---
title: ‘Should I Go to College?’ How To Support Your Students Through Big Life Decisions
description: When students ask, “Should I go to college?” you can support them with this big decision with this guidance and AI job-matching technology.
image: https://futureofwork.pepelwerk.com/hubfs/%E2%80%98Should%20I%20Go%20to%20College%E2%80%99%20How%20To%20Support%20Your%20Students%20Through%20Big%20Life%20Decisions.png
---
[](https://www.pepelwerk.com/)
People
[My AI Career Assistant](https://www.pepelwerk.com/my-ai-career-assistant/) [Discover In-Demand Jobs](https://www.pepelwerk.com/build-my-career/discover-in-demand-jobs/) [Make Wise Education Choices](https://www.pepelwerk.com/make-wise-education-choices/)
Organizations
AI & Hiring
[AI Career Assistant for Orgs](https://futureofwork.pepelwerk.com/ai-career-guide-for-organizations/) [Discover People by Attributes](https://futureofwork.pepelwerk.com/discover-people-by-attributes/) [Build the Future Workforce](https://futureofwork.pepelwerk.com/build-my-future-workforce/)
Programs
[Host Career Exploration](https://futureofwork.pepelwerk.com/career-exploration-events/for-companies-to-promote-skills-based-jobs/) [Upskill, Reskill & Educate](https://futureofwork.pepelwerk.com/upskill-reskill-and-educate/) [Sponsor AI Career Assistant](https://futureofwork.pepelwerk.com/become-a-sponsor-for-career-development/)
[Events](https://www.pepelwerk.com/career-exploration-and-hiring-match-events/)
[Login](https://id.pepelwerk.com/login) [Create Account](https://id.pepelwerk.com/signup)
People
[My AI Career Assistant](https://www.pepelwerk.com/build-my-career/build-my-ai-career-assistant/) [Discover In-Demand Jobs](https://www.pepelwerk.com/build-my-career/discover-in-demand-jobs/) [Make Wise Education Choices](https://www.pepelwerk.com/build-my-career/in-demand-courses/)
Organizations
[AI Career Assistant for Orgs](https://www.pepelwerk.com/ai-career-guide-for-organizations/) [Build the Future Workforce](https://www.pepelwerk.com/build-my-future-workforce/) [Discover People by Attributes](https://www.pepelwerk.com/discover-in-demand-talent/) [Host Career Exploration](https://www.pepelwerk.com/career-exploration-events/for-companies-to-promote-skills-based-jobs/) [Upskill, Reskill & Educate](https://www.pepelwerk.com/upskill-reskill-and-educate/)
[Events](https://www.pepelwerk.com/career-exploration-and-hiring-match-events/)
[Login](https://id.pepelwerk.com/login) [Create Account](https://id.pepelwerk.com/signup)
# ‘Should I Go to College?’ How To Support Your Students Through Big Life Decisions
April 9, 2024 • pepelwerk
The question of, “Should I go to college?” is something educators hear often, and the answer is different for every student. Is college essential for a career? For some professions, yes, it’s mandatory. However, many job opportunities don’t require a degree.
Deciding whether or not to attend college is a monumental decision that will impact a person’s entire life. Your job is to guide students through this decision with insights and support.
## The Sentiment on College: Is It Worth It?
How Americans feel about the value of college has been evolving. Decades ago, attending college wasn’t necessary. Then, it became the express path to career mobility. Now, there are differing opinions.
Looking at it from a financial viewpoint, a[report from the Institution for Higher Education Policy](https://www.ihep.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IHEP_Rising-above-the-Threshold_rd4.pdf) determined that a college degree still has value for the vast majority of students. The “value” is that it leaves them better off financially than their peers.
The report underscores that the economic value of a degree is greater for those attending public universities. It also indicates that not all students will reap value from a degree, depending on the amount of debt they will hold upon graduation and the number of opportunities available within their chosen industry.
Other perspectives are split, with[53% of people believing college has a positive impact](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2024/02/01/colleges-and-universities-k-12-public-schools/#:~:text=About%20half%20(53%25)%20say%20colleges%20and%20universities%20are%20having%20a%20positive%20impact%2C%20while%2045%25%20say%20they%E2%80%99re%20having%20a%20negative%20impact.) and 45% saying it has the opposite.
College is a time for personal growth and development. Students do more than prepare for a career. They become independent and learn how to use critical thinking skills. The opportunity to have these experiences must also be part of the conversation.
