Minnesota Office of Higher Education

Why College?

 
Don't get confused by the terminology.   "College" and "higher education" simply refers to any type of education or career training you receive after graduating from high school or getting a GED. Even universities are often called colleges!
 
The work world is changing and employers are looking for people with more skills than the people they are replacing or hiring new. You will - more than likely - need more education to land a job than your parents or even older siblings needed when they started working.
 
If you want to escape a work life of never ending low-paying jobs, you will need some college. But don't think college is only about getting a four-year bachelor's degree. Many good paying jobs require skills learned through short-term certificates that you earn at state colleges (two-year) or other private career schools.

4 Reasons to Go to College

  1. Knowledge: A college education teaches you to think critically and abstractly, to express your thoughts and opinions, to weigh options and make informed decisions.
  2. Potential: College brings you a world of information as you explore your interests, and helps you understand the issues that connect communities, the nation and the world.
  3. Opportunity: Critical thinking and new technology skills are vital for success and advancement in today's workforce and provide you with more career and job options.
  4. Income: A person with a college certificate or degree (associate, bachelor's degree or higher) typically has a higher income and is less likely to be unemployed or underemployed than someone with a high school diploma.

What About Paying for College?

Don't let the costs of paying for college stop you from attending. Besides saving for college; you can work while attending college. Student financial aid is available to help the majority of students.