The Importance of a College Education You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give" (Winston Churchill, circa 1940) Learning the importance of getting a good college education did not come to me until I was 31 years old. Many of my friends, and colleagues and I were of the same age, however they were far beyond me in educational levels. It was for this reason, and other reasons, including better society levels, and the ability to achieve my career goals, that I decided to go back to college. With rare exceptions, all Americans will need to participate in some sort of postsecondary, occupational skill-development program if they are to be productive enough in the new knowledge-based economy to earn for themselves and their families a decent standard of living. And understanding this led me to my decision to return to school. Upon graduation from high school in 1987, and I immediately began working. My first job was was with the United States Navy where I stayed for almost 7 years. I attended Central Texas College as well during this time. Unfortunately, my heart and mind were not in my studies. I was more or less going to please others and because I thought it was the ‘right thing’ to do. After three years of playing around and getting mediocre grades I decided to just concentrate on the Navy and my new family. Work within the Navy was fine. It taught me how to use the most important computer applications and learn great interpersonal and ...
College. It is the seven-letter word that almost every child will hear thousands of times while they are growing up. They constantly are bombarded by the idea that they must go to college if they want to be successful. However, what if this is a false statement. What if college isn’t as great as everyone makes it out to seem. Well, these days some people believe that young people are better off, not going to college. Over the years the economy around the world has changed. It has prospered, and it has fallen. As the economy went downhill the government began cutting funds in areas that they felt were necessary to exterminate. One of the largest areas of funding that was cut was education. Colleges began receiving less money from the government, resulting in a rapid increase of college tuition fees. Due to this, a lot of people believe that college tuition is too expensive for what you get, and not worth the money. However, most people believe that college is necessary in order to further their education, and in order for them to earn their degree. They think that this degree has the ability to help college graduates get a job and work up to a career that only someone with a college level degree is able to achieve. The truth lies in the facts, and statistics. College is the seven-letter word that all people should be thinking about. A college education is a valuable investment that everyone should strive to achieve, and is completely worth the expensive cost.
The benefits and burdens of a college education are not one to be taken lightly. The value of getting a college education is greatly debated among society today. This is due to the rising costs of tuition and decreasing availability of jobs. In consequence, graduates are finding it harder today to find employment in the jobs they earned their degree in all while struggling to keep up with their student loan payments. Yet, despite the misfortunes, all that hard work does not go to a waste. This is supported through a college graduate named J.D. Roth, claiming that, “I earned a B.A. in Psychology… (with a minor in English Lit…). What have I done with this degree? Almost nothing. Yet I do not regret the money and years I spent working to earn
Is it necessary to have a college degree before having the opportunity to experience the dream career of your choice? Depending on what background you came from, there are different reasons why we go to college. Most of us go due to career change/job position, increase our intellect/knowledge, not to be stigmatized, playing as a role model either to our children or even someone that we care of. In his essay, “A College Education: What Is Its Purpose?” Andrew DelBanco mentioned the three reasons college still matters which are: Economic (A college degree has replaced the high school diploma as “the minimum requirement into the skilled labor market.”), Opportunity (Our democratic form of government requires an educated
The main focus of the essay is on the meaning of an education. It’s stated that a real education consists of more than just training in the specifics of one’s chosen field. It cites lateral thinking and communication skills as the valuable life skills that should be learned.
“Is College Worth it? Clearly, New Data Says” by David Leonhardt, “The Value of a College Degree” by Emily Hanford, “New study shows the value of a college education” by Hope Yen, and “Is College Worth It Anymore” by Kristen Sturt, all primarily discuss the advantages of a college education and its true value. In the United States, the student debt is over $1.2 trillion dollars. It is the second largest cause of debt following mortgage debt. When the media spends so much time talking about the limitations of a college education, they are discouraging some students from attending college. Regardless of all the debt, attending college and attaining a higher education is the best decision a student pursuing a bright future, could make today.
In Society today it seems that the need for a college education is at a higher demand. Years ago a majority of the population was considered lucky to receive a high school degree. With the way jobs are today it can seem almost impossible to get a job without some type of training or college education. Today more than 20 million people are enrolled in college. This paper is going to explain how a college education is greater than a high school education or a general education development (G.E.D.) in many ways. A college degree is far more superior to a high school education; a college degree will earn more money, ensure job security, and broaden one’s knowledge.
