By Candace Wofford
This year at SXSW EDU 2023, the ECMC Group, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit focused on helping students succeed by creating, providing, and investing in innovative educational opportunities, tackled the hard question of to college or not to college. They have formed the “QTQ – Question The Quo” group that questions the status quo of whether college is necessary. Justin Nguyen (Founder of Declassified Media, a media company helping students navigate their way through college) hosted the discussion along with Laura Telander Graf (senior director of public relations and thought leadership for ECMC Group).
The two went back and forth to guide the panel of students in the great college debate as it relates to their education and career paths. Students on the panel included Tonia Bloomingberg (pursuing her Data Analytics Associates at Lonestar University Park Community College), Alessandra Ciuffo (earned a 4-year degree and then shifted her education to match her passion and enrolled in the Institute of Culinary Education, while sharing content under her brand @Flavorsbyale), and JJ Nquyen (a high school senior out of Houston, TX).
When asked how they would describe the traditional post-secondary educational path, all responded with, “A four-year college degree”, which they attributed to a variety of factors. All three mentioned that senior year, that was all they were ever asked about – what [4-year] college are you going to? And what major will you declare? They also added that media and social media play big parts in campaigning for a 4-year university. All the shows and movies glorify the depiction of being dropped off at college and moving into the dorm. Rarely, if ever, does the media highlight post-secondary education as a community college, vocational school, or trade school, nor does it highlight the path of bypassing education to immediately enter the military or the workforce. Furthermore, there is pressure from society, peers, friends, and family who say that you need that college degree to get the job that makes you the most money, i.e., lawyer or doctor.
And yet, today, most students are not entering straight into a 4-year college after high school. Even though the benefits such as career advancement, networking opportunities, and personal growth are valid arguments for attending a traditional university, they just do not cut it anymore when compared to the cons. For most, the financial burden is not worth it, there are far too many alternative education options, and the lack of guarantee that it will lead to a successful career has led to a decrease in the percentage of high school seniors matriculating to a 4-year university.
Tonia explained that she was lucky enough to have a supportive family who did not pressure her into the 4-year college route. After high school, she envisioned herself at Community College and never saw herself sitting in a huge UofH or UT auditorium. But Community College usually comes with a stereotype and assumptions that you are not at UT because you couldn’t get in and now you have to go to community college. Tonia thinks that the stereotype comes from a lack of awareness and that if we want to enlighten people, then it should start in high school, even as early as freshman year.
Alessandra started out in the traditional route. She received her bachelor’s degree in business from a 4-year University, but once she was out in the real world, she decided to follow her passion of cooking, baking, basically being a creative genius in the kitchen. It took her a while to realize her passion and even longer to come out and tell people about what she planned to do, but when she did, a weight was lifted.
She says, “Gen Z teens see it [the changing of majors and careers] more in society today. Back in the olden days, like when you graduated from college, you joined a job and you stayed at that job. You didn’t really move around as much… Whereas nowadays it’s encouraged. That’s how you get a pay raise. That’s how you shift in the different power roles within a company. You go from one place to another and maybe you get the company to pay for you to go back to school and get that next degree.”
JJ agreed, mentioning that he did not feel prepared at all for choosing his post-secondary educational path and that he wants to be able to test out the waters, so to speak. He needs and wants the flexibility to change his mind as he figures out what he wants to do. Tonia joined in saying that is exactly what she gets at the community college level. She has changed directions three times now and all her credits still count for her.
A comment from the audience mentioned that four-year universities are now letting people come in without declaring a major. The commenter followed up by asking if that would have persuaded the students to pursue the traditional route. In short, no. Everyone agreed that the debt incurred from university was usually not worth it for the job they would get after college. Their decisions were determined in large part by the financial aid packages offered, and if it was not enough, then they would move on to the next. Most agreed that having to take out just $10K in student loans would be more than they were willing to pay back.
Clearly the traditional path is no longer for everyone. There are far too many opportunities out there that can be pursued with just a high school or associate’s degree. Furthermore, this generation has not allowed the wool to be pulled over their eyes as they refuse to believe that student loans are the answers to their prayers. If they don’t have the money or if the scholarship packages are not enough, then they do not attend that school. Simple as that. Then why is the traditional path still all anyone ever talks about and how do we change that?
The answer lies in how we inform our students much earlier. The panel agreed that by no later than freshman year, schools should be having conversations with students that will encourage them to start thinking about life after high school. It cannot just start the second semester of junior year. Furthermore, there should be staff on campus who are able to walk the students through all the different options out there. The community college route is great when you want to be fiscally responsible while testing out the different options, but what if we could help kids test out the different options sooner? What if we could help them envision what they want their life to look like?
Some high schools are ahead of the game and have already implemented classes for freshmen to learn about being the best versions of themselves and to explore what post-secondary education and career choice might be best for them. The Professional Communications class as well as the Methods for Academic and Personal Success (MAPS) class, which uses the School-Connect Curriculum, teaches teens the skills and tools to navigate high school and life beyond more efficiently, with greater purpose, and with more fulfillment. With evidence-based practices from these classes, and with discussions like this one that took place during SXSW EDU, hopefully light can be shed on how our school systems can start the great college debate earlier. The purpose of high school is viewed as the final “incubation period” during which teens can learn, explore, and prepare for adulthood, along with the higher education and/or the professional career that is to follow; it’s time to fulfill that purpose and vision for our students.
Candace Wofford is a University of Texas alum, where she holds her undergraduate and graduate degrees. She has her MS in Marine Science with a focus on Reproductive Endocrinology. She is an expert in the Social and Emotional Learning Field where she shares her passion to high-school students to inspire them to become the best versions of themselves. She is a mother of two beautiful children, Jace (5) and Piper Beverly (1.5) so together they are PB&J and she is happily married to her Action Sports Expert Hubby, Jade.
