# data[].attributes.body
Before answering, I'd have to consider the traits of this imaginary child of mine. While we have all seen people go further in life without a college degree, or any experience of higher education, it would be unfair to discredit those who have made it to success after working hard in college as well. I believe my child must have an ambition first. Going to college with no concrete plans after they graduate would be just as bad as having the ambition, but not the necessary skills that could be learned in college. There are many careers that don’t pay well enough to make a degree worth it, and there are many career fields that you can enter without college. So you definitely need to make sure that your expected career is worth the investment. Higher education teaches people things beyond academic knowledge. Aside from that, there isn't a real way to measure success. Others value money, experience, or other people, and one's views on any of these things would greatly affect whether or not they are truly fit for college. As a parent, I would hate for my child to miss out on many beautiful experiences and memories with friends and college peers. But to really answer the question: is going to college THAT important? No, absolutely not. However this won't stop me from encouraging my child and other people to spend a mere four years of more learning, to live life and make mistakes as a young adult. I simply want what is best for my child, and if they are confident in themselves, their skills, knowledge, and drive to move forward as a working adult without the need to pursue a college education, then I'd support them either way.

https://www.uopeople.edu/blog/do-you-have-to-go-to-college-to-be-successful/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Do You Have to Go to College to Be Successful? | UoPeople

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
High school graduates’ biggest question answered: Do you have to go to college to be successful? Find out why or why not.

# data[].attributes.body
As a parent in the future, my children's future is also crucial and important to me. There are many factors into why my children should go into college and maybe they may give many reasons not to as well.

My children may say a lot of successful and thriving people don't have a college degree and some are more successful than the people who did go into college like the names of the late Steve Jobs,  for example. They may also discuss the irrelevance of college when it comes to success.

My reply would be simple. "What is success to you?" If success to you simply means making money, then don't go for college, live your easy life. If success to you means fulfillment and happiness past the material things, pursue college. Going to school may be hard and you might go through literal hell, but in the end it will all be worth it.

Simply your diploma or the friends you have made along the way are enough to make you go through college. It's not really the easier jobs or the easy money, but it's way past that. Do you want to look back and think "I wish I could have spent my time making memories" or do you want to think "I'm glad I made memories with these people.

# data[].attributes.headline
12A - Tamayo, Aindrea Ma. Regina Gabrielle Barcelona

# data[].attributes.subject
12A - Tamayo, Aindrea Ma. Regina Gabrielle Barcelona

# data[].attributes.body
There are many factors to take into account while deciding whether to leave college and pursue your ambitions. The majority of people in today's society favor taking shortcuts over the traditional way. Many teenagers choose to forgo attending college in order to pursue their aspirations after graduating from high school, whether for monetary or other reasons, such as their commitment to their chosen field. However, as parents, we are not there to make decisions regarding their future but rather to support them at every turn so that they can achieve what's best for them.

Since so many college dropouts have gone on to become great entrepreneurs in today's society, including Bill Gates, Jack Dorsey, Elon Musk, and many more, I do not see anything wrong with them choosing to follow their passions above their studies. Although I would like my kids to keep in mind that in life there is no surefire recipe for success. Living is like turning a wheel; sometimes you go up, sometimes you go down. You'll never really know if quitting college is the best course of action for you to take, since it is a big risk and you will never really know if it’s the right path and decision for you to make. Having the right mix of trust, ambition and encouragement among the people that surrounds you is crucial which as a parent is for me to take place. Having a passion for something won't require you in quiting college; if you are truly interested in it, you can pursue it while you are still in school. Gaining a college education is a wise investment in your future because it has so many positive effects. You'll increase your income, knowledge base, job stability and job satisfaction, and capacity for hardship. Each of these elements will ensure your future security. The biggest gift I can give my children, as most parents agree, is their education, and the best gift a parent could ask for is that diploma. Better safe than sorry, you can at least follow the career of your dreams and work on your passions after college, but if you don't succeed with that, you still have your degree or diploma to keep you secure.

In conclusion, it is always a good idea to have backup plans because we cannot always predict what is ahead of us. However, I do not think there is any need to rush things because everything will work out in the end and be put into place. We no longer have the ability to turn back time, thus it is preferable to seize the opportunities that are presented to us. Joel Dicker once said, “Life is like a foot race, there will always be people who are faster than you, and there will always be those who are slower. What matters in the end is how you ran the race.”

# data[].attributes.body
I would tell them to pursue passion.

College is only a tool that provides an individual with the knowledge, skill, and criticality meant in order to go forward with a career path or life that a person so desires. Along with that college is an excellent tool to open up opportunities and windows into different sectors in employment and work establishments. There things in college which of course cannot truly be taught and certified elsewhere, such as sciences. However, in the case of entrepreneurship, business, athleticism, whatsoever, these things can absolutely be brought along directly. Thus, if I am absolutely certain that I have raised my child well in ensuring the they have the knowledge, the skill, and criticality to pursue a life outside of the collegial path, then absolutely I would tell them to pursue that passion.

Passion is a fire, one that needs to be fuelled or it shall be burnt out forever. Thus I would most certainly nurture their passion if I see that they truly have what it takes to play it risky and focus their all into that. For example, if I see that my son or daughter is not only willing, able, but also passionate for fencing, I will do my greatest to make sure that potential is not put to waste. They may not have all the options open for them to start anew, but at the very least there is one option that they have already chosen, and with great tenacity, fire, and conviction.

It is said that it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert at something. So why must I force them to waste their precious years becoming an amateur at multiple trades, when they can become a master at one thing and be the best that is possible to be at it. In fact, you will see that it is the people who dropped everything else and focused on one thing that become successful in life. And indeed it is with the people with the least options that will do their best to over achieve and over excell at what they are doing. These people, with nowhere else to go, driven by desperation even, are more likely to succeed, because they have no other choice but to. Look for example at people such as Khabib and Mike Tyson, these men focused on one thing in aspect in their life, fighting. Khabib is an undefeated world champion with 29 wins and 0 losses. Mike Tyson became the greatest boxer of his time, coming from the ghetto.

Thus, I would indeed tell them to follow their passion, no matter what it is, be it entrepreneurship, sports, fighting, arts, acting, teaching, anything. For as long as I know that they will focus their everything on it and become a master at it, then I would support them until the day I die.

# data[].attributes.body
I'm pretty sure many of us have heard the famous stories of extremely successful college dropouts like Steven Spielberg, Kanye West, and Steve Jobs to pursue their passions. As a parent, I would want my child to look up to these people not because they are college dropouts and just decided to pursue their passions, I want my child to look up to them because they worked their absolute hardest to get where they are. Therefore, as a parent, I would want my child to attain a higher education by going to college.

Though going to college or pursuing your passions both have an equal rate of success, in the shoes of a parent that has experience in this world and in the society that we live in, going to college would be a more practical option and an advantage due to the fact that it can help you find a stable job that would also give you a stable source of income. I also believe that college will really help you find who you are and shape your mindset towards many things through the challenges you face and the people you meet because in society, we never really know who is our friend or someone who is just taking advantage of us. These experiences will help us go through other challenges when we reach the stage where we are truly going to decide to choose a job that is in the field of what we studied in college that would provide a stable income or go and take the risk of pursuing your passion/s.

