Trade School is Better Than College?
Whenever someone thinks about plans after college, the first thought that almost always comes to mind, is college. Because of this, the option of a trade school is basically thrown out the window and rarely considered. Even though college is the first option for a reason and is very flexible, most of the time trade schools are better because they do not make students take unneeded classes, do not cost as much, offer hands-on experience as opposed to theory, generally take less time to graduate and focus only on the chosen field. Trade schools have been overlooked as a substitute for college since college became as big as it is now. The benefits of trade schools outweigh the benefits of college in almost every scenario, making trade schools a better option than college. The biggest reason trade schools are actually a better choice than college is the cost. While the cost of college varies depending on school and location, “ranging from 36000 to 120000 per year”(Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences in Arizona, 2016), trade schools generally are less than 36000 a year. The biggest reason for this is because college makes you take classes that are unrelated to your major, therefore increasing price, whereas, trade schools only make you take
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The positives of trade school are lost in the ocean of colleges seeking your attention to bring in more students. Trade schools offer lower cost, faster graduation, classes only relating to the chosen major, teach hands-on as opposed to theory and do not give students unneeded classes. For these reasons, trade schools is actually a better choice than college for post high school education when you have a specific major in mind. College flexibility is no longer the front runner these days as more and more students are deciding on majors well before
A hard choice many people face in today’s society is whether to attend a university or to go to a trade school. With the economy America has right now it is clear that the best way to get an actual paying job is to go to a trade school and receive a certificate, rather than a college degree. It is proven that you can be just as successful in life with a job that requires technical skill over a college degree. Sadly, the culture we live in today brainwashes people into thinking technical degrees are undesirable and that a college degree is the best and only way to go. Often when students proceed on this course of life that society told them to take they may be stuck with large student loans to pay off without the promise of finishing their degree or getting a job.
Vocational and technical schools offer these people a second chance at finding the career that they will love. According to fifty-year-old Jeff Martinelli, “For a guy like me, with no college, it’s become pretty bleak out there” (qtd. by Egan 106). Martinelli spent most of his life operating heavy machinery at Kaiser Aluminum until it shut down a few years ago. He started working there right out of high school and didn’t pursue any further education. Now, he has no certification and no degree. It is nearly impossible to find a good job without either a degree or certification. Vocational schools offer people like Martinelli a second chance. He can take just one year and do a program at a technical school to get a certificate. With that certificate, he will be able to provide for his family again. At a technical school, they don’t just have young people straight out of high school. According to Fox Business, interest in vocational schools spans high school students, 4-year school graduates, and people who want to improve their skills or switch careers. That means that everyone has a chance to get the job that they are passionate about, no matter what their previous
Overall, CTE programs are a wildly beneficial option for high school students. They offer a chance for the student to have an inside glimpse into the field they are considering and allows them to solidify their decision or gives them the opportunity to change their career early on. Although cost is a major factor when it comes to enabling these programs, giving the student the option to learn and grow in an alternative environment may be worth the effort of raising the funds.
In comparison to a 4-year university a 2-year community college is much more affordable option. Even if a student ultimately transfers to a university, those first two years at a community college can still save a student ten-of-thousands, and some cases hundreds-of-thousands, of dollars, “In 2011-2012, after accounting for grant aid from all sources, net tuition and fees… at public two-year public colleges was effectively zero for students from the two lowest income quartiles.”(Jenkins). Along with saving students money overall, community colleges allow students to work while going to school, so it gives students the pros of both not going to college, and going to college. The one downside of community college is the lack of degree options, but there is still a large selection of degrees that can be acquired at community college, just not as many as a 4-year university. When comparing all three of these options, the community college option seems like the only option where the pros heavily outweigh the cons while with the other options, the cons can easily overpower the
Many people may assume that attending trade school is less successful than going to community college. There are many misconceptions that an employer might prefer a college graduate over a trade school graduate. In fact, this can be misleading because there are many more advantages of a person going from trade school instead of a community college. These benefits include but are not limited to smaller student to teacher ratios, a huge difference in tuition and time invested in your desired career, and a higher possibility of fulfillment for both students and families. However, there are many people, including myself, that believe that trade schools benefits outweigh college benefits.
Figuring out if they should find jobs right out of high school or go to college first. Nevertheless, most people are sure that they want to have a better job. Not only one that will pay more, but one they are pleased with, and one that makes him/her happy. Today, practically 60 percent of all jobs in the United States require their employers to have a higher education. Jobs for individuals who only have a high school diploma are decreasing. A large majority of high school graduates work in some type of service industry. These individuals also work in low paying jobs with no position to advance. On the other hand, college graduates tend to have more skills that qualify them for a much larger range of employment opportunities. This makes it easier for them to move up in positions. According to Catherine Rampell, “there are more employed college graduates today than employed high school graduates and high school dropouts put together” (678). Thus, as the economy progresses over the years to come, college graduates will be better placed to find jobs that will offer a larger amount of pay. Therefore, earning a college degree will greatly enhance your marketability as a professional.