Some students may contemplate taking a [gap year](https://futureofwork.pepelwerk.com/en/blog/pros-and-cons-of-taking-a-gap-year), and there are pros and cons to doing so. It’s become more common for those moving from high school to higher education to take a gap year, so it’s another option for some students to consider.
The video on the right has some more angles on the debate, which can be helpful to share with students.
Ultimately, many factors influence how to answer a student when they ask, “Should I go to college?”
## Offering a Supportive Environment
Anytime the “Should I go to college?” conversation occurs, it’s essential to foster a supportive environment. Advise students to be open and honest as they share their concerns and goals. Encourage students to reach out to mentors, counselors and trusted adults.
Part of creating this space for students includes talking about the “value” of education. In the book ["The Price You Pay for College,”](https://ronlieber.com/books/the-price-you-pay-for-college/) author Ron Lieber notes that students value college for many reasons: the quest for knowledge, the search for connections and pragmatic reasons regarding jobs and income. The book also creates a framework for evaluating the financial impact and how this would influence its value to them.
It could be a great resource to recommend students read.
## Discussing Career Opportunities and Earning Potential
Most professional jobs still require a bachelor’s degree. However, there has been a small shift. A report found that[45% of companies](https://www.intelligent.com/nearly-half-of-companies-plan-to-eliminate-bachelors-degree-requirements-in-2024/) plan to eliminate this requirement for some positions in 2024, and many had already done so in 2023. These included companies in information services, software, finance and insurance, construction, health care and education.
The study also revealed that 80% of hiring managers favor experience over education in job applications. This change will open up more opportunities, and many jobs, such as in the trades, don’t require college. However, people pursuing these jobs do need to earn certifications and join apprenticeships. Receiving the type of education a person needs to align with their [goal job](https://futureofwork.pepelwerk.com/en/blog/how-to-pick-a-career-strategies-to-help-your-students-prepare-for-their-goal-jobs) is what really matters.
Going to college doesn’t equate to financial stability, but not attending doesn’t mean someone will automatically be a low earner.
According to the [U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2021/data-on-display/education-pays.htm#:~:text=For%20example%2C%20workers%20with%20a,was%20a%20high%20school%20diploma.), in 2020, the median weekly earnings for college graduates was $1,305 compared to $781 for those with a high school diploma. These are just averages and don’t tell the whole story. If you factor in any other education, such as that earned by those in trades, [the weekly median pay is $1,291](https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Trade-Salary#Weekly).
## Career and Personal Goals Guide the College Discussion
College isn’t the best or right [pathway](https://futureofwork.pepelwerk.com/en/blog/are-career-pathways-preparing-you-for-the-real-world) for every student, and you can’t lump everyone into a category.
Instead, you need to guide them by helping them:
- Define career and personal goals.
- Understand their skills and attributes and how those align with jobs.
- Determine what mandatory education is needed to achieve their goals.
The modern approach to helping them figure this out is using the [pepelwerk platform](https://www.pepelwerk.com/pepelwerk-for-education-industry/). It combines education and HR technologies into one solution, infusing artificial intelligence, assessments, analytics and more. You’ll be able to work more officially and provide tools to students that help them decide if they should go to college.
One key feature is the AI Career Guide. It includes unbiased job matching, course recommendations, automated goal planning, real-time career coaching, assessments and more.
Learn more about offering an [AI Career Guide for students](https://www.pepelwerk.com/ai-career-guide-for-organizations/).