To conclude this essay, as a parent, I would always want the best for my child and I want him/her to be happy. If he/she decides to pursue their passions, I would show full support but they must also realize that in this world, we must always have a back-up plan that would sustain our existence. Lastly, if everything they take college and it works out, I would want my child to quite possibly use what they have studied in college and combine it with their passions to create something that will build a legacy for generations to come.

"Great things come from hard work and perseverance. No excuses."
- Kobe Bean Bryant

Ryan, J. (2021, March 18). 50 super successful college dropouts. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/50-super-successful-college-dropouts/

# data[].attributes.body
In an ever-changing world, can our future generation change? We are living in a world where the presence of college drop-outs succeeding in life are becoming more apparent. If my child discusses the possibility of dropping college and pursuing their passion, I would have to think. However, as a parent, my child should pursue their passions due to their parents' support, love for their passion, and room for error.

Firstly, my child will have my financial support. If they believe their passion is the gateway to success. I do not expect my child to fund their passion yet, which is why I will support their passion until it becomes a business. A passion is only a passion until the passion earns money, and after that is when it becomes a business. Once a business, I can lower the finances given and work to support their business through consultancy. In this reality, I have a child, and I will assume I graduated from university with a business degree. I will use my knowledge to support my child's business and help it grow and succeed. My child cannot do the work of the business alone, and if they were left alone, they would surely fail; mainly through a lack of funding and experience. However, as a parent, I will not allow them to walk alone. I will support their passion as if I was supporting their university funds.

Secondly, loving what they do is the drive to keep moving forward. In life, it is a rocky road; with many cliffs and hills, and what keeps them on their path is their love for the road. They will keep pursuing their passion because it is what they love. That devotedness towards their passion is the fuel to my support.

Finally, there will always be room for error. My child is still young and recently graduated from high school. They still have their life ahead. If my age is forty to fifty and I wanted to pursue my passion, it would be a struggle. I have a family, a house, a car, etc. I have things to protect. Once I fail, I risk losing everything. I may lose my home, my car, and my money. Comparing the situation with my child: they do not have a wife and kids, a home, a car, etc. The real risk my child possesses is money. At such a young age, my child has the potential to grow through experience, a gift that is hard to retain at my age. The experience they can incur is through failure and error of their passion. As stated before, at the age they are currently, failure is almost inconsequential. They can keep failing, gathering experience, and pursuing their passion. Eventually, the failures and errors will help grow their passion into success.

If my child took the time to discuss their current goals and dissatisfaction with the university, I would respond with respect as their parent. In the end, I would decide on their pursuit of passion. They would have my support, in financials and consultancy in the business, while staying determined and assertive through their love of their passion. And at a young age to gather failures and errors for growth and experience. As future entrepreneurs, working under others is not the success to crave; it is for people to work under you. The pursuit of passion is only the beginning of success.

# data[].attributes.body
As a parent I want my child to be able to thrive and survive in this world. It is my responsibility to make sure my child has the means to be able to provide for themselves. As such I find it better for my child to go to college first.

While it is true that you do not technically need a college degree to become successful, it becomes much easier once you obtain one. A college degree is a mark for many people in the world that you are smart enough to be successful. Although there are some people who are very successful without a college degree, that will not always be the case for all. You might not have the same level of discipline, perspicacity, or even luck as those people, making college a much safer choice. Many people who choose not to go to college have difficulty finding work and are unable to provide themselves.

I believe that your passion is closely tied to your emotions. Emotions are something that change very easily and are very prone to influence. How can you be so sure that you will still be passionate about something 5 or even 10 years into the future? Once you start turning your passion into a job, I feel that you will start to hate it. You also have to consider that not all passions in life are something that can be monetized. It would be very difficult to make a living out of something like skateboarding. Which is why I believe that college is a much safer and better choice.

In conclusion, my primary goal is to make sure my child is able to provide for themselves when I eventually pass. It is for them to survive and live on. I strongly advise them to pursue college over their passion for this purpose. It will be much easier for my child to have a job and be successful with a college degree.

# data[].attributes.body
Being a parent, I am there to guide my child, not to take control of his/her life. Pertaining to college, I do think that there are lessons and experiences that one can go through and learn. We go online or hear about these very successful people that in fact dropped out of college. For Example, people like, Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg or Bill gates, and many more. However, I don't blame them for thinking that way or having that idea because, yes, deep down who wouldn't want to just go big and chase their dreams right?

If my child were to ask me, "Dad Is it really important for me to go to college, or do I go and pursue my passion?" I would say that you are still young what's the rush? I would further explain that you have so much time to become successful and to go pursue your passion. Things you can learn from college may not all be important, but I can guarantee there will be useful things that you can learn and apply to your journey whether that may solely be to succeed or to be successful through your passion. Your grades don't define you. Getting good grades does not determine whether or not you will be successful. To me, all that matters is that I see you give your full effort in the things you do. That alone speaks loudly of the kind of person you are. Of course, also with being young, you get to try a lot of new things and in college, you can actually achieve that through different courses, subjects, and or projects. I believe that to build success from the ground up you will need to have a hard time, you will need to get knocked down, but that's all part of life. I do also believe that knowledge is power and that you can control your own life through the lessons and experiences you go through and acquire

In conclusion, I love my child and his/her happiness is very important to me but I still would encourage them to go to college. Like I said though I'm only here to guide them!

Knowledge is power essay. (2022, March 28). VEDANTU. https://www.vedantu.com/english/knowledge-is-power-essay

Don’t drop out: Why there’s still value in college. (15, July 9). Observer. https://observer.com/2015/07/dont-drop-out-why-theres-still-value-in-college/

# data[].attributes.body
College is definitely a difficult time of life, and questioning its validity in life is certainly understandable. As a parent of a child going through a college or passion dilemma I would tell them that, in a society that values education above all else, they should go to college. Passion is an intangible thing that you will bring with you for all your life, it is a flame in one’s soul that inspires you to do your best for a certain journey, it is unlimited but college is not.

College is a four-year journey of your life where you can learn and share new experiences with various people. It is a place where you can learn more about your passion and meet like-minded people that you can collaborate and share ideas with, all while getting your college degree. And while your future may not be ensured by a measly piece of paper certifying that you’ve completed a course, the education, skills, and experiences that come with it certainly does.

It is true that neither college nor passion guarantees life success, but college can ensure that you can get a stable job and support your lifestyle. Successful people like Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, etc. have made their lives possible through years of hard work, you also have to factor in the fact that they flourished in the United States also known as the “land of endless possibilities”, which is a completely different situation from the Philippines. Sure there are people like Edgar Sia (Mang Inasal) and Joe Magsaysay (Potato Corner) who have hailed great rewards for the risk they have taken but in reality, 19.6% of college dropouts are more likely to be unemployed than degree holders (Ahmed, 2021).  These big names are part of only a small population of people who have succeeded even without a degree, either through pure luck or day-in and day-out of hard work, studies have found that 94 percent of US leaders attended college and 50 percent of them attended elite universities.

In conclusion, my child’s happiness and wants is certainly important to me, but so is ensuring that their future will be bright even without my support.

