Society is pushing today's young people towards higher education. The goal of elementary school is to prepare students for college. The goal of middle school is to prepare students for high school. And finally, the goal of high school is to prepare students for college. The entire structure of education aims to prepare young people for the next level of education. The problem with this system is that not all students are college students, as Caroline Bird's essay The Case Against College shows. Society instills in today's youth that without a college education, they will not succeed. But then again, what defines success? Success is a very broad term that means different things to different people. Some people believe that making money defines success, while others believe that success lies in having a loving family. However, the company seems to demonstrate and even promote that success comes from making money. The general public says that to be successful, you need to earn a big salary in college. The problem with this philosophy is that some people are not meant for college. In Bird's article, she writes that college is not effective for everyone. Half of all high school graduates attend college and dropout rates are becoming increasingly evident, showing that some students do not fit the mold (305). Another argument the company makes is that college will transform its students into better people. But how does college actually transform someone into a better person? The College may place students in situations that require responsibility and in situations where they can demonstrate leadership qualities. However, the university does nothing other than give students the opportunity to demonstrate the qualities they already possess. As Bird effectively cites respected psychologists Bruner and Piaget, “specific learning skills were acquired very early in life, perhaps even before formal schooling began” (306). Piaget and Bruner believe that leadership and responsibility skills were learned before college. College simply provides an environment to display basic skills. However, on the other side of the spectrum, college has its benefits. A college places its students in real-world contexts, far from home. It allows students to begin making decisions they will make for the rest of their lives..