It takes money, it takes time. And today’s economy is still in the dumps. So why should you consider going to college now? The answer is clear: getting a degree will mean more life-time earnings for you than not getting a degree could ever do.
There have always been arguments pro and con. And some famous and very rich people prided themselves on not even finishing high school, yet they became filthy rich in business. Like Henry Ford, for example. Yes, these stories are true, but they are the proverbial exceptions to the rule. This just doesn’t happen to the vast majority of people without an education.
The other factor to consider is that with an education you are more likely to end up doing something you love to do and get paid for it. The uneducated still end up with dead-end jobs in which they find no particular joy or any kind of fulfillment at the end of the day. If you think you would enjoy a lifetime of teaching, you need the right kind of education to get into the field.
If you want to be a scientist, ditto. And the same goes for any other profession. Doctors and lawyers don’t grow on trees. They get the proper education to enter those fields.
In short, to become a professional, you need an education. The economy will not always be in the dumps, but even if it will take a long time to recover, those with an education have a better chance to make it than those without.
Once you make the wise decision that you want and need an education, you should think about where you are going to get it. There are two broad areas available for you today: brick-and-mortar schools and distance learning. In other words, offline or online. There are advantages and disadvantages either way. Or at least that’s what some people say. So let’s take a quick look at each side.
If you go to a traditional brick-and-mortar school, you are likely to benefit from the presence of other young people just like you. This will give you a chance to enhance your social skills, to form study groups, even to party and make friends, not to speak of the possibility of meeting your future spouse. These are advantages indeed.
But if you study online, you can still have the socialization you want, except here it will take a different form. There are no borders to worry about. You can communicate by e-mail with your fellow students no matter where they are located on the face of the earth.
Also, this kind of communication will take the form of writing, and this can give you a tremendous advantage in your future career. Communication skills are, after all, still of paramount importance.
In summary, if you go to college now, you are likely to make more money during your working years and you are likely to do this by doing something meaningful, something you enjoy doing. So going to college, offline or online, is still a wise decision. Make it and plan on great future for yourself.