As a Filipino immigrant who grew up in a household where a college education is more important than your well-being, I always thought that going to college was the only way to success. But I don’t think that a college diploma necessarily defines your destiny. 

Growing up, my Filipino parents would make me believe that people who don’t go to college have no ambitions in life and will become poor because they’re lazy. 

Filipino families see higher education as an escape from poverty and a door to better opportunities and a secure future, according to a 2024 Financial Rescue blog. 

So I followed what my parents told me and focused on school until I moved to America. But that’s when my perspective changed on college education. 

When I started attending high school here in America, I realized that everyone has a different perspective on college education. 

Most of my classmates were excited to attend a four-year university, while others were unsure and the rest had other plans that didn’t involve going to school.

During my senior year of high school, I realized that going to school for the next four years wasn’t the dream for everyone. No matter their status, because they wanted to follow what suited them best. 

I’m not trying to convince anyone to believe that school sucks or that going to college isn’t ideal anymore, but rather, getting into the idea of not drowning yourself in the societal pressure of gaining a college degree means success.

Life will always be different for everyone. 

As a college student, I noticed that for others achieving a degree means success and being able to attend a university might be their biggest goals in life because most are first-generation students in their families.

Nonwhite and low-income background students are often the first to go through admissions, financial aid and postsecondary education, according to The Postsecondary National Policy Institute.

In 2022, about 23.1% under the age of 18 lived with parents or guardians who weren’t enrolled in college, and 42.5% lived with parents who did not receive a college degree, according to the same source. 

But for others, attending college might not be the right path.

As I mentioned before, I’m a college student myself and sometimes I feel uneasy when everyone praises me for attending a university. 

The only reason it makes me feel uneasy is that my parents only use it for bragging rights to others who did not attend college and not necessarily because they’re proud that I worked hard to get admitted to one.  

A few reasons for opting out of college are the cost of a degree or credential, inflation and the need to work, according to a 2023 National Association of Student Financial Aid Administration survey. 

Building success without a roadmap will always be challenging. But it can be more complicated if you don’t build what you truly want for yourself. 

People struggle financially and college might be out of reach due to the costs it takes from them. 

A yearly survey found that the average cost of college in 2024-2025 was about $30,000 for in-state public universities, $49,000 for out-of-state public universities and $63,000 for private colleges, according to a 2025 Best Colleges data.

Trade school is another option and opening up a business is one of the most well-known routes for not attending college. 

Trade school programs are focused on practical skills that prepare students for a specific career that can allow them to enter the workforce, according to a 2025 Lincoln Tech blog. Graduates can often find an entry-level job in industries that offer stable employment and good pay. 

Trade schools offer careers in fields such as medical assisting, plumbing, auto repair and network administration, according to the same source. 

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy being a college student, but I never really understood the idea of others shaming another person for not having the mindset and passion for getting a degree. 

I know that as of right now, I am a college student studying journalism and maybe would get a job out of it, but I myself don’t know if this is something I will continue to do once I graduate. 

I surround myself with several people who never had the passion for going to college and getting a degree because it wasn’t for them. 

If there’s one thing I learned from them, it would be to push yourself every day and explore what is out there for us because life doesn’t stop just because you’re not in college. 

College is a place where I believe everyone is welcome to stay and leave whenever they please.