Should college be a requirement for everyone graduating from high school today? Many people would answer “yes” to that question. This push was ramped up in 2009, when former President Obama proclaimed that “every American will need to get more than a high school diploma” and that “America cannot lead in the 21st century unless we have the best educated, most competitive workforce in the world” (Miller). People have become convinced that an “educated society would make for a stronger society” (Miller). The truth is for many people, college is an impossible dream. High school was not enjoyable for everyone, many jobs do not require a college degree, and finances hinder the ability of many people to further their education. Therefore, it would …show more content…
Whether it is lack of funds to pay for college, or the need for someone to have an income now to support their family, there is no doubt that finances are one of the main reasons why college should not be required for everyone. Even with the many grant and loan opportunities available, many people still cannot afford to attend college. For one, most people do not want to take out loans because they do not want to graduate college, only to start out their career in deep debt. Also, since grants for those graduating high school depend on their caregivers’ income, that income may be above the allowable threshold which makes the student ineligible to receive any grants. However, their parents may not earn enough to afford to shell out the money for a college education. Those who are fortunate enough to qualify for grants may not receive enough to pay for all the expenses that accompany college. Even if the grants cover tuition, they may not cover living expenses. Some may see the solution to this would be for those students to work while going to school. Unfortunately, many people, especially if they struggled with their grades in high school, have to dedicate a large amount of time to their studies to make passing grades. This makes it difficult to work and go to college. Financial hardships have made people look for career alternatives that they can make a decent wage without a college degree. According to the Department of Labor, there are over 1,000 career areas through the Registered Apprenticeship program where people can enjoy a successful career without racking up education debt (Apprentices). This is appealing because they can earn a paycheck from day one in these fields while learning new skills. Since many college-age people have families to support, this career path better suits their
Those individuals that graduated college were better students in high school. (Vedder, 2012, p. 1) Second a good proportion (more than 40 percent) of those attending four-year colleges full-time fail to graduate, even within six years. At some colleges, the dropout rate is strikingly higher. While college students gain skills that can be marketable from just showing up, others end up taking jobs that are usually given to high school graduates, making somewhat more money but having large college debts and some lost earnings occurred while unsuccessfully pursuing a degree that could have been prevented. (Vedder, 2012, p. 1). Does this mean no one should go to a upper level institution? Of course not. First of all, college is more than training for a career, and many might benefit from the social and non-purely academic aspects of advanced schooling, even if the rate of return on college as a financial investment is low. Second, high school students with certain attributes like family wealth are far less likely to drop out of school, and are likely to drop out of school, and are likely to equal or excel the average statistics. (Vedder, 2012, p.
There is no need for everyone to get a college degree when they can be trained in technologies and trades that can offer a job and a paycheck. America still needs manufacturing technicians, mechanics, and carpenters. Without these key workers America would not be able to function properly. The USA needs to start encouraging its citizens to go to trade schools because that is where the jobs that make good money are. A college degree used to be the only way to get a good paying job but times have changed and getting vocational training from a trade school is the best option many people have for earning a living.
A majority of people believe that graduating from college will result in a well-paying job. Unfortunately, a degree will not secure a job for many graduates. In the U.S., the jobless rate for college graduates in 2012 was 7.7 percent, and has further increased in the past five years(Robinson). With such a large pool of unemployed citizens for employers to choose from, recent graduates are facing fewer opportunities for work due to little or no previous work experience(Robinson). Although many graduates are faced with unemployment, the majority do receive the opportunity to work. Sadly, many must work jobs they do not enjoy for salaries that make it difficult to make ends meet(Debate). Students are faced with mortgage-sized debts upon graduation, making it difficult for them to start businesses, buy cars or houses, or make other investments that would better the
...it is seemingly impossible to force people to avoid college, it is best to just accept that the value of a degree is decreasing and will continue to decrease. Then, once nearly all of America has a college degree, the next hot thing will be to get a master’s degree, or maybe even a doctorate. It will be a dark day for America when that man scanning your milk at the grocery store is a doctor. Maybe the solution is to make getting a degree harder. Should everyone really be able to obtain a college degree?
Right now in our society a college education is no longer an option or privilege, but rather a necessity. We are practically raised and conditioned to believe that one needs higher education in order to succeed in life. There is a saying that says "if you think education is expensive, try ignorance." But as technology is constantly advancing and computers are running almost anything, is a college education really necessary? There are people whom have never set foot in a college and are doing better than people who have their master's degree. There are views from both sides that contain a valid argument.
