Are Too Many People Going To College

When an average high schooler walks into senior year, the students are quickly bombarded by school counselors discussing which four year college they should apply too. At my high school, it was never second guessed whether the student would be attending college but was assumed. Most people have misconceptions that if they do not get a degree, they will unable to obtain a job and have an overall unsuccessful life. In Charles Murray’s, “Are Too Many People Going to College” and Freeman Hrabowski’s “College Prepares People for Life”, the two author both discuss the education system we have in place, however, Charles Murray provides a more convincing argument that college, contrary to popular belief, is just not for everyone.
Charles Murray
Freeman states, “Lack of counseling is one reason that fewer than 10 percent of Americans from the lowest income quartile have earned a college degree by age 24, compared to 80 percent of those in the top quartile” (Hrabowski 260). However, I believe that lack of counseling has absolutely nothing to do with whether or not low-income families get a college degree. Their lack of college degrees have more of a correlation due to the fact they are low-income, not for the lack of school counselors they have. Murray faces this issue head on, “The problem begins with the message sent to young people that they should aspire to college no matter what… American educational administrators reinforce the message by instructing guidance counselors to steer as many students as possible towards a college-prep track” (Murray 251). I can contest to this statement, as when I was sitting in the guidance office in the beginning of senior year, I explained my interest in community college, and that was even looked down upon. When Charles Murray strongly proclaims, “Guidance counselors and parents who automatically encourage young people to go to college straight out high school regardless of their skills and interests are being thoughtless…”(Murray 249). Experiencing this ideal first hand, it is not only thoughtless but selfish as a university education is not for everyone. School counseling, in theory, is a great ideal and having a person there in this crucial time in your life is important. However, when they are pushing college on students even when it could possibly not be the best option is not