Graduating from high school is a significant milestone among learners in their lives. In both elementary and high school education, students still have much to be achieved in terms of academics. In high school, individuals find it challenging to decide on whether they should join the military or commence college studies. Therefore, this paper aims at developing a critical understanding regarding the pros and cons of either joining the army or continuing with a college education immediately after high school so that students can make personal decisions.
The first advantage of joining the military after high school is the fact that students can pursue soldierly education followed by a stable and exciting career, hence, reducing the education costs. Joining the martial enables individuals to obtain permitted college studies, considering that every armed branch has its college (āPros and Cons about Going Military,ā 2020, para. 3). Learners will be studying while earning at the same time. On the contrary, it becomes quite expensive when a student decides to go to college immediately after graduating from high school since they have to pay their fees fully. Thus, the military is less costly than going to college because the federal government entirely funds the education fees for security officials.
On the one hand, joining the military after high school assures students of free and conducive housing as opposed to going to college immediately after graduation. Martinez and Huerta (2020, p. 117) allude that enrolling in the army gives the recruits a guarantee of having free houses. On the other hand, it requires the individuals who decide to enroll at college to make the arrangements to have rental arrears monthly. Renting homes in the U.S. is expensive, hence, it can lead to other stresses which can affect the performance of the learners when they do not manage to obtain the money in time. Therefore, joining the military after high school is essential as it gives students a sense of mental relaxation, knowing that their housing problem is solved fully.
The idea of being a militant after high school ensures that individuals reduce the level of expenses throughout their college career. Martinez and Huerta (2020, p. 121) assert that deciding to join the military not only assures the high school graduates of a stable employment opportunity but also ensures that they finish their college education without debt. In other words, the considerable expenses which the learners could have faced by going to college are catered for by the federal government. For instance, the purchase of electronic materials, food, travel, and textbooks are facilitated by the military department among the graduates who decide to be recruited to the forces. Hence, joining the military after high school assures the individuals a significantly reduced rate of expenses.
Distinctively, joining college after high school assures students of pursuing different courses which they desire to study. According to Church Hill Classics (2020, para. 1), individuals have the freedom to choose to pursue any course which best fits their academic excellence. Understandably, individuals who have high grades after high school can enroll in decent courses without any restrictions. In contrast, the drawback of joining the military is that students are restrained to the courses in which they can be funded. High school graduates who join the forces are restricted to the programs they can study, such as the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) (Church Hill Classics, 2020, para. 1). Regardless of the excellent grades which the students have, they cannot pursue other desired courses. Therefore, going to college after high school allows students to enroll in a variety of excellent programs.
In conclusion, students should make critical decisions on whether to join the military after high school or commence their college education. Enrolling in the military reduces the education costs, regular expenses, and housing amounts which are hectic for those who decide to go to college. Thus, there are different cons and pros of either joining the martial or college after graduating from high school; hence, graduates should make appropriate decisions.
Reference List
Church Hill Classics (2020) Should I join the military after high school? Web.
Martinez, E. and Huerta, A.H. (2020) āDeferred enrollment: Chicano/Latino males, social mobility and military enlistmentā, Education and Urban Society, 52(1), pp. 117ā142. Web.
Pros and cons about going military after high school (2020). Web.