All our lives, we are expected to attend college by our teachers, parents and other family members. What some don’t take into consideration is whether college is right for every person. Now I will say that in the long run a college education should be a good investment. College is a fun time to be with friends.It expands the mind and introduces new adventures, but if you’re just in it for the experience, that is not a good enough reason. ­­­With prices of tuition rising, causing student debt to rise as well, I’m stuck believing that, whatever the reason may be, whether it’s that you’re not a good learner or maybe even that the money to attend is just not there, college is indeed not for everyone. There isn’t a need to force students down an educational path that will end in them dropping out or being in debt. This isn’t me calling anyone incapable or anything like that; this is me trying to tell you what other teachers or adults might have never told you: that it’s not the end of the world if college is not your thing. Options are available to help you succeed. According to Forbes.com, jobs like insurance agents ($47,450) and sales representatives ($53,540) are two of many jobs that pay good, or even better money than a job that requires a degree. While studies done in the year 2012 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics prove that people with college degrees on average receive better wages, which is why one must always keep in mind that a college education does pay off, they also have found that the amount of people with a bachelor’s degree or higher out number the amount of jobs that actually require a degree at all. In other words, our population is overeducated for the amount of jobs the U.S. actually has. This leads to the possibility of people not finding jobs in their desired fields. Mike Rowe, the former host of “Dirty Jobs” and famous founder of the Profoundly Disconnected Organization, is someone who believes people don’t need a four-year degree to be successful when 3 million skilled jobs are open and begging for workers. He believes the country needs more people who are familiar with jobs like heating and air conditioning, electricity and construction. Attending a two-year technical school could help in these fields but is not required. Because of the illusion Ameica has set for this generation that if a person without a college degree is a failure, someone without one may feel less of themselves and maybe plan to one day go back to school, but if they’re happy with a job and make good money, going into debt for a degree is not necessary. If this country could escape the college utopian fantasy and see the realism in the situation, not having a college degree is nothing to be ashamed about. On the contrary, if someone who didn’t attend college moved up in the working world and now makes a satisfying living, that is something to be proud of. The country should learn to feel pride in workers and producers without degrees. I’m not saying that everyone should skip college. Personally, I like learning and being at school, which is why I believe college is the best choice for me. However, if you honestly believe the college life is not for you, you’re not alone. Other possibilities are available to you because the amount of education someone receives does not define what they’re capable of achieving.

“It’s not the end of the world if college is not your thing.”