Recent research has shown that even if students work full-time they still need financial aid to pay for tuition and books (Carnevale, Smith, & Melton, 2015). Therefore, students’ will sacrifice studying and class time and still have a great deal of debt when they graduate. Unfortunately, these students do not have any other options. They are working out of necessity. For these students to be successful they would need to have career counseling from the college of university. They would also need financial resources that help students pay for college expenses from the state. Colleges and universities could also create programs to assist with finding a job after college. Low-income students are faced with the problem of working too much which can create a cycle that pushes students further into debt without the benefits of a career that they were trying to
In a recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are jobs that pay an annual salary of at least $61,000 that only needs a high school diploma (Giang). If this is how much someone could with just a high school diploma, one can earn an even high salary after obtaining a college degree. In a HuffPost Business post, they mentioned that college tuition is too high and that many students are debtors. However, there is financial aid, scholarships, and grants for students who need financial assistance (Fairchild). Financial aid, scholarships, and grants can benefit people who have the ambition to go to college. The Institute of Education Sciences has statistics that states about 85% of students receiving financial aid in 2012-2013 (Financial Aid). 85% of students receiving financial aid is a massive amount of people, whereas in 2007-2008 only 80% of students could receive financial aid. On Scholarships.com, there are over 3.7 million scholarships and grants that are worth over $19 billion (Scholarships.com). If there are over 3.7 million scholarships and grants available why not apply for one? There are all sorts of scholarships and grants from academic to athletics to creativity and some unusual ones too. For example, there is one for being left handed, assembling a prom dress or tuxedo out for duct tape for prom, and many more unique scholarships (Types of
The debate on whether or not students should attend college after achieving a high school degree is one that many would like to consider two-sided; Debra Humphreys says that “going to college is clearly better than not going,” but Claire Potter mentions the opposite side, quoting an unnamed professor who says that “the vast majority of people who end up in our community college system don’t belong in college at all.” I would argue that the issue is not two-sided, and that there are more complexities to the issue than are always printed in media; to say that all college students should go to college or that all should not attempt to place a variety of different cases into a single group. Perhaps a better option is to say that college (in the traditional sense, with boarding and special liberal arts programs) should be recognized as an option for students immediately after their high school graduation, but other options, including the choice to go to vocational school or entrance straight into the workforce, should be considered.
"Young, almost broke, and attending college". Today 's public and private colleges and universities contain very high tuitions that lead to students with decades of debt. People recognize the need for education farther than high school to make a life-sustaining wage, but many students are compelled to choose work over school. Numberless of students choose work over college because the rise of college tuition is making it harder and harder for students of lower class or low income to obtain the education they want and need. Although, other students adjust their class schedules to their work schedule, at the end they wind up withdrawing from college. This supports low completion rates in the United States. The purpose of college is not just to
“Growing up means being honest about what you want, need, feel and who you are (Epiphany).” The preceding quote is stating that you control what happens in your life, and who you become. It’s your job to take responsibility for what happens in your life as you get older. One thing that has become clear those of you edging towards graduation is that life is becoming complicated. Adulthood can be scary for many of you.
General education requirements should be mandatory for all college students. The general education classes offered at colleges help create well-rounded students with knowledge in areas other than just their intended major. General education courses can also help undecided students pick an area of interest to study. They could also give students who have already chosen a major a reason to change to something else that might seem more interesting to them after taking the required course. Another benefit of taking these required courses is even though some students might have taken a version of the course in high school, they might have another opportunity to learn the material again if it wasn’t clear to them the first time. Sometimes a change in the classroom setting and a new professor could help a student who struggled with the subject material.
In “Should Everyone Go to College?” Isabel Sawhill and Stephanie Owen make a strong valid point on whether or not college is for everyone. For many students ready to leave high school, wondering whether they should attend college is an issue that may lay heavy on one teenagers mind. There are a few factors that could be a difficult decision depending on a person’s goal they are working towards. Some students jump right into the workforce after high school. Others may sign up for the military after graduation. While these are different options, research says higher education is very important. Higher education provides opportunity for students that attend college are giving a good shot of a better career later in life. Approaching graduation, a student might find themselves asking, “Why is it important to go to college?” The answer is that education is the most important growing factor in the growth of our country. Obtaining a college degree is a
College stresses a person to use his or her critical thinking skills and it’s key that he or she use it without the cost. Without a person’s critical thinking skills they could not get through every day. Critical thinking is an important tool for humans to master. College works on that skill so that when the students graduate from there, they can use those skills to make more educated and responsible decision. Not everyone would have the chance to work on their critical thinking skills if college has a price. As humans we want to advance in our lives knowing and experiencing all the possibilities that life has to offer. College is among those possibilities. Every human should be able to go to one, whether they are financially tight or not. To prohibit someone from going just isn’t fair nor is it right.
College isn’t cheap, college tuitions are immensely high and so are the class fees. According to Ccompletioncorps.org, “College costs have risen 400% in the last 25 years…also, community college costs have risen 200% in the last 7 years and 7.3% since 2009.” As a result, many students have to look for a part-time job to pay for their education. Having a part-time job can be a relief for these students because they have a way of paying their class or book fees, but it can be stressful and difficult to keep up with school and their job. Some students, unfortunately, don’t have their parents help, this is because they are either unemployed and if they are employed, they have household bills that they need to take care of. According to a research by Vaidotas Lukosius, J. Byron Pennington and Festus O. Olorunniwo from Tennessee State University, “Students who find it difficult to adjust to college are found to have weaker relationships with, or psychological independence from, their parents (Credé & Niehorster, 2012). Increasingly, students come from first-generation, low-income, and ethnically diverse backgrounds (DeBerard, Spielmans, & Julka, 2004).” Due to the low-income of the student’s parents, students are more likely to drop out of college. Even though students try to pay for their own education, it’s too much for the students to handle when they have school and work to keep up
College is the first major step towards the outside world for many people. As a result, many have the same idea, get a 4-year degree in an area they want and then get a job based on that. However, many don't realize the alternatives after leaving high school. These alternatives provide great benefits and are choices an increasing amount of people are beginning to take. Deciding to not go to college is blasphemy to today's society and this thought process is embedded in everyone's mind. Yet, the choices people are making by avoiding college can be beneficial, as people don't have to endure college if they hate it, and vocational training proving an effective alternative, people can find themselves in a better financial situation.