Recently, I had a conversation with one of my friends about the expectation placed on our generation to go to college. We talked about growing up with parents who were both financially secure and college educated, and complained about the expectation to attend school and do well that had shadowed us our entire lives.
Sounds tragic, right?
If this sounds like a struggle to you, you might need to check your privilege.
There is nothing wrong with being overwhelmed by college. There is nothing wrong with complaining about college. There is, however, something wrong with asserting that it’s a bummer that your parents pushed you to go to college from early childhood.
The fact of the matter is, there are still millions of American high schoolers who won’t go to college. The fact of the matter is, two of my best friends from high school are still in their hometown, unsure of whether or not they will get to go to college. Their parents didn’t go to college. If they decide to attend, they will pay every dime themselves. Even if you feel like it’s a shame that your parents or our society pushed you to pursue higher education, it’s still important to remember that many Americans still don’t have this opportunity.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 70% of high school graduates went on to attend college last year. That means more than 1 in 4 high schoolers today will not go on to complete a college education after high school.
I am not saying that college is the only option for high school graduates, or that going to college is the only way to be successful. Many students graduate high school and find a path joining the military, starting a business, or attending a trade school. There is nothing wrong with making your own decision about not attending college — but there is something wrong with taking a college education for granted while many would kill to be in our shoes.
As young adults, it often felt like we had been hearing a cacophony of “just go to college” since pre-K. But have we all had the same opportunities to do just that? Programs such as FAFSA have worked hard to equalize the playing field between those who can afford college and those who are barely scraping by. However, there are still large groups of high school graduates that will never attend college.
You might be thinking, as collegiettes, how does this affect us? Simply be mindful of your privilege the next time you complain about the pressure to do well in school or the burden of being in college. Trust me, I know college is difficult—but it’s important to remember how lucky we are to be here.