The Importance and Worth of Attending College by Sewina

The Importance and Worth of Attending College by Sewina - April 2020 Scholarship Essay

Many people today debate whether college is worth attending or not, as people come out of it with hundreds of thousands of dollars of student debt, just to start a career that cannot pay off this debt. Generally, attending college is important, but it truly depends on a person’s situation and goals. Nevertheless, going to college is still important, even if one eventually decides to withdraw from it; the experience and knowledge that comes out of college is invaluable. College is an opportunity to gain more knowledge after completing high school, with the ability to concentrate on a more specific study, such as biology, mathematics, writing, or art. Many people believe that money, fame, or strength is power, but I believe that knowledge is power. Many people believe that money, fame, or strength is power, but I believe that knowledge is power. Historically, people subconsciously knew this because during the time of slavery, slave-owners would forbid their slaves from being able to read, knowing that if their slaves had this ability, it would enable them to perhaps run away. Thus taking this knowledge away from them also took away their power and their freedom.
Though many people have become very successful without a college degree, such as Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, and Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Facebook, these people still attended college, at least for a year. Perhaps they realized that college was not for them, but one can never know unless they try.
Outside of academia in college, the experience also teaches people to live independently, make smart decisions, and communication skills, among many other lessons. There is no real penalty for skipping classes, however it is the student’s responsibility to make a wise decision about that, and also plan their time and energy to make up for that. It is during college that one will perhaps meet the most people they have ever met in their lives, learning how to communicate well with others, especially on a professional level with teachers and professors. Attending college is not just important for the degree that one graduates with, but also because of the life lessons that it can teach you, and the opportunity to explore one’s interests and passions.