On Sunday, The New York Times published an article called “Saying No To College,” which outlined reasons why students drop out of college and alternative avenues they pursued to succeed. Common complaints included a lack of challenge in the classroom and the huge financial burden.

Higher education has become an expected norm in American society. But the cost of higher education has skyrocketed and students are dealing with more debt than ever. Some students endured through college, hoping to make the debt back. Others drop out, or opt out of going to college, and join the workforce right away.

Though there are many success stories from people who have dropped out of college, including Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and Syracuse University’s own Bob Costas, there are also success stories from people who stayed in college and earned a degree, including President Barack Obama, Donald Trump and SU alumnus Aaron Sorkin.

College is an investment, one that every student at SU and other colleges across the country chose to make. It’s an investment and a gamble. Students hope the four years they spend here accumulating debt will help them get a job in their chosen professions. But going to college does not ensure a job.

Whether students elect to attend college, drop out or never choose to attend, it ultimately comes down to making individual decisions. Young adults can choose to attend a cheaper, less elite university, which may not get them a high-paying job. They can choose to attend an expensive, reputable university to work toward a job that will cover debts easily. Or they can enter the workforce and start making money immediately.

There is no catchall answer that will work for every young adult in the United States.

But those who dropped out of college and became widely successful are few and far between compared to those who became successful after attending college and earning a degree.