What Motivates You to Go to College?

If you are between the ages of thirteen and eighteen and have spent the last for years of your life attending daily classes in a high school, then chances are that you have been confronted with the idea of going to college after graduation.

Now for some of you, there are those that just cannot wait to graduate high school because you are already accepted into a great college, perhaps West Virginia University. You have been looking forward to college for some time now and now it is just a matter of waiting for graduation day to get on the path to your educational future. For others we are sitting here wondering why we should go to college. And if you did go to college, what would you study?

This is nothing new to see such a spread of varying interest in going to a college environment. In the same school you will see those that have no intentions of ever taking another class again after they graduate, those that want to attend but don't think they can, those that are going because their parents groomed them for it, and those that made the decision that this is how they wanted to secure their own futures. It all comes down to what motivates you as an individual to want to attend college.

So the question remains, what is it that motivates us to go to college? I have found that there are four basic factors that influence your decision on your chosen path to your future. These factors are your parent's educational background, your friend's career and educational goals, knowledge of the job market and your personal career goals. When these four elements are mixed together it is up to you as an individual to sort through all of these influences and decide for yourself what your educational path may lead you to.

If your parents both have college degrees and your family has been living a successful life as a result, chances are that your parents have told you by know the value of a college education. They have checked everyone of your report cards over with you and are constantly bugging you about your grades as they try to remind you again that going to college is the only way to a successful future. While that is great for most people, it is not the answer for everyone.

As you and your friends are getting closer to graduation, the topic is bound to come up about what everyone plans to do after graduation. Some will say they have signed up to join the military for a few years for various reasons, some will be moving away with a special someone to be starting a family right out of school, some will have no real plans for their future other than to be glad they are out of high school, and others will have plans for attending college next year.

While it is great that you have all been so close to each other in high school it generally not a great idea to plan to go for the same majors as your friends in college just because you don't want to lose their friendship and grow apart. Unfortunately part of the graduation from high school process is to accept the fact that people change and life goes on with each person following their own directions. Even if you share common interests and go for the same major it doesn't mean that you will be accepted to the same classes or even the same school. It should also be said that basing your education on your friendships could end in disaster if the friendships dissolved during your college career.

While you are in high school it is a great idea to start looking into the job market, both locally and on a national level. With the economy in the condition it is in, finding great jobs (and sometimes any jobs) are hit or miss right now. However, there are groups that dedicate their careers to researching various career projections and report on what they believe the future will hold for jobs available in job markets all over the country. If you are among those that decide to go to college right now, research the job market for your particular career goal in the five to ten year range to see if the is substantial growth in your desired field or if you should consider alternative career goals.

Finally you need to focus on your personal career goals. Despite the other factors that will play a part in the decision making process, the primary concern you should have is you. What do you want to do with your life? Yes you can make around $50,000 a year as a nurse in this country, but is it something you will truly enjoy doing? You need to give consideration to career goals that will make you want to get out of bed every morning and be excited to go to work every day. The saying is so very true "if you love what you do for a living, you'll never work a day in your life!"

So whatever it is that has the most influence on you, the point is that you need to start making a plan for your future. Even if going to college is not in the cards for you, that is ok too. There are many jobs out there they provide people will truly satisfying lives that do not require a formal post secondary education. Just follow your dreams and the rest will fall into place!