Is college worth it?
Some say, "No, it's not. Too much loan debt. Too little payback."
I say, "Yes, it is," and for the following three reasons:
1. The knowledge you take.
2. The friends you make.
3. The childhood you escape.
Reason No. 1 gets all the hype. (Who could argue that acquiring knowledge is important?) But maybe, in the grand scheme of things, reasons No. 2 and No. 3 are just as key.
Whether you come out of college with a pile of friends, or not, you will at least end up with an iPhone full of contacts and a professor or two who will vouch for you. And there's a good chance you will meet people who will be part of your life forever.
(READ MORE: The 7 habits of successful college students)
Too, graduating from a four-year college is like having about 40 jobs — each course being the equivalent of a part-time position. That's about 10 courses a year, each with a different "boss" (professor) and set of "co-workers" (classmates). This is good practice for a lifetime of work — especially the "boss-management" part.
But let's focus on my No. 3 reason for going to college: "The childhood you escape."
This is a normal part of becoming an independent adult and is no indictment of anyone's particular childhood circumstances. This is about the chick invariably leaving the nest — the circle of life.
When I asked a group of college students recently to write about an issue that was important to them, a surprising number picked "gaining independence by going away to college."
Some of the students are from small towns, where the default choice among their high school classmates is "staying close to home" as adults. Nothing wrong with that. But some young adults want to break out of familiar patterns — essentially leaving their childhood behind — by going away to college.
The following are two direct quotes from students:
› "Not everyone has the opportunity or chance to experience life outside of their hometown, but being bold enough and taking a chance for yourself will set you up for success."
› "I don't believe you can reach your full potential until you go and experience new things in a new environment."
These are strong sentiments, written by young adults who presumably have a lifetime ahead to put these feelings into context.
Our older son is scheduled to graduate later this month from an out-of-state college. In our recent conversations I can feel the confidence and maturity he has gained by living independently for four years. When he needs help, he asks for it. When I try to help too much, he gently deflects (read: ignores) me. The fact that he receives and rejects help with diplomacy is a sign of maturity. It's hard to create that space without living independently.
(READ MORE: So this is it - boy No. 1 is off to college)
Sometimes I jealously hope our younger son, now a 17-year-old high school junior, finds a college he likes closer to home. I like the sound of heavy footsteps coming from his upstairs bedroom.
But then I read those essays again and realize that a long car ride between home and college is not a bad thing, for the parent or the child.
Contact Mark Kennedy at mkennedy@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6645.