[](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/5458482/37a4f14e-3f93-4e92-9e57-c1fe92a08114)
[Create AI Career Assistant](https://id.pepelwerk.com/signup?portal=people)
[Add Your Org to the Talent Development Marketplace](https://id.pepelwerk.com/signup?portal=work)
Helping people evolve with work
© 2018–2026 pepelwerk
For People
- [Just Starting Work Life](https://www.pepelwerk.com/build-my-career/why-young-adults-join-pepelwerk)
- [Looking for a Career Change](https://www.pepelwerk.com/why-adults-in-career-transition-use-pepelwerk/)
- [Military Transition to Civilian Job](https://www.pepelwerk.com/dedicated-resources-for-veterans/)
- [Internships & Apprenticeships](https://www.pepelwerk.com/learn-on-the-job-opportunities/)
- [Make Data Driven Decisions About Your Future](https://www.pepelwerk.com/make-data-driven-decisions-people/)
- [Find Your Career Coach](https://www.pepelwerk.com/build-my-career/career-coaching/)
- [Become a Career Coach](https://www.pepelwerk.com/become-a-career-coach/)
- [Tool for Parents of Young Adults](https://pepelwerk.com/parents/)
- [**Conversations for People**](https://www.pepelwerk.com/social/)
---
Marketplace
- [Military in Career Transition](https://www.pepelwerk.com/earning-a-living-in-skills-based-work-should-not-be-so-hard/)
- [Adults in Career Transition](https://www.pepelwerk.com/adults-in-career-transition/)
- [Young Adults Just Launching Careers](https://www.pepelwerk.com/young-adults-career-transition/)
For Organizations
- [AI and Automation for Agile Organizations](https://www.pepelwerk.com/ai-with-automation-for-agile-organizations/)
- [Benefits of Talent Development Marketplace](https://www.pepelwerk.com/benefits-of-talent-development-marketplace/)
- [Community Driven Data & Predictive Analytics](https://www.pepelwerk.com/community-driven-data-and-predictive-analytics/)
- [Enable Impact Dashboard Module](https://www.pepelwerk.com/learn-customer-service-skills-building-exceptional-client-experiences/how-do-you-measure-your-organizational-impact/)
- [Create Your Own Talent Marketplace](https://www.pepelwerk.com/talent-development-marketplace/)
---
AI Career Assistant
- [For Employees/Talent Management](https://www.pepelwerk.com/ai-career-assistant-for-employee-programs-and-outplacement/)
- [For Members](https://www.pepelwerk.com/member-organizations/)
- [For Alumni](https://www.pepelwerk.com/foster-lifelong-career-support-and-stay-connected-with-alumni/)
- [For Students](https://www.pepelwerk.com/empower-students-with-career-driven-learning/)
- [For Citizens](https://www.pepelwerk.com/ai-career-assistant-for-citizens/)
---
- [**Sponsor an AI Career Assistant or Education**](https://www.pepelwerk.com/become-a-sponsor-for-career-development/)
- [**Conversations for Organizations**](https://www.pepelwerk.com/social-media-for-organizations/)
- [Knowledge Base for Org Portal Customers](https://www.pepelwerk.com/work-hub/)
Workforce Building
- [Workforce Building](https://www.pepelwerk.com/workforce-building/)
- [Develop Your Future Hires](https://www.pepelwerk.com/build-my-future-workforce/)
- [Hire for Skill and Attribute](https://www.pepelwerk.com/hire-pepelwerk-ai-to-manage-candidate-sourcing/)
- [Recruiters and Hiring Managers](https://www.pepelwerk.com/why-recruiters-use-pepelwerk/)
- [Course Matching to Enroll New Students](https://www.pepelwerk.com/upskill-reskill-and-educate/)
- [Real-Time Training and Skills Development](https://www.pepelwerk.com/real-time-training-and-skills-development-with-pepelwerk/)
---
Demo/Hype Reels
- [For Strategic Leaders](https://www.pepelwerk.com/get-data-driven-insights-with-the-predictive-analytics-and-impact-dashboard/)
- [For Program Manager](https://www.pepelwerk.com/if-youre-using-10-people-to-hire-1-youre-overspending/)
- [For Operators and HR](https://www.pepelwerk.com/put-hr-at-the-center-of-business-success/)
- [For Talent Acquisition](https://www.pepelwerk.com/right-people-right-roles-right-now/)
- [For Workforce Planners](https://www.pepelwerk.com/help-your-people/)
- [For Course Providers](https://www.pepelwerk.com/your-courses-their-growth-one-platform/)
Events
- [Career Exploration and Hiring Match Events](https://www.pepelwerk.com/career-exploration-and-hiring-match-events/)
Growth & Solution Partners
- [Business Partners](https://www.pepelwerk.com/business-partners)
- [Social Influencers](https://www.pepelwerk.com/social-influencer-growth-partner-program/)
- [Referral Partners](https://www.pepelwerk.com/referral-partners/)
- [Service & Software Solution Partners](https://www.pepelwerk.com/service-and-software-solution-partners/)
- [Download Your pepelwerk Widget](https://www.pepelwerk.com/select-your-pepelwerk-widget/)
pepelwerk
- [Our Purpose and Progress](https://www.pepelwerk.com/our-purpose-and-progress/)
- [Attributes, Abilities and Interests](https://www.pepelwerk.com/people-evolve-the-working-world/)
- [Terms of Use & Community Policies](https://www.pepelwerk.com/pepelwerk_terms/general-terms/)