Students often leave high school with the mentality that they must enter a college. However, in the book, Is College Worth It?, by William J. Bennett and David Wilezol debates the positive and negative aspects of attending college. It is not known which was the first university to appear in the United States, but the most notorious college to be established in the 1600s was Harvard University. Since the 1600s, colleges have only been increasing in an abundant of states in the United States. Unfortunately, Bennett and Wilezol, first two chapters introduce the negative aspects of college; and, chapters three and four are universal arguments that go against each other. The final chapter reveals the author's opinion on colleges. In the first …show more content…
At few universities, like Harvey, Mudd, and Stanford (...) But at many others the price only masks poor academics and training” (pg 23). As mentioned earlier, some colleges just increase prices because they know they will make easy money off of the huge debts students will rack up when they finish college. It is also important to know that the interstates relationships does require that the States give equal rights and treatment to residents within the United States, but the States can manipulate the system by controlling tuition fees for colleges. This is especially unfair for residents who are attending a college from another state. However, in Chapter Three of the book, the authors mention the benefits of going into college. According to the authors, “(...) Americans are applying for college is that by a variety of measures -as alluded above- workers with college degrees earn more money than those with only high school diplomas” (pg 75). I find this information valuable because students can pay off their debt with the high income job they will receive. The authors also state, “ (...) a mean annual wage for an electrician was almost $53,000 a year, but a master electrician can earn an excess of $100,000 per year” (pg 80). I have seen students work right after they graduate, but I never knew that the college diploma would make such a heavy impact on price differences. Not only is attending a college beneficial for
This week for PLN I read "Is College Worth It? Clearly, New Data Say" by David Leonhardt is about how college is worth it even with its cost. In the article, it describes how important a degree is. It said in the article that 98% of people with a degree made more money than people without a degree. There is nothing inevitable about this trend. If there were more college graduates the pay gap would shrink. The true cost of a degree is negative $500,000. The unemployment rate for 25 and 34 years old is 3%. That is from having a degree. The average hourly wage for a college graduates has risen 1% to 32.60.
Getting a “good” job is not straightforward as it used to be. In past generations, someone in an entry-level position could work their way up the ladder simply through hard work and determination; whether or not one had credentials or a diploma mattered very little. This is not the case today. Higher education is now critical to obtaining a better job because the demand for skilled labor is rising. For this reason, the value that a degree offers is higher than that of one’s actual intelligence or merit. Furthermore, workers without college degrees will quickly be outpaced in position and salary by degree
College: What is Was, Is and Should Be, by Andrew Delbanco takes both a historical and analytical approach to the evolution of higher education institutions in the United States. While thought provoking, some of his views balance on the verge of extremity. Many colleges provide students with the skills necessary for what is happening in society at that moment. This is exemplified in how the application process has changed from the earliest colleges to today. Also, when colleges were first introduced into society, students were recommended by members of society to attend a school, which is much different than the process today. Another aspect of what Delbanco discusses in his book is the disparity between a small liberal arts college and
In “Too Many People Are Going to College”, the author, Charles Murray’s main purpose is to encourage people to rethink college. He clearly gives very valid and educated reasons on why college isn't for everyone and how society has made everyone think that college is a norm and, in a way, a rite of passage into adulthood and citizenship. Murray is given the difficult task of proving to the people that society has marred and distorted the views of college. He does an exemplary job of executing this task. Murray presents his argument that college is not all society says it is by presenting counter arguments and either giving rebuttals or conceding.
Many students today look towards the future scared and frightened debating their future, all of them asking the same question. Is a college education truly worth the cost and the amount of debt that a student acquires over a four-year period? Many ask what are they doing this for, a piece of paper called a degree. That’s what the articles “Five Reasons Why College is Worth the Cost,” written by Reyna Gobel and “Is College worth the cost? Many recent graduates don’t think so,” written by Jeffrey J. Selingo both address. The articles take different standpoints and views on the topic. Gobel’s article siding with the view that college is worth the cost. While Selingo’s article argues that college is not worth the cost.
