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Are parents justified in pressuring their teenage children to get a college education?
Are parents justified in pressuring their teenage children to get a college education?
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| Yes | 67% | 281 votes | Total: 421 votes | |
| No | 33% | 140 votes |
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Whether or not parents are justified in pressuring their children to obtain a college education has much to do with the definition of pressuring. Guiding, mentoring, suggesting, and explaining are much better ways to get results when dealing with teenagers.
Presumably, if a college education is important to parents, they begin laying the groundwork from an early age. Elementary school is certainly not too early to begin dropping phrases such as when you go to college or perhaps even asking the occasional question: What do you think you might like to study in college? These small conversational gestures will go a long way towards the child developing a sense of when, as opposed to if.
In this manner, there is no pressure, only simple expectation.
As kids develop and mature, they will be exposed to more choices and more possibilities; some may decide that the world of work beckons more loudly, especially if they have been working part-time throughout high school.
Teenagers with jobs often succumb to the lure of cash and grossly underestimate the amount needed to survive, or even thrive, in today's world. They look at the benefits of being independent but fail to recognize the pitfalls, especially the advantages of education. Many, if not most, are somewhat burned out from the previous twelve years of schooling and wish to see the world or obtain practical experience before heading off to college. What most do not realize because, after all, teenagers are indestructible and impervious to negative things which influence the lives of others, is that once postponed, college is requently delayed for many years.
Of course parents are justified in pushing for a college education - teenagers are still kids, and kids have parents for a reason: Because kids lack the maturity and experience to make the best decisions. This does not mean that parents should force a college education; that is counter-productive as it goes back to the old saying, "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink." Parents can insist their teen go to college, but they cannot absolutely compel that teen to study or attend class.
The teen years are a time of transition from child to adult; some decisions must be left to the child so he may become an adult - and sometimes this includes consequences that parents would rather their child not experience. These consequences are, however, necessary for the child's growth and maturation.
A teen must not be left to flounder, and the proper means must be given to ensure success in the college experience: Information, encouragement, openness, and listening are all things a parent must do. A teen will respond better to gentle nudging and suggestion, but a parent must be prepared to step in with help - not to take over, not to do things for the teen, but to help him on the road to independence by teaching him how to apply for admission, aid, testing, and so forth.
Beginning during the elementary years to expect a child to attend college, and continuing throughout the teen years with that same anticipation, is the best way to increase the odds of a child's college attendance - while, at the same time, giving them the tools they need to make their decision. There is no real matter of pressure, but one of guiding and leading. Parents may indeed pressure their child to attend college, knowing the results of a lack of education, but their efforts will likely fall far short of their expectations.
Learn more about this author, Robin Tidwell.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.
No
Some teens struggle in order to graduate from high school, and the thought of obtaining a college degree is as remote to them as flying to the moon under their own power. Some people do not have the skills for study and practical application of that study, yet they are intelligent. They simply cannot adapt to a rigid, structured education.
Also, with the cost of college tuition climbing at a record pace, it is not feasible for some to attend those institutions without a scholarship, and those are not available to everyone unfortunately.
On the other hand, teens might be quick to learn a number of skills that can earn them a lucrative income and they often follow their hearts into their chosen occupation without the benefit of a college degree.
A person must be happy with his job choice, or no matter the amount of his income, he will not be happy with his life. The thought of spending forty or more hours each week doing something you detest can lead to numerous problems, among them depression and low self-esteem.
Many teens find themselves in a part-time job situation while they are in high school, and they are content with that type of work. They are receiving an apprenticeship of kind while still in their teens that could very well lead to a well-paying lifetime job, or even set them up for a future with a business of their own.
Unless they actually aspire to have a career in fields such as medicine, science, law, or something that requires years of education; they are usually much happier working in their chosen field at less pay. However, having a college degree does not always guarantee better paying jobs. In fact it does not guarantee any job at all in this world of economic turmoil. Some people with advanced degrees are working today in blue-collar jobs because they have not been able to find a job opening in their field.
If a teen is fortunate enough to obtain training in a certain field, one they enjoy, they can get a head start on their future without attending a college. Some jobs may require certain skills that can be obtained at a technical school in a fraction of the time it takes to earn a degree. Usually those are 'hands-on' skills that help to insure a good future in whatever field they have chosen. Other jobs of this nature offer on-the-job training that requires no formal education whatsoever.
Jim Stroud is a Social Media Development Manager for English Cafe, the premier English learning community for global professionals. He has a decade of recruiting experience consulting for such companies as Microsoft, Google, MCI and Siemens.
In January of 2009, he posted a list of 6-figure jobs that do not require a college degree at www.resumebear.com. According to him these are the top 10:
1. Air traffic controller - average pay is $117,240.00
2. Construction Manager - average pay is $73,700.00
3. Transportation Manager - Average pay is 73, 080.00
4. Elevator Installer - Average pay is $63,620.00
5. Manager of Fire Fighting - Average pay is $62,900.00
6. Gaming Manager - Average pay is $62,820.00
7. Dental Hygienist - Average pay is $62,800.00
8. Nuclear Medicine Technologists - Average pay is $62,300.00
9. Powerhouse Electrical Repairers - Average pay is $57,400.00
10. Railroad Conductors - Average pay is $55,530.00
The lack of a college degree does not have to be a handicap as Mr. Stroud has illustrated. It does not have to be a restriction on your career choices. Many of today's highest paid professionals started their careers in retail sales, automobile repair, and construction. Colleges cannot prepare students for the challenges of the real world like on-the-job training provides.
Unless a teen is looking for the prestige and somewhat questionable power that sometimes comes with a degree, he might be much better off working side-by-side with highly skilled professionals where he learns by observing and doing.
For those teens who do not perform well in high school, finding satisfaction and self-confidence in the work force can inspire them to succeed in the occupation of their choice. In today's job market the workers who show the ability to work independently and diligently are the ones who will succeed, and those traits cannot be found in a college degree. They come from within. They are the best qualifications for a successful life.
Learn more about this author, Shirley Love.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.
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