Education Is Not the Key to Success

About 20 years ago, education was something that a person did only if he/she wanted to. Unfortunately, as the years went by, the idea of "Education is the key to success" got more, and more enforced. People eventually started to believe that education was the single way to succeed, and the only thing needed for success. Despite the fact, many Americans believe a college degree will lead them to be successful, in reality, education is not the solitary way to succeed. Not everybody can receive an education, or even an excellent education from a "decent academic" college/university. "There are many students who have no desire to attend college and who would be much better off if they received training that would qualify them for a better- paid job with just a high school diploma" (Finneran, 22). Many students today that are receiving a secondary education are either doing it because they think it is the right thing to do, or because their parents told them that the only way to succeed in today's world was through a college degree. Parents put a lot of pressure on their children when it comes to college, and receiving an education. Some students are so overly pressured that they believe that in order to be somebody in life, he/she must both attend college, and receive a college degree; if it is possible go beyond bachelors. What many students and parents fail to comprehend is that book learning is not the only thing needed to succeed. Success is made up of many skills; sure education is a building block of it, but it is not the key to it. Success can be different for everybody. There are many careers out there that pay a good amount of money and do not require a college degree. Some examples of careers that do not require a college degree are: Police men, Dental Hygienist, Online Advertising Manager, Web Developer, Insurance agent, Mechanic, hair