The College Degree is the New High School Diploma
For the Baby Boomer generation, finishing high school was a big deal. Many people went on to college from there, but it was not a necessary thing if you wanted to get a decent job. In fact, many of the trades might have required some kind of high school diploma, whether it be from a high school directly or in the form of a general equivalency diploma (GED), in order to obtain employment with the chance for upward mobility, but a college degree was not required.
If you were coming up as a Baby Boomer and you earned your high school diploma one way or the other, you could make out pretty well for yourself. A modest home, a car and the ability to support a family could be well within your reach with just a high school diploma on your wall. These days, that is not the case. These days, the bachelor’s degree is the new high school diploma.
If you decide against going to college, it will in all likelihood cost you about a half a million dollars, when you take into account average wages you will be missing out on because of your lack of a degree. Americans who hold a four-year college degree make roughly 98% more per hour on average than their counterparts who do not hold a four-year degree. This was the case in 2103 and that gap is likely to grow in years that follow.
If you completed your high school education some time ago and are frustrated with your career prospects, it is not a bad idea at all to consider going back to school to obtain a college degree. A BS Kinesiology degree, for example, can open up a great many doors for you in your future. A secondary education degree can instantly make you more qualified for a number of positions.
Specifically, a BS Kinesiology degree can prepare you for exercise science, health promotion, and even a career as a PE teacher in the public schools. If you haven’t had the chance to take a look at how your future could dramatically improve by continuing your education, there is no time like the present to do so. After all, the bachelor’s degree is the new high school diploma.