The Biggest Lie a College Offers
As I walked through the campus on my first day at Moorpark College (or any college, for that matter), I couldn't believe my eyes. I expected a small, modest community college to have its share few of students. However, being bombarded with people as I battled my way to my first class was very surprising. Students could be found everywhere. They poured into and out of buildings, sat under the shade of graceful trees, and talked amongst one another. It is a fight just to get into the classes you hope for. I watched as many of my absent classmates were immediately dropped from the roster on the first day. Consequently, students on the extensive waiting lists were bumped up and into the class with a sigh of relief. Coming from a high school where everyone knew everybody, this was a drastic change for me.Currently, 16,000 people are enrolled at Moorpark College, which is approximately eleven times the amount that attended the college when they first opened their doors in 1965 (a). Personally, I believe that the reason for such a great increase in the population of colleges across the country is due to one central idea: jobs. Nowadays, most jobs require a college degree. Students are repeatedly told that, in order to be successful, one must attend college. What students aren't told is that merely 27% of students graduate from college in four years (b). Many people waste precious money and time on a university that they end up dropping out of the first chance they get (c).
It is true that many successful people have graduated from college. However, there is another side to the story. For example, here is a list of thriving, well-known people who didn't graduate from college: Andrew Carnegie, Walt Disney, Steve Jobs, and even Mark Zuckerberg (d).
Although college is and will always be a very important part of many people's lives, what we are taught at an early age (that college brings immediate success) is wrong.
Resources:
(a) http://www.moorparkcollege.edu/current_students/teaching_zoo/FAQs.shtml
(b) http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Articles/2011/12/19/Why-Americas-College-Students-Dont-Graduate.aspx#page1
(c) http://www.martynemko.com/articles/we-send-too-many-students-college_id1543
(d) http://overmanwarrior.wordpress.com/2010/10/27/successful-people-that-didnt-go-to-college/
