Each decade, Thirty million American children enter high school but only six million of them ever receive a college degree. The remaining twenty four million kids either drop out; complete high school and enter the work force; or attend a community college or university for a couple of years. (TK) College is not for everyone; student’s mindsets are based on parents thinking, the success rate in entrepreneurs vs. technical, universities vs. IT schools, and how college doesn’t equal success. (TK)
For a lot of people, going to a four-year college seems like an automatic choice when they graduate from high school. The reason is obvious – higher income. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, a bachelor’s degree accounted for an average of $16,900 in additional income per year compared to a high school diploma ($30,000 versus $46,900). (TK) Over a 30-year career in the workforce, that’s more than a $500,000 difference in earnings. These numbers may not paint the whole picture, however. Due to the increasingly high costs associated with a college education, as well as other drawbacks, more and more people have been considering trade school as an education alternative. (TK) Trade School vs. College: Drawbacks to College Education
Length: Four (or More) Years vs. Two Years
For starters, a bachelor’s degree typically takes four years of study, which means that people who enter the workforce after receiving their bachelor’s degree aren’t doing so until age 22. That shaves some years off of a person’s career and can be considered an opportunity cost for experiencing the ‘real world’ hands on instead of being in a classroom. Plus, a four-year program usually makes you take classes outside of your major to fulfill credit requirements. Unless you enjoy spending time in a classroom, it may seem unnecessary to pay for extraneous credits and courses.