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Some people have told me that college is a scam. I've come to believe that they might be right. College can be a scam, but it doesn't have to be. I want discuss my basic viewpoint on the issue, shedding some light on something most of academia refuses to discuss.
What do I mean by "scam?" To put simply, I mean, "Is it really what's advertised, and do you get the benefits?" Like any other product, clever marketers show you, the prospect, what can be, not what is, or what will definitely be. To me, that's a bit of a scam. It's accepted and expected, but it's still only half the picture. Add to that half-picture the fact that college is expensive, and the whole things starts to look like some sort of racket. So you take the success that might happen, only show that to collegiate prospects, and then add a hefty price tag. What do you get? A scam.
Specifically, I'm talking about what college gets for you. Having a degree can open a lot of doors for your career. Some fields are impossible to break into without a specific degree. If you take those careers that require a degree (Doctor, Lawyer, etc.) out of the picture, what do you have? You have the potential to open doors. That's it. A degree isn't a magic box. It has the potential to open doors, but it's not guaranteed to do so.
When college recruiters go out into the field and talk to bright, eager High School students, they only show one side of the story. They only tell half of the truth. They don't tell anyone how many graduates fail to find work in their fields. They don't talk about the drop-out rate, controversial professors, or the school's weak program areas. Pay attention to those kinds of things, because they are important. They are the rest of the picture that you need to know to make an informed decision.
College isn't a magic box, but a degree is a very useful tool. Learn everything about the schools you are considering attending. Learn the good and the bad. All schools have their high points and their low points. Some expensive schools aren't worth a penny, while some cheap community colleges can give you the best training around. Do your research. Only then will you have all the information you need to make an informed decision. College can be a scam, but it doesn't have to be.
Caleb Rogers writes about business, technology, life, and careers. He is the principle writer for Education Finder, an internet resource for colleges, online schools, and career education.
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