Is College Really Worth the Time and Money?

Augusta+University%2C%0Atop%2C+%2423%2C156+USD+per+semester.+Gwinnett+Technical+College%2C+bottom%2C+%2412%2C335+USD+for+four+years.

Augusta University, top, $23,156 USD per semester. Gwinnett Technical College, bottom, $12,335 USD for four years.

College is not a requirement in life, and while that may sound obvious, many people feel that they need to waste their time getting a degree that decides their path in life. Getting a job that does not require a college education can be beneficial in the long run and beneficial to the economy, so college does not need to be the plan for education or getting a job.

There are many trade schools that are available for a cheaper price compared to big colleges. Trade school tuition’s vary between $3,000 to $5,000 compared to college and university tuition’s that range from $10,000 to $25,000 without a scholarship. Trade school also takes less time than college. The technical (trade) school takes between two to four years, while college is usually much longer. For instance, to study law someone would have to be in school for over four years.

The economy needs more people in the workforce taking trade jobs to complete everyday needs. We need plumbers, construction workers, electricians, and carpenters. It is important to get these jobs done because without them people would not have electricity or plumbing. Without trade jobs, nothing would function correctly.

Senior Charlie Keyser is going to college, but believes that college isn’t always necessary, “Some people don’t really need the college option because some jobs don’t require it,” Keyser said. “You don’t need to feel like you have to go.” College is important, but technical jobs are needed, and they do not require college degrees. They only require an education for two years at a technical school.

I could not find anyone who is not going to college which proves my point that so many people want to go to college. If everyone goes and gets a degree for a career in science or art, there is no one who will do the jobs that the economy benefits greatly from. Some people do not have the college mindset and it is more social, and they go to college just to party.  

Our country may have no room for a lot of college based jobs, but plenty of trade jobs to fill. It is important that we have balance in our economy. College is greatly pushed on society, and most people do not realize that college is very time consuming and expensive. Besides, we need more people to help with trade jobs.