Reasons to Take a College Program

Many high school graduates are encouraged to pursue higher education simply because it’s “better” than not pursuing it. There are usually many opinions coming from the families, friends, teachers, and peers of the graduates, but the decision is ultimately up to the student.

While attending college or other postsecondary education may not be the right thing for everyone, it certainly has a lot of benefits that are worth knowing about. 

In this blog we’ll be informing you about the reasons to take a college program. Including:

• The Education
• The Experience
• The Career Opportunities
• The Lifestyle Benefits

The Education

A college education is obviously a lot more valuable than a high school diploma when it comes to the level of education. And while some college students already know exactly what they want to do with their life and the precise college degree that they want to pursue, others don’t – and that’s okay. 

Many college students switch courses during their first semester of studies when they realise that the route is not the way they want to go. Switching to a different course at college or university is much easier to do than switching careers and finding a new job with no previous experience or qualifications. 

Committing to a college program gives you the opportunity to make up your mind about what career you really want to pursue, and allows you the freedom to explore other options while still gaining a qualification.

Another thing about college education is that it’s not only about learning about a specific subject and preparing you for employment after graduation. College teaches life skills that many students may not learn elsewhere. 

Life skills such as budgeting, multitasking, note taking, working with others, and resourcefulness all go hand-in-hand with a college education and often become the soft skills that give people the ability to live their best life.

The Experience

The college experience is a phase in life like no other, and something that many college graduates attribute to shaping them, preparing them for the future, and is often considered to be the best time of their lives.

Attending a college program gives young people the opportunity to move away from their families and their familiar surroundings, and a chance for them to develop their own personalities, figure out who they truly are, and meet new people.

It gives students a chance to experience things that they’ve never done before, break out of their shells and challenge themselves, all while working towards a better future for themselves.

The Career Opportunities

A college education such as a diploma or a bachelor’s degree gives graduates a head start on their career path. While colleges offer the students the opportunity to change courses and change their minds about exactly what industry or field they would like to get into, the exact qualification received is not always what is most important when finding a job.

Simple having a college diploma or university degree is all it takes for an employer to see that you are able to commit to things long-term and have an understanding of your ability to focus and achieve your goals.

There’s no doubt that having a college education increases your earning potential substantially. There are multiple studies that show that a higher level of education directly corresponds to earning more money than those who have simply a high school diploma.

Not only are those with postsecondary education more likely to earn more money, they are also less likely to face unemployment and more likely to experience job satisfaction. Although, the job satisfaction applies to college graduates who are in a job role that matches their level of education. If someone feels overqualified for their job, they will likely not be happy and look to move on. 

The Lifestyle Benefits

The lifestyle benefits of pursuing higher education are phenomenal compared to individuals who choose not to. While higher earnings result in a bigger house in a better area, and the ability to pay for better schools for children, take more vacations, and enjoy more freedom, the monetary perks are not the only lifestyle benefits of postsecondary education.

College graduates are more likely to become a homeowner than their lesser-educated counterparts. With 75% of home-buyers being college educated, compared to just 11% high school graduates, and 14% college drop-outs.

People over the age of 25 with a degree are more likely to be married, and for those marriages to be successful. 78% of women with a postsecondary certification have marriages that can be expected to last 20 or more years, compared to just 48% of women with only a high school education.

In addition to long partnerships, the life expectancy of individuals with higher education is longer than those without. For every additional year of education, the mortality rate decreases by 15%-19%.

College graduates are also more likely to have healthier eating, exercise, and safety habits, which results in better mental and physical well being than those without higher education. They are also more likely to help those around them by volunteering, doing charity work, voting in elections, and participating in community organizations.

So, the reasons to take a college program are overwhelmingly positive and extremely beneficial to a person’s adulthood and overall wellness. And while pursuing higher education may not be practical or beneficial to everyone, it is definitely something to consider when thinking about the future.

Last Updated March 2021