Dear Pro-Education folks,

As much is getting a college education (and then some) is important, you need to saying everyone needs to go college and refuting that college isn’t for everyone. When truth of the matter is everything is subjective. Some things are for you and some things aren’t. iPhones and Uber, for example, may not work for other people though it works for me. Camping may be the time of my friend’s life; I personally dread it. The same goes for college. Not every student is people say, college material. I know it’s sound of the ordinary that I’m playing devil’s advocate but it’s necessary somewhat. If your child would truly rather just go straight to work, attend vocational school, join the army for example, there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s better than having him or her applying to a school, get accepted and take a spot that someone else could’ve really had. College is not a joke, it is an investment. It’s thousands of dollars a year (our school is $52k) to get a diploma which some belittle as a piece of paper. Most of America is the 99% who is not rich and has to be smart with the money they’re spending. Not only is college expensive, it’s also involves a boat load of work including reading, 8-page papers and non-stop pop quizzes and midterms. Being a motivated person myself it is difficult so imagine someone who doesn't want to be there. They are not going to last; it’s straight up impossible.

Also, your child or friend’s dream job may not involve needing four years of college. Those who aspire to be a musician, actor, or model or makeup artist even don’t necessarily need college. Those who want to be a construction worker or a plumber absolutely don’t need college. I think it’s just better for those to finish what they started. It would be money going straight in the toilet for a student dropping out of college after a semester because it’s not for him. I guess I’m preaching this as I went to a special education high school where students digress at doing the work and homework assignments given by the teachers (which was minimal at best, as the school’s mission was to baby us as much as possible). Also at the same time, some of them were absent a lot from school. They couldn’t even try to do the work they were given at high school, there was no way they would survive in college which proves my argument of why college is not for everyone. My point if a high school senior who knows their worth self and career wise and thinks college is the right place for them then go right ahead. For those who doesn't seem to show any sign that college education would work, please don’t waste time. That’s one less bed in a dorm and person on the enrollment list that’s not going to endure or give their parent a return on the investment made. I even remember Obama saying something along the lines -- back in 2012 -- stating “not everybody is going to go to a four-year college or university. You may go to a community college. You may go to a technical school and get into the workforce.”

At the end of the day, there is 14 billionaires who don’t have college degrees and statistics show that those who have a bachelor and higher make more money than those with just a high school diploma; the point is money shouldn’t matter, passion should. Whether the young person wants or needs a piece of paper worth thousands of dollars should be their decision.

Sincerely,