Going to University can be one of the best decisions one makes for their lives as this give you opportunity to take your mind into new horizons. For some going to college is a lifelong goal in life from when you were in grade school. Many choose to go to college later in life after spending time in the workforce.

As someone who has both a bachelor’s degree and master’s in business, I can contest to how college can help you in your life bringing you financial prosperity and stability in your life. I will say that college is no guarantee in life but it certainty helps if you have it.

For those who are in college or have finished you may be able to confirm if college helped you reach the potential you were hoping for or if it was a bust. My personal story is that I feel college was kind of a bust for me, but I will say that choosing the right college does make the difference.

My Choice of College Made a Difference

I did not go to Ivy league school or top tier school which could have been part of the problem that has lead to me being not as successful in my professional life. My life choice out of high school was to go to good college like most and I did at first moving hundreds of miles away to State school, but when I got there I was in for a rude awakening.

I soon realized quickly I was not prepared for college life, for the course work as I feel I had to retake courses I had already passed In high school like Algebra, ugh.

Not only was course work on a different level I was used to, add into it I was homesick going through a deep depression and I was just not coping well, so I came back home. Coming home was a bad choice I made because I went back into a home that was filled with verbal abuse and despair. From this point I made the choice to still attend college but a private for-profit college which in my opinion was a choice I would go back re-do.

The moment I graduate I could almost instantly see that I would be treated differently from those who went to traditional colleges like state colleges and Ivy league. It was pretty disappointing for me because I did put a lot of work into earning my degree. Now mind you I live in California where are literally hundreds if not thousands of colleges to choose from at that time and I chose this particular college for the expediency of finishing quickly in three years.

College May Not Always Be The Answer

Part of the problem many of face is that we automatically think college is the answer to our financial prayers as it will automatically lead to a better life. In some sense it does help because employers will see that you took the time to expand your mind and get more specialized training in a field.

Being that I choose a business degree something I personally regret simply because the knowledge I gained from the business degree I could have gotten from just working businesses or starting my own business.

For those who are going into very specialized fields such as medicine, Law or engineering then in most cases you will require a degree. Some of you out there may feel that having a business degree can be a specialize degree and to a certain degree you are correct, but my point is because business is so broad you do have the opportunity to learn those skills not just in college.

In preparation for my research here is one source I felt would be important from the following:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/when-higher-education-doesnt-mean-higher-pay/

Now I am not saying that getting higher education is not encouraged it is, but its important to know that the college you attend and the industry you choose will make the difference in your life, so choose wisely.  I know from those who know they want to go to college earlier on also have certain influences in their life like parents who children and young adults wish to mimic because of what college has done for the family such as a better way of lie, more financial prosperity and personal happiness.

In todays world there are literally colleges for many field and for any type of job and as an instructor it is my job to instruct students on the importance of college, but I will say my choices did affect me today and I do advise my students on my mistakes. Now It goes against my better judgement to discourage my students not to attend because of my personal feelings, they have a choice and a right to choose what college and field they wish to learn.

Here is another perspective one can consider about why Higher Education is not about just getting a job but something Higher, something we all should look to.

Think About Your Choices 

But as an instructor I have seen what effects colleges can have on the prosperity of a students life, because deep down it has other negative affects like student loans, cost of living, starting wages and the lifelong future of their lives. It is my goal in future students and even my own daughters live to advise that if you want to go to college think wisely on where and what field in addition to the cost it will have over your life in the long run.

As we get older we will get wiser and soon realize if college was a good investment for you , your life and your families life. Now I will say that one area in my life that college has allowed me take part in was teaching as college professor due to me having a master degree, but even my masters degree in business hasn’t fully paid off in the way I wish.

Some of you reading this may say that I am at fault for my choices, I choose the wrong college, degree, field and even what direction I choose to take my career. I would say to a certain degree you are right I made some poor choices in which I thought would help my career many times being under employed with positions that were literally below my skill level which did affect my prospects.

So what’s the point of this blog, is simply to say that there is no guarantee in life even when it comes to going to college, deep down unless you work for yourself we are all at the mercy of an employer who has the power to keep us aboard or get rid of us which in these times you have seen happen all too often.

You have the ability to make good choices, think wisely, long and hard to where you want to take your life know you explored every option.

As always I encourage you to expand your minds whether going to college or some other means that knowledge has value in your life and in your career.