Imagine yourself back at the end of high school, and you're just about to graduate. College is right around the corner for you, freedom at last from the burdens of so much homework and burnout from all the classes you've taken for the last twelve years of your life. You're excited, and you can't wait to get started. You've been told your whole life that college is the key to success, and you're ready to take that key and unlock the door to your future. Finally, after the long summer beforehand, you've moved into your dorm, and you are officially ready to start your college journey. Finally, some freedom!

Little do you know just how much work you'll have to put in to get by in this fantastic new era of your life. No more parents to tell you what to do when you need to do it, no more 7 hour days at school, and now you have a lot more work to do for your classes. Now you also have to figure out how you're going to pay for this higher education, since it's no longer tax funded like most all public schools in the United States. And it doesn't just stop there, either. If you don't live on campus, your housing isn't counted on your tuition, so you'll have to somehow earn money while you're in school to pay for rent, food, and transportation, if you don't walk to your campus.

Not only that, but you'll have to learn how to manage your time best you can. With college students spending 17 hours on average preparing for classes, including homework and studying, you'll have even less free time than you did in high school^[1]. And on top of all that, all the extracurricular activities you decide to do will eat up even more precious time that you could use to prepare for class or unwind after a long day of classes. Even the work that you decide to do during your studies to afford rent and food will have an impact on your time. I think it is safe to say that high school probably didn't prepare you for this all that well.

The pressure is on young students to learn these important life skills quickly and figure out how to fund your expensive endeavour, or risk failing classes, or getting kicked out or dropping out. And that's not even mentioning the mental health issues that come with all this stress. It's no wonder that so many students drop out of college, or don't even go in the first place. These are many reasons why I believe that colleges are not as beneficial as they used to be, and why I believe that they need to change.

The Benefits

Before diving into the bad, it's worth mentioning that college isn't all that bad. There are actually plenty of benefits to going to college, including way better job security, higher salaries, and more opportunities to learn and grow. Being a college student gives you access to plenty of your campus's resources, such as makerspaces, libraries, and laboratories, as well as giving you access to talk to professionals in your field of study. This is a great way to learn more about your field of study, as well as get help with your classes. It's also a great way to meet new people and make new friends, as well as learn new skills and have fun.

Certain fields also require plenty of study before you can get a job within it. For example, becoming a doctor requires many years of formal training, training that most students only get through an accredited medical school, such as VCU Health. These programs have requirements for students to have completed a certain number of college credits, like math, english, and science, as well as meeting a minimum gpa requirement, in the case of VCU, a 3.3^[3]. According to Indeed, jobs like being a registered nurse or a nuclear engineer require a college degree^[4].

In addition, college offers many opportunities for students to learn and grow. For example, many colleges offer study abroad programs, where students can travel to other countries and learn about their culture and history. Colleges also offer many extracurricular activities, such as clubs, sports, and other activities. These activities are a great way for students to meet new people and make new friends, as well as learn new skills and have fun. Colleges also offer many resources for students to use, such as libraries, computer labs, and other resources. These resources are a great way for students to learn and study, as well as get help with their classes.

Studies also show that people who graduate with a degree have better salaries and are more likely to be employed. According to the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, Bachelor's degree holders are half as likely to be unemployed and make an average of $1.2 million over their lifetime^[14]. It's not only employment rates and salaries, but employee benefits as well. This alone can make all the difference on if a student goes to college, however there are plenty of drawbacks to studying at college, which I will get into next.

 

https://www.aplu.org/our-work/4-policy-and-advocacy/publicuvalues/employment-earnings/

Student Debt and Tuition Cost

One of the biggest, if not the biggest, factors when it comes to pursuing post-secondary education in the United States is how much colleges cost. According to the Education Data Initiative, a small team dedicated on collecting and organizing statistics about the US education system, a student pursuing a 4 year program at a public college or university in their state of residence while living on campus costs, on average, $26,027 per academic year. This means that, on average, a student pursuing a 4 year program at a public college or university in their state of residence will pay $104,108 in tuition alone. This does not include the cost of textbooks, housing, food, and other expenses that come with attending college, as well as loan interest^[5].

To put a perspective on these numbers, in 1963 the annual cost of a 4 year program at a public university was just $263, roughly equivalent to $2,431 in 2022 value. That's enough money to get a mid-high end desktop computer. Today, the average cost of tuition per year is roughly equal to a low-mid end car. Imagine basically buying a car every year for 4 years, and that's how much it costs to get a 4 year degree at a public university in your state of residence. And that's just the average at a public university. The average cost of tuition per year at a private college or university is $55,840 when living on campus, roughly equal to a decked out Tesla Model Y (according to their website). Per year. Yikes. That's not including the cost of textbooks, housing, food, and other expenses that come with attending college, as well as loan interest. In fact, the most common reason why students drop out is because of how much college costs^{[5] [6]}.
 

https://educationdata.org/average-cost-of-college

Compared to other countries, we have a higher cost of education in the US. Let's take some countries in Europe for example. Let's say you're a student living in the EU looking to pursue a bachelors degree. Most countries offer much lower, sometimes free, tuition at public universities. Compared to the tens of thousands of dollars per student per year in the US, you can probably expect to spend maybe two thousand dollars at the high end in most EU countries. There are some outliers to this data, such as private universities in most countries, and the United Kingdom, however it should be noted that the cost is still considerably less than the average in the US, up to 50% less in some cases^[7].

