College doesn’t have to be for everyone

Students walk across the University of Maryland, College Park, campus in 2013. Proposed legislation before the General Assembly would extend collective bargaining rights to graduate students, postdoctoral associates and part- and full-time faculty members at the University System of Maryland, St. Mary’s College of Maryland and Morgan State University. FILE

Five months ago, I did what many seniors do: I downsized, moving from a three-story townhouse with two sets of stairs to a two-bedroom apartment in an elevator building.

There was a lot of work to be done in my new space, and I was blessed with wonderful workers — from the movers to the contractors. Zach, the main contractor, who used to live in the building, did much of the work along with Eric, his assistant, and Collin, the electrician. All three were in their 30s and their work was superb. Their wives were all nurses and the three couples were friends.

Each couple owned their home. Zach and Eric and their wives each had two young children; Collin and his wife, none yet. Their success and expertise caused me to recall an article I wrote 10 years ago: “College is not for everyone and that is as it should be.”

The most important ingredient for success in life is doing something one enjoys, something that will benefit both the individual and others. For example, a hip or knee replacement, a common operation among seniors, requires one chief surgeon with subordinates, some highly trained, others with lesser skills who also perform necessary duties. We need fewer rocket scientists who want to go to the moon. Rather, we need many who are prepared to improve life on earth.

One major blow to our educational system, which came about in the 1960s, was the near elimination of vocational high schools. Studies have shown that in these schools where students learn a useful trade there are fewer discipline problems, less absenteeism, and more satisfaction among students and their teachers.

Many community colleges also teach vocational and technical skills.

They not only represent a more affordable alternative to a four-year college or university, but these two-year schools also give an unprepared or doubtful student an opportunity to test the waters, so to speak, for further education.

To be sure, a college education, at any age, can provide many benefits — among them an appreciation of literature, art and music; a knowledge of math and science; and a sense of history and philosophy — but only if a student chooses those courses.

Unfortunately, course requirements at many colleges are no longer as strict as they once were. Today, for example, the parents of a student at Yale pay a hefty tuition as their son or daughter may choose to take a course on Taylor Swift, whereas one of my contractors could easily purchase tickets with their own money to a Swift concert!

College should not be a status symbol for parents who insist on sending unqualified children to an open-admission school. Nor should college be for students who have shied away from difficult courses in high school, who hate to study and have low college board scores. Certainly, college should not be for young people who would rather party for four years than get a real job.

That being said, there are students, rich and poor, who will benefit from college and become highly successful. But as society becomes more technical and people are living longer, we obviously need more people with technical expertise as well as more people prepared to care for others. A college education is not necessarily required.

There is an old saying: “No work is dirty but that which soils the soul.” Nothing could be truer. Yes, we need engineers and architects, doctors and lawyers and teachers, but we also need carpenters and computer technicians, electricians and plumbers, police and fire people, gardeners and landscapers — people who can build, who can fix, who can keep us safe, and people who can beautify our surroundings.

Indeed, in a democracy, every young adult should be able to be employed — some after high school, others after specialized training or college or beyond. But no two people are exactly alike. While college may be right for some, it is not a panacea for all. Just ask my contractors.

Lynne Agress ([e-mail]) teaches in the Odyssey Program of Johns Hopkins University and was president of BWB-Business Writing Inc., a writing and editing consulting company. She is the author of “The Feminine Irony” and “Working with Words,” as well as numerous articles, reviews and opinion pieces.