“The value of a college education is not the learning of many facts but the training of the mind to think.” - Albert Einstein. A college education provides numerous outlets for people to explore their interests and find out where they will be in the world. As Albert Einstein stated, in essence, society needs to learn the value of working hard from a college education. If society can obtain this work ethic from not not attending college and simply pursuing what they want, then why should college have to be for everyone? For a number of people, a college education isn’t necessarily the best choice, and it shouldn’t have to be. Everyone brings different aspects to the table of our economy. Society should avoid boxing people into one category and making them believe they need to pursue a college education, and that this is the only way to be successful in life. As important as college may be for some, it frankly isn’t for everyone. The first reason being that college isn’t as valuable for some as it is for others. Secondly, college is extremely expensive, leaving fresh out of college students in debt. Finally, college is just plainly not as popular as it used to be. People are not as interested in attending college. Education is valid for certain obstacles one wants to pursue life, though it may not fit everyone’s personality and learning style. Everybody is different, and as valid as education may seem, there are other options for people besides going to college.

To begin, a college education isn’t as valuable for some as it is for others. The author illustrates in “Why College Isn’t (And Shouldn’t Have to be) For Everyone,” “The biggest absurdity is that a four year college degree has become the only gateway into the American middle class. But not every young person is suited to four years of college,” (Reich). This demonstrates that everyone is different, and has different learning techniques. This meaning that we are not built the same, and college doesn’t work for every person in America if they want to be successful. The author states in “Why College Isn’t (And Shouldn’t Have to be) For Everyone,” “Last year according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, 46 percent of recent college graduates were in jobs that don’t even require a college degree” (Reich). This shows that though many jobs require a college education, it is still possible to make it in life without going to college. There are options, and it is very important to recognise this evidence when claiming that going to college is the only way to make it in life. The author proves in “Why College Isn’t (And Shouldn’t Have to be) For Everyone,” “Instead, we continue to push most of our young people through a single funnel called a four-year college education…” (Reich). This demonstrates that everyone has different goals pertaining to what they want to accomplish in life. It is absurd to just assume that all of society fits the form a college ready student. College plainly works for some and not for others. Therefore, higher education provides importance for some, though for others a college education just simply isn’t as beneficial.
Secondly, college is extremely expensive, leaving fresh out of college students, in debt. The author elaborates in, “A Look at the Shocking Student Loan Debt Statistics for 2017,” “the average Class of 2016 graduate has $37,172 in student loan debt, up six percent from last year” (Student Loan Hero). This shows that since college is extremely expensive, how can those coming out of a college be successful if they are in such intense debt? College needs to be affordable for it to successfully allow others to have a prosperous life. Therefore, being another reason for students to not want to attend college. The author exemplifies in “A Look at the Shocking Student Loan Debt Statistics for 2017,” “44.2 million Americans with student loan debt” (Student Loan Hero). This describes that student debt has an obvious effect on millions of hard-working Americans. If one can get through life successfully without falling into the trap of student debt and becoming one of the millions of students who have to take out loans, then this shows how unnecessary college may be for some. Not necessarily for all people, but for those who want to avoid loans and money problems right from the get go. The author informs the reader in “A Look at the Shocking Student Loan Debt Statistics for 2017” that when a student has a combined undergraduate and graduate degree in medicine and health science they have, “$161,772” (Student Loan Hero) of student debt. This concludes, one of the most important jobs in the workforce, a doctor or people who work in medicine, has over $100,000 of student debt once out of college. This number is extremely high for one of the most life saving jobs in this country. Going to college is valuable, but for one of the most crucial jobs in the US, it sure costs a lot of money to complete its training. If college wasn’t so expensive, then maybe this would be a gateway for people who want to work in the medical field to pursue this challenge, regardless of the price tag. Thus, college is extremely expensive, and for some higher education is just isn’t worth the price tag.

Finally, college is just plainly not as popular as it used to be. The author reveals in “Actually, College is Very Much Worth it,”  “Make no mistake, there is widespread dissatisfaction with high education” (Rotherham). This explains that though a college education brings important, it just simply isn’t for everyone. A college education provides benefits in life, but some are not satisfied with what high education brings. The author suggests in “Actually, College is Very Much Worth it,” “According to a new survey released by Pew Research Center, only 40 percent of Americans felt that colleges provided an “excellent” or “good” value for the money” (Rotherham). This demonstrates that college is very expensive, and its cost is so high. Many believe it is not as worth it as it may seem due to the fact of 40 percent of Americans approving a college education.  The majority believes there should be other options, which is extremely valid and arguable. The author points out in “Why College Isn’t (And Shouldn’t Have to be) For Everyone,” “A four-year college degree isn’t necessary for many of tomorrow’s good jobs” (Reich). This demonstrates that the world evolves very quickly. What could have been useful for job success decades ago is not useful now. The point being many jobs don’t rely on a college education, thus explaining the point of how there are other options for post high school students than higher education. The world changes and  people’s perspective on college change as well. Consequently, college is not the only option after high school, but many Americans believe this to be true.

First off, some may claim that college is the only way to be successful and have a sustainable life. the author clarifies in “Why College Isn’t (And Shouldn’t Have to be) For Everyone,” “...young people need an alternative. That alternative should be a world-class system of vocational-technical education” (Reich). This demonstrates that though college may be beneficial for some, it is not for others. People need a solid base for job options, especially for those not going to college, which therefore can lead them to success. Next, some may claim that college is very high quality, and higher education is the best option out there. The author notes in “Actually, College is Very Much Worth it,”  “...there are plenty of problems with high education-poor quality, even at brand-name schools, and out-of-control costs…” (Rotherham). This explains that though some may claim that college is this unflawed system, there are actually many problems pertaining to the quality of a college education. Finally, some may claim that college can be stress free, and that it is a breeze to go through the process. The author demonstrates in “Why College Isn’t (And Shouldn’t Have to be) For Everyone,”  “I know a high schools senior who’s so worried about whether she’ll be accepted at the college of her choice she can’t sleep” (Reich). This exemplifies the stress which college brings for people, the stress so intense that some cannot sleep and go about their regular lives because they worry so much about being accepted for their dream college. It is good to want things in life, and achieve those goals, but not to the point where it starts to affect one’s health negatively.
In conclusion, college isn’t as important for some as it is for others. Next, college is thousands of dollars, leaving many  in debt. Finally, A college education has evolved through time, now making not as relevant as it used to be. A college education brings importance, make no mistake, there are many great outcome from attending college. Though, it is time to make some changes in how a college education is portrayed. Though it is very beneficial, there are other options, and everyone is different when it comes to education.