Workload and Mental Health

No matter where you go to school, you are expected to spend some amount of time doing schoolwork outside of classes. This is true at any level of education, whether you're in grade school or college, sometimes even while you are in the job force. The level of courseload depends on how many classes you take a semester, and for some it's just too much. According to a research paper co-authored by Georgia Barbayannis, students at the college level are "exposed to novel academic stressors," of which include financial stress, pressure from their family, and intense competition^[9]. As a college student myself, I experience all these stresses nearly every day. Financial stress isn't just limited to "Will I be able to eat today" but also includes "How am I going to afford this?" As mentioned above, college is expensive, and it's not getting any cheaper.

Mental health is also a major concern. For many, college is a massive change in their life. Living away from home for an extended period of time for the first time in their lives is something not many people will be prepared for. This can lead to depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. According to a study done by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, over a third of students that were screened tested positive for possible major depressive disorder, with lower gpa seeming to be a major factor^[8]. While this issue isn't limited to college students, it seems to be more prevelent due to the stress that students face.

Dropping out of college also isn't something that is uncommon. According to the education data initiative, 32.9% of undergraduates do not complete their degree. Why do these undergrads drop out? Well, according to the student assembly, the most common reasons why students drop out is because of the cost of tuition and the cost of living, as well as mental health^[6]. The cost of tuition is a major factor, as mentioned above, and the cost of living is also a major factor, as students have to pay for rent, food, and other expenses that come with living on their own. Mental health is also a major factor, once again as mentioned above.

Class Requirements and Diminishing Degree Requirements

Another major complaint about college is the amount of seemingly random classes some people are required to take. General education classes are meant to provide a more rounded education experience, however most students feel that this requirement is useless and doesn't add any value to their education. This is especially prevelent in STEM fields, such as computer science, or mechanical engineering. These fields require a lot of math and science, and students feel that taking classes like english or history is a waste of time and money. This is especially true for students who are paying for their own education, as they are paying for classes that they don't want to take.

In addition, some jobs are dropping the degree requirement. According to the SHRM, some companies, such as Dell and IBM, are dropping the degree requirement in favor of relevant experience, a suitable personality, and a willingness to learn^[2]. Some are dropping the requirement citing the need for diversity in the workplace. In addition, only 44% of jobs listed in 2022 actually require degrees, down from 51% in 2017. While this won't keep dropping drastically, this will continue to go down as more companies see the need for actual skills and not degree requirements, especially for entry level positions.

Alternatives

Type	Pros	Cons	Cost
College or University[5] [14]	Higher education More job opportunities More experience	Expensive Time consuming High stress	Public: $26,027 per year Private: $55,840 per year
Trade School[12]	Less expensive More hands on training	Less job opportunities Less experience	$17k per year
Flight school [10]	Less time required More hands on training	Expensive Highly specialized	$105k no flight time $84k with private license
Military[13]	Free education Job security Hands on training	Rigorous training High stress Time consuming	Reduced, or even free

Post-secondary education isn't just limited to college. There are a variety of other options to choose from, including trade schools, flight schools, the military, and even just not going to college, although that last option isn't exactly the best choice. Each have their own benefits and drawbacks, and here I will explain the differences and shortcomings of each, starting with trade schools.

What are trade schools? Trade schools are schools that specialize in teaching students a specific trade, such as welding, plumbing, or electrical work. Typically, these schools are less expensive than college, costing around $17,000 per year for public trade schools^[12], and with the less time required to complete this makes trade schools an affordable option, at least compared to college. However, trade schools only teach you your specific trade, meaning certain other skills might not be taught and you will either need to go back to get the skills or learn them on your own. Trade schools also have less job opportunities than college, however the job security is better, as there will always be a need for tradesmen. Trade schools also offer more hands on training, which is a plus for those who learn better by doing rather than listening.

Next up are flight schools, schools that teach people how to fly airplanes. For this case, we will be focusing on a commercial pilots license (CPL), which has very different requirements compared to its general aviation counterpart, the personal pilots license (PPL). Do note that the cost of flight school depends on the school and the individual, especially when starting with zero flight time (meaning you don't already have a PPL), so your expenses will be different from everyone else's. For this section, we will be focusing on ATP Flight School. ATP Flight School offers a CPL program that costs $104,995 for zero flight time, or $83,995 for those who already have a PPL.^[10] This is a lot of money, slightly more than the average cost of public college or university with in-state tuition. Flight school is highly specialized, meaning that if you decide to change careers, you will have to go back to school to learn a new trade. It also requires a lot of time to complete, a CPL requiring 250 total logged hours, of which 150 must be in an aircraft.^[11] However, becoming an airline pilot gives you an incredible opportunity to fly to places you've never been to. The job security is also very good, considering the world is currently amidst a pilot shortage.

