Is College the Right Move? A Guide for Seniors
Photo by Shannon O’Dwyer
Shannon O’Dwyer
It’s finally happened for many of us: senior year. Being a senior means that your life is just around the bend. I’m not sure about the rest of you, but that seems pretty daunting. With seniority comes the responsibility of decision making; where to go to college, what to major in, where to live, the list goes on.
However, despite all of the people applying to colleges, the numbers of male applicants are dropping rapidly. An article from the Wall Street Journal recently showed data from the National Student Clearinghouse that said 59.5% of college students are women, and only 40.5% are men. It continued by stating that in the last five years, there have been 1.5 million fewer enrollments and of that, there’s been a 71% decline in men. It’s not that more women are being accepted into schools and programs, but that fewer men apply. This cuts across all races, ethnicities, and economic backgrounds. Many men even drop out of college with no real life plan afterwards. But why is this? Although there will never be a clear answer, it may stem from our flawed system.
We as a society generally hold a common belief that high school is meant to prepare us for college. For some, this process may guide them into what they choose to do in the future. This is not to say that once you go through school, you’ll be 100% set for college and know exactly what to major in and what college you want to attend. However, it seems that for much of our lives in school, it has been ingrained that school prepares us for college, and college prepares us for life. We take test after standardized test that, if we do ‘well’ on, could be our gateway to getting into our dream school. We go through a series of ‘career cruising’ programs that are supposed to tell us what we should study. But that isn’t what school was created for. School is meant to instill the key principles of life into its students. So as each year goes by, we become a more knowledgeable and well rounded individual as we figure out our tastes and distastes; it is not meant to determine our placement among the rest of the country as the highest ACT scoring school. Since when did education become all about statistics?
Understanding That College Isn’t For Everyone
There are some seniors who know exactly what they want to study and pursue and are using school as an anchor to get there. But there are just as many students who have no clue as to their direction in life. However, this is not necessarily a negative thing. It is almost ridiculous to believe that 18-year-olds can have their entire career and life mapped out. So if someone were to ask you, “What do you want to major in?” and you say, “No clue,” that is a perfectly acceptable answer. It has been taught to us, however, that even if you’re undecided, you should go to university either way. But this may not be the case for everyone. Here are viable alternatives that may be fitting for you.
Take a Gap Year
Taking a year off from school may sound just as scary as not getting into college, even when you don’t know your major. But why should it be? It is no scarier than going to school believing you’ll “figure it out” and then spending two or three extra years in school that you may not have if you took a gap year instead. By taking a year to reflect and think through all of your options, you may not only save yourself money, but the stress of extra schooling. Four years ago, Hamilton 2017 graduate Sean O’Dwyer applied to a few schools, and decided to get his Associates at UW-Milwaukee at Waukesha despite being undecided on a major. Four years later, and he has a year and a half left of school after switching his major because he didn’t take the time he should have to determine what to study.
Even if you have decided on a major, a gap year may be a much needed break from years of schooling where you can build life skills via traveling or working, which can even be impressive on resumes. According to Education First, “90 percent of the students who take a gap year return to school and do so with more motivation and enthusiasm.” By having a productive gap year working in something related to your major or otherwise, it can build excellent credibility and life experience.
2020 Hamilton graduate Brooke Brandtjen decided to take a gap year following her graduation. Beforehand, she had not yet decided on a major and felt as though a gap year would be her best option. “It gave me time to make sure it was the right move. So many people rush into college without actually planning out where their goals are. If your goal isn’t to become a more educated person, why go at all?” However, after a year of self reflection and freedom and possibility, she decided that she wanted to pursue a career in writing. “If you are able to take the time to have a year off and work and figure yourself out without the distraction of school, you’ll come out of the gap year with far more certainty in the decisions you make.” Brooke is now attending Concordia College and plans to graduate in 2025.
So while a gap year may not be a possibility for everyone, or even the right move for everyone, it is an option nonetheless whether you have a career path chosen or not.
Apprenticeship/Technical School
While a gap year may not be for you, a possible apprenticeship or workforce experience may be. Let’s say there’s a job you work at that you particularly enjoy, or maybe you have a lot of technical skills and experience. According to WCTC, “The purpose of apprenticeship is to prepare Wisconsin's skilled trades people (journey workers) to the workforce for the state of Wisconsin. Apprenticeship is an earn-while-you-learn program of on-the-job training combined with trade-related classroom instruction.” Apprenticeships are not only practical, they can potentially lead you to a field of interest. From this, you may be able to learn what line of work may be the most interesting to you or what may be suited to your skill set. In conjunction with their practicality, they can also aid in credibility when applying for a real job. In addition to some form of study at WCTC, an apprenticeship is an excellent stepping stone in a career in technical jobs.
Similarly, you may be able to have a similar experience to apprenticeship in a technical school. Technical schools traditionally have two-year programs designed for a specific line of work. WCTC offers a variety of technical based programs from global marketing to baking and pastry production. From this, you are able to learn about any skilled trade or technical skill you want, which can easily translate into the workforce. When asked about the value of apprenticeship and technical school, Hamilton Tech Department teacher, Mr. Alan Mamerow stated:
The most important thing for students to realize is that both technical school and a four-year university are quality schooling options. It depends on your intended career path. If you know that the career you are pursuing requires a four-year degree, then do not hesitate to go to a four-year school. However, understand that there are many quality careers that require technical schooling. Many of these skilled trade careers pay well, and are no longer the dirty and dangerous jobs that they used to be 40 years ago. There is also a significant job shortage in the trades right now, making it easier to land a job right after schooling. So, if you find yourself considering a career that requires technical schooling, do not waste your time and money going to a four-year University.
Military
Finally, but certainly not the last option, one may consider a field in the military. The most obvious reason for joining the military is the will to serve others and our country. However, of the less obvious reasons, the military offers a variety of benefits. For example, military members can receive full health care benefits for themselves and their immediate family upon entering the service. This can extend past your service if you chose to stay in the military until retirement. Additionally, the military can provide advanced technical training in numerous fields and possibility for additional training when off-duty. One of the more well known aspects of joining the military post high school is the “free college.” It is true that many members are able to enroll in college courses that are paid for by tuition assistance, which can prepare you for post service life. According to Military.com, “The College Fund, also known as a "GI Bill kicker," is an additional monthly benefit for college that can be offered to active-duty and Reserve service members as part of an enlistment or reenlistment contract.” Similarly, the leadership opportunities presented in the service can easily be listed on your resume in your following career. While there are a variety of other benefits to joining the military, these are the primary post high school related ones.
As the due date for college applications draws nearer, know that you may be able to expand your options. If none of these sounds appealing, try looking into something else. Your options are endless and there’s no rush to make an immediate decision. Your whole life is ahead of you; do with it what you will.
