College is not everything by Dania

College is not everything by Dania - April 2020 Scholarship Essay

My parents immigrated to America from Sudan for one reason, education. They attended a large university in their city and decided America would be where they would raise my siblings and me. Both gained their masters at new jersey universities and raised us to believe education was the most important aspect of our lives and something we should constantly thrive for. Because of this, my childhood consisted of constant studying, tutors, and late nights doing homework with my parents. My childhood was defined by grades, scores, awards, and ranks. Constant late nights and stressful AP exams were my high school experiences, and I got my parents exactly what they wanted, an acceptance letter from a top-rank university.
This story is not new and I'm sure multiple teenagers and adults can relate to, where our parents sacrificed for us to ensure that we were getting the best education we could receive. College was not an option in my household, but a must, as my parents were not only graduate degree holders but educators as well, both specializing in mathematics. I have decided to follow in their footsteps, majoring in mathematics and computer science.
Now a freshman in said university, I have questioned my enrollment in higher education, through the stressful finals week, constant projects, unfair professors and teaching assistants, the drawbacks of college were starting to reveal themselves. I've enrolled and agreed to pay years worth of student loans once I graduate for a piece of paper that states I am proficient in a certain field. Is this all truly worth it? Did I need to attend college?
In the end, I've decided college is important, but for me and the plan I have for my life. I do not believe those who decided to not get a degree are making a mistake or missing out. Ultimately, degrees, in my opinion, are a gateway to the job field in something you are interested in, whether that is STEM oriented or directed towards the arts. We get degrees to say we are proficient and knowledgeable in a certain field and are prepared to apply it and contribute to the world, but it is possible to do so without a degree.
Now I don't think you can become a medical doctor without a degree, as its importance to the world is very high and those who take that job are entrusted with health, they must be well trained and equipped. But for those who want to change the world in other ways, especially in artistic ways, don't need a degree to do so. Even some stem fields, such as computer programming or software engineering, can be learned online through boot camps. All of these jobs have great importance to the world and don't necessarily require a college degree. Impact can be created and lives can be changed, with or without a college education. College should not simply be about getting a degree, but mainly about gaining as much knowledge as possible, but that can also be done without a degree to some extent.
I think because of the way I was and many immigrant children were raised, college was seen as the only way to raise one's status and quality of life, but I've learned that that is simply not true. People can grow, be successful, happy, and content with a life that does not include a college education. I believe college is a great experience to introduce one to a structured way of gaining knowledge and intelligence, but there are multiple other ways to achieve such knowledge that does not include a degree that can provide a fulfilling and enriching life, which I believe should be the goal.