Is College Worth It?

By Srabon Nath

As a student in high school, I personally know many people who are really stressed about college. However, there are others who think that college is a waste of time and there are many other ways to become successful without going to college. To clarify, just because you didn’t go to college doesn’t mean you can’t become successful. But that certainly doesn’t mean that college is a waste of time and there’s no need to work hard for it. If you are passionate about studying a field and already have decided what you want to become, then majoring in that subject in college is a great place to start.

Again, when you think about going to college, you also think about the struggles that come with the process of college applications. First of all, if you didn’t get a full scholarship, college is very expensive. Also, even trying to go to college is very stressful, as you have to study a lot and participate in a lot of activities outside of school. Finally, if you are majoring in a rigorous course such as a medical one, you have to spend a lot of time at college just to get a degree. Considering all this, you might think that colleges are not really worth all the trouble that you have to go through. Colleges are much more valuable than getting a degree or getting the job you want. Going to college will give you a sense of what being part of a community feels like and it will place you into a network of like-minded people. While it is hard to be social in college, due to a large workload, finding ways to communicate with others and get things done gives you a rare experience. College actually gives you a new perspective, as you see all the different people that have different ideas and work ethics. But other than the social aspect, college is a way to improve your intellect. In fact, the whole idea of a college education is to challenge yourself with much more advanced topics. These topics don't even have to be related to your major. People often challenge themselves by taking courses that they never had before.

Rather than looking for a job fresh out of high school, where you have almost no perspective of what is expected of you, a college education is a great transitional phase. The connections that you build in college will benefit you greatly. Plus, you will be a much more productive member of society from the innumerable things you learn.