# data[].attributes.body
In the current position of our world where finances is a big part of our lives; like how to spend it, how much to save, how much to invest and most importantly how do we earn more money to support ourselves where the inflation rate keeps growing exponentially and we must find means to support ourselves with the most reliable option which to work high paying jobs. So as a parent I would encourage my children to pursue a reliable course with a high possible pay when they are in the career so they can support themselves when they are older and be free to do their passions in life, because as a parent guiding your children to succeed in life is one of the main goals.

Many people consider big company/corporation owners as their role models especially the ones that have dropped out of college like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and Steve jobs. Although they are dropouts which is not the only thing they have in common with one another, but also they all have distinguished academic backgrounds backing up their success in innovation and their businesses meaning they had the intelligence, flexibility and all the knowledge they would possibly need in their ventures in life. This would be great and all but you have to consider the fact that there is an extremely low chance of an average child to do this as they would not differ from the average joe unless they have exceptional skills that would separate them from the rest. Some would claim that following your passion would be the right thing to do instead of going to college where you would be given a fighting chance in surviving this cruel world where money is one of the most important things to survive with. With passion one can only dream what they want to accomplish but some have little to no ways do accomplish them with no way of supporting them financially; so some people tend to compare themselves with well established individuals with exceptional capabilities without reflecting on what they can and cannot do. When somebody who doesn't have a financial foothold to support themselves they tend to rely on others like friends and family to work on their passion without any guarantee of success.

Today, in the Philippines where k-12 has been implemented almost a decade ago, there are very minimal job opportunities to those who dropped out of school or didn't continue into college as jobs currently would require a college degree to pursue into that particular career where your salary would increase with more effort and time you put into it like studying for a masters degree asides from the bachelors degree you get from initially graduating from college. In the Philippines, when one is pursuing their passion, they tend to work minimum wage jobs in order to support themselves but these jobs tend to be looked down upon as they are seen as the people with no capabilities of going further in life either because of the lack of financial support or even being uncapable of striving for academic success which would be a bad image for the parents that has raised them since they were younger. People who graduated from distinguished schools gain more opportunities to do whatever they want because they are now financially free once they get a job which would not be a dead-end one like a non-graduate/dropout would end up getting due to the lack of academic accomplishments like getting a degree. K-12 makes students realize the importance of college and broadens their views on what they can do when they are older to help them achieve what they want so they could be able to no longer rely on other's for financial needs.

So as a parent I would rather ensure my child's future than gamble it to a possibility where they would or would not even have a chance of succeeding in their passion. Although it would hurt me as a parent to not encourage my child's passion but I have to remember that their future is what is more important as they can focus more into their passion when they have already gained financial stability without the need for asking for help because in the future where I would meet my demise, who would support them when I am no longer there to guide them into what they need to do and help them with what they need to move on in life. Although getting a degree is still  not guaranteed to give them a job but it still is something to give them a chance in supporting themselves once they graduate as their futures are much more important than a dream that would tend to remain a dream as something more reasonable is a better path to choose when thinking of one's future.

# data[].attributes.body
As a parent, I would always want the best for my child; choosing whether to allow my child to pursue his education or his passion is a tough choice because this decision will affect my child's future. A parent would always want to see my child succeed and be happy in their life. As a parent, I would advise my child to complete college and pursue a degree instead of dropping out of college. After having a degree, he/she can later pursue their dream passion because having a degree will ensure that my child is sustainable and independent in life since, in this modern world, most secure jobs demand a good educational background to qualify for one. He/She can pursue a college degree similar to or related to their passion for gaining more knowledge in their field so that their studies will give their life a significant purpose and help them become a professional in their work field.

I would explain to my child the importance of a college education in life, that be, in pursuing their dreams, and explain what will be helpful for them in the future. College education is essential for financial security. Money is one of the main factors influencing people to choose a college degree because after graduating, one can obtain a good job and earn a good salary. One of the other main reasons that college education is important is that he/she will have promising career opportunities in the field in which he/she would want to work. ( How Important is a College Education?, n.d)

I will always make an effort to encourage my child to pursue education and never let them compromise on education. I will not force my child to do anything that he/she does not wish to do but will always advise him/her on the best for them of my experience and always support them to the fullest in what they do in life after completing his/her college studies.

References:

Poornima University. (2019, February 6). How Important Is a College Education? , from https://www.poornima.edu.in/how-important-is-a-college-education/3

# data[].attributes.body
As a parent who went through college at that point of situation, I would prefer my child to pursue his college first, because believe that academic or the things that you've learn from college is one of the things that cannot be stolen from you, but if there would be a chance that his passion would be really a life changing for him, i would let him. Because at that point of life it is also our responsibility to guide our child through out their way because i would support him on anything he likes to do but he or she should know that their academics should be their # 1 priority and responsibility.

Yea I believe that there are a lot of successful people out there who drop out from college but the reason why I prefer the going to college is that college is one of the crucial things you need to learn more about  because it offers priceless experiences, allows you to build crucial, lifelong connections, and allows you to advance professionally and earn a lot of money with most degrees. Although many employment sectors can be entered without a college degree and many careers don't pay well enough to justify the cost, Therefore, you must ensure that the investment in your planned profession is worthwhile. The money that you spend on college is an investment that will pay off in the long run. A college education broadens a person's perspective, and they begin to define goals and objectives for themselves. Although college is difficult and exhausting, it prepares you for the difficulties that may later aid you in succeeding in this fiercely competitive world. A college education teaches discipline to a student. They understand the concept of teamwork, understand the importance of communication and go through a comprehensive learning. Attending a college paves the way for a better career. Many students when they enter college are often confused about what they want to do in life, but by the time they step out all their doubts get clarified. Always choose a college education since you can never learn or grow what you will learn there anywhere else.

But in the end always the degree that your skill is very reliable on because I wanted him to finish college because he needed it but I also want him to accomplish that thing that can help him/her because in the i want my child to stand on their own feet so that they can use all the things they've learn from the past, and also i want them to experience college in a good way and I want them to have their passion with a college degree.

Source
https://www.northeastern.edu/bachelors-completion/news/succeeding-without-college/

# data[].attributes.body
In this situation, I definitely wouldn't restrict my child from pursuing something that he/she loves to do. But at the end of the day, college is still a very crucial aspect of anyone's life, and is something that doesn't really have any cons to it. It may be difficult, but being able to balance both choices is still an option.

College dropouts who went on to have amazing ideas that reinvented the world are without a doubt valid people to still look up to. But the fact remains that their story is one in a million, and cannot just be easily replicated by those who are dropouts. Their success was a combination of both skill AND luck.

Running it back to another point I mentioned earlier, the option to do both at the same time will and always will be available. In fact, many young adults around the world, some even as young as high-schoolers, are already exercising the juggling of both studies and passion. Most fall under the categories of varsity students and young entrepreneurs. So who's to say that my child can't do the same? It for sure won't be an easy task, but I'd be willing to help in any way to alleviate some stress for him/her.

In the final decision, knowing myself, I would definitely advise him to finish college no matter what. College is just too integral of a factor in a child's future. Don't get me wrong, this doesn't necessarily mean I am against him/her pursuing their personal passion. The priority to accomplish, in my opinion, should still be college and I'll make sure to vocalize that. In the long run, I want the best for my child. I'd openly be willing to offer help to him/her if he/she needs it.

