Would I Die To Receive an Education

With college tuition on the rise I am trying to figure out how I will be able to afford college. I have been saving up ever since I was little, but I still cannot afford a single year. There are options, though, to get the necessary money: take out student loans, apply for scholarships or enlist in the armed services.When you take out loans, you must pay them back within a certain number of years. The worst part is the interest rate, which could tarnish your credit record if you miss payments. I am planning on attending medical school, so on top of undergrad school that would put me in debt way over my head.Scholarships are my next option, but it’s doubtful that I could receive a full scholarship. I am not at the top of my class and do not have any special talents. I am just a regular young man who helps his community as a volunteer firefighter. The last way for me to attend college would be one of the hardest decisions in my life: enlist in the armed forces. There are so many branches I could join that it takes my breath away. I could join the Army or even the Delaware National Guard. I also could think about the Marines, the Coast Guard, the Navy or the Air Force. I have no doubt that I would die for my country if it meant keeping freedom and liberty alive, but in this time of war, I have to ask, Would I die to receive an education?There are a number of factors affecting my decision to enlist in the armed forces, the biggest being how long I would have to be away from my family. I have never been away from them for more than two weeks, so how could I deal with not seeing them for a year? I worry the most about my mother since I know she would think about her first-born every minute of the day. Even if I enlisted and went to college, there would always be the chance I could be activated and sent to war, which could delay graduation and med school. Or - and this would be anyone’s worst fear - I might not even return alive.I watch the news every day and see American soldiers dying in the Middle East. The scariest and most eye-opening aspect is that most of them are college-aged. Most joined the armed forces for financial reasons, to help pay for college. The price of receiving an education can also cost them their lives. Could I be in this same category by next year? I guess time will tell what my fate is.Now, don’t misunderstand me, there are benefits to joining the armed forces. The biggest for a soon-to-be college student would be the financial help, but traveling around the world would also be a great incentive, and you also may make lifelong friends in the service.The benefits and the risks are just some of the factors to weigh in making my decision. Every time I think about enlisting, I end up wondering, Would I die to receive an education? I have not yet figured out the answer.