Right now in our society a college education is no longer an option or

privilege, but rather a necessity. We are practically raised and conditioned to

believe that one needs higher education in order to succeed in life. There is a
saying that says "if you think education is expensive, try ignorance." But as
technology is constantly advancing and computers are running almost
anything, is a college education really necessary? There are people whom
have never set foot in a college and are doing better than people who have
their master's degree. There are views from both sides that contain a valid
argument.
The main reason why people go to college is not because they want to but
because they have to. Most high school seniors are pressured by their
guidance counselors and parents to go to college because it is "the right thing
to do." In the essay that Caroline Bird wrote "College is a Waste of Time and
Money", she states that students go to college because " . . . Mother wanted
them to go, or some other reason entirely irrelevant to the course of studies
for which college is supposedly organized." (481) The student may have
different ideas about what he or she wants to do in life, but because they
think that these "mentors" know what is best for them, they probably end up
doing something they do not want to do, resulting in being miserable and
resentful.

Let's face it, going to college is socially prestigious. Most people

go to college only for the title of being called a college student. "
For some young people, it is a graceful way to get away from
home and become independent without losing the financial
support of their parents." (Bird 484) They do not want to be
looked down upon so they do what would look best in the eyes of
society. It is practically beat into our heads that in order to be a
productive citizen of society, you should have some sort of
college education. Being a college student is perhaps a more
respectable role than being, for example, a janitor or a garbage
man because of the negative connotations such jobs receive.
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