As the end of the school year approaches and the seniors’ final high school year comes to an end, the choice of attending college or not usually comes up. Many seniors at FHS plan to attend a college of some sort.

“I’m planning to go to Columbus College of Art and Design in Columbus, Ohio,” senior Bailey Oldaker said.

Oldaker says that many of their friends have plans to attend college due to many of the benefits from the experience.

A commonly known benefit of attending college is the potential of a higher income. The Bureau of Labor Statistics performed a study that reported workers with a bachelor’s degree typically earn an average of $1.14 million during their entire working career.

However, those with only a high school level education earn an average of $339,000 throughout their working career.

“…the benefits of both a bachelor’s degree and an associate’s degree still tend to outweigh the costs, with both degrees earning a return of about 15% over the past decade,” an unnamed scientist involved in a study by the New York Fed said.

The scientist argues while college may be expensive, it still is more worth it in the long run than not attending college. Having a degree or some schooling past high school will automatically give a boost in the future pay of a job.

One big step from high school to a working job is the loss of the social aspect. College is something that can help ease that change between an extremely social experience to a not-so-social life.

“[My college] has a lot of free things to go to with people to socialize with which is fun when I really need to be social. It is also good that I can not do anything all day and not be as social with people” a college freshman said.

The unnamed college freshman says that being at college slowly decreased their social life and has already begun to help the change between high school and the working life.

“Going to college can make you connections with people in the professional world and really advance you in the real world before even getting in there,” journalist Becton Loveless wrote.

Loveless explains how college introduces you to many people who can help later in life once your professional life truly begins after college.

Other benefits of attending college include: better insurance, better productivity, and ultimately further knowledge in something you enjoy.