| Anyone who is a college student or the parent of a | | | | Most times we only hear the "pros" of going to college. |
| college student can attest to the ever-increasing cost | | | | These include getting a diploma which will help the |
| of tuition, books, boarding, and other college expenses. | | | | student establish a good career, plus access to job |
| In many cases, a college education cannot be | | | | recruiters. However, we rarely hear about the "cons" |
| achieved without the student or the parents ending up | | | | of going to college. Although going to college usually |
| deep in debt. Some parents use financial savings that | | | | does help a student develop independence, it can also |
| should be earmarked for their retirement, while | | | | provide a young person with an amazing array of |
| students often rack up a staggering amount of student | | | | temptations that could be seriously detrimental not only |
| loans. But still, society almost mandates that a person | | | | to their education but to their future. Additionally, |
| go to college, if they ever expect to get a good paying | | | | students often report that upon graduation from |
| job. But is that really the case? | | | | college, they have knowledge "on paper" but not |
| Lack of Educational Goals | | | | necessarily in the real world of work. Most times, |
| In many cases, a student just graduating from high | | | | students don't get a great deal of experience in their |
| school hasn't even had enough experience in the world | | | | chosen field until their first "real" job. However, they |
| to figure out what they "want to be when they grow | | | | have spent a lot of time and money on classes that |
| up." Sure, there are some people who have early | | | | have no relevance to their chosen career field. |
| career goals and stick to them. But in many cases, the | | | | Getting the Most Out of College |
| schedule of a college freshman is taken up by | | | | A college diploma can help a student get a good job, |
| exploratory and basic classes, which rarely have | | | | but it certainly doesn't insure it. However, there are a |
| anything to do with their eventual career. In some | | | | few things students can do to help get the most out of |
| cases, students even get burnt out on the college | | | | a college education. Working part-time while going to |
| experience long before they get to the "meat" of their | | | | college part-time is often a good idea, at least for the |
| education. Gifted students often find that they can | | | | first year while a student is still trying to figure out what |
| skim through college with very little effort, while poor | | | | they want to do. This can also be a good way to |
| students often become frustrated and overwhelmed, | | | | avoid going too deeply into debt. Completing a |
| without the incentive of taking classes that seem to | | | | two-year degree instead of a four-year degree is also |
| have career meaning to them. If you ask a recent | | | | a good option. There's always time to go back and |
| college graduate about their educational experience, | | | | complete a four-year degree later, especially since |
| many times you will hear how much they wish they | | | | employers often have tuition reimbursement programs. |
| could "go back and do it again," now that they have a | | | | At a bare minimum, a little time spent in the world of |
| better idea of why they want to go to college. | | | | work will help the student focus on what is most |
| Unfortunately, by this time both the student and his or | | | | important to them, so that they will get more out of the |
| her parents are usually deep in debt. | | | | college experience. |
| Pros and Cons of College | | | | |