A Case Against College
In “The Case Against College” by Caroline Bird she states college is not for everyone.
Entering my first year in college I can write and see why college is not for everyone. But why it
should be pushed to continue your education. This is why I agree with “The Case Against
College”. As in the “The Case Against College there are many things you must consider before
thinking about going to college: whether you are one of those individuals who can pursue their
career, be away from family, and spend lots of money or time on homework and assignments.
The rest of our high school graduates need to look at college more closely and critically,
to examine it as a consumer product, and decide if the cost in dollars, in time, continued
dependency, and in future returns, is worth the very large investment each student-and his
family-must take. (44)
Students should research and ask questions to see if they think college life is for them.
There are many people who can not live without their parents being right next to them making
sure they wake up in the morning for class or work. College takes time and lots of work studying
and writing papers. You don’t have to absolutely love this but you have to be willing to learn and
be open-minded.
Not everyone who attends college goes into the career he or she started off looking for.
Bird says, “college doesn’t work its magic on everyone”. I think there are many of women as
well as men who spent thousands of dollars on college and are now house wives or work for the
family business making almost minimum wage. This does not mean they are not happy but it just
goes to show there are many other options then college. You don’t need a college degree for the
jobs they whish to partake in. so just because you go out and attend a college it doesn’t
automatically guarantee you your career that’s your job to seek how you will invest your
education. Going to college is not only about being able to receive a job but by going to college
you may be able to be in a profession you really enjoy.
Bird says, “by applying to college you will no longer have anyone who will intervene in
you life” (Bird 43). Many students are willing to take this risk for a higher education. “It has
always been comfortable for students to believe that authorities, like Mother, or outside
specialists, like educators, could determine what was best for them” (Bird 44). I disagree with
this because students who drift off to a college farther away from home are usually trying to get
away from the authority figure. Always being told what to do and being pushed around for not
doing it. Now by attending college it is their job to finish things that need to be done, and if they
are not done then they will not receive credit for it. It’s a big reality check for some people. It’s
like if you’re hired for a job and you don’t show up you are going to be fired.
Bird says, “eighteen year old students attending their first year of college are too young to
know what he or she wants” (Bird). I disagree with this because it’s not just eighteen year olds
who have this problem, you often find students that are in their fourth year of college and still
don’t know what he or she wants and they have changed their major two different times. It’s not
just because their parents or some authority figure is no longer with them to tell them what is
good for them. Most students attend a college far from home so they don’t have their parents
telling them what they should or should not do with themselves. This is what students choose
they know what they are getting into when they leave for college. Students know they’re always
going to be able to go home and be treated as a child no matter how old they are. It has been said
that parents may be sad and miss their child, but their levels of happiness increases.
Bird says, “that college students may learn personal development rather than intellectual
development” but they’re assets you will need in a work force so it’s a win, win situation you
gain something important out of it (Bird). It teaches you to be punctual, responsible, and social
skills (Bird 43). Whether it be you work at McDonalds or a big law firm in Washington. Out
there in the work force people are not always on your back like your parents once where. So why
not experience being on your own and furthering your education at the same time in college.
Punctuality, responsibility, and social skills are all things you learn in college and are assets you
will need in a job.
Even though college may cost tens of thousands of dollars what kind of advancement can
you receive from it as an individual. Bird says, “ they may be more altruistic than their elders,
but no great number are going to spend four years of hard intellectual labor, let alone tens of
thousands of family dollars for advancement of human capability in society at large” (Bird 4344). Why not spend money to receive a career that pays good money in return. The society we
live in like it or not is based on how much income you bring in. It tells where you fall on the
status level with everyone else in our nation, and what you can partake in because you have the
money. Show me something in life that isn’t hard labor. Not continuing your education because
it’s hard so you go and apply at a job your able to receive a factory job. Where you may work
long hard hours or you began to loose your hearing do to the loud machinery.
Attending college is not for everyone some people find careers in lower paying jobs and
are just as happy as those who pursued their career and make more money. Bird says, “ college is
an ideal place for those young adults who love learning for its own sake, who would rather read
then eat, and who like nothing more than writing research papers” (Birds 44). I some what agree
with this you don’t have to go to college thinking you’ll never eat because you will be so busy
doing work. There is always that freshman 15 where you gain weight because there is so much
food and you are not as active as you once where in high school. You don’t have to absolutely
love to learn or write research papers but you will be doing a lot of it. You have to think about all
the time you have to put into your school work before you think about entering college.
So even though college can guarantee you a lot in life it’s not always a good choice for
everyone but it is something people should look into. Our economy is moving up in how we go
about doing jobs and you need to be educated to even get hired for smaller jobs like restaurants
and fast food jobs. You don’t have to absolutely love to learn but you have to be open minded
and willing to learn and try. Parents and children should look into education. Look at all the
possible outcomes and opportunities that furthering your education will lead you to, and if your
just one of those individuals who absolutely thinks your not cut out for college, then maybe your
not, just look into it before you start to spend all the family dollars.