Passage One
True, going to college for four years can be an enriching, eye-opening experience. True, a bachelor's degree is still an asset if you're trying to make it in America. It's also a must for many creme de la creme careers.
But not all kids are cut out for college despite the expectations of their parents or teachers. And, especially in the brave new world of the 21century, not all kids need to go to college right after high school-or ever-to succeed, says J. Michael Farr, author of America's Top Jobs for People Without a Four-Year Degree.
"The mythology here is that everybody has to go to college to do well. Not true,"says Farr. "This generation is little bit better off than ours. But there are so many more options. It's more complex now."
A boom economy coupled with dramatic changes in technology has created entirely new jobs and expanded opportunities in age-old professions. Many of these occupations-from computer programmers and Web page designers to chefs and police officers-don't require a bachelor's degree. Neither do many good jobs in the arts, crafts, skilled trades, construction, service industry, science, and health fields. Such jobs include: aircraft mechanic, cardiovascular technologist, electronic technician, law clerk, registered nurse, sales rep, secretary, travel agent .. the list goes on.
Jenna Norvell, 21, is now full of career ideas thanks to a ten-month cosmetology program she attended this year [2000] at the Aveda Institute in Minneapolis. She paid $9,865 for tuition and about $6,000 more in expenses, including rent for a one-bedroom apartment she shared with another student. Although Norvell got lots of career leads from salon recruiters at a career fair hosted by the institute, she didn't meet any from California-where she wants to live. So she plans to find a job out West on her own, perhaps in television or maybe doing makeup for fashion shows. Or selling cosmetics. Or managing a salon. "You'd be surprised how many occupations there are in this field,"says Norvell.
"High school students often don't understand there are so many options available to them, "says Farr. "That's shame. People who are interested in various things really can earn a decent living even if they don't want to go to college.
It's still true that people with more educations, on average, earn more money. But 28 percent of workers without a four-year degree earn more than the average worker with a bachelor's degree, according to Harlow G. Unger, author of But What if I Dont Want to Go to College?-a guide to educational alternatives to college. And more and more computer-savvy young people are skipping college to join the high-tech revolution as computer network engineers, Internet entrepreneurs, and game designers.
The first paragraph tells us _____.
A.the key to a successful career B.the reason for going to college C.the importance of going to college D.some common notions held by the public正确答案D
