Betsali Cintron: Lending Tree Scholarship

There are many reasons as to why the Trailblazer Collegiate Academy Scholarship is necessary for my education. Simply put, my mom’s income isn’t enough to support us financially and pay for my tuition. I have a part time job to cover some of my expenses like my dual-credit but I don’t make enough to pay my school bills and save for my future. With this scholarship, I will be able to put back funds for when I graduate high school, get my bachelor’s degree, and later, my law degree.

It’s been a subject of news reports both local and national: the opiate drug epidemic in central and northeast Pennsylvania is skyrocketing and Geisinger Marworth is stepping in to do something about it.

College is an important place that can lead us to a bright and successful future. College success is more than academics; for us it’s learning how to become an adult for the first time in our life. In college we will develop skills to have relationships with professors, counselors, and with our peers. The whole college experience enables us to truly succeed. Meeting new people, becoming acquainted to different ideas and cultures, and mostly, the enjoyment of the four plus years of being in school. A couple of years from now we will look back at college as either one of the best or worst times of our lives. The one thing that motivates people to go to college is “career

People think that having a college education is a pathway to success in life. However, what exactly is a college education? The actual meaning of it is “an optional final stage of formal learning that occurs after completion of secondary education.” By this definition, it is the highest level of an education before it allows us to step into the real world and start our career from everything that has been learned in college. It is also an optional opportunity for students to pursue if they choose to. Before entering college, I thought it was a place just to seek a degree to get a job satisfaction that I’ll be interested in and receive all kinds of benefits after college. What a college education really gives are many benefits for those that

Society today is often very pressuring towards young adults when it comes to attending college. Maybe it’s because it is the most appropriate idea for people. College provides the average human with a higher satisfaction of life due to the experience and the positives outcomes than that of someone who chooses not to go to college. Although college results in the possibility of debt afterwards, it is still worth the journey.

Located in the 14th Edition of The Norton Reader, an article written by Carolina Bird titled “College is a Waste of Time and Money” can be found. In the article Bird argues that though college may be beneficial for a small percentage of students, but for the majority it is a waste of time and money. The benefits of a college degree can rely on many contributing factors, but for some college is simply a waste of time and money. Though most of the sources used in Bird's article are over four decades old, the argument today is still very strong. One example includes the idea that most students believe that college is the best thing for them to do for their future, and therefore they enroll, only to realize they are not happy and drop out. For other students their dream may have always been set on a specific career, putting college into the plan, but following graduation the job market for their degree is scarce. Within these two examples one would find support for the argument that college is a waste of time and money.

Surprisingly, many individuals believe that college is not worth the cost, or that student loans are too high to merit the investment. They are of the opinion that going to college only sucks your money even though there is no guarantee that you will become successful once you graduate. Even though it almost sounds true and one can easily believe in that notion, nothing could be further from the truth than this.

College is a place where students learn what they want to be when they graduate and they use that knowledge they obtained from college to fulfill their dream by what they have studied, so hard for in college. Some people ask, “Is College worth it?” and the answer to that question is, “Yes.” A lot of people continue to disagree with that answer, but when it’s all said and done: college is worth it. That is why, there is still students that enroll into a 4-year college or a community college because they want to become successful in life which is the reason why they feel that college is worth it.

Education is the main goal of college. I had always considered myself a person dedicated to the pursuit of more knowledge and a better education. My mother, being a teacher, had instilled these values in me. When I was in elementary, I tested into a gifted center and from there I tested into selective enrollment college prep. The obvious next step seemed to be college. Looking the scholarship given to me, it just didn’t seem to add up. I had scored a 32 on the ACT but my scholarship was barely covering half of my expenses. But I knew if a just gave up, the meant giving up on everything that I believe in. By pursing college I was able to be challenged, pursue subjects which interested me and discover new pathways that I was interested such as African American studies. Without taking that chance, I may have never received that knowledge.

Many think college is not worth it, however when I think of college not being worth it, I ask myself what is “it”? Is college not worth the sacrifice, time, or stress? In this case, many are not college material, simply for lacking the amount of effort and self motivation it takes to get through college. I oppose with the statement “For many, College isn’t worth it” because college is worth everything it takes for you to become great in the field you choose to study. Many people are not able or do not have the mindset to get through college, but that do not mean they will never have the mindset. Most people do not work hard under pressure or have great skills at testing or learning at a slow or fast pace. Some people believe that after highschool, since it is required, that going straight into an occupation is better for them. In my opinion, college is a stepping stool for achieving higher education and newer knowledge for the area you decide to infiltrate. I believe the educational world is bias to the brainpower of many people and people of the world is bias to the things they are capable of doing. Therefore, I am confident in stating college is worth it because having a college background ensures you quicker job opportunities, college gives you knowledge to become disciplined and self-motivated, and; college also enhances your communication skills.

Dale Stephens, founder of Uncollege, a social movement supporting self-directed higher education, has a very strong belief that college is a waste of time. In his opinion piece for CNN appropriately title “College is a waste of time”, Stephens shows the downsides of going to college such as the cost of it, the consequences of failing, and how it does not prepare you for the real world. The Wabash National study held a survey asking college students and graduates what they came away with out of college. With all the data they captured, the study concluded that the majority of the groups tested believe the only things they learned from school were life lessons. The fact of the matter is, although you learn life lessons throughout your experience in college, ultimately it is a waste of time because it does not help you much academically.

==========Despite the benefits and securities, there are a number of reasons why college is not meant for everyone. The person may not perform well or even learn anything from college. A person can be successful with or without a college degree. College is known by many as a “rite of passage” (Addison 256). The misconception is that people believe that you have to receive a four year education in order to be successful in life. A college education is like a key that opens the doors to more opportunities in life. However, it is not always needed.

From a young age, most kids have been brainwashed to believe that college is the only path to success in life. Is it? Is college the right choice for everyone? Or are there better alternatives? These are questions that have been asked many different times but it seems like there has been a lack of a clear-cut answer. There are many different things to consider when looking at colleges as the only path to success.

Now days, many people are told that they must graduate high school with good grades, so that they can get into a good college and be successful in life. Many people follow this because it’s what they have been taught their whole life. Most won’t even ask themselves, is college worth it, or is there a better alternative out there. College can be worth the time and money that is invested, for a lot of individuals, if they use it correctly. On the other hand, college isn’t for everyone and there are many reasons that make it not very appealing for these individuals. I consider college to be worth it if you use it correctly, even if it isn’t the best financial investment. While there are many people who think college is worth the time and money invested, there are others who disagree.

Many people believe that if you go to college it will guarantee you a respectable career and a higher-income. One would think that is what students expect to get out of their college experience but that may not always be the case. I am an example of a student who is looking for a different outcome for my college degree and experience. As an adult making the decision to go to college was a constant battle I struggled with. I knew I was taking a big risk when I signed up for classes. I knew college would be an adventure that would be both tough yet rewarding. I want my college experience to give me the push that I need to help me grow as an individual. I want my experience to create a path to guide me to be successful in everything I do in life, and overall, I want my college experience and education to be an example for my daughters.