Graduation Speech : College Readiness

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.

High schools do not focus enough on college readiness. “Our findings suggest that high schools have prioritized credit accrual necessary for graduation over knowledge and skill development that would prepare students for

“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.

Starting in high school, students are not given equal opportunities to excel because of family background. Furthermore, the admissions process itself has its flaws—legacies, minorities, and athletes are being chosen over exceptionally gifted valedictorians. Even after college, the problems do not end; possible joblessness and student debt are unavoidable. On top of these major problems, educators and parents continue to convince kids everywhere that college is the only option to become successful, and choosing another path is heavily looked down upon. The newest generation’s life is centered around the climax of college while at the same time, more and more students are unable to attend universities because of cost or rejection, but this is a paradox. The more high schoolers work hard, the more high schoolers will get turned down to their dream schools, and the more the college admissions process effectively become a lottery, leading to “many highly talented, brilliant, creative people thinking they’re not” (Robinson). The widespread college problem has no easy fix, nor does it have a single solution. Rather than working to fix the unfixable, adults must stop putting such emphasis on the college pathway, and instead stress that there are other options. The future of the job world is unknown; there is no way to know if an expensive college education is the right choice. College, with all of its flaws, is just one option in preparing for the future; it is not necessarily the best. Therefore, the single word, “college,” should stop dividing the academic from the non-academic or the successful from the unsuccessful, and instead be considered a single path in an array of worthy

College is not for everyone because some students cannot confront the academic or financial challenges college brings. Students should apply to as many grants, scholarships or financial aid to be capable to pay off materials and charges for their college classes. There are many ways college is not for everyone. Many young adults don’t comprehend the expenses that is necessary between books and other living investment. Financial obstacles such as food, rent, attire, and other things influence college students who are not adapted to making payments for these types of things on their own. Pharinet states “It is estimated that in the U.S., 50% of students who begin college never graduate because they are not are ready for the academic and financial challenges of college or do not have the desire to learn” (635. Practical Argument: A Text and Anthology). In

One thing our society to acknowledge is that college is about the skills and education people gain while they are there and how to apply them in the future. Colleges create an

The big bulk of the ‘is college worth the cost’ argument is the cost itself. A majority of Americans -75%- says college is too expensive to afford (Source F). In addition to the infamous debt student are left with after loans appended to the original cost just might want to

From kindergarten to high school, students are told over and over again that attending college should be their main priority. “College is the way to success,” or “College is essential in order to find a job” is what teachers and adults implant into students’ heads. The education system is built around preparing students for college. Higher education over the years however, has been increasing. College Board, an organization that prepares students for college and administers standardized tests, showed in a study that college tuition has been on a rise since 1973.

Whether you are from the smallest, roughest high school in the U.S. or the largest, wealthiest high school, you have at some point been talked to about furthering your education. America is notorious for pressuring its youth to attend four-year universities and graduating college to become successful. While some of Americas’ young adults might follow blindly into this “social norm,” others will question its logic or even decide that it is not for them. When it really comes down to it, everyone has one question. Is college worth it? I have searched high and low for the correct answer, but with so many factors included it can be hard to ultimately say yes or no. After all not everyone is the same person and not each person fits the same path. What I did find is that everyone has a decision and that they need to find the right path for them. After concluding my research I have come to my answer regarding the question at hand. Although a college degree is very expensive, it is worth the sacrifice of time and money for young adults to earn their degree today if they do it for the right reasons.

Personally, I believe that students are not receiving all that they need from college. There are some flaws in the system that could be improved in order for students to get all that they need from going to college. This problem causes questions to arise such as is college worth it, and are students being offered the right resources to fully prepare them for a career. The worth of college is at question.

Today, many students are settling for jobs immediately out of high school instead of furthering their education in college. Students should consider how necessary college actually is for their lives in the future. It provides one with a significant amount of opportunities, a greater knowledge about their career plan, and a better sense of responsibility.

The debated topic, “Should I go to college?” is a very common thing for high school students. In the article,NPR, written by Chris Arnold, he talks about how most of the colleges don't feel apathetic towards it students if they don’t get a job after their attendance to their university.In the article they state, “But economists say that doesn't mean everybody needs a four-year degree. In fact, millions of good-paying jobs are opening up in the trades. And some pay better than what the average college graduate makes(Arnold). Many people who

This leads us to another big issue, the fact that many students are not properly prepared by their school or college counselors in order to get through the college process or to achieve beyond getting admitted into a school. Jason Deparle from The New York Times reports about three students who showed a promising future after they graduated high school. However four years passed and not one of them has achieved a degree, and a big reason was that they were not prepared to meet ends meet in

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.

High school students are often stressed how important college is and how vital it will be for their future, but students often wonder if the thousands of dollars spent to further their education is worth it. According to the New York Times, “Student debt, meanwhile, has topped $1 trillion” (Leonhardt, 2014). Having that much in student debts, often questions individuals attend college or to join the work force right out of college. There are a lot of advantages of attending college as well as disadvantages of attending college. As an individual, you have to be the one to decide if it will be worth it or not. Some may view it is not worth all the debt in the long run, whereas some think it is worth every penny in the end. I have always had strong values when it came to education, therefore I think college is worth every penny.