7 Reasons Why College is Not Worth It

7 Reasons Why College is Not Worth It

     Now, we've all been informed that life works in a linear way, that we all start out as children, grow up a little bit, and go to school. After school, we're all expected to go to college, attend a job, get married, and start a family. However, is college even necessary? Some people attend college for the sole reason of just attending, some are pressured by family, friends, and society, but is it really the only route to take? Absolutely not, so here's where I'll tell you some reasons why college is not for you:

1. If you're going for a major that you know you're not going to love, then college is not worth it. When a typical student spends tens of thousands of dollars on education and then ends up not using their degree, then what was the point of college? Is it not it a bit wasteful? I've worked in the restaurant industry for five years now and I can attest that many of the people that work in the restaurant industry have degrees. However, they're no longer using their degrees because they decided they either don't like their major, or they can't find a job, or they earn more money serving people. It makes no sense to spend money and time on a degree that won't even be used. 
2. Now, this is an obvious one, but college is extraordinarily expensive. Sometimes people decide to go to a prestigious or a private school in order to earn their degree, but they end up in debt. 100,000 dollars is a lot to spend on a degree that won't be repaid in a short time or used in a job setting. Of course scholarships and grants help the student pay for this debt, but not every student earns scholarships, and if they do then the scholarship rarely covers the full cost of the course. By going to a community college for a year or two is a better alternative that will save money and allow the student to explore courses that are interesting to them with little or no financial consequences.
3. Another reason why college might not be for you is if your parents are making you do it, or anyone for that matter, your friends, your coworkers, etc. If it's not your choice to go to college then why go through all of the trouble of earning a degree that you might end up hating? Won't it be easier to start off with a job and figure out your interests as you go? There's an option such as a gap year that could potentially help you because it can offer a new viewpoint on how the real world works.
4. Now this one annoys me a little bit. Let's say that the only reason for why you'd like to go to college is because you're only interested in the fantasized version of college. You know what I'm talking about, drinking alcohol, doing drugs, and attending college parties because you're finally on your own, away from your parents. There's an easier and less expensive way to do all of that and it doesn't involve spending copious amount of hard earned (possibly your parent's) money.

10 Worst Things They Don’t Tell You About IB

10 Worst Things They Don’t Tell You About IB

     As an IB student you learn to either love or hate the IB program, I learned to dislike it. Hate is such a strong word. You see there’re some things that people won’t tell you about the IB; they masquerade it as a holy grail, accessible to the few, but they (the people who convince you to join IB) won’t tell you the dark side of IB. Here’s where I come in and tell you the truth.

1. The first thing that I’d like to mention about the IB Program is that there’s a preconceived notion that IB gives you credit for college. Now, this is true, but not entirely. Yes, you can earn those college level courses if you pass the IB exams, just like AP, but it’s not going to give you enough credit for a two-year college level advancement. You’re going to take exams that are going to be harder than the AP exams for the same course. Plus, guess what, only 3-4 of those courses would be transferable. So.. Choose your poison wisely.
2. Secondly, if you like to sleep, don’t join the IB. The reason for why people lose sleep is due to poor time management. Not only do students poorly manage their time but teachers don’t know how to manage their time either. Almost all teachers manage to not post work for two weeks and then assign work at the end of the third week. This would continue until you’re exhausted from 2-3 all nighters within a given week.
3. People don’t usually know how to manage IB. For example, if your IB school is fairly new and/ or your school just fired a new staff. Be ready for some turbulence not only in your grades but also your sleep cycle. This is probably the worst possibility to have when attending an IB school, and I can attest because I’m experiencing it right now. Therefore, be warned.
4. You won’t feel smart. After months and months of sleep deprivation and chronic stress, your brain will end up feeling mindless and dumb. Of course, the first few months of the MYP (Middle Year Program) you feel really intelligent but wait until Sophomore year and/or DP (Diploma Program), your mind will feel groggy and tired from sleep deprivation. Plus, there will be some people who would actually be beaming in the morning on the day of the exams, all tidily dressed, with no eye bags and a coffee cup in their hands. They will pass the test no problem with great grades. Those are the non-human population, if you’re to like them, you will not enjoy IB. 
5. Guess what will happen to all of those holidays, such as Thanksgiving, Christmas/New Years, Spring Break, your birthday. You won’t be able to participate because you’re too busy finishing up an IA.