This op-ed was written by Sophia Dalton, a research intern at Libertas Institute, and originally appeared in Daily Herald on July 27, 2024.
Growing up, kids are often told that going to college is the only way to meet society’s standard for success. But what is this standard based on? More and more young adults are dropping out of college due to financial hardship and excessive, unnecessary classes, among other reasons. Additionally, the percentage of Americans in the last decade who believe in the value of higher education has dropped from 57% to 48%. These statistics beg the question: Does one need to attend college to be successful?
As a 21-year-old senior in college, I have taken my fair share of college classes. What they don’t tell you in high school is that you will have to take an obscene amount of classes that have nothing to do with your major or interest. Forty-two to 60 college credits (depending on what school you attend) will be general education courses. On the University of Utah General Education and degree requirements page, you can find the requirement stating, “Students are required to take two (2) classes in each of three of the four Intellectual Explorations that are not associated with the student’s major. So, students need to take six classes total: two in each of the Intellectual Explorations (IE) areas in which they are not majoring.”
As a strategic communications and family consumer science major, gender studies and history of rock ‘n’ roll were not my strong suits. In fact, they were a complete waste of time considering that I not only had no interest in them, they also were not pertinent whatsoever to my major or career goals. Why are we taking these classes when they could have been taught in high school? If they are not associated with our major, then why spend the extra money and years?
The average cost of college in the United States is $38,270 per student per year, including books, supplies and daily living expenses. The cost of college is a main reason why students are hesitant to go. Even if you take out a loan for the four-year degree, most Americans struggle to pay it off. Twenty percent of adults report having paid off student loan debt. The average salary for a new Utah graduate is $62,017 per year or $29.89 per hour, making it difficult to pay off the loans and support the new life the graduate is living.
Further, on account of the recent job market, “less than half of recent graduates, 47% have been able to get full time employment jobs related to the major they studied.” In fact, a recent study done by the New York Federal Reserve Bank shows only 27% of people use their degree. So why pay for a degree? Is it the idea that it will prepare you for the “real” world?
One of the biggest complaints I hear from students right now is that college is not preparing them to find a job. A survey done by Forage shows that students are more likely to use social media, LinkedIn and YouTube for career research than they are to use college resources such as professors, career fairs and career centers. Many students are paying for resources they are not using. On top of this, only 53% of college students are confident or very confident that they know how to get a job after college. While many students might be attending college to get real-world experience, many will leave still not feeling prepared for success.
While college can offer valuable experiences and opportunities, the financial burden, the curriculum and the uncertain return on investment are important factors that students must consider. The increasing number of young adults questioning the importance of a degree and the declining confidence in higher education suggest that the one-size-fits-all approach to societal success may no longer be what it once was.
For many, a college degree remains a worthwhile idea, offering personal growth, professional networking and academic knowledge. However, it is important to weigh these benefits against the potential downsides, including the cost, the time spent on non-major courses and the challenge of finding employment post-graduation. As college continues to evolve, it may be important to reevaluate what success can look like and consider other pathways apart from the traditional college experience.