There are a plethora of reasons why students choose to attend university in this day and age. In my opinion, the single most important reason is to achieve financial security in the future. I feel this way for two main reasons, which I will explore in the following essay.

First of all, a university degree is required in order to be hired at even the most basic jobs these days. Individuals in possession of only a high school diploma are employed solely in very low paying and low-skilled fields. This fact is evident to young people all over the world right now, and I believe it makes them feel quite a lot of urgency regarding their educational qualifications. This is demonstrated by the fact that in the past, when people with just a high school education could get satisfying jobs, enrollment at universities was much lower than today. Moreover, my friends and I have noticed that recently it has even become necessary to have a graduate degree in order to begin a career; no longer is it possible to achieve professional success with just an undergraduate degree. It seems that this trend will not reverse any time soon, and thus students will continue to consider their financial future when making decisions about what to do when they finish their secondary education.

Moreover, universities provide wonderful opportunities for networking which help young people find high-paying jobs following their graduation. The unemployment rate has been quite high for most of the past decade and it is very difficult for even well-educated people to find employment. Many experts argue that the people we meet in university play a large role in our long-term professional success. For example, my brother recently founded a successful online business which has provided him with a substantial income. He co-founded the business in a partnership with two like-minded students whom he met in a freshman computer science class. My brother often points out that the partnership which he formed with his students was even more valuable than the degree that he was awarded four years later. In contrast to my brother’s success, many of my friends who chose not to attend university have a limited set of contacts as their social circles have expanded very little since childhood.

In conclusion, I believe that young people choose to enroll in post-secondary education mostly in order to secure their financial future. This is because a university degree is a prerequisite for employment in the modern era and because universities provide students with valuable opportunities for networking.