A whole lot of people will not have trouble paying for college. A whole lot of people already know what they want to do for a living, and know that their future job requires a college degree. There are also many people who are able to afford college, but do not know exactly what they want to do with their life…for these people, college can be a great place for them to figure things out, while learning and gaining independent life experience at the same time.
The most appropriate preface to our culture’s argument for college is stated well by William Zinsser, a master of Brandford College, Yale, “One of the few rights that America does not have is the right to fail” (449). Not having the right to fail showcases the track of obligation we must follow to please those around us; whether they be our friends we wish to keep up with and impress, or our families who are footing the bill, a college degree is hard to snuff our nose at.
A college degree is hard to snuff your nose at…unless you’ve paved your way to success without one. Those who don’t go to college or drop out somewhere along the line are often self-proclaimed failures; however, there are plenty of men and women who are marked successful, even without a degree in their hands. Cooking show host Rachel Ray, Microsoft CEO Bill Gates, Virgin Wireless/Galactic owner Richard Branson…these are all highly successful people who paved their way without an “earned” education. Without college, there are still plenty of ways to keep learning. Believe it or not, the same books that our professors makes us buy are still accessible to the rest of the world. Many used books sell on Amazon for as low of a rate as shipping and handling will cost. There are also websites that teach coding-for free! With just those two resources, it’s highly possible to become self-employed in 2016. College is not necessary for those whose careers do not require degrees. Many companies will hire young people who have experience with internships, apprenticeships, and vocational-technical certifications on their resumes. Many reputable certifications are offered at public community colleges and cost only a fraction of university earned education. Not all certifications even require courses to be paired with, in many cases students could learn on their own, through books or the internet and never have to step foot in a classroom until they are ready to prove themselves. An education does not have to be earned and a college degree does not have to be obtained by every man and woman who hopes to be labelled a success. Just like the job market has changed, so has our means of educating ourselves.
Even though the right path in college will lead many students to a future of job and financial security, college isn’t for everyone. Some will find a way past the system universities have stressed… and some rightly should.
Work Cited
Kirszner, Laurie G., and Stephen R. Mandell. Patterns for College Writing: A Rhetorical Reader and Guide. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2012. Print.
There appears to be no light at the end of this tunnel. The path is clearly lit, but it leads to an abrupt stop. There are 441 planks of wood are laid out on this bridge for me to walk over; 441 planks and I do not know what lies past them. All I know is that I have 441 planks of order in my life before I come out the other side and entropy takes reign. The bridge is a lot like college.
Some people take the bridge and some people don’t. It’s not necessarily right or wrong to take the bridge versus walking through the swamp underneath. The bridge will cover me from the inevitable rainstorms. The bridge will lift me from the hungry and scared animals that have already claimed home below. The bridge is straight; if I follow the planks laid cross, I should very well get to the other side with dry socks and with no scratches of the flesh. I’ve already chosen to begin walking across the bridge. Yes, it’s firm and promising. However, I can’t help but wonder what it would have been like to take the swamp. When I make it out to the other side of this tunnel of lumber, I’ll see a world that I’ve never yet breathed from.
Ironically, I will probably try doing the same thing when I cross this bridge as if I had taken the trek through the swamp, but I truly believe that taking the bridge will have made my endeavors easier.
My soul is synonymous with my cerebral cortex...the thing that helps me weight my life decisions.
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