Throughout my life, my mother has always been my backbone and pushed me to strive for excellence and be academically perfect. I was taught to go above and beyond everyone else in class and to work tirelessly and without excuses. However, my mother's pressure triggered a negative effect in me and I eventually shut down. Even though I still managed to finish well, I felt I did it to please my mother. This is why going to college is so important to me because I know that I can go to college and be triumphant on my own, so right now I'm overcoming adversity in an effort to prove myself right. College is a positive decision for students for several reasons. Over time students will reap the financial benefits of earning an additional $17,500 per year when they earn a bachelor's degree. Additionally, they will receive higher quality job opportunities than people without a college degree. Ultimately, students will be more socially prepared to interact in both the real and real world