The Relation Between Education and the Quality of Life

1269 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Personal benefits of education

Dan Rather once held the assumption that “A college degree is the key to realizing the American dream, well worth the financial sacrifice because it is supposed to open the door to a world of opportunity” ("Dan Rather Quote"). With today’s rough economic conditions, social mobility and the quality of life are controversial topics that have many different theories. Some people believe that increasing social mobility can be done in a variety of different ways, while others think achieving this mobility is impossible. The main problem is that individuals are left with minimum wage jobs, or even unemployed. Without a decent job they struggle to provide for themselves and their family, and their quality of life is very low. They live from paycheck to paycheck wondering why they are stuck in this horrible situation. However, improving the quality of life can be done and the answer is quite simple. To improve the quality of your life in eastern North Carolina, you must further your education and achieve degrees that exceed a high school diploma. Achieving a college degree instead of just a high school diploma will increase your employability, increase your earning potential, and make it easier to advance in a career.
In today’s society having just a high school diploma is not enough. Its value is rapidly diminishing, and employers are looking for college graduates to fill jobs that were traditionally held by those with a high school diploma. Justin Wolfers, a public policy and economics professor at the University of Michigan, stated, “High-skilled people can take the jobs of middle-skilled people, and middle-skilled people can take jobs of low-skilled people, and low-skilled people are out of luck” (Rampell para. 7). With the declinin...

... middle of paper ...

...unty, North Carolina data snapshot." Locallabs. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2014.
"Dan Rather Quote." BrainyQuote. Xplore, n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2014.
Ebersole, John. "Why a College Degree? ." Forbes. N.p., 8 Aug. 2012. Web. 19 Mar. 2014.
Hardy, Marcelina. "7 Benefits of a College Degree ." Yahoo! Education. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2014.
Rampell, Catherine. "College Graduates Fare Well in Jobs Market, Even Through Recession." The New York Times. N.p., 3 May 2013. Web. 19 Mar. 2014.
"Three Reasons Why a Career in Nursing is Secure." Stratford University. N.p., 2 Aug. 2013. Web. 26 Mar. 2014.
"US Unemployment ." Department of Numbers. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.
Santiago, Andrea. "Become a Medical Doctor." About. Com Health Careers . N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.
"The 50 Best Paying Careers with Only a Bachelor's Degree." The Best Schools. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.

Show More
Related

  • What Are The Pros And Cons Of Student Loan Debt?

    1271 Words  | 3 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • The Cost of Equal Opportunity: An in Depth Look at the College Tuition Cost Epidemic

    1695 Words  | 4 Pages

    A high school education is no longer sufficient to succeed in America’s increasingly complex economy. However, because of the high price point of a college education, far too many Americans are unable to afford education beyond high school. As shown in the graph below, the higher level of education received greatly increases the chances for employment and also dramatically increases the average salary potential of an individual.

    Read More

  • Three Reasons College Still Matters By Andrew Delbanco

    821 Words  | 2 Pages

    Based on Three Reasons College Still Matters, there are three main reasons why a college education is so important. From an economical standpoint, an education is most of the time needed to earn enough money to live comfortably. Attending and completing college provides a possibility for future economic stability. Within a highly competitive workforce a college degree can put a foot in the door to a job of a person’s choice. Statistics show that people who obtain a bachelor’s degree or higher get paid more than those who do not obtain one. Many question the worth of a college degree because of how expensive it is, though some say that the money spent is an investment on a person’s future. One can say that the worth of a college education is within the eye of the beholder. Many q...

    Read More

  • A Career as an FBI Profiler

    1686 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Web. 12 Feb. 2014. How to Become a Police Officer? Chron.com. - a.k.a.

    Read More

  • Summary Of Are Too Many People Going To College

    972 Words  | 2 Pages

    If more people went to college, and less went the vocational route, jobs will take a momentous hit. Today, companies will not even touch an application that does not include a Bachelor’s Degree; even if the Bachelor’s Degree has nothing to do with the job being applied for. Attention is not given to whether the hopeful applicant qualifies for the job; all that matters is that the applicant has a Bachelor’s degree. Murray best sums up the American job market when he says, “Employers do not value what the student learned, just that the student has a degree” (Murray). However, if less people obtain a Bachelor’s Degree, employers will be forced to base applicants on their skills, and abilities. Furthermore, important vocational jobs that lie vacant will be filled. Good electricians, carpenters, and construction workers will always be in

    Read More

  • College Education: An Investment or Expense?

