Is College the Right Choice?

 By Kelly Bridgewater

During the late nineteenth century, only the elite males went to college. Some woman, but not many.

During the 1960's, more and more women went to the university. It was seen as a rite of passage still for the wealthy. By attending college, they were guaranteed a higher paying job and a better lifestyle.  Some of my uncles never attended college, but worked in factories their whole lives and now they are retired, and they are still living a better life with their pension, retirements, then I am working 40 + hours a week.

So during the 1970 and 1980's, it was pushed on everyone to attend college. Scholarships. Pell Grants. Take out the loans.

Everyone was brainwashed to believe that to be successful, you must have  a college degree.

When I graduated high school in 2000's, our parents and teachers preached the same old story, the same sad song.

Those who wanted to attend college, worked hard, and some attended their dream colleges. Some just attended ones that they could afford. Tons of my friends from my high school graduating class graduated with top degrees from big schools.

www.clipartpanda.com

Purdue University.

Notre Dame.

Wabash College.

Indiana University.

I graduated from Indiana State University, which was a nice school then.

Most of them took out student loans to make these dream become a reality.

Now the harsh reality, those jobs we were promised are not the ones that we are working at.

My friend who graduated from Purdue is a manager at a Restaurant.

Friend from Notre Dame works in real estate.

Friend from Wabash College is actually in politics. Different than everyone else.

Friend from Indiana University is a bank manager.

I work at a University, but I work in the Financial Aid office.

None of these jobs pay barely above minimum wage.

My brother, who dropped out of high school, is a license plumber, who will not take a job for less than $45 an hour with a company truck.

So is going into debt, so you can still the diploma on a shelf while you work at Meijer as a manager worth it?

Honestly, I don't agree so.

What about you? Are you actually using your degree on a daily basis? Are you being paid a six figure salary for your skills? I sure the heck am not.