Are parents justified in pressuring their teenage children to get a college education?

by Nicole Dias

Created on: July 07, 2009   Last Updated: July 25, 2009

Asking if a parent is justified in pressuring teenage children to get a college education is like asking if they are justified in making their 6 year-old brush their teeth. In today's world most employers look for employees with at minimum an Associate degree and many are now looking for a Bachelors.

The harsh reality of the "real world" is what drives many parents pressure their children to attend college. For many it is not about being a nag or wanting bragging right but instead is because they are all too familiar with the harsh reality of the job force today. Some parents do not have a college education and now have a hard time finding or maintaining a job. Some have only held their job because of experience and those who do have a college education are also familar with the competitive nature of today's job force.

It is a parent's duty to be sure that their children are making the best decisions. When I was a teenager there were many days I did not feel like going to school or doing my homework. Would it have been right for my parents to just say "Okay, forget about it today"? Of course not!

Today almost all professions require a degree. Many police officers today have a college degree as do firefighters and actors and actresses. This is not to say that in order to be successful you must have a college education but that education does increase the odds at a tremendous rate.

What parents should not do is pressure their children into a certain field. This is something that a teenager should make their own mind up about. Everyone should love their job or at least like doing it and those who get into a particular field because of a family history often times resent the family member who put that pressure on them.

Parents should always be encouraging and supportive of a child's path in life and the decisions they make to get there. However, it is important to keep in mind that teenagers do NOT always know what is best for them and what types of obstacles they will face. Every child should be lucky enough to have a parent who cares enough to want what is best for the child. Parents do need to be sure that is their prime motivation when pressuring a child to get a college education and not what would make them the most proud etc.

At my place of employment for example to get a decent job you have to at minimum have a Bachelor degree. I have a great job and I would not even have been considered for my position without the education I have. I am fortunate to have a mother who made me feel that going to college was the only way to go especially being that she wanted me to go and do what I felt passionate about. For those reasons I truly believe that parents should absolutely pressure their children to get a college education.

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