Source:
L.L. Academy (2019, Sep 10) The Importance of Discovering Your Child’s Passion at an Early Age: https://learninglinks.edu.ph/blog/the-importance-of-discovering-your-childs-passion-at-an-early-age/

# data[].attributes.body
What even is life if you aren't put into a space that makes you feel suffocated. If you aren't put into a situation where you don't get to pick the best of both worlds. That is the definition of life. Life is cruel, life is unjust, and life is unfair. Choosing passion or college is one of the most heavy decisions that a parent and a child can bear. During this stage of their lives, our children would feel very vulnerable and feel very confused. As a parent, I will do my very best to comfort them and assure them that everything will be okay. Every parent want what's best for their child and I, as a parent, will endlessly support my child in whatever path they should take. Though, I will first advice my child to study college for the mean time and let them freely choose a course that is similar to their passion. This is because before pursuing your passion you would need experience and college will be the perfect place for that. I believe in the statement go to college first then pursue your passion. College is a place where you can be ready for the "real" world and gain experience for you to use in finding a job. My child needs to understand that money is temporary and that they should be able to stand on their own two feet or be independent because life is also about making your situation better and overcoming your obstacles. I believe that children or people shouldn't be idolizing people like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg & Bill Gates for dropping out of college to pursue their passion. We have to understand that their families were financially capable in supporting them throughout their journey as for us we aren't that lucky because we do not get to choose the way we live. Pursuing one's passion doesn't necessarily mean that you change the way you live, ghosting people, having this new persona, and dropping out of college. One can find their passion through college and as a parent I will always be there by their side but if college truly is not to their liking, I will still strive  to help my child.

In conclusion, I will fully support my child in choosing his/her passion but they also need to understand that going to college is as important as pursuing one's passion. I would help them, guide them, and enlighten them because what even parents are for if they cannot be there by their child's side when they are at their most vulnerable. It would be hard to pursue one's passion since our minds are complex and our perspective of things change. As parents, we can never really measure our child's success through their financial standing in society but we can definitely tell that they have made it in life if they are enjoying the things that they are doing.

Madray J. (2015, March 03). Pursue Your Passion. Retrieved from https://medium.com/@jonathanmadray/pursue-your-passion-95a15c9ab7d8

# data[].attributes.body
I am sure this decision will vary between different people as we would all have our different viewpoints. And as our viewpoints may vary my viewpoint might not be the same as how my child will see it.

For me I would like them to enter college as many stable jobs require a college degree as I know only a small number of those who do not go to college become really successful and going to college would be able to set a strong foundation for my my child in the future. But even though I would rather have my child head to college if I do  see and feel that they truly want to  pursue their passion I would 100% support them with all I can give and be there as a their support if ever their passion does not work out. Yes, I would like to see my children successful I would first of all want to see them happy.

As a parent, my top priority would always be the happiness of my child and if takes them pursuing their dream instead of heading to college I will be at their back supporting them every step of the way. They can try new things, new experiences they never had if they want to find what they are passionate about. It might take going to college or it may not but I know College is not for everyone , and it might not be for my child so whether they chose to go to college or not is up to them and all I will do is be their to help them whenever they need it.

Source:
Pizarro, K. B. (2020, November ). Tips For Finding Your Passion. Harvard College. https://college.harvard.edu/life-harvard/student-stories/tips-finding-your-passion

# data[].attributes.body
Dear future son/daughter,

Right now is the time where you should start deciding on what you want to do with your life. It's not easy what you're going through because once you make a decision, you need to really commit to it. You're contemplating on a decision that is so hard, it'll define your career, how you wanna live your life, and how resilient you can be through hardships.

Know that I love you so much and you deserve all the best things in the world. There are some things I want you to realize on your own and that's why I believe you should choose your passion. Of course, you will make mistakes, deal with heartbreaks, not only in romantic relationships but life in general. Attempt to answer a question from which you would never retreat. Make a promise to yourself that you will strive to realize your dreams. You can pursue your ambition if you say "I will and I can"  to the question you pose to yourself. Let me add one more thing: the road to success is not as simple as it may appear from hearing success tales from many dropouts. It's not an easy task. No one here, including me, can assist you in making that decision; first, consider what is best for you.

I want you to realize that you can still be passionate about something while being in college. I want you to realize how you can treat college. You don't have to start from scratch, you will be given a head start among other people. I want  you to maximize your college experience and learn from it. Antonia Liu made the decision to publish a book. Her words: "What you will find are the start-up mindsets and skill sets that you can use to prepare yourself for an entrepreneurial journey and to maximize your college experience."

Gather as much opportunities and acquire as much knowledge as you can.

Descartes defines the passions as "the perceptions, sensations, or commotions of the soul which we relate particularly to the soul and are caused, maintained, and strengthened by some movement of the spirits"

17th and 18th century theories of emotions > Descartes on the emotions (Stanford encyclopedia of philosophy). (n.d.). Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/emotions-17th18th/LD2Descartes.html

Carmody, B. (2018, January 3). Before dropping out of college, read this book. Inc.com. https://www.inc.com/bill-carmody/13-best-college-hacks.html

# data[].attributes.body
As a parent, I would encourage my child to pursue college rather than immediately pursuing what they are passionate about. However the decision will always be theirs to make, and I will support them all the way. As a parent, I am just there to tell my child what I know to guide them, but they should be free to do what they want, as it is their own life.

It’s true that there are college dropouts who became successful people in their fields, however they likely had access to a lot of resources and networking opportunities, which most people do not have. These successful people did not drop out from just any colleges as well, but ivy league and elite schools. They were the cream of the crop, and already had the skills, intelligence, and knowledge they needed, as well as a bit of luck, to successfully pursue their passions. Majority of college dropouts do not go off to become very successful. Most people dropout not to pursue their passions, but because they have personal problems, financial issues, or cannot keep up with the study load. Most people also think less of college dropouts, as most people are judgemental and will not understand their position. In the Philippines, there is a mentality that higher education equals success and employment opportunities. People will see your degree, titles and position before anything else. College dropouts make less income

than bachelor’s degree holders, and are more likely to be unemployed than degree holders. Especially in the Philippines. Even with the implementation of K-12, most companies will not hire someone without a college degree, even for low-grade jobs. I believe both pursuing college and dropping out to pursue something one is passionate about can lead to great outcomes, but dropping out is much more risky. Therefore it would be unwise to drop out of college, so as a parent, it is not something I can encourage my child to do.

College allows people to gain knowledge, skills, connections and experience that can foster one’s passion, or even allow the discovery of a new one. In college, my child is put in a space where they can meet like minded people, and learn about a topic they like from a very knowledgeable teacher, which might even grow one’s passion. College can serve as a safe environment to hone the skills and give the child the knowledge they will need to pursue their passion. I also believe that if someone is really passionate about something, simply going to college will not kill their passion and drive. Unless there is absolutely no course that has to do with one’s passion, college can give one so many opportunities to learn more about their passion. College can connect them with people in the field they are passionate about and people who can help them succeed in pursuing their passion. You can choose to take advantage of the resources you have in college, or view it as just academics and simply getting a degree. There is no need to rush into pursuing your passion right out of high school. Jumping right into the workplace without knowing anything to pursue their passion may even waste their time more than if they pursue a college degree. Life is long enough for one to achieve anything if you know what to do with your time.

