The Pros And Cons Of Attending College

College? Whether or not to attend College after graduating High School is an important decision in a young person’s life. There are a number of factors to consider such as funds, grades, and other social issues that must be considered. The government offers different types of funding for students like Pell grants and student loans. Therefore, everyone is able to attend some college, even if it is just the local Community College in the area. Attending College is the supreme option for most High School graduates, which will enable them to earn their maximum potential income, while also preparing them to make well informed decisions throughout their lifespan. College can also help to improve a person’s social skills and provides a multitude …show more content…

I went to work right out of High School, making an hourly rate of $11.00 with full medical benefits, 401 K, and bonuses. Unfortunately, a good percentage of these companies have now relocated out of the country where the labor is cheaper or have gone bankrupt altogether. A variety of these jobs have now been replaced by robots or machines. For instance, at restaurants you order on a computer screen and a device is left on the table so you can run your credit card to pay the bill. Kevin Kelly’s essay, Better than Human, makes a rather shocking claim that, “before the end of this century, 70 percent of today’s occupations will likewise be replaced by automation,” (They say / I say: the moves that matter in academic writing, 2014, pp. 299-312). Receiving an Associate or Bachelor’s degree that specializes in a particular field seems to be the only way to ensure ones financial future in this economy. Occupation’s that can easily be replaced by robots or machines, will be, especially if it is more cost effective and efficient. Companies that can pay a lower wage in another country will move to save money and workers will be unemployed. Occupations such as teachers, police man, nurses, lawyers and doctors to name a few require degrees, but these are not going to be outsourced or ran by machines. People have all their …show more content…

College allows the student to choose their own path in life and not just take any job they can get. For instance, I have always wanted to teach and I like the added perk of having the summers off. Obtaining a degree will ensure that you earn your maximum earning potential. On average a person that has their Bachelor degree earns about $15,000 a year more than high school graduates, while associate degree holders make about $7,000 a year more (Graff, They say / I say: the moves that matter in academic writing, 2014, pp. 208-225). However, over time the gap significantly widens to almost $50,000 a year, in favor of the college degree holder. Some might would argue that not all degrees are equal with some paying significantly less. I agree that the type of degree one receives directly impacts their salary, but the benefits of obtaining a degree are still valuable. In an article written by Terry Caron, his researched showed that unemployment rates significantly decreased the more education an individual received (Caron, "College Graduates vs. Non - College Graduates: Unemployment Statistics.")As Freeman Hrabowski mentions, “College graduates are much more likely to be employed than those with only a high school diploma and earn substantially higher salaries” (Graff, They say / I say: the moves that matter in academic writing, 2014, pp. 259-263).