As students in college classrooms sit and listen to their teacher’s requirements and lectures, students often asked themselves why am I here? Why am I taking this class? Is it relevant to my major, my life or career choice? College-level institutions of learning have a hard time figuring out what is the best way to teach students and what works for the student’s best. According to John Dewey “how students are taught is as important as what they are taught” (415). College level students should be taught the skills and abilities that are needed to survive in the work force as well as in society as a whole. Students will face challenges after a college education leading to a different path in life rather than the one they were chasing or hoping
College and the workplace are two dynamic obligations that a young adult will experience in his or her life. Young adults attend college to pursue their majors and will have a job since they need money to afford the basic necessities of life. However, what if a young adult is experiencing them at the same time, and they are having trouble successfully managing both? In order to tackle college and the workplace, you must have excellent time management skills, positive thinking skills, and be willing to foster relationships. Once you have accomplished those aptitudes, you will be on the road to a promising future.
“Education is the key to the future: You've heard it a million times, and it's not wrong. Educated people have higher wages and lower unemployment rates, and better-educated countries grow faster and innovate more than other countries. But going to college is not enough. You also have to study the right subjects” (Alex Tabarrok). Education is something that is extremely vital in life during these times that we live in. Higher paying jobs come with years and years of school and studying. A vast number of individuals in America and across the country have not continued their education post-high school. Many don’t feel the need to go out and get a higher level of education due to its extremely high costs or their desire to begin work straight
College is not so much a promise of success as it is a chance at success. Young adults should not feel like college is the best and only option for them. Robert Reich emphasizes this idea in his writing, stating “Last year, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, 46 percent of recent college graduates were in jobs that don’t even require a college degree.” For a lot of people, college can be a really bad investment, and although more and more jobs do require a degree there are many jobs that don’t. Even after getting a degree many people find that they are working in a job that has nothing to do with their field of study. Also, Collge is not something that is for everyone, but working is Len Penzo stated “There are plenty of relatively well-paying jobs available that don’t require a college degree. According to US Labor Department projections, 63% of all new jobs that will be created between now and 2020 won’t require a college degree.” For the last few decades, college degrees have served as a guarantee for easy access to a middle-class life. But the middle class is on the decline. Although the necessity of having a college degree continues to rise in our society, there are also many new and innovative ways for people to find a way to make a living without a college degree. Those who have been putting their trust in the old system are finding themselves with nowhere to climb. Finally, college just simply is not something everyone can handle Penzo also stated that “Not everybody is college material. If they were, 54% of all Americans who enroll in college wouldn’t eventually become dropouts. Look, college is hard enough for those who are motivated; for people attending who don’t really want to be there, it’s almost impossible.” The idea that every young person needs to go college is wrong. College can be a pathway to success, but it can also be a waste of time and
Education is extremely important to me. I have been fortunate enough to have positive experiences in school and the means to pursue higher education. However, some people didn’t have this option, felt it was unavailable to them, or just chose not to pursue it at the time. However, more and more people are deciding to go back to school. In fact, NBC states that in 2009, 40% of all graduates were 25 years old and over - 17% of those being 35 years old and over. Going back to school isn’t easy. The cost is an obvious concern, but so are the hours that may cut into the time one spends at work or with his or her kids.
Education is seen as the foundation of innovation and development of society. The purpose of education is to give everyone equal opportunity to advance and prosper regardless of initial economic status hence the commonly used appellation, the ‘Great Equalizer’. In order to evaluate education’s role as the ‘Great Equalizer’, we must take account of evidence regarding family income, public resources, and the possibility of social mobility through college education. The educational experience of students varies tremendously as a result of family income, driving the disparity in achievement and available resources. Furthermore, limited access to public resources and college opportunities pose a threat to one’s social mobility and success in society.
Although many individuals can see the importance of quality education, there are some that see college education as simply waste of time, funds, or impossible due to their situation. In this paper I will explain how obtaining a quality education can impact an individual’s life and why it is vital. The necessity of a college education for employment goals, income expectations, personal accomplishment and quality of life will be explored.
As the late Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” When it comes to the topic of higher education and if it is worthwhile, strong opinions come into play. Many people believe that higher education is valuable because there are undeniable benefits from the time put forth in college and beyond. On the other hand, some people also believe that college is not for everyone, and all career paths do not require a college degree. Higher education is a valuable tool from which the benefits can been seen in future salaries, personal growth, and in opportunities that arise.
Finding myself a college junior at age 56, I have often thought about why one might want an education in the first place. When asked why it's taken me so long to complete college, well almost complete, my reasons are both simple and complex. I never real ly liked high school that much and my family moved around a lot. As a result, I attended several high schools. In retrospect, I now understand that high school is difficult even if one never moves. But I digress. Why get a college education? Would I be sm arter? More importantly, would people around me think of me as smarter? In fact, did it really matter at all what people around me thought? Was it money then, or pride? Perhaps it was respect.