# data[].attributes.body
As a parent, all I really want is what's best for my child. If my child is discussing whether to pursue his passion or college in order to be successful, I believe college is the safest and most reliable option. I agree that there are many college dropouts who are now very successful, including Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Tiger Woods, and many others. They pursued their passion and worked hard to achieve their dreams and goals. However, there are also many college dropouts who are having difficulty finding jobs or work to support their financial needs, particularly in our country. The Philippines had an alarmingly high dropout rate of 83.7 percent, implying that the country produces 2.13 million college dropouts each year. This is one of the reasons the Philippines is classified as a third-world country in terms of GDP; a lack of education leads to a lack of employment opportunities, and a lack of employment opportunities can lead to an economy's demise.

In terms of my child wanting to be successful, I still recall what my parents used to tell me. They mentioned that the best weapon for future success is knowledge, and in order to have the knowledge, you must be educated. College can provide you with education and knowledge that will benefit you in the real world. You might not have been born with the life you want; this is where education can come in handy. You give yourself the opportunity to improve your life by pursuing an education. Education can help you find jobs that are suitable for you in order to support your financial needs; it can help you get out of hardship if you were born poor. However, I do not wish to crush my child's passion, so the college course that my child selects will be related to something he or she is passionate about. College can help improve ideas and knowledge about that particular passion, allowing my child to be successful while continuing to work in his or her ideal profession. As a result, education/college enables your dreams to become a reality.

In summary, if my child's primary objective is to be successful in life, it is strongly advised that he or she pursue college and choose a course that is relevant to his or her interests. Education is a privilege that can broaden your horizons and enrich your life. College is simply a chance to pursue your dream, passion, or goal, as well as anything else that will benefit you in the future. I will not force my child to attend college, but as a parent who wants his child to be happy and successful someday, I will do my best to encourage my child that a college education is the best option since I believe education is the key to making my child's dream come true.

Sources:
Top 8 reasons why education is the key to success: Uopeople. University of the People. (2022, July 25). Retrieved August 29, 2022, from https://www.uopeople.edu/blog/top-8-reasons-why-education-is-the-key-to-success/

Danielle Gagnon Mar 16, 2022. (n.d.). Top 10 reasons why college is important. Southern New Hampshire University. Retrieved August 29, 2022, from https://www.snhu.edu/about-us/newsroom/education/why-is-college-important

# data[].attributes.body
To my dearest child,

I am so proud to be your father for the past 17 years. From the moment I first laid my eyes on you, to your first smile, first laugh, first steps, first words, first artwork, first bike ride, first day of school, first graduation up until now that you are graduating high school, you have made yourself the best version of you. Do you know the common attribute you have among all those achievements? Passion drove you to do all of those things. Now if you are troubled with choosing either college or your passion, do what you are passionate about.

I have noticed that you do not respond well when someone is instructing you. When I taught you how to ride a bike, you would often get angry at me because I bossed you around and did not let you be you. If you could still also remember, you got frustrated that one time when your groupmates did not let your ideas be used in the group project. I know that you are a brilliant kid since you can think what is best for yourself. However, you tend to have a hard time compromising with others and that is why you are mulling over the passion path. You must know there are risks with it like the difficulty of finding a job but deep inside I know that as your father, you can do it. Going back to the time when you learned how to bike, you did not give up even if there were gashes on your elbows and knees and learned how to ride a bike without our help. I believe that whatever choice you make, you could excel since you persevere in any given situation.

An article I have found on the internet from Farnam Street is that doing the thing we love makes us the best version of ourselves(Don't follow your passion, cultivate it, 2019, October 28). I for one am guilty since I chickened out in cultivating my passion because your grandparents, my parents have repeatedly said that this and that course will make you money and so I kept my passion from them. The world is your oyster and use it the best way you can since you have all your adult life to do what you are passionate about. I have noticed that you tend to enjoy making videos and scripts, go pursue that since I have seen that is what you are passionate about. Deep down, I know that you are talented in your own way and make sure to take your failures as opportunities to learn. I know that it may be a daunting path ahead of you, but remember to do what makes you happy and be your own self. No matter what happens, I will be there to guide you along the way.

I believe in you, my child.

Love,

Dad

Reference List:
Free radicals: Don't follow your passion, cultivate it. Farnam Street. (2019, October 28). Retrieved August 29, 2022, from https://fs.blog/maximize-your-potential-99u/

# data[].attributes.body
For my child to pursue his dream or to pursue his education as a parent this is a very hard decision to make as this decision will shape my childs future. My chosen action will completely depend on the situation. As time passes the trends, ways and methods to be successful and earn money also changes so what my child dreams of pursuing may be a safe way to secure his future or maybe not.

As a parent I would prefer to telll my child what not to do instead of what to do I still want my child to live free and to not feel shackled. I would still of course support my child if he/she were to choose career path that will not harm him but if it is a path that will harm him/her for sure I think that it is only natural that a parent do whatever it takes to keep their child from harm and I would do the same. If I were to disagree with my childs decisions I would of course suggest to my son not to pursue such career and give my side of the story to him to prevent any friction from the both of us. I would rather be a parent who will give his suggestion or advice to his child instead of using his authority to actually controll his child that is the case as long as the dangers are not too severe but if it is too severe i would have to take much more action.

Pursuing your dream is all good but wouldn't it be better if you tried to pursue your dreams while also going to a university  and learning? Treating the university degrees as a backup plan or another card in your hands as you pursue your dreams or when you decide to quit is one of the advantages of puruing education. Having an Educational background is one of the factors that some people are looking at when they are trying to know someone this will definitely be a good influence and points that my child will have if he were to pursue his passion with education.

All in all my decision would depend on the situation but i would always try to push my child to get better educational background from college wether he would pursue his dreams or not sp that he will still have a card in his hands if somethings go wrong. I have no idea what his generation will be like at all so in the end only he knows whats best for him and i might only bring him more harm if i force him to do something that is relevant in my generation but not in his my only wish is that he/she take my advice to heart. But hey if you can do both why not.

source: https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/millennial-career-passion-vs-money

# data[].attributes.body
To be honest, the decision between pursuing college or pursuing one's passion can be very difficult, especially for young teenagers. We're talking about people who are 17 to 22 years old. Often times we hear the stories of billionaires or successful people who were once lost and became college dropouts, but then eventually ended up becoming who they are today -- people like Mark Zuckerberg or Bill Gates for example -- who are the founders of today's biggest technology corporations/companies.

If my child were to ask me about what he/she should do, it could depend on our family's current situation financially and what my child's passion is. As a parent, I would do anything I can to put my son or daughter in a position wherein they can pursue whatever they wish to pursue; to be at a point where they are open to so many options in regards to their future. There are obviously tons of factors at play --- access to certain resources, drive and ambition, genius, financial status, etc. -- when making a decision, but if I were to choose, I would highly encourage my child to pursue college. I wouldn't just let my child go to school and study whatever I want them to study. I would encourage him/her to pursue a degree related to his/her passion so that they have a possible 'backup' plan in case things do not go their way, and so they may use whatever they study in pursuing their passion.

