Is College the Right Choice Research Paper

Whether you are a new senior high school student or you are thinking of going back to school as an adult, you might be questioning “Is college right for me?.”  Although, college has many advantages, it is not for everyone, and there are some factors that should be assessed before making the conclusion. There are some pros and cons of going to college that you should know about before deciding. College is right for many people and can supply a better future for you. College is an achievement by itself but, on a resume, it can supply job security and be the deciding factor between a job or not. In addition to job security, college graduates have a lower average unemployment rate than high school graduates and children of college graduates are more likely to pursue higher education. 

Job security is a particularly important aspect of growing up. Without a job you have no income and without income you are unable to pay bills, obtain secure housing and reliable transportation. That is why college is important early on, it can supply job security and be the deciding variable for your future. If you are the head of your family, you will need to support them to the best of your abilities. One of the best ways you can solidify their wellbeing is by going to a 4+ year college and obtaining a degree relevant to what you would like to do. Also, a degree increases your income compared to high school students. According to Aplu “On an annual basis, bachelor’s degree holders earn about $32,000 more than those whose highest degree is a high school diploma” (Aplu.org). If you have a degree, you are almost certain to find a job, and weather economic crises.  

In addition to job security, having a college degree decreases your rate of unemployment as shown in a study by Statifa by 95.2% (Statifa.com), and is 6.9% less than high school graduates. This is a significant increase compared to last year's study done statifa showing college graduates unemployment was 2.1%, compared to high school graduates' unemployment 3.7%. The importance of these study's was to show that college is important for your future and your kids. By showing them that college is important they may choose to pursue a higher education, shown in a study by stlouisfed.com 71% of kids whose parents had a college education decided to attend college. Unemployment has been steadily rising throughout the 21st century and we need new college graduates to stop the rise. 

On the other hand, some say college is unnecessary like 49% of American citizens (CNBC news). While some well-paying jobs such as a database manager, computer programmer, and real estate brokers make upwards of $50,000 a year (Census.gov), you will have competition. To increase your odds of getting one of these well-paying jobs you may need to go beyond, such as getting a college degree. You don’t have to specialize in a specific field, any 4-year college is sufficient, and opens even more opportunities for high paying jobs. 

In conclusion, a college education is important for those who feel like it is necessary for what they want to pursue. While feeling like they need the security of a job, with negligible risk of being unemployed. Although you are child free in this stage of your life, a higher education will help your future generations to come.