<p>Because I prefer the lifestyle I can have as a college graduate than the one I could have as only a high school graduate.</p>
<p>
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A high school graduate can get a job in manufactoring, food service, entry level clerical work, etc. You don't need a bachelor's or even an associate's for these jobs.
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</p>
<p>Surely you jest. Manufacturing jobs are going out of this country by the minute. Why do you think the big 3 are in so much trouble? Good jobs for people straight out of high school without training or family connections don't really exist any more. At the very least, you need technical training.</p>
<p>To respond to the post: Social mobility.</p>
<p>Because ever since I was little, I wanted to go to college and study the great writers and philosophy and all of that cool-sounding stuff.</p>
<p>Also because taking classes makes it a lot easier to learn things.</p>
<p>Also because I just felt like it. Sounded like a good way to spend four years.</p>
<p>i want to go </p>
<p>-meet new people
-learn
-make more money
-i'm asian, and they culturally value education </p>
<p>and LASTLY, i like learning.</p>
<p>The kind of job I like doing requires that I have a degree in order to get the top pay. I work in a power plant and I addition to normal day-to-day tasks, I am also in charge of large projects. There are many guys without degrees that do similar work but it took them years to get into those positions. In my case I was managing a $2.3 million turbine overhaul within two years graduating from college. I believe an engineering technology degree would be adequate for some of my work but that degree has a lower salary.</p>
<p>Quality of work is also good. During outages we bring in electricians, welders, and pipefitters from all over the country. I could be making more money in one of those professions. I could also be making more money if I was an electrical lineworker. However, it requires lots of overtime and strenuous physical work. That is fine when you are 25 but I don't think many guys still want to do back-breaking work when they are 45 if they had other job options. Some mechanics told me to play with my body and work with my mind. In the end, you will make more money and have little physical pain.</p>
<p>The experience.</p>
<p>I'm almost finished and I can honestly say that I remember and value my experience here with these people more than the classes that I've taken. No regrets though!</p>
<p>Because I enjoy learning, and I'm far too dumb to pull a Goodwill Hunting and do that on my own. Also because unless you have a degree most scientists would be wary to hear anything you have to say, and people wouldn't be necesarily jumping through hoops to hire you. It also seems like a very engaging atmosphere; AP Chem and AP Physics are the kinds of classes that I leave shocked by how much we can understand and that's just high school. I hope the deeper I get the better that satisfaction will become.</p>
<p>Because I'm a conformist.</p>
<p>Because it's too risky not to.</p>
<p>Meet new people, party with those people, get a degree, move to somewhere I actually want to live, live a comfortable life.</p>
<p>To get the jobs I wanted, I needed a college education.</p>
<p>The girls and the prospect of more girls in grad school. Don't blame me, blame evolution.</p>