For decades upon decades, the debate whether college is a necessity in U.S. society has dragged on and been left without an answer. Maybe it should remain that way.
“Why college?” feels too broad, too subjective to ever have one “true” answer. The higher education experience is individual anyway, our success is left up to ourselves. So why should one person’s opinion on college have an influence on anyone else’s perception of college?
The question, “why college?” alludes to the idea that college remains the default stepping stone to adulthood, and that you should consider the benefits of college before finding the benefits of anything else.
In this first issue of the Xavierite for the 2023-24 academic year, the Editorial Board discussed the idea of “why college?” as a way to examine this enigma of a question that has encompassed U.S. higher education for quite some time.
Every member of our Editorial Board acknowledged the “immense” amount of pressure they received to go to college, whether it be from family, friends, or their high school. Some members, however, admit a career was never a feasible option compared to a college education.
One board member said the trades were not for them and they “prefer academic environments” anyway, which is why they chose, or rather ended up, at college.
This is the reality for many young adults across the U.S. who see no other way to obtain a fulfilling career without a college education.
But where does this undue pressure over attending college straight out of high school come from? Is it our families? High schools? Or has the idea of a bachelor’s degree being some “golden ticket” to a great job been wrongfully ingrained in our society?
One argument from the board members was that it is not necessarily society as a whole, but “more so high schools pushing students to strive in college.” Of course there is nothing wrong with wanting students to succeed and set high goals for themselves in college, but when does pressure cross the line to convince students to attend college?
A different board member brought up teenagers beginning to worry about college admissions as early as sophomore year in high school. The board member went on to say, “the U.S. has created a culture where college seems like a default and high school graduates who seek fulfillment elsewhere…are mere outliers.”
This brings us back to the fundamental issue at hand, the debate whether college is a necessity for career success.
Many adults instill fear, intentionally or otherwise, in high school students by framing their questions about college by making it seem as though college is the right choice and that choosing a different path is just “alright”.
Looking back at my own time in high school, I was constantly asked about college, majors, and my future career, each time insinuating that there was no alternate choice post-graduation; college was the only option.
Not once did I have an adult ask me if I even wanted to go to college. They thought it too preposterous to ever ask.
Despite no members of the editorial board feeling regret over attending college and the pressures they faced, there is an unquestionable understanding that college is not for everyone, and that there are fulfilling and suitable careers that do not require a college degree.
Ultimately, we could not answer the question, “why college?”, no matter how hard we tried because there is no comprehensive answer to a question that is so personal.
College should not be an assumed point in life for people. Instead of debating why or why not students should carry on to an undergraduate program, we should encourage students to have open conversations about what they want to do after high school, not what we expect them to do.
“Why college?” has never been the right question and, truthfully, is unworthy of any further debate; college is either for you or it is not. That is up for you to decide. And this decision may take time, so take your time, it’s okay to not know.