Imagine you could get paid for doing something you love every single day. For some college athletes that could be a possibility, but it should not be. I think many people go to college with the intention of getting a good job afterwards, one that they look forward to. I know one of my main goals is to one day have a job that I never dread going to and know I’m being paid to do something that makes me happy. College athletes are lucky because for a possible four extra years they get to play a sport that they love and that makes them happy, in addition to getting an education that should lead to fulfilling job that they love.

Some people believe that college athletes, especially Division I, deserve to be compensated for all the revenue that they generate for their schools. Other people argue that college athletes should not be paid and I agree because if they start to be paid then their education will become even less of a priority than it already is, and colleges are primarily meant for education. College athletes should not be asking to be paid because they are receiving an education and they get to do something they love which is more than what many high school athletes could ever ask for. High school athletes may dream of continuing their athletic career, but for many that is just a dream. I am sure if you offered the chance to some athletes who were not given the chance to play then they would jump at the opportunity and not expect any kind of compensation. In addition to doing something they love and getting an education, most athletes are already receiving their education at a discounted price because of scholarships that they received or that were made available to them.

If colleges were to pay their athletes that would be comparable to treating the students as if they were employees which they are not. If the athletes were treated as employees, it would negatively affect the campus atmosphere and the other college students may see the athletes in a different perspective. People who argue that athletes should be paid try to highlight that many athletes work as hard as employees do for the school and generate so much money for the school while still going to class, but ultimately college is about education and starting a life after college. If a person aspires to play a sport their whole life then they will get paid eventually if they are good enough athlete, so either they enjoy their time in college playing sports and getting an education or they should try and jumpstart their amateur or professional athletic careers elsewhere. Student athletes are students before they are athletes and they do not need to be paid with anything other than scholarships.