Student Loan Debt

Will you still receive work benefits if you do not earn a degree?
Having a degree increases the chances of having health insurance or a retirement plan. According to ProCon.com,

70% of college graduates 25 years old and older had access to retirement plans in 2008 compared to 65% of associate's degree holders, 55% of high school graduates, and 30% of people who did not complete high school.

It is clear that the further you go in school, the better chances you have of securing benefits. Nonetheless, degrees do not guarantee workplace benefits which is a prime reason for going to college in the first place.

How prepared are you to handle debt?
Student loan debt delays adult milestones such as marriage or financial independence. Many students

According to ProCon.com, a college graduate with a bachelor’s degree earned $30,000 more per year than a high school graduate, or about $500,000 more over a lifetime and an associate's degree (a 2-year degree) is worth about $10,200 more a year and $170,000 more over a lifetime. Tuition is expensive though, and that takes away from the overall income made every year. The total cost of going to college also includes the cost of missing opportunities to make money at a job so the cost becomes even greater. Tuition has risen quicker than income, which makes it difficult for the average American to pay for college without incurring debt, but the likelihood of becoming impoverished is much lower after receiving a college

For example, MBA player, technology entrepreneur, and scholar, Vivek Wadhwa, states, "American children party [in college]. But you know something, by partying, they learn social skills. They learn how to interact with each other…They develop skills which make them innovative." College not only provides social skills but it also exposes students to diversity of people and ideas.
Graduates are also more productive as members of society. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, from Sep. 2008 to Sep. 2009, 43% of college graduates did volunteer work compared to 19% of high school graduates and 27% of adults in general. Additionally, college graduates attract higher-paying employers to their communities, receive better employment opportunities overall, and are healthier, more prepared, and live longer.
Another benefit of college is that it allows students to explore career option without changing jobs. The career services, job shadowing and fairs, internships, course diversity, and volunteer opportunities provided within colleges provide a career direction that cannot be found in a job.

What are the preeminent disadvantages of going to college instead of