Yes, College is Worth It

It just depends on which college, what you study, and how you perform.

There's a healthy and vibrant national dialogue these days about the value and purpose of higher education, and that's a good thing. It's far past the time when people ought to start taking a hard look at options beyond high school. A simple online search will provide a multitude of national statistics, averages, and median numbers, whether it's for student loan debt, tuition costs, graduation rates, or any other college statistic. But, I suggest to use caution with those numbers, as they don't always tell the whole story.

A few years ago, at an Open House event, one of our prospective students asked me about the average wages for an automotive technician. My reply caught him by surprise as I asked, "Are you planning to be an average technician?" Making decisions based on aggregate data seems rational at first, but it may not be a good predictor of an individual's future. I know of some of our graduates making well over $100,000 per year, and I know some others who got frustrated and left the industry for something unrelated. People are individuals, not averages.

To make a smart choice for what to do after high school, each individual person must make the decision that fits for themselves. Actually, two decisions: what kind of career, and which institution.

The right career will depend greatly on the person's aptitude and personality. Being the best at anything will beat the pants off of being average at even the most lucrative job. There's a million ways to make money. Pick something you enjoy and that you're good at.

Of course, there are some career paths that are trending towards increased opportunities, and others trending toward obsolesence. One thing I'm very proud of, is that at Rosedale Technical College we only offer programs of study that have a substantial need of new talent. Pick a career that's in demand.

The right institution is also very important. My suggestion is to find a college that demonstrates alignment of purpose from the leadership offices right through to the classrooms. At very large universities, at least look for that alignment within a department. When there is alignment within an organization, the energy and focus of the faculty and staff can be put towards the students rather than squabbling among themselves.

Find out what the college values and how it functions. Is it fun to work there, fun to study there? What is the core focus of the school, and do they walk the talk?

There are some good schools who may not fit a particular individual. For example, those who prefer online learning may not want to apply to our college. We believe in the value of live, in-person interactions. We think our students learn best when they are immersed among their peers, with external accountability to be in a certain place at a certain time. Frankly, it's harder to do everything in person, but we think it's worth it.

That personalized approach is aligned throughout our campus too, including in student services. Our financial aid offices are available up to 60 hours per week for face-to-face meetings for support and assistance. And our job placement services typically take center stage on campus. Just last week, we had our fall career fair event with about 185 different employers here, in-person, to recruit our students. Plus, we schedule individual visits with employers all through the year, averaging almost 1 per day.

So, look for an institution that offers a career training path that suits you, and that operates in a way that aligns with your goals. When that happens, you'll find that college is indeed worth the investment in time and money.