From High School to Higher Learning: How Secondary Education Sets the Foundation for Lifelong Achievement

About 15 million students were enrolled in an undergraduate program in 2022.

Have you ever wondered why so many people who become high school graduates decide to become college students?

Well, it is because secondary education can help you in so many different ways. It lays the groundwork for who you will become later on in life as well as the achievements that you will be set up for. 

Now that you are a high school graduate, you have so much to look forward to. But do you want to learn more about becoming a college freshman? Are you curious about how this can lead to lifelong achievement?

Keep reading on to learn more about the importance of college and secondary education.

Ample Career Opportunities

The more education you get, the less likely you are to be unemployed. This is why education matters.

When it comes to career opportunities, you will have many more when you are a high school graduate than if you never graduate high school. Even more, you'll have more opportunities when you receive a college degree versus just being a high school graduate.

This is because attending college can open up a wide range of opportunities for you because of the knowledge and skills that you learn while there. This knowledge and skills that you learn are crucial for so many different career opportunities that you may be interested in. Without those skills and knowledge, it is likely that you will not be able to go into a specific career.

However, when you do have that knowledge and those skills, you become a candidate that stands out for the job that you want.

Many careers may also state that you must have specific credentials in order to apply or be excepted as a candidate. For instance, they may state that you need a specific college degree. By getting that degree, you are opening up your opportunity for more jobs in a field that you love.

Higher Earnings Potential 

Although life isn't about how much you can earn, it doesn't hurt to feel financially secure with the job that you choose. When you attend college and are a high school graduate, you have a high earnings potential than if you never did.

Although more money may not always lead to more happiness, the financial stability that you will have can offer a huge advantage for you. You won't have the added stress of getting food on the table for your family, wondering if you can afford to fly home to see your parents, or stress when you see your utility bill for the month.

While having high earnings is not a must, it can be extremely beneficial.

Personal Growth Opportunities 

Attending college is much more than just going to classes to earn a degree. You are living your entire life at this college. This means that while you are going to class and learning more about your degree, you are also learning more about who you are as a person.

You are exploring and discovering more about the world and yourself than you ever did before because of the opportunities presented to you when you attend college.

But how does this happen?

Exposure to Diverse Perspectives

College gives you the opportunity to meet so many different people from all walks of life. Interacting with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures can help to broaden your perspective.

When you experience a broadening of your perspective, you can develop many more skills and understand the world. This will also impact your development of empathy as well - a crucial skill when it comes to emotional intelligence in the real world.

Challenging Yourself

College is a challenge. Courses, assignments, meeting new people, talking to professors, balancing academics and your social life, and overcoming being in a new place where you don't know anyone can be a challenge.

This is what makes you grow!

Going through hardships can help you develop resilience, and perseverance and overcome obstacles. You begin to build muscle memory to learn how to deal with things when they get tough. 

This is why it is so important to always challenge yourself. And college may be one of your first very big challenges to help you grow as a person. This will help you with lifetime success!

Develop New Relationships

When you go to college, you are going to meet people from all walks of life.

College provides you with an opportunity to build new friendships - some of which will last a lifetime! Not only that, but these friendships may open doors for you that you couldn't even imagine before.

These social connections that you form are not just for "fun." They are also part of a larger support system that you create for yourself to feel a sense of belonging. 

The more support you have, the better you will be able to cope with the stress and challenges that come your way as well! These relationships can enrich your life more than you could imagine!

Discover Your Passions and Purpose

Before you go to college, you are most likely put in a high school where you are told what classes to take and where to be when. While that is great for general knowledge, that doesn't necessarily allow you to express who you are and grow as a person. You may not be able to explore in the way that you would like to in order to learn more about who you are.

However, when you enter college, you have so many more opportunities.

You are able to explore different subjects that you find interesting. Some of these subjects may even be some that you have never heard of! This is the beauty of going to college. 

You can also explore more activities and clubs (also some that you probably haven't heard of). From horseback riding to playing golf and to Greek Life to joining a nonprofit club, the options are truly endless in college. 

The more that you explore, the more you will begin to understand who you are and where you want to spend more of your time. This is a huge part of the personal growth part of college.

Take Risks

Although college is a time to be responsible and really figure things out, it is also a time to take risks and try new things.

You may have always wanted to study abroad but been too afraid to do it on your own. Well, you now have a chance to do it with a group of like-minded people!

Or, you may have always wanted to try learning a new language. Why not add French class to your class schedule your second semester Freshman year?

There are so many risks that you can take. And most of them aren't bad risks! They will actually lead to new opportunities and teach you things you wouldn't otherwise know.

Networking 

A lot of who you meet in college will stick with you far down the line. This is because the college you go to holds weight for many people.

So that means that when you meet people in college, you already know that you have things in common. This can help you to develop friendships. 

Once you are an alumnus of a college, you don't even have to know a person for them to want to network with you because you may have the college in common.

These groups of people (professors, peers, and alumni) will always be there throughout your life - college and beyond. Going to college opens up this door for you.

Learn Critical Thinking Skills

While you most likely won't use all of the courses that you take in college, you will use a lot of what you learn from each. For instance, if you take a statistics class, you may not need to do complex equations on a daily basis. 

However, you may learn more specific skills that are valuable to you. These critical thinking and problem-solving skills are crucial to getting far in life. These can be applied in the workplace, in relationships, in difficult situations, out camping, while driving - anywhere!

These are valuable skills to have for the rest of your life.

Improved Fulfillment

If we don't have a purpose in our lives, it can be difficult to navigate our everyday.

This is why creating a sense of meaning and purpose in our lives is crucial to our happiness. We need to feel like we have a purpose.

And part of that feeling is figuring out what we are passionate about and where that crosses with what we are good at doing.

When you begin to feel more fulfilled because you have a greater purpose, this is where happiness follows. This is also why so many people in our country are not happy - because they do not feel a sense of purpose or fulfillment.

Going to college to learn more about who we are is a great way to find out our passions in order to pursue them for greater fulfillment in life.

Better Health 

You might be wondering how having a higher education relates to health. But it does!

There is actually a very strong correlation between higher education and better health. One impacts another.

Education can positively impact health because it promotes a different (and healthier) lifestyle. Individuals who have higher education are more likely to know the benefits of regular exercise and healthy eating habits. That means because they know this information and are educated on it, they are more likely to follow through with it. 

Education can also give individuals more awareness about the entire system. That means they are better able to access resources and healthcare, understand how preventative care works, and know where to go and who to see for other conditions that arise.

Those without a higher education may not always know what to do. They don't have the resources to refer to. And they certainly don't have the education to know what can help them with their health.

Education is an important determinant of both physical and mental health.

But how does it impact mental health?

Those who have a secondary education are more likely to have developed and grown into themselves through their experiences and education. Because of that, they know what they are passionate about and what they care about. By pursuing that, they will have a greater sense of purpose.

This will improve their mental health, relieving many symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Not only that, but those who attend college develop more communities and networks. These relationships are key to combating loneliness and isolation, which often lead to higher levels of depression. 

The Importance of Secondary Education 

Secondary education is something that can have a profound impact on someone's life.

Going to college can impact how someone views themselves because it can drastically change someone when they explore and learn new things. They can garner a better understanding of who they are and what they want out of life, which also leads to better health.

College provides networking opportunities and better career opportunities as well.

Are you someone who is very interested in going to college to get a college degree? Then you may want to learn more about how the Honor Society can help you get to the college of your dreams! You can check out more information and resources here.