When my Critical Thinking and Writing professor tasked me with the assignment of converting my 2200 word essay into an 800 word blog post, I thought it was going to be a piece of cake. But let me tell you… it wasn’t as simple as it originally seemed.

Source: Tenor

Entering the blogging world was exciting but presented a daunting task. Publishing my thoughts for anyone in the world to see was nerve-wracking. I had no idea that my first english class in college would open up a whole new world of literacy for me. This new, untraditional way of sharing my writing has been both challenging and yet, surprisingly rewarding.

I wanted my first blog post to be something that many of my peers could relate to, and what better subject for that than college? My goal was to turn my seven page synthesis essay into something that many of you would actually be interested in reading (because who wants to read seven pages).

After rereading the 2200 words I wrote about the reasons why many lower class students do not get the opportunity to go to college, a question came to me. Higher education has become such an integral part of our society, but are we actually wasting our time, not to mention our money, on these 4+ years in college?

I am sure on those late nights at 4am when you are still writing that endless paper on some topic you don’t even care about, you ask yourself “Is this even worth it?”. I know I have.

Source: Keeping Up With The Kardashians

One of the main arguments of my essay was about the inequality of opportunity for education that lower class individuals are forced to contend with. I know that not everyone reading this blog can relate to being in the lower class, so I wanted to make this topic more relatable. In order to make the post more relatable, I set out to highlight the more general questions that anyone might ask themselves when determining if college is the right choice. I also decided to structure the blog post in such a way that certain questions were bolded and certain quotes emphasized by another color. I made these stylistic changes in order to engage the reader more directly. The question was posed specifically to the reader rather than being merely a hypothetical.

I wrote this post because I wanted to encourage others who might be struggling to afford a four-year university to take advantage of possible alternative paths and not be ashamed that they might not be at a prestigious university. However, in order to not neglect or fail to acknowledge the ones who are fortunate enough to afford to attend a four-year university, I wanted introduce the notion of judgement as to open their eyes to these prejudgements we so carelessly place upon so many students.

This assignment challenged me to think about my writing from a different perspective. Words that were once a part of a formal, academic essay, have now been transformed into words that can affect the everyday person and possibly even help to make a difference in someone’s life.

I am excited to see where this new blogging journey will take me and I am looking forward to posting more on topics that you all can hopefully relate to!

Source: Mixcloud

College these days seems more like an expectation and necessity rather than a choice. High school students are encouraged by almost every adult and professional to go college, “unless they want to end up working at McDonalds for the rest of their lives.”

Source: Eric Andre

However, is all this money spent going to school for another 4+ years even worth it? I would say that it is worth it for the students who can afford it, but what about the students who can not? We all know that tuition prices these days are through the roof, leaving many of us with thousands of dollars in debt before we even have a full time job.

Source: memecrunch.com

I often wonder how much money I could be making right now (not to mention saving) if I didn’t go to college. But, unfortunately, we live in a society where higher education is a necessity for a successful future. Unless you win the lottery, are a genius inventor like Steve Jobs, or already have a decent paying job that doesn’t require a higher education, you should probably get some form of a higher degree so that you can live a comfortable life.

Before you fully commit to taking the college path, ask yourself this question:

 “What is it that I am interested in?”

Our high schools often only advertise and encourage four-year universities. I am not saying that four-year universities are bad (considering I currently attend one), but you should know that they are not the only options. Community colleges and trade schools are a few alternatives to earning a higher degree that often lead directly to jobs. So, if you are one of the lucky ones who already knows what you want to do for a career, then a trade school might be the best option for you. This will not only save you time, it will save you money as it is usually a more affordable option. If college would be too much of a burden on you financially, consider going to a community college for two years and then transferring to a four-year university. This will save you half the amount of money you would have spent, while still getting virtually the same general education of the students at the four-year university. There are so many options out there that can make your higher education more affordable.

Source: Giphy

It is so common that we shame people who choose not to go to college or who go to a community college or trade school instead. We label these people as “stupid” or “lazy” because we assume that they weren’t smart enough to attend a “name-brand” university. I’ll admit it. I have been guilty of this before.

I recently read something about a study on Americans who were eighth graders in 1988 that tracked their educational experience through their exam scores and the socioeconomic status of their parents. The results of this study were eye-opening for me.

“Students who scored in the bottom fourth of the exam, but came from families whose status put them in the top fourth [of the socioeconomic status]… were more likely to finish college than students who scored in the top fourth but whose parents were from the bottom fourth.”- Paul Krugman

We are so quick to assume that the people who don’t go to college are the ones who just aren’t smart enough. But, we forget that sometimes they just don’t have the right opportunities or funds they need to be able to attend. Instead of shaming people who go to community colleges and trade schools, we should encourage them so that they can have their opportunity to a higher education just like we do. Even though we all may live in different circumstances, we should all have the same opportunity and choice to receive a higher education.

So, are we wasting our time and money going to college? I think that this is an answer that is subjective to your situation. If you are someone who is planning on being an electrician and going to a four-year university, then yes, I think you are wasting your time. But, if you are someone who is still trying to figure out what you want to do for a career and are fortunate enough to afford the cost of tuition, then I think that a four-year university is a great opportunity.

Whatever path to higher education you may choose, don’t forget that there are many paths out there that work better for some and not for others. Take some time to really think about the best option for you, I promise it will be worth it!

For more help and information on choosing the best path for you, read this article that discusses the pros and cons of universities, community colleges, and trade schools! http://www.valuecolleges.com/university-community-college-trade-school/

Source: quickmeme.com

Welcome to my Blog! If you haven’t already figured it out by now… I am Tess O’Brien! I am an undergraduate student at Santa Clara University and I currently have no idea what I am doing with my life am undeclared in the School of Arts and Sciences. I am from the central valley, Fresno, CA. I am the third of four girls in my family. I love volunteering, especially with children, so once I decide on a major, I hope to have a carrer that involves working with kids. My favorite things in life are hanging out with my family and friends, traveling, and candy (I am addicted). I hope you enjoy my Blog! Welcome to my life!