Society pushes today's young people towards higher education. The purpose of elementary school is to prepare students for middle school. 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 is intended to prepare young people for the next level of education. The problem with this system is that not all students are eligible for college, as seen in the essay The Case Against College by Caroline Bird. Society instills in today's youth that without a college education they will not be successful. But then again what defines success? Success is a broad term that has different meanings to different people. Some people believe that making money defines success, while others believe that success means having a loving family. However, the company seems to demonstrate and even promote that success is represented by making money. Public opinion says that to be a successful person one must earn a hefty salary from college. The problem with this philosophy is that some people aren't meant for college. In Bird's article, he writes that college was not effective for everyone. Half of all high school graduates attend college, and the pattern of attrition is becoming increasingly evident, demonstrating that some students do not fit the mold (305). Another point highlighted by the company is that the university will transform its students into better people. But how does college actually turn someone into a better person? The college can place students in situations that require responsibility and in situations where they can demonstrate leadership qualities. However, college does nothing more than give students the opportunity to demonstrate the qualities they already possess. As Bird effectively quotes the esteemed psychologists Bruner and Piaget, “Specific learning abilities are acquired very early in life, perhaps even before formal education begins” (306). Piaget and Bruner believe that leadership and responsibility skills are learned before college. College simply provides an environment to showcase basic skills. However, on the other side of the spectrum, college has its benefits. A college places its students in real-life settings far from home. It allows students to begin making decisions that they will have to deal with throughout their lives.