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

by Timou

Created on: July 07, 2009

What do parents want for their children? Only the best. Parents really have little benefit in sending wanting their offspring to do well academically, go to college, and get some paper qualifications. Keep in mind that a college education does not come cheap these days. After all, education is not immune to inflationary pressures.

Why then do parents want their children to head to college so badly?

In a society that places ever-increasing emphasis on paper qualifications, one needs a proper education in a reputable college to have a greater chance at leading a more comfortable life. While striking it out on your own and being entrepreneurial is a possible path towards success and a better quality of life, it is nonetheless a risky path to embark on. Even more unconventional careers such as dance and music tend to require long apprenticeships at exclusive and specialized schools that are just as difficult to enter as academic colleges.

In essence, a college education provides the highest probability of leading a better life when the graduate enters the working world.

As I mentioned, parents want only the best for their young, and by wanting their children to take the college route, one can assume that parents want their children to have a successful career in the days ahead.

This desire is amplified by the personal experiences of the parent. The parent that has experienced poverty and hardship as a child refuses to have their young go through the same difficult life. They are convinced that education provides the necessary insurance against financial hardships. This also explains their apprehension over their children embarking on more unconventional career paths, simply because of the uncertainty involved in such career routes.

Similarly, the parent fortunate enough to have enjoyed relatively comfortable growing years know that the stable careers that their own parents had were a direct result of the strong education they received. Wanting their offspring to enjoy the same comfort in life, they wish for their children to take the same path towards academic and job success that of a college education.

Perhaps parents should not be blamed for wanting their young to get a college education. The fault actually lies in the labor market, which places a high demand on paper qualifications, and tends to reward risk and entrepreneurship poorly. Furthermore, careers in fields such as the arts tend to be much less well-publicized than corporate high-flyers.

Until the labor markets actively start to place less emphasis on paper qualifications, parents will continue to pressure their young to get a college education, if only to ensure a better quality of life for their young.

Learn more about this author, Timou.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.