In a world where opportunities and resources are endless, high schoolers are constantly throwing them away, especially, when it comes to academia.

At George Rogers Clark High School, students are offered the advantage of having Advanced Placement and dual credit classes at their fingertips. AP classes offer university-level curriculum and examinations to high school students and have the opportunity to pass a test to gain a college credit.

While dual credit classes are similar, there is no end-of-year test but students gain the college credit as long as they pass the class with above a 70%.

These classes help students learn needed skills like time management, critical thinking, and scholarly writing. They help students hone the skills they need to be college and career ready and put students ahead as they will have college credits before they even set foot on a college campus.

Unfortunately, students commonly take the easy path through high school, filling their schedules with mundane and easy classes instead of making decisions that will benefit their future. So many students don’t want to be challenged and make decisions that will better themselves. Students are inclined to fall into the common mentality of coasting through high school, and then carry this mindset with them through life.

Many students choose to go into an immediate career after high school and avoid the college route. While in many cases this is the best option for students, for others it is not. Outgoing students oftentimes accept a minimum wage job and never get the opportunity to show their true potential and shine in a higher quality job.

But, this doesn’t have to be the case. It is easier than ever for students to excel in a college environment, with an overwhelming amount of scholarships, college classes, and guidance offered. Students should be more inclined than ever to set their futures up for success and go to college.

Unfortunately, many students aren’t capitalizing on these opportunities. According the National Center For Education Statistics, 62% of recent high school graduates were enrolled in college. That’s the lowest immediate college enrollment rate in over 20 years and this percentage will most likely decline as the years go on.

While many students do not get the opportunity to attend college because of the financial burden college puts on families, this shouldn’t deter students from taking advantage of the resources offered to them.

There are a plethora of opportunities to support a college education with the addition of financial aid, AP, and Dual Credit classes.

For students who are fortunate enough to have the opportunity to go to college and don’t take advantage of it, think about all the students that want to go but don’t get to.

The world has normalized not going to college and post-grad schools, but why?

The world has normalized not going to college and post-grad schools, but why? Students should be pursuing and engaging in endeavors that challenge and benefit them, not accepting the minimum in a world full of opportunities.