School isn't for everybody, even for me. I completely understand why people have thoughts of dropping out of college because there are just some people out there who just don't seem to fit well in the school system and that it isn't for them. But if we were to look at the success rate of college dropouts, it is extremely low. To convince my child to finish college, I would show a 2017 study on factors that contribute to high educational and occupational achievement. The study revealed that among 11,745 US leaders, 94% of them attended college. Based on these numbers, the college dropout success rate is roughly only 6%. With that being said, your chance of being a successful person without a collegiate degree or a good educational background is very low. The chance of being a 'bill gates' and a 'Mark Zuckerberg' is very low.

To further convince my child, I would explain that the media and people, in general, tend to have a bias toward successful narratives -- stories that are so inspiring that it encourages people to do the same. It is called the survivorship bias, which results in young people/entrepreneurs having a twisted view of entrepreneurship and being a college dropout. We tend to ignore a rather larger population of 'unsuccessful narratives' and only focus on the 'survivors' of a given population. We cover the mistakes and the stories of the ones who didn't make it which leads to young people possibly being led down the wrong path. If you only focused on the triumphs without learning from the trials and tribulations, you might as well be increasing your chances of experiencing failure rather than success.

In conclusion, with the success rate of college dropouts being extremely low, and with the common misconception of survivorship bias, it is safe to say that pursuing college may be the most convenient decision for my child. Of course, many factors are in play, but pursuing college is definitely the safer route. It may not be the best decision, but it is indeed a safe one. Although it is going to take some time, it will be less risky and more worth it in the long run.  At the end of the day, I would always want what is best for my child, but there are also times and actually plenty times where things could go wrong. Who would want to see their child fail and ultimately not have a chance to redeem themselves just because they weren't able to finish college? As a parent, it is your job to provide, but it is also your job to do what is best for your children. In my opinion, pursuing college would be the best decision.

Source used for survivorship bias:

(2017, January 26). How Survivorship Bias Distorts Our View of Successful Entrepreneurs. Retrieved from https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/287440

Source used for 2017 study:
Jonathan Wai & Heiner Rindermann (2017) What goes into high educational and occupational achievement? Education, brains, hard work, networks, and other factors, High Ability Studies, 28:1, 127-145, DOI: 10.1080/13598139.2017.1302874

# data[].attributes.body
It is safe to say that almost everyone has and will question whether they would or would not get a college degree. Yes, some believe a college degree is not mandatory to secure a good life. Well, to be honest, it technically isn’t. There are tons of successful people who were able to achieve their successes without a college degree, so it can be seen that all that one really needs are wisdom, knowledge, courage, and of course, a logical plan. Even so, having these aspects doesn't guarantee success. This may sound cliche, but it is true: life has no guarantee. If you do dare not to get a college degree and your pursuits work out then wow congratulations are in order. However, let's be real. There is a huge possibility that what you are aspiring for won't completely work out, and so? what happens then? You may be good, smart, and skilled, yet, most good-paying jobs rarely employ people with no college degree. Life is already hard as it is, and having no college degree to put in a resume will surely amplify that. Clearly, a college degree secures more opportunities for being employed at a good job. It is unfortunate that going to college delays a person from earning promptly right after high school, but in turn, a college degree will aid a person in getting a much better job after college. The few more years that a college education will take and the additional college loans will surely be worth it.

Source:

College education. (2018). In ProCon.org (Ed.), Procon. ProCon. Credo Reference: https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/procon/college_education/0?institutionId=10780

# data[].attributes.body
Being a parent who finished going through college, we all would want our kids to experience and take part in college for a stable future. Kids like us before may think differently nowadays towards education, so I'll explain to them why it's important to finish college. I will be using the important concepts of success to explain my kids for them to know how important college is.

Success is the achievement of desired visions and planned goals. Success is also a product of college years of hard work. It impacts your social status as to achievements, fulfilment, and your standings in life. Basically success is described as proof of prosperity, fame, and wealth.

Although not everyone had experience maximum success that would depend on the persons focus, priorities, perseverance, and passion. Finishing college is the entry level for applying what we have learned towards another chapter in our lives. Somehow, there are transitions that are in our mind that we wanted to develop and make a difference. There is no assurance that every kid will be successful and it could be a long journey for them while learning from experience and mistakes.

College can have my kids pursue their dreams, strengthen their skills, learn more, and be more confident. They would easily take on risks and challenges which are along with success and confidence. There is no crazy idea towards success but it can be the best idea that has ever been made. My kids would reach their potential surpassing their expectations that are useful in any challenges that they might encounter in their life.

In conclusion, finishing college gives them a bigger chance to success. Dropouts in college may possibly or may not at all attain success in their future depending on several factors and primarily due to lack of education. We all would want our children on the safe side that is supported with education. All children should partake  in college since most jobs primary requirement is to have educational attainment. It is the goal of the parents to provide the best way for our children to succeed, and help them achieve their dream.

Source used to define success:
Steve, M. (2020, Feb. 2).
The Meaning of Success and How to Define Success in Life
https://www.planetofsuccess.com/blog/2010/accomplishment-the-meaning-of-success-and-how-to-define-success-in-life/#:~:text=Being%20successful%20means%20the%20achievement,prosperity%20and%2For%20fame%E2%80%9D.

# data[].attributes.body
In this situation as a parent, I would choose the most logical reason for my child and that would be to first pursue college. Passion can come and go as easily as the wind because you never know if that is merely a passing interest or something that will stick forever and that is simply a risk that I would not want my child to undertake. Everyday the world is evolving, standards are increasing and the possibility of colllege dropouts pursuing their passion grows lower due to the fact that they are missing degrees that can help give them more chances and education that would should have been given to them in college. The rate at which a college droupout can succeed in only around 6%, such a low percent is not something I would like to bet my child's pursuit of passion. Of course, I would love for my child to go choose his/her passion and would love to support my child but for him to drop college because of it? I would like to reafirm my child's decision on such thing. Life is cruel enough that countless people who dropout and choose their passion all end up burned up. Thus, this brings me to the concept I would like to focus on for my decision, the concept of logical thinking and reasoning.

First we got to look on how many people made it big in life when they dropout of college. People such as Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs and Elon Musk all dropout of college and made it big in life. But most of whom I mentioned are those with rich and influential backgrounds which gave them even more backing to succeed. As a parent I would do anything for my child and would gladly support him/her but I would also stop him/her and talk with them about my opinions and on how much I can truly support my child if they truly wish to pursue their passion. There will always be many steve jobs, Elon Musk and others right now and in the past but such people are usually hundreds in billions of people and I can't risk my child on baseless expections that would cause him/her their future. Life is already unfair and having no college degree would simply give my child a harder time when the most logical thing to do would be to pursue his/her passion after he/she learns and grows more in college. Sure taking risks can be a good thing and most people who succeed droupout in order to pursue a small chance of success but I would like my child to focus more on his/her college and build a bigger foundation for them to succeed instead of a thornier path. 94% of successful CEO's, politicians, and etc. attended college and were able to succeed. With such a bigger chance of success I would gladly tell my child to focuse on college since it is the most logical and reasonable path to pursue without a clear idea on their passion.

