While a higher education is beneficial to students seeking specific job opportunities and knowledge in critical subjects, the cost, housing and other negative factors can affect a students future or become a trap because post high school education just isn’t for everyone. 

Students shouldn’t have to feel the pressure of forcing themselves to receive a higher education to appease people. The decision to take a step back and not pursue college shouldn’t be shunned as heavily as it is and the despondency of opportunities between the two, college graduate or not, is daunting.

No other group of people is as impressionable and vulnerable as 18-year-old high school graduates. This being said, the financial burden/puzzle that is the ‘college experience’ is a lot to put on people who were just barely pubescent five years earlier. This toxic environment breeds the perfect place to take advantage of financially struggling, home-sick college freshmen.

On the other hand, an increased field of job opportunities and hope for economic stability is enticing, obviously. Many occupations involve a college level education and come with higher income and more employment benefits. Additionally, people seeking to start a family obtain many college benefits. However, student debt is an extremely prevalent issue; debt affects credit and interest rates heavily and can increase to irreversible amounts over time. According to the Education Data Initiative and the American Federation of Teachers, 15% of American adults report they have outstanding undergraduate student debt. Additionally, more than 45 million student loan borrowers owe student debt. This being said, students should be able to make their own informed decisions about their future. 

The ‘college’ question can be a difficult pill to swallow. However, the decision shouldn’t be influenced by high schools, colleges themselves or anyone who isn’t the sole person making the decision; and that decision should not negatively impact their future.