Is College Education the Only Way to Succeed?

From a very early age, we are told the importance of going to college and the prominence of getting a college education. We are told that our entire future depends on the education we will get from college, and if we do not study, then somehow, our future will be doomed. There is no conflict in the view that education is very important, but we have seen some of the world’s most renowned people to be college dropouts. This raises a very important question, and that is whether a college education is the only way to succeed? The examples we have are enough to direct us in the other direction, but this also means that you will have to put in double the effort. All the people who have made their name in the world without a college degree were geniuses.

Is College Studies the Only Way?

This question has been asked for the longest time and has bugged students all along. A lot of the students who do not want to spend years studying in college find it hard to convince their parents, so they could allow them to pursue their dreams. Their dreams are outside of the college building in the real world. Such children argue that what they will understand in the outside world cannot be learned through the books they are taught in college, and they have a valid point. They are of the belief that practicality has more to teach you than any book. However, these books that are taught are based on many experiences as well. This silent debate and war are ongoing among the students who will be getting college degrees for the sake of their parents and the society they live in. For many societies, a university degree is the ultimate proof of education, which means another 4 years in a professional institute.

Are there Other Ways?

This question cannot be answered in a plain yes or a no. Technology has changed a lot of things in the present day. Everything is available to you at one click; you do not even have to step inside the college to get a college education. You can go ahead and pursue your dreams while you take your college courses online. No boundaries are restricting you from living your dreams anymore. Even if you are interested in more technical jobs like programming or software development, you can take up courses online and master your skills. Major universities across the globe have published their entire courses online; you would have to pay a premium on some sites while others may even offer them for free to you. So, the opportunities available today are countless.

Your Chosen Field

Whether you have a college degree or not, it highly depends on your chosen field you wish to have a career in. A technical field like the ones discussed above may not require you to have professional education, but some professionals do require an educational degree. Management, psychology, or sciences require you to have the education to practice in the world; otherwise, you cannot prescribe medicine until you have a proper degree. Similarly, a psychologist cannot practice until he has the certificate, which allows him to counsel people. Almost all management companies hire employees who have management degrees because it lets them understand the processes easily. For example, if the manager asks you to explain the SWOT analysis, you cannot simply make a guess since you have not attended the course. These things are easier if you have a college degree.

Entrepreneurial Ventures

Many students who do not want to continue with their college education have an inclination towards entrepreneurship; they want to be their own bosses. Students with this inclination are often not interested in college education; they believe that whatever they have to learn, they will learn in the professional field. This often proves to be true, as well. If someone starts his own business or event management or launches a website, he will learn as he goes along. But another very important thing to remember here is that he will need to employ a number of people to operate his business. Since he will not have financial knowledge, he would have to hire a finance expert with relevant experience in handling different accounts. He might also have to hire someone who is well-versed in dealing with clients and making them understand your side of the story. Like we have already established that there is no right answer to the questions.

The Barriers

According to research, two-thirds of American adults do not even have a four years degree, which we often refer to as a professional degree. For many Americans in the United States, a college education is a luxury that they cannot afford. Many students, early in their lives, are overburdened with responsibilities that they have to take on, and education doesn’t remain a priority for them. Several barriers have been raised between them and a college degree, and that is why even if they try, they cannot get to it. For such students, the college degree loses its charm very early on. They step into practical life with their experience, and they take on the world as they go and learn simultaneously. Not each story turns into a success story, but the ones that do are truly inspirational.

Conclusion

College education or no college education, success only comes through sheer hard work. There are examples of people having the best degrees in the world, but they failed to make a mark while others ruled the world without degrees. Many people argue that luck plays an important part in deciding who succeeds and who doesn’t, but luck also favors those who work to take on the world heads on. A college education is very important, and if you have the resources to get it and still opt not to get it, you lose a golden opportunity.