Opinion

Navigating College

College can be very stressful for many people. It puts a lot of stress especially on high schoolers because they feel as if they mess up they are endangering their future and college is their one ticket to a rich life. They take a lot of time researching colleges they want to be in and…
<a href="https://highschool.latimes.com/author/dankasaurustrex/" target="_self">Carlos Ramirez</a>

Carlos Ramirez

May 30, 2018

College can be very stressful for many people. It puts a lot of stress especially on high schoolers because they feel as if they mess up they are endangering their future and college is their one ticket to a rich life. They take a lot of time researching colleges they want to be in and put a lot of thought into how they might pay for the tuition, books and other living expenses.

These costs and finances may also be stressful for their families that can’t afford a lot of the college and they need to figure out how they’ll be able to help pay. Families enter into thousands of dollars in debt to support their children in achieving their dream and having things that they may never have had. However, is going to a college really more worth it than working an ordinary job?

Debt after college can accumulate and ruin one’s life as they spent their lives trying to pay it off. Although it gives you a better chance at a better job there always comes the risk that you may not even be able to get a job and you would have to end up working a unskilled job.

There’s also the chance that it would take multiple extra years in college depending on what degree your trying to earn. Not going to a college would mean you would never have accumulated any debt on the same scale however in doing do the job you may have may be unstable and not pay much. However to some college is very important and refuse to go to a cal state

Getting help for the debts can also be scary because it can be a scam and just add on to your debts. Picking the right plan is important because they may also make the debts easier to manage. They’re also important because you have to make sure you’ll be able to be able to pay off the debt.

However, there are many opportunities to get money in grants and scholarships. There are thousands of these that are open to everyone and is a good way to minimize the total amount of money you will be needing to get into college. Although some may rack up thousands of dollars it won’t be enough to pay for the full four or six years of college. You could go to a community college for the first two years and transfer to save money on college as well.

The difference of money between going to a UC and a Cal State can differ by about $25,000 yearly. This can affect different families differently, for example the wealthier families are able to afford this while the less fortunate middle and lower class usually need to borrow money in loans.

Money plays a big role in deciding what college you should go to depending on how much your parents can support you and help pay for the college and this could limit the amount of options you may have. However getting a full free ride from a college is an alternative to having to pay however one needs to maintain a high GPA and do well in extracurricular activities and clubs.

College is a good way to try and improve your life and gives you a better chance to get a career that you would enjoy doing in the future. College is also there to study what your passionate about such as music, physics and math. Having been in clubs, AP classes, and community service can really help get you into a college and give you a better chance at being picked for school.