    1263 Words  | 3 Pages

    People who complete a college education become aware of some life needs, for example useful entertainment, which can improve their lifestyle by relaxing their minds. These individuals in most cases have health insurance, through their employers, which makes their lives healthier than those of high school graduates who might not even have any knowledge of insurance. Procon.org shows that, “70% of college graduates had access to employer-provided health insurance compared to 50% of high school graduates in 2008. 70% of college graduates 25 years old and older had access to retirement plans in 2008 compared to 65% of associate 's degree holders, 55% of high school graduates, and 30% of people who did not complete high school. The 2008 poverty rate for bachelor 's degree holders was 4%, compared to a 12% poverty rate for high school graduates” (Is a College Education worth it?). Most people in the world wish to live a better life. No one wants to associate with poverty, that’s the major reason why a college education is essential when it comes to quality of

    Read More

  • Danielle Paquette's Article: Is Education The Cure To Poverty

    735 Words  | 2 Pages

    It’s considered a rarity now days to walk down a major city street and not come across a single person who is fighting to survive poverty. The constant question is why don’t they go get help, or what did they do to become like this? The question that should be asked is how will America fix this? Over the past year, Americans who completed high school earned fifteen point five percent more per hour than that of dropouts (Bernstein, Is Education the Cure to Poverty). According to Jared Bernstein, in his article “Is Education the Cure to Poverty”, he argues that not only do the poor need to receive a higher education, but to also maximize their skill levels to fill in where work is needed (Is Education the Cure to Poverty). Counter to Bernstein’s argument Robert Reich expresses that instead of attempting to achieve a higher education, high school seniors need to find another way into the American middle class. Reich goes on to say “the emerging economy will need platoons of technicians able to install, service, and repair all the high-tech machinery filling up hospitals, offices, and factories” (Reich, Why College Isn’t (and Shouldn’t Have to be) for Everyone). Danielle Paquette, though, offers an alternative view on higher education. Paquette gives view that it doesn’t matter on the person, rather it’s the type of school and amount of time in school that will determine a person’s

    Read More

  • The Career of a Cosmetologist

    1071 Words  | 3 Pages

    McKay, Dawn.”All About Your Career Options in the field of cosmetology.” About.com career planning.N.p2014. n.d. Web.17 May 2014 http://careerplaning.about.com/cs/occupations/p/cosmetology.htm

    Read More

  • America's Most Overrated Product By Marty Nemko: The Critique Of Education

    890 Words  | 2 Pages

    Introduction: In the essay America’s Most Overrated Product: The Bachelor’s Degree by Marty Nemko argues that attending college does not benefit most students. Many of us grow up believing that going to college is the best option to get good jobs, even if we did not do so well in college. In this essay, we explore statistics presented by Nemko to get a better idea if college is worth the time and money spent on the benefits of having a diploma.

    Read More

  • Blanche D. Blank's A Question Of Degree

    1027 Words  | 3 Pages

    College is the place where people go to retain the necessary training for a job that requires specific skills, which results in earning a higher pay check. In today’s world, employers are scouting out for individuals with the proper dexterities to fill the shoes for that specific job. Blanche D. Blank, the author of “A Question of Degree," argues that possessing a degree of higher education isn’t the only way to have a very successful life. This statement is highly argumentative, due to the fact that college graduates still out-earn people without degrees. Obtaining a college degree is one of the best things someone can do for themselves, when it comes to looking for a stable job. There is also so much more to college than just receiving a

    Read More

  • High Tuition

    2062 Words  | 5 Pages

    The ability to gain a degree in any field of study is highly important in American society, possessing skills and knowledge over your job emphasizes the significance of higher education. Especially, for job promotions that would cause someone to make more than their fellow colleagues. In our increasingly competitive economic society, having the minimal of a high school diploma is not enough to provide financial stability nor will it help to compete in a workforce in which the best-educated are the ones that are rewarded the most. Therefore, higher education is a crucial necessity in order to move up the socioeconomic ladder and qualify for higher paying jobs. The rising costs of college, however, is making it harder for Americans to obtain

    Read More

  • Becoming a Pediatrician

    1209 Words  | 3 Pages

    2009 - 2014 -. Web. The Web. The Web. January 6, 2014. • “Becoming a Pediatrician: Careers, Salary Info & Job Description” Diploma Guide.

    Read More

  • College Education is the Best Investment

    1413 Words  | 3 Pages

    By attending college, students guarantees themselves a better job that the average Joe. Because the world is changing rapidly, and many jobs rely on new technology, more jobs require education beyond high school. With a college education, an individual will have more jobs from which to choose. In addition to obtaining a better job, people who go to college usually earn more money than those who do not. College furnishes you with proper credentials and documents to land high-level jobs. Figures from an A&E television program on ‘The Working Class’ show that in 2004 the average earnings were $23,895 for a high school graduate and $41,478 for individuals with a bachelor’s degree. Getting a college education is simply a stepping stone in ensuring yourself with a good start in life. Some may agree that college students are open minded and knows exactly how to expre...

    Read More

  • My Career Dream Of Purpose To Becoming A Pediatrician

    2099 Words  | 5 Pages

    University of Maryland Medical Center. (2013, December 18). What is a Pediatrician?. Retrieved September 12, 2014, from http://umm.edu/programs/childrens/health/about/what-is-a-pediatrician

    Read More

  • Unemployment and Underemployment in America

    1297 Words  | 3 Pages

    Kahn, Lisa B. 2010. “The Long-Term Labor Market Consequences of Graduating from College in a Bad Economy.”

    Read More

More about The Relation Between Education and the Quality of Life

Open Document