The mindset for most elementary students for some time has been to go to school and to get an education, which will lead to pursuing a degree and possibly a job. However, that does not seem to be the case for the upcoming generations. A lot of students who graduate high school aren’t prepared for the challenges that college offers.

There are many young people who lack the motivation or drive to continue their education after high school. There might be some students who give school a try, but then drop out after their first semester or year. It is true that school isn’t for everyone, but what is stopping so many students out of high school from continuing their education?

Enrollment rates for college have declined in the last few years. In a recent study conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in October 2014, 68.4 percent of high school graduates were enrolled in colleges and universities. That is not a very high percentage of U.S. high school graduates who go on to attend college in the fall. There seems to be a trend of students not continuing their education due to many outside factors that affect their decision to go to college. Instead, they go to school because it’s part of the social norm.

As young adults, we go to school because that’s what our guardians expect of us, as does society. But school is not meant for everybody, even though many students might feel obligated to continue their education so they don’t feel judged by their family or peers. The ultimate decision of going to college or not is up to you, no one else.

Many first-year and returning students at Skyline seem to have been falling into this trend. Some Skyline students assume that just showing up to school and going to class is enough when you actually have to put in the time and effort for college. If you don’t want to go to school, don’t go. Another alternative to school is working for a living.

On the other hand, most jobs nowadays ask that you have a degree in a certain field of study to be qualified for the position. That is where our screwed up educational system comes into play. Students must pay for school to get a job, yet most people have to get a job to pay for school. It does not make sense. Luckily there are some other ways to obtain money for school, something that most students struggle with, and scholarships and financial aid are always available. You just have to look for it.

At the same time, what’s wrong with getting a degree? Graduating from college and obtaining a degree in the field of your choice is just one of the few things that will get you a job. Overall, you’re educational experience and skills and your work ethic that will get you that degree is what will get you a job.

Therefore, the upcoming generation has to make the best decision for themselves. Don’t go to college just because everyone else is doing it. If you want to go to college, do it because you know it will make you happy and actually get you where you want to be in life.