Another option is the military. The military offers free education, job security, and hands on training, however it is not without its drawbacks. The military requires rigorous training, high stress, and is very time consuming. However, if you are willing to put up with all that, the military is a great option for those who want to serve their country and get a free education in the process. It can even bring you to be able to fly commercially, without spending a hundred grand on the training.^[13]

Finally, there is the option of not going to college. This is not a good option, however it is still an option. If you decide to not go to college, you will have to find a job that doesn't require a college degree, which is becoming more and more difficult as time goes on. You will also have to learn how to manage your money, as you will have to pay for rent, food, and other expenses that come with living on your own. You will also have to learn how to manage your time, as you will have to work to afford rent, food, and other expenses, as well as learning how to do your job. Although not the greatest of options on the table, it is still an option nonetheless.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the relevance and importance of colleges today are complex and multifaceted. While many employers still require college degrees, a declining trend is noted, with some prominent companies like Dell and IBM dropping the degree requirement in favor of relevant experience, a suitable personality, and a willingness to learn^[2]. Professions like medicine still demand formal training, typically acquired through accredited institutions, and certain jobs, including registered nursing and nuclear engineering, explicitly require a college degree.

However, the escalating cost of college education in the United States is a significant barrier. The average annual cost for a 4-year program at a public college has drastically risen over the years, far exceeding the inflation-adjusted costs from the 1960s^[5]. This financial burden extends beyond tuition, encompassing textbooks, housing, food, and other associated expenses, along with loan interests. In contrast, many European countries offer much lower or even free tuition at public universities, making education more accessible. Moreover, the academic workload and associated stressors in college, including financial strain (which is the biggest factor), familial pressure, and intense competition, contribute to mental health concerns, and therefore contribute to dropout rates^[6]. Mental health challenges are exacerbated by the substantial life changes that students undergo, particularly when living away from home for an extended period.

In summary, while colleges offer valuable learning opportunities and are prerequisites for certain professions, the escalating costs, coupled with the mental health challenges students face, raise questions about the overall effectiveness and accessibility of higher education in the United States.

Sources

1. Riddle, Randy. “How Much Homework Is Too Much? - Duke Learning Innovation.” Duke Learning Innovation, 21 Nov. 2018, learninginnovation.duke.edu/blog/2018/10/how-much-homework-is-too-much/. Accessed 7 Nov. 2023.
2. Lobell, Kylie Ora. “Why Fewer Employers Are Requiring College Degrees.” SHRM, 11 Sept. 2023, www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/talent-acquisition/pages/why-fewer-employers-are-requiring-college-degrees.aspx. Accessed 7 Nov. 2023.
3. “Future Applicants VCU School of Medicine.” medschool.vcu.edu, "medschool.vcu.edu/admissions/md/future-applicants/. Accessed 7 Nov. 2023.
4. “Jobs That Require a College Degree.” Indeed Career Guide, www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/jobs-that-require-a-college-degree. Accessed 7 Nov. 2023.
5. Hanson, Melanie. “Average Cost of College & Tuition” EducationData.org, November 18, 2023, educationdata.org/average-cost-of-college
6. ”Education on Hold: Why are Students Dropping Out of College?” Student Assembly, www.studentassembly.org/dropping-out-of-college/. Accessed 15 Nov. 2023.
7. “Tuition Fees at Universities in Europe in 2023: Overview and Comparison.” MastersPortal.com, www.mastersportal.com/articles/405/tuition-fees-at-universities-in-europe-in-2023-overview-and-comparison.html. Accessed 10 Oct. 2023.
8. “A longitudinal cohort study to explore the relationship between depression, anxiety and academic performance among Emirati university students” National Center for Biotechnology Information, 2022, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7488388/. Accessed 12 Nov. 2023.
9. Barbayannis, Georgia, et al. "Academic Stressors and Resources in First-Year University Students: The Role of Socio-Demographic Characteristics, Academic Self-Concept, and Perceived Social Support." National Center for Biotechnology Information, 2022, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8073869/. Accessed 22 Jan. 2022.
10. Awadalla, Suheir, et al. "How Much Does it Cost to Become a Pilot?" ATP Flight School, atpflightschool.com/become-a-pilot/flight-training/pilot-training-cost.html, Accessed 25 Nov. 2023.
11. "Commercial Pilot Certificate." Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. www.aopa.org/training-and-safety/active-pilots/safety-and-technique/operations/commercial-pilot-certificate, Accessed 30 Nov. 2023
12. Welding, Liss, "How Much Does Trade School Cost?" Best Colleges, www.bestcolleges.com/research/how-much-does-trade-school-cost/, Accessed 17 Nov. 2023.
13. "Military Education Benefits and Programs Guide." Military.com, www.military.com/join-armed-forces/join-the-army, Accessed 30 Nov. 2023.
14. "How does a college degree improve graduates' employment and earnings potential?" Association of Public & Land-Grant Universities. www.aplu.org/our-work/4-policy-and-advocacy/publicuvalues/employment-earnings/, Accessed 29 Nov. 2023.