My mother, on the other hand, attended a community college and obtained an Associates degree in Finance. Both of my parents encourage and challenge me to surpass their educational achievements in order for me to create more opportunities for myself then they had ever experienced for themselves. This encouragement has helped push me in the direction of college. .
A force that is not always known, but was very relevant in my decision to attend college, was society as a whole. Good paying jobs are becoming scarce as technology replaces people, therefore only the most qualified personnel are necessary. Without a college degree there is no way to obtain the best possible job. Also, society still contains class structure. The most prestigious, and most prosperous, classes tend to be made up of people with a higher education. Therefore, society forces me to want to belong in a high class, since this gives better odds of achieving a stable income. Society also provides incentives which encourage children to stay in schools longer. An example of this would be subsidizing education. Tax payers pay for a large amount of public education because they realize that highly educated people largely benefit society. A part of society I hold much closer are my friends. They were a strong force in my decision to attend college. I like to think I am an individual and do not always just follow the crowd, but college was not one of my independent routes. Most, if not all of my friends, found a college to attend. College is the "norm" now and I did not see any reason why I shouldn't get to join along in the fun too so I hopped on the college wagon with all my buddies. .
Schools and teachers have also changed their curriculum towards college preparation rather than the traditional high school learning. Honor classes and Advanced Placement classes are now more prevalent than ever. Honor classes are accelerated learning classes for the above average students and Advanced Placement courses give high school students the chance to earn college credit even before stepping foot on a college campus.
