About 3.6 million students are expected to graduate from high school in fall 2017. But the real question is how many of those students will go to college? College is a choice that every highschooler has the power to make. If a student decides to go than there are several goals he or she could achieve while there. First, there are associate's degrees, the average amount of time it takes to earn a degree is two years. The second degree is a bachelor’s degree, and it takes four years to earn. Degrees can help land a great job right after college. College is the best way to secure a promising future because college education always benefits later in life,  is a way to expand on personal interests and goals, and degrees offer employment that’s more stable.

First, college offers education that can always benefit later in life. According to Jean Dake, director of the University of Tennessee says, “People think,’ Oh, if I major in psychology, I have to be a psychologist’... she says ‘Well,no. Maybe you can do sales’ ”(Phillips). After all just because a student receives and earns a degree doesn’t mean that they necessarily have to use the degree to get a job. Most people may even get degrees just to have them under their belt. For example the TeachThought Staff state“... College Board’s Education Pays report, workers who hold a bachelor’s degree are likely to be “very satisfied” with their work — 9 percent more satisfied than those with less education”(Staff). Furthermore more education is always better than less education. There isn’t anything that can be learned that will hurt. For instance a lot of people have jobs that mainly entail manual labor. But what happens if these people got hurt? Not all manual laborers have something to fall back on. But some have a degree that can help. Moreover college education can help in situations that someone is hurt and can no longer do a job. Not every moment in college is going towards a specific life goal, but the time you do spend is not in vain towards other situations you might have later in life.

Second, college is a way to expand on personal interests and goals. Consider what U.S. News & World Report says, not every college student goes to college for education some go for personal gain or interest. “There are roughly 138,000 athletic scholarships available for Division I and Division II sports”(O'Shaughnessy). Sports such as football or basketball offer just as much money or more to play in college. But not all students do sports for money, most do the activity because they enjoy doing it. College offers opportunities for young athletes to let their talents show. Suppose that a student has a theatre scholarship. They could still use the money to pursue any degree. Theatre is another activity for students to explore. Not only can it be a great experience but it can also improve social skills that are beneficial in many professional fields. Thomas Rutherford a musician in Las Angeles states, “They’ll be your mentors, advisors, and friends. If you’re willing to put in the time, there is nothing that compares to a good university for building your network….Music is an industry of connections. Those with a strong network receive opportunities before anyone else. Those with no network get the scraps. A good music school can be the perfect shortcut to a strong network”(Rutherford). Some people don’t consider the connections they can make in college. The friends that could come from all over the world. Connections that could one day help. College is mostly seen as a way to increase education after high school. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Many people go to college to explore hobbies and interests further than they could in high school.
Finally, college degrees offer employment that's more stable. First according to The U.S. News, “...in 2010, the employment rate was 9.2 percent for those with only some college and more than 10 percent of those with just a highschool degree, but it was 5.4 percent for college graduates”(Rotherham). An employment rate might seem non-concerning in high school. But once a student is out of highschool employment all of a sudden becomes important.“...the median weekly earnings for someone with some college but no degree where $712, compared to $1038 for a college graduate. That’s almost $17,000 over the course of a year…” (Rotherham). Going to college opens up new doors. Including more money. To conclude there are common jobs that people may not realise require a bachelor degrees such as a sales manager. Most employers for sale managers look for a bachelor's degree in business administration. This degree shows how the student understands general business work. Their average pay is $51,760 (median starting salary) $101,640 (median mid-career salary) (Akers). To compare, look at a waitresses salary. A job waiting tables requires no degree. average hourly wage of $11.07, or about $23,020 for the year. Most people realise that a better job equals better money. But not many realise what kind of jobs require degrees. And how much more money a job with a degree can get. Not all jobs require a degree, that is true. But jobs that are common and offer a better salary often ask for a bachelor's degree.
Some may say that there are several jobs that earn more money than jobs with degrees.But even if that is the case, it is always better to be safe rather than sorry. A degree to fall back on in an emergency is better than nothing at all. Others may say college requires too much money. But money is something that can be earned back. Getting a proper job with a degree can help offset loans and debts. Finally some may say college is not for everyone. But there are many options at college that don’t require typical classroom curriculum, such as art, athletics, or music.

In conlcusion, promising futures can be secured by going to college. Not everyone is fit for college life. But college is beneficial for troubles later in life, personal interests and goals, and offers stable employment.