Is College Worth It? By: Chimere Eziama

In today’s rapidly evolving job market, the question of whether college is worth the investment has become a hot topic. As the economy shifts, new opportunities arise in trade schools, apprenticeships, and self-directed learning, prompting a reassessment of the value of a degree. Furthermore, with rising tuition fees, mounting student debt, and a growing number of people who’ve become successful without higher education, many are reconsidering this conventional path. For many, college has traditionally been seen as a gateway to better job prospects and while a degree can open doors to career opportunities and potentially lead to higher earnings, it’s not a guarantee.

Grace Holland, a Junior at Hillgrove talks about the cost of college. “The cost is definitely the biggest thing. I would assume people aren't okay with it, and it makes sense, like a lot of people can't afford college or other stuff.” The cost of college is a huge reason for people's reservations towards college but, “Even if you think it's like a government scam to take your money, you still learn valuable things.” (Holland) Workers with four-year college degrees earn higher wages and experience lower levels of unemployment than those with only a high school diploma according to Forbes. “It doesn't discount the fact that you learn materials and things needed for your job.” (Holland) But, once a person gets their degree they may still have nothing to apply it to, Grace says its, “Because a lot of them aren't applicable.”

Hillgrove Senior, Gabrielle Ortega says, “I have to get a license to get the job I want.” Trade schools are a great alternative to traditional four-year colleges. Many of these job markets are stable as people will always need certain things like plumbers and electricians. “My job market specifically won't change because I want to be a hairstylist, and people will always need to get their hair done.” (Gabrielle)

A Junior at Hillgrove, Cooper Dyson talks about the college experience saying, “I think college is a good period for early adulthood, where you get to adjust to being an adult after high school,” After highschool people may not feel ready for the responsibilities adult life puts on them, but in college, “you get some freedoms, but you're not all on your own.” (Dyson) Copper talks about careers that require degrees evolve with time saying, “The software industry just because everybody needs technology people right now, and all the technology companies are booming.” The constant technological advancement and evolution of the job market can cause a problem as a person could go into college and four years later the degree becomes obsolete. Many factors can cause the divide in the decision of going to college or not, all together it is important for students to be ready for how their decisions will affect them in the future.