Absolutely nothing.  However, you are probably familiar with many versions of the following:

“You can’t get a decent job without your bachelors.”

“A 4-year degree is what employers want.”

“There’s no way to prove that you can competently hold a job without going to college.”

“Statistically, people who hold a bachelors or higher earn more.”

“A college degree is simply the tried and true way to go.”

Surely there is a good amount of truth in these words. They had to originate from somewhere, right?

The number one thing college promises is the ability to get a high-paying job immediately after graduation. In the past couple of decades the message has boiled down to this: without college, there is no chance for succeeding in the job force.

Except that approximately 20% of college graduates are unemployed; and, in 2003, the unemployment level of college graduates actually surpassed the unemployment level of high school dropouts.

There is no denying that a college degree can often give you a significant edge over your competition in the Career World. In fact, it’s usually required – but it’s only required unless you can give your employers something equal or better.

Besides, in college, there are only so many subjects to major in that actually lead into careers that are guaranteed to “pay well.”

On top of that, classes are taught in basically one way: in the classroom with books, homework, tests, organized class discussions, “group projects” (aka I-do-all-the-work), and limited hands-on activities. College classes are rarely, if ever, taught to more than one learning style with no regard for the rest of us.

The great thing is that there is more than one way to get the education, skills, and experience, required for a job. Better ways that are:

– faster and less expensive than a 4-year degree
– devoid of irrelevant, required Gen Ed courses that take extra time and money
– more suited to your learning style
– directly honed in on your field of interest

The biggest mistake many highschool graduated make is enrolling in college “just because.” Perhaps this is a path you have been shoved down yourself: you don’t know what you want to do yet. But you have been told all your school career that you are supposed to go to college.

I would have had to make the college decision at 17. Now I am 21, and I’m more thankful than ever that my entire life was not determined by what I wanted to do four years ago.

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Sources:

“Unemployment level of college grads surpasses that of high-school dropouts” by Jared Bernstein

“What can students do to improve their chances of finding employment after graduation?”