A
Many students confirm that they feel compe led to go to colege be ause of pn from parents and teachers and stay there because it seems to be an altemate to a
far worse fate, They quiver at the thought of the army or a dead-end pob, and almost
anything is better than staying at home. Potential college raduates say that they dont
want to work "solely for the money"and that they want to do work that matter
Their motive is to help people and save the world, but the numbers are stacked agai
them. Not only are there not sufficient jobs in the world-saving fields but in the
current slowdown it has become evident that there never are enough pr
presumably never will be, that require a higher education
s Let's acknowledge the facts. The New York Times reports close to 80 percent of ne
jobs can be performed by someone without a college degree. The US Department of
Education estimates that only 62 percent of those enrolled in four-year institutions
had earned a bachelor's degree six years later! This dilemma means that 38 percent
have likely wasted time and accumulated debt! In addition, in the US, the cost of
college has risen tenfold over the last 30 years, a ratio that is three times as much as
general inflation over the same time period. It is clear, from an objective point of view,
that many more students should be attending technical schools or two-year colleges to
prepare for the jobs that will actually be available to them
e Of course, for many jobs a higher education is absolutely necessary and required. So
for some people, obtaining a bachelor's degree is but the first step of lifelong learning
For them, a university degree is essential
7 There is little doubt that attending college has the potential of exposing young people
r relationships and helps promote their critical thinking skills. It also
rotation and exploration
