Prompt 1
I intend to pursue an undergraduate education in Economics as I have recently discovered my passion for economics combined with my desire for social justice. Prior to my decision to return to college, I had been content with being a truck driver. However just as I was settling into my lifestyle as a working class husband and father, everything changed as I was wrongfully terminated from my job. I filed a lawsuit and won on the basis of racial discrimination. When the legal case against my former employer was complete, I was at a crossroad in my life and decided to reestablish my early love of education. I promptly enrolled in courses at Los Medanos College (LMC). I developed an interest in Economics during my first economic courses.
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I became curious to what if my parents knew that their children would have been better off if they specialized in a field and traded their skills for higher wages. I realized that, I specialize in trucking, traded my skill for a higher wage, and provided for my children. I begun to see my past and present through economic theories—this was exciting. With each subsequent lecture and readings, I felt as though I was regaining purpose in my life, to learn and apply these theories in my community. I had found my passion, and suddenly became motivated to learn as much as …show more content…
I realize the problems that plagued my childhood are still out there plaguing others, and I see the best way I can assist solving these issues in my community is by becoming educated. I discovered that the effort I put into my independent study is the same effort that would see me through my undergraduate education at the University of California. I have a desire to further my knowledge, by taking courses on theory of microeconomics, the economics of discrimination, and conducting research into the diminished incentives of public assistance, with the hope of assisting others from my community in living a fruitful
Education comes at a high price for this generation and not just financially. Going to college can give students plenty of debt with no promise of a job in return, which can set a student father back on their course of life. Young adults trying to start their lives by going to college encounter many setbacks. Today the average cost for a private university is $25...
The Island of Mocha in the video is an example of a traditional economic system evolving into a market system. Every person plays a key role in this traditional system. They had fisherman, coconut collector, melon seller, lumberman, barber, doctor, preacher, brownies seller, and a chief. The Mochans got sick of trading goods all across the island just to get the things that they want or needed. The Chief decided that they would use clam shell for currency instead of trading.
One of the biggest issues that many students and parents have concerning college education is the cost. Due to the state of the economy, affording college has become very difficult. Fortunately, the government is able to provide financial assistance in addition to the University’s own financial aid. Case is a private institution which means that it costs more compared to a public college. The tuition for Case was approximately, $38,000 in 2007 not including living or book expenses. Even though there was a tuition rate increase for every following year. The only way I was able to afford the tuition at Case was because of the scholarship I earned. In addition, I received federal grants and a substantial amount of aid from the University. I did not have a free ride but I received a great deal of financial help to pay for my college education.
While other children watched their favorite cartoon or played their favorite video game, reading business articles and watching the fluctuations seen in the stock market enthralled me. Renowned leaders in the business world have always been of interest to me, specifically Warren Buffet. My favorite quote by Buffet is “It’s better to hang out with people better than you. Pick out associates whose behavior is better than you and you’ll drift in that direction.” By attending CMU, I would personify this quote. Growing up, my parents have instilled into me, many essential values, such as working hard and “being the best me I could be.” I have always expected a lot from myself, but high expectations from my parents and close friends, have increased my work ethic and lifted my goals and aspirations even higher. For that reason, I hope to challenge myself through the prestigious Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Science’s economics curriculum. The undergraduate economics program would prepare me for a vast array of careers. Jobs in policy, law, and business are all possible, or if one desires to go to some sort of post graduate school, that is also possible. By having such a top-notch education, I would surely be closer to achieving my goal of receiving my MBA from Tepper. In making all this possible, a wide range of classes must be made available. Classes that are available in just about any economics curriculum, like Intermediate Economics, are also available here, but classes like Behavioral Economics and Global Electronic Markets are what makes CMU unique. Another attractive aspect of CMU is the jointly administered economics degree by Dietrich and Tepper. I feel this will make for a solid foundation in the field of econo...
John Marsh, Ph.D., shares his epiphany, that his sharing the popular belief that higher education was the answer to bringing about economic equality and curing poverty, was in fact wrong; in this short selection, “Why Education Is Not an Economic Panacea”, taken from his book, “Class Dismissed: Why We Cannot Teach or Learn Our Way Out of Inequality”. Marsh had felt that gaining a higher education himself worked to bring him to a level of economic equality, so, it should work the same way for everyone else. His change of heart comes after perhaps stepping down from the pedestal that many, with lots of letters after their name, sit on, or are put upon by others, and witnessing first-hand the dismal rates of graduation of students in the single course he teaches for The Odyssey Program. Serving as good Public Relations for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the program’s purpose was two-fold; it was to provide, at no cost, college level course(s) for low-income adults and look good for the University. In this excerpt, Marsh’s narrow vision seems to have opened up somewhat, however, it does not demonstrate that his visual field widened enough to see that there is much, much more than simply economics or education that is at play in determining where people end up in the spectrum of being considered successful in the United States. (Marsh 914)
In society, independent learners are those who seek to further their education to the next level. In the article, “Why We Are Looking at the ‘Value’ of College All Wrong” by Valerie Strauss, Christopher B. Nelson argues that people can’t compare economics with receiving a higher education. Individuals who look at college from an economic lens view education the wrong way. Instead, individuals should look at the bigger picture, which is gaining an education and taking in the knowledge.
