The #1 College Myth, Busted: Not Everyone Should Go to College

Nearly half of all students who start college never finish.

Yikes! Could it be that going to college was never really their best option?

There is a well-oiled track from high school to college in the United States. To be sure, the college experience offers many riches, including the intellectual ones I treasured as a coed. But it's primarily the presumed long-term financial advantages that have channeled our cultural wisdom into the prevailing adage that "everyone should go to college".

Except maybe not everyone. Maybe not even half of those who give it a try. I for one believe that our high-school-to-college track is a tad too slick.

Photo by Marcus Winter from Potsdam, Germany

One of my university counseling clients comes to mind. A young woman who had immigrated to Pennsylvania from Southeast Asia, she had lived in the United States long enough to learn that college was absolutely mandatory. Unfortunately, in course after course she would try and fail, crash and burn. Reading and writing in English, her second language, could not have been easy. To top it off, academics were not really her thing.

My client had good mechanical ability and an interest in cars—but she refused to consider a career as an auto mechanic. Data on the nearly equivalent salaries for employees in her major and in auto repair did not sway her. I never heard her say that she couldn't be a mechanic because she was a woman. No, she was determined to get her college degree because that was the way to succeed in America.

In future posts I'll provide guidance about how to help a student judge beforehand whether college is likely to be her personal best choice. For now, let's focus on the word college. As it is commonly used, college refers to a four-year institution.

Ah. Here's a quick way to change a cultural commandment that could otherwise continue to lead countless students astray.

For many high school students, a two-year associates degree might be much more appropriate. In fact, community college training may pay better than a four-year liberal arts degree. Nursing as well as a variety of technician jobs come to mind, with median annual wages above $50,000 and some above $60,000. Anthony Carnevale, the research professor who directs Georgetown's Center on Education and the Workforce, says that nearly one-third of associate degree jobs actually pay more at entry level than those requiring a college education. Many of these middle skill jobs also offer better benefits and chances for advancement.

What can talent mentors do with this information? I'd like to hear your thoughts. Here are some of mine:

For starters, let's not automatically use the word college or restrict our thinking to a BA or BS. Instead, we can simply tell students they need to get further training after high school.

Secondly, we can help our children consider possibilities that may include but are not limited to a four-year undergraduate institution. For example, they might find training on the job, or begin an apprenticeship, or join the military, or earn an industry certification, or enroll in a vocational program at a community college.

The following action suggestions may help you unearth local alternatives:

· If your child is still in high school, make an appointment to talk with her high school counselor. Ask about Career and Technical Education (CTE) classes and experiential learning opportunities for students who may not be college bound.

· Visit your local community college, online or in person, and survey their program offerings.

· Talk to a member of your community's Workforce Investment Board. Using your zip code, you can find names and contact information online.

I admire an observation made to me by Kathy Hanson, a CTE school district coordinator: As mentors, we can provide an attractive array of educational and employment options from which our students can choose. We can help them gather information and think through the advantages and disadvantages of each option. Then we can support their decisions.