Editorial: There’s more to college than numbers

On Saturday, the Department of Education unveiled a website that allows prospective students and their parents to select a university and then determine the yearly average costs, graduation rates and salaries after graduation.

This information is a valuable asset, but we shouldn’t take it beyond face value. Your college experience is what you make of it, and average numbers don’t define the individual experience.

According to the Department of Education’s new website, Pitt has an average yearly cost of $26,861 after considering the average aid received by students who qualify for financial assistance. Pitt has a graduation rate of 80 percent, and Pitt students earn an average salary of $48,200 10 years after attending Pitt.

These numbers say nothing about the everyday life of a Pitt student.

Selecting a college is no longer a question of whether a small, liberal arts campus is more attuned to foster your personal development than a large, urban-based university — it is a question of which one will ensure the most stable future. But a good school doesn’t equal a good future. It’s the student who completes that equation.

In the pursuit of return on our financial investments, we have forgotten returns on our personal investments — which are just as vital components of our college experience.

The Department of Education data won’t allow students to determine their personal growth at a university.  The information doesn’t take into account whether or not college helped you to figure out your purpose in life. The information lets you make a smart, mathematical decision and plan ahead how to manage debt. That’s great, but that’s all.

Regardless, these numbers can alleviate the stigma associated with opting out of higher education. College isn’t for everyone, even if we often feel like it’s the only option. If you are waivering whether or not you want to attend college or enter the workforce, this tool will allow you to make a more informed decision.

If you’re already planning to pay the price, don’t allow the numbers to determine your decision. If you hate living in a city, but the urban school has better “returns” than the small, liberal arts college­ that fulfills your every childhood dream — pick the priliberal arts college and make the math work for you.