However, my dedication to my education and my diverse experiences in my youth are what have allowed me to overcome systematic barriers and get accepted to UCLA. The world I come from has not only propelled me get to college, but has shaped my understanding of the inequities and injustices of America’s educational system. I realize how socioeconomic status can hinder the capabilities of people because knowledge, opportunities, support, resources, and guidance are not always available to those who come from underserved communities.
College is one of the largest financial burdens in today’s society for many. Since the recession, people often ponder what the best financial options for students looking to go to college are and what path they should take to get them there. Being able to read other’s opinions on said topic can be rather beneficial for one looking into the possibility of furthering his or her education. Mike Rose, faculty member at the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles, and Karen Lawrence, the president of Sarah Lawrence College, have both shared their opinion for others to read by writing articles about this epidemic and stating what they believe to be the advantages and some of the possible downsides
Vance, J.D. "The college trap: our higher-education system hurts the poor." National Review 27 Jan. 2014. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 12 Mar. 2014.
As Nelson Mandela once proclaimed, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Unfortunately, some students do not have the chance to take part in a college education. Not receiving a post-secondary education is a rising issue among those below the poverty line in the United States. In 2010, eighty-two percent of high income students continued their education into college; while in contrast, only fifty-two percent of students living in poverty had the opportunity to receive their college education. Poverty can be defined as having little to no money, goods, or means of support. Living below the line of poverty is an ongoing struggle for at least fifteen million young adults nation-wide, according to the Institute for Higher Education Policy. This accounts for at least forty-four percent of young adults. Currently, one person out of every four people living in poverty as an adult has earned their college degree; but somehow cannot escape the life of poverty, while eighteen percent of adults living in poverty dropped out of high school without even earning a GED or an equivalent degree (Low-Income). According to the New York State Department of Labor 2010 statistics, an individual with a Bachelor’s Degree will earn over fifty thousand dollars more per year than an individual who has only completed high school (Smith). Earning a college degree will not ensure escaping the life of poverty; however, it provides a solution to escape that lifestyle and gives an opportunity to move on to a more successful life that those living in poverty have only dreamed of.
The first important concept I learned was the ‘goals of monetary policy’. The primary goal of a central bank is price stability (low and stable inflation). Some of the Feds (short for the Federal Reserve Bank) other concerns are:
When it comes to financial planning, economics plays a major factor in people’s personal finances in many ways, it is an essential part of the world we live in today. When you buy gas, or shop for groceries, plan a vacation, economics is at the core of those choices. So why does economics play such a vital role, what is the driving force behind this? In its simplest form, it’s based on choice. We will look at a few factors that impacts financial planning and the economy, including the use of credit, and how the government affects the economy.
Education is very crucial part of my life. There is a rapidly growing demand for a higher education in the nation’s economy. Although a higher level of schooling is difficult to receive, the rewards
Individuals who attend institutions of higher learning offer many benefits to society as a whole. Some social benefits realized from those with a higher education include increases in the individual’s volunteer activity, as well as increase in overall individual health and well-being. A report from Analyst Diana Wardell, entitled “The Benefits of Higher Education,” states that individuals who did not complete high school made up 9.9% of those who volunteer their time, while those with a high school diploma made up 21.7%. Those who have some college experience made up 34.1%, and those with a Bachelor’s Degree made up 45.6 percent of those who volunteered their time. Additionally, those with a high school diploma, with an income ranging from $35,000-$54,000, 62%, report to be in excellent or very good health, while 73% of those with a Bachelor’s Degree, in the same income bracket, reported to be in excellent or very good health (Wardell, Benefits). Similarly, an article e...
Economics is the study of the production and consumption of goods and the transfer of wealth to produce and obtain those goods. Economics explains how people interact within markets to get what they want or accomplish certain goals. Since economics is a driving force of human interaction, studying it often reveals why people and governments behave in particular ways.