Gap Year

High school graduation marks the start of young adults’ lives, a time where they are expected to decide what they want to do for the rest of their lives. Many young adults are pressured into attending college, whether they have determined their goal or not, but is it necessary? “The Case Against College,” an article written by Linda Lee, a mother who has questioned the former belief that college equals success, claims that “not everyone needs a higher education.” College, though beneficial to many, is not for everyone and should not determine an individual’s life.

Growing up, parents, teachers, and elders always emphasize the importance of an education to the younger generations. High school students are pushed and encouraged towards college for the next big step in their life. By the time kids step into high school it’s drilled into their heads that to make something of oneself they need to pursue a college education. In reality, are high school graduates even prepared for the challenges that they will soon face? High schools are not preparing their kids for the “college experience” that in turns leaves them lacking the know-how they will need for the workforce.

Being admitted into college is a difficult process, one that requires students to be diligent in their studies, engage in a number of extracurricular activities, and overcome the everyday pressures and challenges that high-schoolers face across the country. Admittedly, not everyone in the United States is born with the same opportunities as socioeconomic factors as well as historic injustices have contributed to a society in which some people are far more likely to achieve upward mobility – of which, obtaining a college degree is a necessary part – than others. While there is need to rectify this reality,

“In fall 2016, some 20.5 million students are expected to attend American colleges and universities, constituting an increase of about 5.2 million since fall 2000” (National Center for Education Statistics). That number seems to be rising each and ever year, and it almost seems as students feel like they have to go to college directly after high school. Maybe it is because they feel that they have to fit in, even if college is not for them. Although some students attend college for academics, sports, and other reasons, some students attend college for no apparent reason; with that in mind, students should take into consideration the time and money that is put into going to college.

The transition from high school to college is a dynamic time in one’s life that parallels the change from childhood to adulthood. Both of these changes are dramatic and, as a result, feelings are difficult to put down into words. A messy combination of emotions fills the heart, surfacing in strange ways. Confident high school seniors go right back to the bottom of the chain when entering college as freshmen. These students start all over, just like entering grade school or high school for the first time. The move up from high school to college signals the switch from dependence to self-sufficiency. From a personal point of view, going through the experience of graduating high school and transferring to a residential college campus at STLCOP, made me realize I was no longer a kid and capable of making my own decisions.

As adolescents begin their senior year, the topic of college often runs without hindrance, often causing extreme stress. As the monetary value, as well as the time spent, begins to accumulate in their minds, students often find themselves bound at the wrists figuring out a way to balance as well as afford college living. In many cases, the upcoming graduates are unsure about their career path, almost enhancing their stress in choosing a school that would cater to their needs. It is almost then they begin to ponder whether or not University/college life is for them, which is could be an extremely advantageous shot in a, for example, high achieving family. Whilst college does allow for a plethora of doors to be opened, the lack of time, effort, and money can hinder one 's ability to properly choose a university. Though school can help with the stepping stones of life, they do not entirely ensure a proper future, therefore many may opt out of school; however, with the correct actions, they may turn out extremely successful, which may not have even happened without the release of the burden of school.

Many high school students sometimes wonder if continuing their education after high school is truly worth it. Obtaining a four-year degree is a very expensive and time-consuming task. After graduating from college and getting a Bachelor’s degree, the goal is to find a job that fits their chosen profession and earn more money than if they would have not gone to secondary school. The worry of many students is that they will not be able to achieve this goal in finding a job with their degree or that the pay will not be worth it as they are paying off loans after graduation. People have different opinions on the matter and some do not even consider that college is not worth the money. The real question of concern is whether colleges are assisting students towards their goal and if the time and money spent on the degree is worth it to the student and family.

For the first Common Hour President Porterfield spoke to the student body and faculty assembled about the value of a liberal arts education and defended it against the growing number of critics. The critiques came from many different voices, from education experts to entrepreneurs like Mark Cuban; however, their message is the same. A liberal arts education is for the rich and wealthy. Studying a range of topics from philosophy to sociology doesn’t help put people into the jobs they need to survive in this economy. A liberal arts education is an extravagance that belongs to the generations that came before. President Porterfield went on to discuss

As a senior in high school, questions regarding college and my plans for the years following graduation are asked to me on a day-to-day basis. College is definitely the most important thing I am focused on this year, and although a college degree is highly valued in the job field today, many argue that not everyone should attend college due to the fact that it brings a new level of responsibility that many cannot handle, many careers now do not require a four-year degree, and because students no longer have the desire to learn.

Many high school students succeed with a little leniency through their four years. The transfer from high school to college becomes overwhelming and a struggle for some. For students do not comprehend the importance of changing more than their location during the transition. A student must be psychologically, physically, and emotionally mature to pursue college and not venture into a point of no return. Dropping out of college makes the outlook of the conversion difficult to acquire. Individuals should take their time on deciding which college and/or university is the best match for them. There are various reasons that cause persons not to prosper. Issues that individuals may come upon might leave a lifelong scar. Matters such as these

It is a well known fact but there are many people including counselors, parents, teachers, and friends who resist saying it out loud for fear it will sound like discouragement and negativity: college is definitely not for everyone. The pressure on high schools students, especially those that excel, to attend a college or university is enormous. And in the case of a bright, industrious and motivated high school student, attending a college or university is an obvious career choice. For those students, it's only a matter of what university to attend, whether one's SAT score is high enough, and the availability of the money. Then there are the millions of high school students who are not really personally motivated but are being pressured by their counselors, teachers and parents should they attend college if they really don't care? This paper examines those issues.

​"Education is the movement from darkness to light". In The Closing Of The American Mind, by Allan Bloom, Bloom argues that higher education has been drastically modified over the years and has ruined the psyche of today 's students. Once upon a time Americans dreamed of a better and brighter future, one that could transport them into a perfect utopia of societal bliss. Higher Education was the enthralling stepping stone for happiness. It inspired students to find their voice, while drawing from the past. It was a place where they could make mistakes and change their major once or twice. Today, higher education has become more about the career path and how it is more necessary than before. Higher education is no longer an adventure that allows the student to embark upon a journey of discovery and self-expression as it once was. This is due to the vigorous demands of the general society and how students today are required to maintain focus on a career that is valuable and not adventurous. Basically, we have lost touch with what makes this country so great; the impossible becoming reality. The creativity is gone. The belief that our imagination can grant us happiness if we work hard enough and believe is nonexistent. Higher education has separated the extraordinary and left us with dedicated, intelligent drones working towards the path that pays the most and will always have job security.

The hardest decision a student has to make during their senior year of high school is which school to attend and whether to live on campus or commute. There are both advantages and disadvantages to both scenarios. The entire college experience is a learning trip and it is oftentimes a young adults first step towards independence. Living on campus is an adjustment and is a huge eye-opener to the real world. The college dorm life is considered to be part of the "full college experience," but the costs of living in a residence hall can persuade students to remain home while they are in college in order to avoid housing fees.

Vacations, meeting new people, getting a job, saving money, and moving out from a parent’s house seems like a fantasy and something that everybody would love to experience. This is what students will do or plan to do in a gap year. A gap year helps students find out who they are and learn about the world around them. Many students have found out it is not as great as they thought it would be. The executive director of Dynamy Internship Year disagrees and says "While there is significant peer pressure, parental pressure and

Students could take a gap year to gain perspective on their life. During this time a person will have time to clarify career goals. This time is also gives students time to commit to what is most important to them. Which is the vest decision for them when it comes to their own future?