In conclusion, life is a path where no one can truly help you but yourself. If you wish to risk everything to hit it big, that is your choice. If you wish to see everything in a larger perspective and then make the logical choice than that will be my choice. The way I can see the talk of whether my child should pursue passion or college I would without a doubt tell my child to choose college. The world is a big place and many people have lost themselves in their hasty pursuit for passion and success and only people who can keep a clear head on their goals and passions can truly reach what they wish to reach. As a parent, it is my duty to help my child reach their goal and always be there to support them in difficult times and be the first to celebrate when it calls for it. I would teach, give my advice, experience and the necessities for them to realize their ideals in preparation for the harsh reality called life. My philosophy of logical thinking and reasoning will help me keep a cool head in helping plan out my child's future with their best interest in mind in hopes that they reach their desired passion after they do their college first.

Source:
Uhmair, A. (2021, June 21). Dropouts vs. Graduates who is most likely to be successful? A battle between rationality and unrealism. linkedin. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/dropouts-vs-graduates-who-most-likely-successful-battle-umair-ahmed

# data[].attributes.body
A letter for my son:

Hello, son. I know you are at that point in your life where you start questioning your future. I know it's hard to choose because you are unsure of what you want to do. I am sure you do not know who to follow, so I’ll say a few words.

I say you pursue it no matter what it is. If you want to become a Twitch streamer, go for it. If you want to become a businessman, go for it. If you go to college with a course that you don’t even like, you will waste your time. Follow your passion. Passion is what drives you to become better and work harder in the future. I believe that one should always follow their passions not because they want to have an easier time, but because they enjoy it. Life is too short to pursue a career that you do not want to do for ⅓ of your life.

Alhanati from Investopedia said that if passion is present, people tend to be more resilient when encountering obstacles. People who are passionate about their career tend to have “more positive outlooks and can overcome difficulty through problem-solving.” There are so many successful people out there who have succeeded without college, like Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg. Steve Jobs believed in the power of passion, he said that “People with passion can change the world for the better.” He claimed that his passion for the work made all the difference. Meanwhile Mark Zuckerberg suggests “"following your happiness" when at a crossroads, using the logic that even if you do not end up making a fortune, you will at least be doing what you love.”

We are blessed to be born in a generation where finding careers and jobs is easier than before. Chasing your dreams before the 21st century was really hard, but now, all you have to do is play your cards right, and you will succeed. I am not saying that it will be easy, there will always be people like you fighting for the top. My point is that if you do not find the college course that you want, I strongly believe you use the time you would have spent in college to focus on your passion and go with it.

No matter what you choose to do, I will always support you. If you want to quit college and pursue your passion, I will support you to the best of my ability. Just remember that whatever career you choose for your future, do not give up. If you are truly passionate about something, you will dedicate your life to it. I don’t want to see you giving up because you failed or some random person told you couldn't do it. You chose this path for a reason, so do your best. Do not let anyone tell you that you are worthless and useless, you control your own life. Do not worry about your college education, as long as you are doing what you love, that is what is important. So, follow your passion, and don’t stop until you are on top.

- Your loving father

Source:
Alhanati, J. (2012, June 28). Follow your passions, and success will follow. Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/12/passion-success.asp

# data[].attributes.body
First, before going to the question of whether my future kid will either pursue passion or college I will set a possible situation. Because I believe that the current situation for example money, flexibility, and security will be a major factor in this decision. The current situation is my future wife (hopefully I guess :)) and I have enough money to support our son or daughter whether at any age he or she can go to college. . it is also very hard to answer this question because it depends on how my future kid views his or her life. For example, what does he or she want to achieve and what does he or she count as an achievement? Plus I only want the best for my child but still, give him or her the freedom to decide for themselves.

Now my opinion for this situation is to find a course that will resonate well with my kid's interest or passion. I would not advise my child to drop all education to just focus solely on what he or she is passionate about because it may also change. Yes, over time interests can change because when you get older you experience more that may result in a change of habits and interests. With interests changing there is a possibility of change in outlook in life and eventually your passion may change. Having the safety net of college is important because honestly society now at least in the Philippines you will not get a job in the top companies in the country without a degree. Having a degree can open more job opportunities compared to people who have no degree despite how unfair it is.

I will also mention that college can help you learn more lessons and pick up good habits that will be useful in the real world. I will also mention what my mom said when I asked almost the same question. When I asked my mom what lessons she learned from her school life in her work life she answered none but she learned the proper work ethic that helped her in work life.

As a parent I want my child to pursue something that will excite him or her every day. I want him or her to have a job that will make them proud of them doing it every day. I want them to wake up every day full of energy and not them wanting the next weekend. I believe if you are passionate about something you will pour everything you can and commit to the grind. I want that for my child because honestly, that is something I want when I'm the same age. With that, we will try our best to find the best course that will best complement the interest and passion of my child.

Source:

Deakin University. What to do when your interests change. https://this.deakin.edu.au/career/what-to-do-when-your-interests-change

# data[].attributes.body
Well, as a parent in this circumstance where my teenage son/daughter is contemplating about whether it is ok to follow their passion by dropping out of school or to keep studying and get a degree. For me personally, I would tell my child that finishing college and earning a degree is a much better choice than dropping it all just because they saw all the successful dropouts thinking that they could do the same and replicate their success. There is a possibility they could but the odds of that happening is very very low.

We live in a society where people value and praise success if you have a college diploma and degree over people who dropped out and followed their passion. I would explain to my child the idea of how life is unfair and how it could affect my child in the near future if they make the wrong decision.

Of course, I will always support my child and not discourage them from following their passion but I also want the best for them and for them to succeed in life. Although college comes with many problems, so is the same for dropping it, if not even more problems. I would explain to my child that college is a lot more helpful and useful than they think it is. For example, they can learn many essential skills like teamwork, time management, budgeting, creativity, and work ethic. After they graduate from college, they can master these skills and apply them in real life and in their workplace. In addition, you can even make friends and build relationships with them so that you can help them and they can help you, a win-win situation. According to Luo and Terada (2009), higher education, here in the Philippines, usually equals higher pay or salary. I'm not saying that this is true all of the time but in most certain cases, it is. People who have graduated from college and have a degree are more likely to land well-paying jobs than those who did not graduate.

Now, the successful dropouts that my child has read or seen are definitely interesting and a good underdog story of people who decided to quit college to pursue their passion and found success in doing so. I hate to break the news to them but, it’s not as simple as it sounds. They’re leaving one important detail: most of the people who dropped out and followed their passion whether it would be business, art, or sports, in one way or another, have found less success than those compared to those who continued college and finished it but it makes them happy and satisfied regardless of how much money they earn.  It is also very rare for a college dropout to find success nowadays because of competition. Finding a very successful college dropout nowadays is as rare as finding a blue moon. A great example of this is an animator. Animators are people who love drawing and animating and they are very passionate about it so they join these animation studios to hone their skills further and do what they love. But, the majority of animators in the animation industry are often criminally underpaid and underappreciated. People who have a higher position in a business or company take advantage of the people below and it is often underlooked by the media and public.

In conclusion, I believe the best solution to their problem of whether to drop out and pursue their passion or to continue college and graduate is to continue college, take the course that they like or similar to their passion, graduate, earn a degree, find a job, and then they can pursue their passion. The philosophy of life being unfair to everyone is very much true because no matter how much talent, knowledge, and how much are you willing to work hard for it, it will only get you so far in life. As a parent, I can only prepare them, teach them, and give them the necessities for what the future holds for them. I don't want them to have any regrets in the end because of one mistake that led to another. Remember, no one knows what are Edison’s 1000 unsuccessful attempts of inventing a light bulb.

