With the rising cost of college, students find themselves wondering if a higher level education is worth the time and money put into it. According to savingforcollege.org, the 4-year average tuition and fees totaled to be $39,400 in 2015. Among the many factors that go into the decision of whether or not to attend college, the financial aspect is a major reason why students are reluctant to continue on to a higher level of education.

Even though the average student is spending almost $40,000 on their college education, we as the staff of the Journal believe that what you get from the college experience is well worth the money. Not only do college graduates statistically earn more money than those without a degree, they come out of school with a skill set much larger than someone who did not attend a higher level school.

Teacher Robert Hoffman-Longtin worked as a mechanic straight out of high school and didn’t decide to go to college until the age of 33. Hoffman says that going to college made him realize how small his world was. College immersed him into cultural experiences and a pursuit of knowledge that he wouldn’t have been able to find anywhere else.

Many other people gain skills in college that qualify them for more jobs later in life. College teaches students responsibility, self-motivation, social skills, professional networking and so on. These skills will better prepare students for the real world and give them much better chances at landing the job they want.

However, college is not for everyone. Every individual should explore their options and decide on what is best for them. It is becoming more and more difficult to get a good paying job without a college diploma. If college isn’t the right choice for you, you could look into trade school or some sort of higher level training to better qualify yourself for the workforce.