the comparison essay thing- kaitlyn

After Graduation: Whatchu Gonna Do?
To most people, high school is a pretty big deal, but the after part is equally as big. There are not many options on what a person is going to do after high school, either one will continue with schooling or they will go to work. Whether a person is going to college to get a higher level of education in order to pursue a career that requires a degree, or they are going straight into the workforce, there are many reasons and circumstances that will affect what one will choose and how they will choose the path that they will take.

College, to some people, is a big step that will take a while for them to decide on, but to others, it is a natural decision that they have always known they would choose. Some people go through high school knowing that once they graduate that they will be going to college, while others may not decide until the last few years. Even if they wait till the end to decide to go to college, there are several factors that will influence people's decision to get a higher level of education. For some, they may want to pursue a career that requires them to have a degree of some sort. While others, it may be that they are not actually sure what career they want but they do know that they want to have some form of degree. Personally, I will be going to college because I want to pursue a career that requires me to go to college after graduating high school. It took me a while to choose what I would be going to college for but I always knew that I would be going for some form of degree. Still, there are both advantages and disadvantages to going to college after high school.

For those who choose to go to college after graduating from high school, there are many advantages that come with this choice. Not only will the person who chooses to go to college obtain more knowledge, but they will also gain a wider range of experiences and have a larger field of career choices. They will also be able to make more money than someone who may have gone straight into the workforce after graduating high school, according to an article by Cornerstone University (“Do College Grads Really Earn More Than High School Grads?”). Those who go to college also have the chance to meet new people, which may help them be better connected and make networking easier for them. They also will have a chance to better themselves in the career, which will make them a better candidate for jobs when being compared to those who did not go to college.

Much like everything else, there are as many disadvantages as there are advantages when going to college after graduating high school. A major disadvantage that comes with going to college is money. College is very expensive. Between paying for classes, rooming, textbooks, and other learning materials, food, and transportation, college is going to cost a large sum of money. Unless one happens to be lucky enough to get a good scholarship. Another disadvantage would be that one will spend more time in schooling than they would in the workforce, compared to those who go straight into the workforce after graduating high school, which will give them less experience in the working world. Still, even with these disadvantages, most people see college as an opportunity to better themselves, their education, or to help them along in the future, even if people who go straight to working do not see it like that.

While college may seem like the obvious choice for some, others may opt out and go straight into the workforce. For some, it may be because they want to pursue some career that does not require them to get a higher level of education. Others they may not see college as an option. There may be financial situations that cause people to go into the workforce as opposed to going to college, or it may be that they do not see college as something that they will be able to finish. How high school was for someone can affect if they decide to go to college or not. If they had it rough in high school and just could not seem to get good grades, or they just did not like high school or learning, they may decide to not go to college because they do not want to waste their time. My mom went to work instead of going to college because she could not afford it and saw going to work as the better choice for her. Whatever the reason someone may decide to go straight into the workforce after high school, there are advantages as well as disadvantages that will occur with doing so.

For those who choose to go straight into the workforce after graduating high school, they may feel like there are not many advantages to going work when compared to going to college but the fact of the matter is that there are actually many advantages. An example would be that they will get more time in the workforce as opposed to someone who went to college. Another advantage would be that they would not have to worry about paying for college or have to worry about accumulating debt due to tuition, boarding fees, or classroom materials. They also will not have to worry about passing any classes, taking tests, taking notes, or being in a class.

Along with the advantages of going straight into the workforce after graduating high school, there are also disadvantages that will come with making this decision. A major disadvantage would be that a person who chooses to go straight to work after graduating will not get as much experience and education in a certain field as someone who went to college would. Another disadvantage would be that they will not be able to pursue or have as many career options as someone who went to college and obtained a degree would. People who go straight to work after graduating high school also lose the chance to meet new people, gain new experiences, broaden their horizons, and to gain educational experiences past the ones they obtained in high school. Even with the disadvantages, people still choose to go straight to work after graduating because to them it seems like the better decision, even if people who choose the opposite do not see it the same way.

Whether a person goes to college or goes into the workforce after graduating high school, there are many difficult decisions that will go into what and how a person will decide. One situation may urge someone to not go to college and to go into the workforce instead. Different situations may urge another person to go to college. Either way, it is a big decision that people have to make. Neither choice is better than the other. Neither choice is worse than the other. It all just depends on the person, their situation, and their career choice.