By: Connor Good '26

Every year, many high schoolers and young adults ask themselves “Should I really go to college?” The short answer is yes. There are many reasons and facets that will sway a person one way or another.

In addition to young adults asking the question, there are also many working adults who may have never attended college or didn’t have the opportunity to finish and are wondering the same thing. As of 2020, according to Statista, roughly 16.3% of Americans are over 25 and attending college at that age. 

The overwhelming majority of college alumni say that their experience was worth it, not only because of the major financial impact it will have on their future earnings, but the lifelong memories and experiences college can provide as well.

Increases in Salary and Security

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, an American citizen, over their entire lifetime, will earn between $630,000 and $900,000 more compared to just a high school degree. This study was conducted in 2015, and adjusting to inflation makes these numbers increase between $810,000 and nearly $1.2 million. Not only will you make more money, but you’re much more likely to find a job. The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the unemployment rate of a person with a GED is 4.3%, whereas the unemployment rate of a person with a bachelor’s degree is 2.2%. 

Mental and Physical Health

Not only will you be making more money with a college degree, but you will also likely be happier and healthier. Frontiers, a scientific research website, conducted a study in 2022 about the effects of education on levels of depression. This study found that for every year of education, the average symptomatic rate of depression went down by about 6%. For just a bachelor’s degree, your average rate of depression will decrease by 24%.

Additionally, the National Library of Medicine (NLM) conducted a study in 2018 as to why and how college graduates are healthier than people who are less educated. They found that:

• Obesity rates in college graduates was, on average, 27% lower than that of a less educated person.
• Smoking rates and alcohol consumption was decreased in college graduates.
  
  

The NLM determined that there are a multitude of different reasons, but a likely cause is that college students have easy access to spaces such as gyms and recreational facilities, as well as extracurricular activities and clubs that can keep the students active and fit.

Gage Tomko '24, a junior at Mount Union, attests to this fact, “The gym facilities here at Mount definitely have an impact on my mental and physical health. I go to the gym every day, and I’m also in a recreational basketball league." "Staying active not only keeps me physically healthy but also helps me relieve stress and get away from schoolwork," said Tomko.

Students also have access to resources such as counseling and resources where a student can confide in a faculty or staff member to get help with things such as addictions. The Virginia Commonwealth University also conducted a study and found that people with a college degree will live nearly a decade longer than a person who dropped out of high school. 

Expand your horizons

College also gives students the opportunity to be in a relatively close-knit environment with other students and build relationships. You’ll have an advisor, who can guide you through scheduling and help you build relationships with other faculty members to be successful during your time in college.

Not only will you create relationships with faculty and staff, but with your peers as well. You might build lasting friendships, find a life-long partner, or have the opportunity to network and create business relationships through internships and career fairs. 

Nolan Kibler '26, a freshman at Mount Union, attended a career fair undecided on what to major in. After attending, he stated, "I came to Mount Union uncertain of what I wanted to do. I had environmental science in the back of my mind, but I wasn’t sure if that was really the path I wanted to take."

"Through the career fair, I was able to engage with the faculty and professionals that were really helpful in informing me of what each major entailed and what the future job outlook was," added Kibler. "I learned through the fair that national security and intelligence analysis fit me the best, and I want to pursue it as a career."

A college degree opens different doors for many people, and is a life-changing experience, more often than not, for the better. It allows a person to be healthier, make, be financially stable, live longer, and expands your horizons to the world around you.