Alternative paths to success

Why the societal pressure on students to go to college needs to change

Mia Brant brantmia000@hsestudents.org

Every graduating senior hears the same question at some point at family gatherings, from teachers, friends or coworkers: “So where are you going to college?” For some, this question is met with excitement about the future, but for others, it is not. Each year Instagram pages are made to celebrate graduating seniors and recognize the colleges that they will be attending, but what about those who are not? The stigma that high school seniors need to go to college in order to be successful is unfair and untrue. It is an expectation that we are fed from a young age, with little opportunity to understand other options. College is not for everyone and we need to stop equating success to a college degree, when there are many successful careers that do not require one.

Although the salaries of college graduates are statistically higher, there are exceptions to this rule. A study done in 2017-2019 by Georgetown University showed that 16% of high school graduates, 23% of people who had attended some college and 28% of people with associate degrees made more money than half of the participants with a bachelor’s degree. The study compared the salaries of different education levels based on careers.

While many students pursue higher education as means of career preparation or other academic pursuits, some students go to college because they feel that it is what they are supposed to do. Going to college is the societal expectation and even though some students are not sure what they want to do, they yearn for the highly advertised college experience. This results in higher dropout rates and unnecessary student debt. Some majors like social work and education do not always require a degree and have nearly the same average salary whether you attend college or not. Despite this fact, unsure seniors still commit to colleges because of pressure from family or friends. An article by Useable Knowledge, a reporting website by Harvard University, gives a list of ‘red flags’ you should be looking out for as parents in order to tell if you are putting too much pressure on your kids when it comes to their education. Some of the questions include, “Do you email or call your child’s teacher about assignments or grades more than once a month, even when your child is not having any problems?” and “Do you often talk about your child’s grades and college applications, forgetting to ask your child what they find interesting and fun about school?” If you are a parent that finds yourself saying yes to any of these questions, there is a list of ways at the bottom of the article that tells you how you can positively frame conversations about college and careers with your child.

The study by Georgetown University found that people with careers in social work made $1.5-2.4 million throughout their careers if they had a bachelor’s degree and $1.1-2 million in their careers if they had a high school diploma. People with careers in education who had a high school diploma or less made $0.9-2.3 million while people with a bachelor’s in education made a similar maximum amount at $1.6-2.5 million throughout their careers. Although there is a wage gap between the different education levels, the highest average salaries are very similar and prove that it is possible to get a job making as much money as someone with a bachelor’s degree.

According to Indiana’s 2021 college readiness report obtained from IN.gov, Indiana’s college attendance rate for graduating seniors was at its lowest in 2021 than it had been in 10 years. With college attendance rates lowering significantly in the last decade, it is imperative for high schools to provide information about alternative plans besides going to college and provide recognition for students who do not want or have the opportunity to go to college. Schools should focus on not only college but alternative career plans like trade schools or joining the workforce.