College Readiness

The fact that the Olathe School District can ask students to commit to a four year program that shapes their entire high school career blows my mind. How on Earth are 13 year olds supposed to know what they want to do with their lives? Quite frankly, how are 18 year olds supposed to know either? The whole idea of conditioning students from such a young age that college is the answer and that you’ll get nowhere without a degree is wrong.

College isn’t for everyone. Sometimes a technical school, or even jumping straight into the workforce, is the best option. My mom grew up as poor as poor can be and couldn’t afford college. She was certainly smart enough. It just wasn’t an option. She worked hard to support me when her and my dad split. Her never-ending ambition and determination eventually landed her a job as the Vice President of a global IT company. She’s proved to me that there are other options in life.

I’m very fortunate with my family’s economic situation to have a whole lot of doors open for me. I’m also very fortunate that my genes gave me the ability to comprehend and succeed in just about any area of study I want to. I know this seems like a completely irrelevant and privileged problem to have, but I can’t narrow down what I want to do with my whole life. I don’t even know who I am as a person. The growth that occurs over the next ten years should, hopefully, change me into a completely different person. I can’t decide my life based on teenage hormones and ideals. It’s just not logical.

There needs to be more time to explore. There needs to be more options for after high school, free of judgment. Your whole life is a long time. There’s no need to rush.