The most expensive thing I own hangs in a $100 frame, alone in my bathroom. Spring semester has begun, and students are back on campus. Many of them, preparing to graduate in a few months. Many of them, with a bill headed their way.
With the cost of education continually rising, more and more high school graduates are considering if college is the smart choice for them. My generation growing up believe that if attend college, employers will salivate at the mouth for you once you graduate. And if you don't pursue higher education, hopefully one day you'll be lucky enough to ask, "paper or plastic?".
That misconception has lead to more and young adults finishing school, only to find out how little weight their degree carries. In 2013, The Federal Reserve Bank of New York posted their findings that only 62 percent of U.S. college graduates had a job that required a college degree. To add insult to injury, just 27 percent of college grads had a job that was closely related to their major.
Granted, there are a handful of specific career fields where higher education is absolutely necessary (doctors, lawyers, teachers, psychologists just to name a few), but a vast number of graduates are not any of those.
After interviewing recent graduates, the most frustrating obstacle to overcome is, experience. Of course it's naive to believe you're going to graduate and land your dream job. But when the entry-level careers are asking for a degree and 1-3 years experience, or 4+ years in lieu of a degree, you're in a rut. You could've been gaining experience and making money instead of racking up an enormous debt? Ending up ahead of your peers by the time they graduate.
Many students hold jobs while they are in school, but very few of them are able to land something that will gain them valuable experience.
The best chance under-graduates have of getting valuable experience is landing a relevant internship. That can be used as a foot in the door of a company, hopefully they're hiring from within their program. Because the six month stint while in school doesn't compare to years of experience.
Because what employers want is experience.
The diploma means less these days, but the message behind it has remains the same. Of your college experience, how much do you honestly remember (of what happened in the classroom)? I am not against educating yourself; I believe everyone should have the opportunity to do so. But you can do just that, educate yourself. History has shown us that if you want to, you can learn whatever it is you're passionate about, without ever stepping foot on campus.
Students are finally being encouraged to weigh the pros and cons of going to college. When you realize the harsh reality that higher education is also a business (a very profitable one at that), you're forced to step back and make the decision yourself. Who are you really going to school for?
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
