The holiday season has finally started! Thanksgiving has come and passed and seniors are adding the final touches to their college applications. But as you seal the envelope, making sure to have included your school report, transcripts, letters of recommendation, and application fees, you may begin to feel a little bogged down. You may even find yourself asking, What’s the point of all of this?  Why should I even bother going to college?
Fear not! Applying to college is rewarding. The results of a college education and the rewards a college degree will bring you in the future speak for themselves.
Going to college guarantees you more money and more job opportunities in the working world. Given the current state of the economy, having as many opportunities for employment as possible is a must. The 2007 Census Bureau reported that on average, a person with a bachelor’s degree or higher earns approximately $100,000-double the amount a person with only a high school diploma will earn.
Even though the payoff is great, many students worry that they will not be able to afford a college education and opt to skip out on the college experience. The truth of the matter is that many colleges offer great financial aid packages, much of which is need-based, meaning the less money you have, the more aid you may qualify for.
   
Community colleges and state schools also offer great deals to students who reside in-state. A student can attend Cape Cod Community College for about $5,000 a year before financial aid. A state college, such as Fitchburg State College costs about $6,289 a year before financial aid. While a state university, such as UMass Dartmouth can be on the pricier side of affordable education at an estimated $18,315 per year before financial aid.
Although the “sticker price” for a college education may be frightening, there are many scholarships, grants, and loans out there designed to make the price of college less of a burden. Students who qualified for the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship, for example, can subtract about $1,500 from the cost of UMass Dartmouth, $970 from the cost of Fitchburg State College, and about $720 from the cost of a community college. Most colleges and universities work hard to make sure that a student can attend their school and offer many need and merit-based (meaning grades, test scores, or GPA) scholarships. Sometimes scholarships for colleges require separate applications, so don’t forget to check with the school you are applying to if you are interested in the scholarships they offer!
Another reason some students shy away from going to college is because they say, “College will be too hard for me,” or “I’m not smart enough to go to college.” This is, of course, a very poor excuse to not apply to or attend college. Many colleges offer first year seminars that will teach freshman the basic skills they will need to know in order to succeed in college. Many also offer tutoring and student support programs if you really feel that you are falling behind in a class. At Cornell University, students can be paired with a tutor for a group tutoring session for free. 
You may also wonder if college is the best place for you to be if you are unsure of what you want to study or what career you want to pursue after college. This is also a common concern among applicants, so have no fear in declaring yourself “undecided”. Thousands of students enter colleges across the country still unsure of what major or career they would like to pursue. College gives you the opportunity to learn more about what’s out there and what your options are. By exposing yourself to a variety of academic subjects, people and perspectives you will get a better idea of what you want to do in enough time to declare your major and graduate on time with your class.
If you choose a major upon entering college and decide that it just isn’t right for you, you may also have the option of switching majors. Although this may require extra paperwork, taking on extra courses, and changing your schedule around, it is possible and definitely an option if you are unhappy with your current major.
Applying for college is stressful. No one will lie to you about that, but in the end your collegiate experience will pay off ten-fold. You will have had the opportunity to grow and discover so much about yourself and the world around you and enter the workforce as a well-educated, competitive applicant for possibly some of the best jobs in the country. So, don’t let your AP Biology grade slip just because Christmas is right around the corner! Keep your grades up and your head high.
The work you are taking on now and the challenges you face with time management to study, do homework, complete applications, and write college essays during the holiday season is worth it. Just think about how much more money you will be making with a college degree in the future. How’s that for a pick-me-up?