Logan Hayes

Ashleigh Miller focuses intently on their schoolwork. For Miller, college is the right path, especially since their future career will be in STEM. “After high school, I plan to attend the University of Central Florida, and major in Biological Science Pre-Med,” said senior Ashleigh Miller. “Hopefully, through this path, I will end up going to med school, and figure out my future in medicine.”

Students learn about the benefits of college all throughout their childhood, many parents often encouraging their children to strive for a recognized college. While not everyone wants to follow this path and would prefer to instead forge their own way through life, those who choose to attend college will have the opportunities to grow in a multitude of ways. College gives you the chance to expand your mindset, meet new people, and truly become the best version of yourself.

Going to college directly after high school allows you to gain knowledge and opportunity while the previous years are still fresh. Other options such as taking a gap year, which is when you take a year after high school to prepare yourself for college, may result in never going to college at all. Taking a year off to work and gain experience can result in a student believing they don’t need college, so they decide to continue on with their lives without it. 

College gives you time to make deep personal connections with people sharing similar passions (15 Reasons Why College is Important for Your Career). The potential to share a room and meet people who are taking similar classes and aiming for similar goals can help you develop bonds that may last through the rest of your life. 

“Is college even worth it?” Is a common question floating through the heads of most high school seniors. The answer, in short, is yes. College not only gives you the opportunity to meet new people, but it also can provide you with more career opportunities. 

A college degree, according to Huffington Post, can increase an employee’s salary by up to 800,000 (Should Your Child Go to College Right After High School?). A college degree shows potential employers that a candidate is able to make a strong commitment for a long time and that they are passionate. 

Going to college can also help you better understand what you want to make of your life. The environment and chances to change your major if you realize you’d prefer to go into a different field can prevent you from going into a certain field and then regretting it. 

As the 2023-2024 school year comes to an end and seniors debate how they should continue these next four years, whether it be college, a gap year, the military, or taking one of the many other roads available to them, college waits patiently as the best choice. College can act as a stepping stone for all of these paths and can help you determine what you want to do and where you would like to go.