‘Education is foundational’: Why college is important, according to students

In 2025, unemployment rates for college graduates are rising. At the same time, AI is  eliminating some entry level positions in the workforce, and the cost of tuition is increasing. Despite this adversity, Pitt students shared why they decided to pursue a bachelor’s degree and what they hope to gain from their time at Pitt.

Francesca Daly, a first-year public and international affairs major, said she didn’t originally plan to attend college but ultimately decided to pursue a higher education because of her personal interests.

“I actually really didn’t want to go to college,” Daly said. “What ended up changing my mind was that I want to be multilingual.”

Some students, like Daly, see networking opportunities as part of the value of higher education. She said the potential connections she could make to help advance her career were another important reason for enrolling at Pitt.

“The languages and the fact that I’ll meet people [at college] who can advance my career [pushed me to go to college],” Daly said. “I think the degree is a little less important than the connections you make.”

Kaitlyn Davis, a senior majoring in law and criminal justice, said the connections she’s made in college have helped her to secure a job for after graduation in the spring.

“I think connections are a huge thing. I have a full time job right now, and they offered me a position outside of school,” Davis said. “I’m gonna stick with that and then see where my path goes.” 

For other students, their parents played a key role in encouraging them to pursue a college education. 

Sonja Kolecki, a junior majoring in political science, said she came to college because her parents have always emphasized the value of higher education since she was young.

“I’ve talked to them, and they would have been okay if I wanted to go into trade or something else, but they definitely stressed education being really important from a younger age,” Kolecki said.

Parthiv Reddy Bandi, a sophomore majoring in the biological sciences, said his parents instilled in him the idea that “education is foundational for growth and in life” while growing up in India. Because of this — even when Bandi moved to the U.S. and a lot more options opened up to him — he still decided to pursue a college degree.

“Whenever I came here, there were opportunities for me to go into other avenues where I didn’t have to go to college, but it felt like the right choice for me to get my dreams, to finish my goals and to reach a position where I can help more people than just myself,” Bandi said.

In some careers and fields of study, higher education is a necessity. Amelia Avila, a sophomore majoring in public health on the pre-med track, said she is attending college to pursue her career goals.

“I go to college because I’ve always known I wanted to do something in the medical field,” Avila said. “With the medical field, the first step is college.” 

Carter Jensen, a first-year urban planning major, said college is important in helping students to gain a deeper understanding in their field of interest.

“I think the value [in college] is that you gain a broader understanding of the subjects you’re trying to study, and with that broader understanding, you can more effectively input the change you’re trying to make,” Jensen said.

Avila, however, sees value in college beyond job training. She said while college is necessary for her, it is also valuable because it helps students grow by requiring them to become more responsible and develop critical thinking. 

“Education is a really important factor in your life in general, and I feel like it really affects your decision making,” Avila said.

College also serves students by exposing them to new perspectives. Maeve Remus, a senior psychology major, said it has broadened her worldview.

“I have learned a lot more about other people’s experiences and try to have a wider lens,” Remus said. “I definitely think [a wider lens] is important especially if you’re going to live and work with other people.”

Davis, who was raised in a small town, also said college has expanded her understanding of other cultures.

“I think college has taught me a lot,” Davis said. “I think I needed to go to college because — coming from a really small town — I didn’t interact with a lot of different people from different cultures [or] different backgrounds.”

Jensen recommended that others attend college as well and said “a degree never hurts.”

“It’s a good chance to break out of your shell and find a new community,” Jensen said. “More often than not, it helps for whatever subject you want to study. Getting that degree will help you earn a better wage.” 

On the other hand, Davis said college is not right for everyone.

“It just really depends on everyone’s individual personalities,” Davis said. “Some people are very hands-on, and I think it’s not necessary for them to go to college. College is also a lot of stressful situations.”