Why is college beneficial?

Going to college has many benefits. Here are a few I can think of:

1. College allows you to continue your education for another four years, rather than getting a job right out of high school. With four more years of studies, you can gain more advanced knowledge and skills in a field you enjoy. If you aren't sure what you want to do for a career, yet, college gives you a great opportunity to try out a variety of courses, so you can figure out what path will be most appealing, and a good fit for you.
2. Going to college can open up more options for your future. The skills and knowledge you gain in your major studies can qualify you for a much wider variety of potentially higher-paying jobs after college. Jobs like finance, engineering, computer science, foreign policy, even entrepreneurial and managerial positions all require advanced knowledge and skills that you can gain in college. Even if you don't plan to pursue any of those types of careers, the job market is extremely competitive, in general, and having a college degree on your resume will help you stand out from other applicants.
3. College can be a great transition period for many people. For many, it will be the first time they live on their own, manage their own schedule, take care of themselves, do their own laundry, etc., without assistance from their parents. College offers you an opportunity to learn how to be self-sufficient, while the risk of making a mistake is relatively low. Later, you may be juggling many more serious responsibilities, (a job, a family, bills, a home), when a mistake could be much more costly to you and your loved ones.
4. College is fun! You can get involved with clubs, sports, social service projects, politics, art, and much much more! You can pursue or even discover passions you never knew you had. You will meet new people, make new friends, and begin to build a network of social support that you can lean on, later, when you need a job, a roommate, and a social life.

College may not be for everyone, but if you have the opportunity to attend, I highly recommend it!

Hello Meredith,

I can tell you how college helped me:

I learned problem solving, attention to detail, teamwork, strong analytical mind, networking. I think it is up to each person to define their college experience in order to maximize the benefits they get out of it. You can build relationships that last a lifetime while in college. College is more than classrooms, it is also clubs that help develop key skills.

Hi Meredith,

College helped me in many different ways. I attended The Citadel which is a military college here in South Carolina. Here I was able to learn the importance of teamwork and have been able to translate that into my professional career. My experience in college allowed me to sharpen and develop my leadership skills. I was able to do this due to responsibilities I was given and clubs that I was apart of. Last but not least it allowed me to learn how to better interact with others and learn from my peers perspectives . Some of my best friends I have to this very day are guys I met in college, one of which actually helped me start in my current career path.  College is a great way for you to go learn from others and in turn teach others from your own experiences. While college will not teach you everything about adulthood it most certainly can teach you things that will not only assist you in your personal life but in your professional career as well.

I agree with the previous posts. One of the great aspects of the skills you learn in college is that they are transferable to many different careers. For instance, my Bachelors of Science degree is in Marketing and International Business. I have never had a job in those fields but what I learned absolutely helped me to be successful in sales, leadership, corporate training, and HR technology.