Source:
Luo, X., & Terada, T. (2009, November). Education and Wage Differentials in the Philippines. Researchgate.Net. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/46444180_Education_and_Wage_Differentials_in_the_Philippines

# data[].attributes.body
As a parent who has graduated from College/University, I would let my child choose his passion even if it meant they wanted to drop out of college. Now before I explain the reason behind my decision. I would like to note that the truth is it really depends on the parent’s financial standing within a community; what resources they have available and in how the child has expressed his/her passion.

Two real life example’s that prove my point are Mark Zuckerberg & Bill Gates. Everyone knows them for their incredible brilliance as tech billionaires, who just so happened to have dropped out from Harvard while developing their big idea.

However not a lot of people know that they actually came from Upper middle class families; Mark Zuckerberg’s father had offered him either a McDonald’s franchise or a college sponsorship before attending Harvard and even when Mark decided drop out later on, he wished for his parent’s consent to do so and they gave it to him. Bill gate’s on the other hand had parents, who encouraged competitiveness within him while also sparking his interest in computers and programming.

These are the kind of parents; who I aim to be some day, make the effort to plant the seeds of greatness within their kids, all while analyzing the financial impact of their children’s decision while aiming for success, by thinking about

(i.e. “If my son/daughter drops out, how they will be able to explore their passion without college, is it even an option? And “Okay so they want to drop out, do they have a project in development?”)

This in itself take’s a very nurturing and well observed parent, who understands their child’s interest and mindset, while still allowing them the freedom to explore and innovate in what interest’s them, even if it stretches the legality of their actions from a very young age.

To end this of it all boils down to my belief. That a child’s ability to succeed is either strengthened or weakened by their home life and that not everyone will be able achieve the same level of success if this in itself is compromised. While this may seem like a grim reminder of reality. It actually urges us to push ourselves further to prove that we can succeed when we put the effort where it counts and as  a parent,  while there is a chance I may not be the next Elon Musk of my generation, I can at least  strive in cultivating my child to be the next diamond in the rough.

Sources:

Griswold, A. (2014, January 24). Here’s The Startling Degree To Which Your Parents Determine Your Success. Business Insider. Retrieved August 27, 2022, from https://www.businessinsider.com/parents-determine-child-success-income-inequality-2014-1?international=true&r=US&IR=T

Inside Higher Ed. (2018, February 8). Students’ postsecondary education arcs affected by parents’ college. Retrieved August 27, 2022, from https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2018/02/08/students-postsecondary-education-arcs-affected-parents-college-backgrounds-study

# data[].attributes.body
As parents who was able to finish college, we believe that education may be the top way to ensure that we are arming our children with the best fighting chance in life. We are living in a “dog-eat-dog” world and the competition has only gotten higher as things have become global and most of the top industries are no longer employing undergraduates. It is even surprising that even menial positions are already requiring a college education in hiring for their blue collar positions.  Thus, I will use the concept of creativity to explain to them the importance of finishing their schooling.

Creative thinking can be defined as “making new connections between different regions of the brain, which is accomplished by cultivating divergent thinking skills and deliberately exposing ourselves to new experiences and to learning,” according to Psychology Today.

There is an argument before that “schools destroys creativity” as many believe that creativity is something that you are born with BUT in contrast, many of the experts, have debunk this opinion and has furthered the fact that true creativity is based in knowledge which in turn is based in literacy. Indeed, we are all born with creativity but it takes education in order for us to fully hone & further cultivate it. Innovation may be borne from my children’s creativity if they take their schooling seriously.

Through education, my children may further hone their creativity thru writing, experiments, risk taking and other meaningful activities that he may use in finding future jobs. Schools provide many interactive activities and extracurricular clubs for them to explore their interests. School provides such a different type of curriculum, and it allows students to maybe pick a niche or even experiment with what they may want to be creative with to make a determination with what they want to do with their lives.

As someone who once is confused on the career path that I would like to take after college as I am one who have a lot of ideas in mind, I will use this argument in letting my children understand how education helped me in focusing where I can excel. This may help them too as, based on my argument, creativity is something you are born with and it definitely runs in my family.

Source:
Gordon, Z. (2022). Students debate whether the school system restricts or encourages development of creativity. THE EAGLE EYE. Retrieved 26 August 2022, from https://eagleeye.news/8182/feature/students-debate-whether-the-school-system-restricts-or-encourages-development-of-creativity/.

# data[].attributes.body
In this situation as a parent, of course I would want the best for my child. Hence, I will explain to them how much they should really pursue college first over their passions. The most important concept I would explain to them, the centerpoint of my argument, would be the survivor bias.

Survivor bias is when looking at a sample or group, we look at and focus only on the successful individuals in the bunch, the “survivors” of the group. This would leave out all those who did not “survive” in analysis process. How this applies here to what my teen reads is that these literature focus on the successful people who were college dropouts. However, most of the time, these literatures overlook the other people who were college dropouts but didn’t manage to be successful. This is just the nature of media because people really love success stories, so often times literature about these are what get the most recognition and consequently influence the most people, including impressionable teens. To put it, for every Bill Gates out there, there’s probably 10,000 unsuccessful college dropouts. Not a good number, and also not good odds for any teenager to pursue their passion successfully.

The reason these college dropouts weren’t given any public recognition is because they did not achieve anything notable, probably partially due to their lack of completing their higher education in college. However, to properly analyze how to be successful while not going through college, one must not only look at what the successful did right, but what the unsuccessful did wrong. This comparison would make it easier for my child to possibly pursue their passions first, but since substantial information about unsuccessful college dropouts doesn’t exist, I wouldn’t let my child try that yet.

I would then transition to how college would actually be helpful for them. College would allow my child to learn more useful skills for their passions that they wish to pursue, and thus increase their chances of success. For the argument that college would take up too much time for them, two things: one, their passion can already be pursued while in college as it won’t take up all 24 hours of their time, and baby steps are fine as long as they’re making progress; there’s no shame in slow progression. And two, life, contrary to the popular cliché, isn’t that short. After college, they’ll still have their late twenties and then the rest of their life to pursue their passion; not only that, but age also shouldn’t stop them from their passions as well. The successful college dropouts had fallbacks as well which thanks to their natural gifts of wisdom, intelligence, and resourcefulness they were able to utilize to their success, but most people do not have the same level of genius as them. However, college would also help them hone these skills to be able to survive doing their passion more.

To end, philosophy, the love of and pursuit of wisdom, guided me in explaining to my child how college is more important for the meantime, as I was able to question then identify the hidden yet glaring flaws of the literature my child reads by explaining the survivor bias. Through college, my child should be able to learn more about life and thus be able to live their passions more to the fullest since they would be able to think more holistically when pursuing them; a byproduct of a philosophical mind.

Source used to explain survivor bias:

N.A. (2022, May 6). Survivorship bias explained: 4 examples of survivorship bias. MasterClass. https://www.masterclass.com/articles/survivorship-bias#what-is-survivorship-bias