While many times it is not about the grades and getting into college, it is all the other aspects including financial issues, level of independence and whether or not a major is already determined. One of the hardest decisions a high school graduate faces is the choice between attending a community college or a university. Community college and 4-year universities both have great purposes but are meant for different people. In my opinion, somebody would benefit more affectively from a community college. There are several reasons why community college is a better choice for students. My reasons as to why I believe students should attend a community college rather than a 4-year university is because class sizes are much smaller, students will have the opportunity to have a flexible schedule, and students who are undecided about their majors have a chance to experiment and try different majors. While they both have their advantages and disadvantages, they both offer the same varieties of knowledge.
The “best option” cannot be argued in a general sense; it instead must be evaluated on a case by case basis. For example, from an economic standpoint that considers the constant increase in knowledge required to maintain a significant position in the economic hierarchy, the “best option” for a student immediately after high school graduation may be vocational training at a specialized institution.
On a list of pros and cons that would be the only pro on the list. Student loans are a simple one way ticket to debt and depression; and there’s never truly a need to get a full student loan. With community college and trade school out there, it opens plenty of money saving alternatives that wouldn’t require a full student loan. The student loan system in itself is a broken system that needs a lot of adjusting. With all of the other alternatives out there it almost doesn’t make sense these days for students to go on and get full student
In America, there are numerous colleges, universities, trade schools and technical schools. Some cause financial problems, some you’ll spend lots of time such as 4 to 6+ years and some you won’t. Community colleges are only 36% of the tuition and fees at a 4-year college/university, which make it more affordable than a traditional college (Snyder 1). They only last two years if you are a full-time student. Community colleges are the step brothers of four-year universities. They were placed within communities for local education that people can have easier access to. Also, you can get your bachelor’s degree faster if attended and transfer to a four-year college. Nevertheless, community colleges are on the rise since it is a shorter time period,
Heading off to a four-year college after graduating from high school has become the norm. However, like Murray, I believe that a college education is not for everyone. Vocational school provides students with an education and an experience necessary for only their job of interest. Instead of taking off your cap and gown and running off to college, people should consider vocational school because it saves so much money, is worth the time, and prepares students with an education specific to their needs. It is common knowledge that college prices have skyrocketed and put students into major debt. Thousands of dollars in loans are taken out each ye...
In current times, children are told from a young age that college is imperative to getting a good, stable job. However, this is not always true. Therefore, it cannot be determined if college is always the best choice. Because each person is different and learns in a way unique to themselves, it’s up to each individual to decide whether or not they think they need further education based upon their goals, aspirations, and desires in life. There are many benefits to attending a college or university. For example, college graduates earn about $17,500 more each year than high school graduates. College degrees also give you more options. Not only do you have many career options after obtaining your degree, you also have differing options of how you acquire your degree. Colleges and universities have created many diverse programs, offering traditional classes, online classes, semi-online classes, and night and weekend classes. One of the biggest benefits of attending college is the real world experience you gain from being there and living partially on your own. For most people, college is a time where you can gain experience living with new responsibilities that you don’t have at home, without the pressure of having to pay bills on time
Since I got into college, I have always wondered what my life would be like after it, is college really worth it? I have chosen the issue of whether or not college is worth it to discuss in this class because being a college student myself I believe I have first hand knowledge about this issue. In my research position paper I will discuss three main reasons backed up with evidence to support my claim that college is indeed worth it. I believe a college degree can take you anywhere. Without a doubt the opportunities are more when one has a college degree.
The rate of students attending two year college after high school has increased substantially throughout the years. In the United States approximately half of all high school graduates attend two year colleges. There are many advantages of attending a two year community college. Unlike universities two year colleges have a class room range of 25-35 students (Belfield). Small class size makes it easier for students to talk to their instructor and keep track of progression throughout the semester. Another advantage is that most students that attend community college either work part-time or full-time jobs. Community college give new moms and working students the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of education, by offering class during the day, evening, and on weekends. Two year colleges have a variety of programs in many fields of study which means that students are likely to find a program that fits their interest (Belfield). Many students who enroll in community college realize that they achieve the same level of academic success than those at a university for a low affordable cost.
In this day and age, having a narrow education limits your abilities in the ever changing job market. Whether or not to go to college is a major decision not to be made lightly. Stephens reported, that the cost of tuition has risen 3.6 times what it was 20 years ago; and not only that but student loan debt surpassed credit card debt in 2010 with over a staggering one trillion dollars. This may scare prospective students, but does it outweigh the thought of generating a good income immediately out of graduation? It varies from student to student. If the student is dedicated enough anything is possible. Stephens believed that if we focused on collaborative growth, sharing ideas, and most importantly promoting societal growth, we would naturally be more creative and innovative, due to the fact that we wouldn’t be regurgitating the same facts that have been written for years. You are using experience to learn and using application to gather a greater understanding of how...