College as the Default

[Aditii Mehta]

I agree with Rusk because there are many successful individuals who never went to college. Going to college does not guarantee your success. Also, college should not be a default option. It totally depends on our will whether we want to join college or not.

[Yasmine M]

College is not the only path, but it is still very much relevant. Luckily it is not the only option. I do agree with Rusk's opinion and at the same time I think college is seldom seen as the default option. At least outside the US.

[Rocky Ellery James Tumbelaka]

A successful life isn't determined by wether you have a college degree or not. A successful life is determined by the person that living it. That is what I believe.

[Laney K]

I concur that a college degree is not necessary to lead a wonderful life. While it may be a life goal for others, it should not be something that is deemed necessary for happiness. I believe everything has a right to do what works for them.

I totally agree. I think a lot of schools push college onto students even if that is not the best path or needed for their goals in life.

[Chiwelite Obioma Mgbeoji]

The author is right. I do not believe that there should be default settings for people's choices. People should be allowed to tow any path that they believe will lead to their happiness and success. It's sad when there is a default as people tend to mock people who refuse to follow that default setting.

[Chris Alex Powell]

I agree with Rusk. In my place, a lot of people just go to school because they are expected to do so. This is not a guarantee to success. And not going to college is not a guarantee for failure either. We should not all do it because it is a norm or is expected.

[Lindiwe Chakhala]

For some people collage might be waste of time and money. They go to college just because it's expected, so they might just pick subject that seems easy or that might turn profitable or whatever their parents want then to do. It's not necessarily bad thing to go but with different mindset these people might instead pursue right away what interests them. Instead, they realise that only after when they are already under massive debt. Also, collage is supposed to be this prestige education, highest education. If everyone attends though, the quality of education is being pushed down.

Agreed. I would add that attending university should broaden one's intellect. If one take's a subject that does not sharpen your critical thinking skills and make you question the world differently after you graduate then you wasted your time, money, and energy. That is a shame.

Also, I would add that where one lives in this world dictates the value of a university degree. Here in Malawi, if you don't have a degree then you fall through the cracks. The few people who have succeeded without one have either benefited from great connections, nepotism, tribalism, and/or corruption.

[David Chijindu]

I suppose the fact that it isn't free in and of itself predisposes it to being a commodity. No matter what course we take, learning will always take place in some fashion. Only more rigid and organized than high school, perhaps.

[Aloe Crane]

I agree with this, there is nothing wrong with going to college, but going just because it is expected, that I don't agree with. I know a lot of successful people that didn't go to college and unsuccessful people that did. It all depends on what your will is made of and what your aspirations are in life. If you have the will and belief to make a success of yourself, then you can. You don't need college to be a success.

I agree! There's also a lot of options for people that don't go to college, like trade schools! With the advent of the internet, we now have access to a lot of information and education. Learning a new trade or skill from the internet could benefit you more than college! It all depends on how willing you are to work through it, I think.

[Aloe Crane]

For some people collage might be waste of time and money. They go to collage just because it's expected, so they might just pick subject that seems easy or that might turn profitable or whatever their parents want then to do. It's not necessary bad thing to go but with different mindset these people might instead pursue right away what interests them. Instead, they realise that only after when they are already under massive debt. Also, collage is suppose to be this prestige education, highest education. If everyone attends though, the quality of education is being pushed down.

I agree. I know someone who went to college just because it was what his parents expected of him. He chose some random course he had no interest in. So not only were his parents down in tons of money, he also wasted years of his young life not learning about himself or what his true interests are.

This is a perfect example, and I think what the author was hinting at. College can be for everyone in terms of education, but not all young adults are ready or good for college.

[readingswithsoso]

I agree with this, there is nothing wrong with going to college, but going just because it is expected, that I don't agree with. I know a lot of successful people that didn't go to college and unsuccessful people that did. It all depends on what your will is made of and what your aspirations are in life. If you have the will and belief to make a success of yourself, then you can. You don't need college to be a success.

I also agree with you!

[Donna Walker]

How did everybody feel about Rusk criticizing college as the default option for young adults? Do you think he supported his argument that a college degree is not necessary to live a full and successful life?

I totally agree with this. Literally everyone has a college degree. It doesn't really mean anything anymore, other than a lifetime of debt for the student! I dropped out of university in the UK (where it does not cost a fortune) and moved to Mexico when I was 20. I have had a very successful sales career; no degree is/was needed. Now I'm doing work that I love in audio book narration. I really do not think that a college degree is required to live a successful life. 
In fact, I think the opposite. The pressure of "you must get a college degree" may have the effect of railroading a youth into a career they don't really want to do because they simply didn't know what they wanted to do when the college course selection came about. That, in turn, leads to a very unfulfilling life. 

[Crs webco]

I don’t think Rusk criticized college as an option, only as a poorly thought out default, which seems to be the norm today. I have multiple college degrees and work in healthcare. Rusk acknowledged that some jobs need college and for good reason! But I wholeheartedly see his point that someone can live a successful and financially secure life without a college degree! I personally have seen this to be true, and have seen many people my age graduate with degrees simply to find a job that doesn’t require one.

I totally agree, Kelsey. I know a high-school dropout who made more money in his third year driving a semi than I made when I retired after a 33+ year career, and I had a Five year degree in Early Childhood Education, a Master's in Education, and was six credits shy of a Master's in Communication Education and Mass Media Technology along with innumerable workshops, seminars, college classes and assorted other learning opportunities!

If passion and willingness to work towards a goal are part of the individual's makeup, knowledge and experience will provide a way to that goal. Sometimes college may be the right answer, but not just because someone else thinks you should go. If you don't know what you want to do, it would be better to work a menial or labor intensive job, or even flip hamburgers for 6-12 months instead of going directly to college. You will definitely 1) Have a better idea of what you do and do not want to spend your life doing, and 2) Have a better understanding that money does not grow on trees and that acquiring enough money to pay your bills will require work on your part.

You might even discover a way to get to your goals/dreams that that does not require you to go as deeply into debt as college may require.

[Austin McMichael]

For some people collage might be waste of time and money. They go to collage just because it's expected, so they might just pick subject that seems easy or that might turn profitable or whatever their parents want then to do. It's not necessary bad thing to go but with different mindset these people might instead pursue right away what interests them. Instead, they realise that only after when they are already under massive debt. Also, collage is suppose to be this prestige education, highest education. If everyone attends though, the quality of education is being pushed down.

I agree. I know someone who went to college just because it was what his parents expected of him. He chose some random course he had no interest in. So not only were his parents down in tons of money, he also wasted years of his young life not learning about himself or what his true interests are.

I agree that might have been a waste of time to take uninteresting courses. However, I think that one can learn a great deal about life in general while in college. It may be a good transition from living with parents to living alone for some. All that to say that I don't think that everything one can gain from college is measured or plainly evident.

[Timothee22]

In general, the idea that a college degree is not necessary for a full and successful life is not a new one. There are many successful people who have achieved their goals without obtaining a college degree, and some argue that the emphasis on college as the default option for young adults can be detrimental to those who may be better suited for vocational training, entrepreneurship, or other paths.