They didn't do well in high school, so they think college will be too hard;
A college degree is a valuable asset that could ultimately lead to a productive life in society due to the received education, but people without a college degree do turn out more than adequate in regards to societal success. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, of the forecasted 30 fastest growing jobs between 2010 and 2020, five do not require a high school diploma, nine require a high school diploma, four require an associate 's degree, six require a bachelor 's degree, and six require graduate degrees to get the jobs (College). In an article called “College Education” by ProCon.org,
I believe the answer to the question “Is College Worth the Cost?” depends on how well students plan for their educational career. As an example, if I go to the college to become a dental assistant but don't find any jobs due to low demand for dental assistant then college does not worth the cost. In contrast if I plan well and do some research to find high employer demand fields then after I graduate from college I can find a job based on the college degree.
Is College for Everyone. A College degree is the key to live a successful life, but the underlying question that has people contemplating, is college for everyone? “Is College Worth it...”, written by David Leonhardt, argues with statistics the college is in fact a smart financial investment. Furthermore, Leonhardt also explains how a four-year degree is more valuable than a highschool degree and how noticable the pay gaps are between a college degree and a highschool degree.
College is seen as a requirement for a stable life. From an early age, we are taught that college is an essential step in life. Yet is college all that it is pumped up to be? Stephanie Owen and Isabel Sawhill along with Charles Murray gives us a good look into the benefits and drawbacks of going to college and take us on a journey of understanding that college may be a hindrance for some rather than an intelligent move.
Andrew Delbanco’s essay “A college Education: What is its purpose?” gives three reasons why college still matters. Delbanco teaches at Columbia University, where he’s the director of American studies and has written several books on the meaning and benefits of college. Delbanco, begins his essay by discussing what college means to each individual student. He states, “For many more students, college means the anxious pursuit of marketable skills in overcrowded, under resourced institutions. For still others, it means traveling by night to a fluorescent office building or to a “virtual classroom” that only exists in cyberspace.” (1) Delbano successfully uses pathos to appeal to his audience’s emotions, his personal experience and anecdotal combine to persuade his readers to consider or realize the importance of receiving a college education, however his essay contains minor flaws that can counteract his claims.
Through the eyes of Caroline Bird, in her essay about “Collage is the Waste of Time and Money”, there are thousands of high school graduates going to the college every year despite their interest and necessity. They aren’t there for the higher education; rather it is for the personal benefit. They take it as a medium to escape for the family yet get the financial support from them. She gives numerous reasons to why college is not the best choice for everyone.
Does college really give graduates the tools and knowledge required to succeed? In the article “Where College Fails Us”, author Caroline Bird attempts to argue that college may not be worth as much as people are led to believe. Bird believes that with the rise in college graduates being well above the Department of Labor Statistics anticipated job needs, college is quickly becoming a waste of time. Moreover, several reasons listed depict colleges many shortcomings, including the stress it puts on students and the unrealistic expectations it gives them combined with huge financial burdens. The author believes that the successful college graduates would have been successful regardless of their education, and that the majority of students felt forced to attend. Finally, she states that before wasting your money on a college education the reader should reflect on her article and determine if there is still value in a college experience. Although Caroline Bird presents many persuading arguments against the college experience in her article, I believe her logic to be outdated and generalized, and her content lacking of discrediting information. I disagree that all college graduates are taking dead-end jobs, and universities have withdrawn from the social side of their educational experience.
“About 19.9 million students were enrolled in college and universities in 2013, compared to about 13.5 million in 1990, about 7.9 million in 1970, and about 2.7 million in 1949” (After Recent Upswing, College Enrollment Declines, Census Bureau Reports). A college education after graduating high school is extremely crucial to one’s life because it determines their future. The discussion about whether a college education is worth it or not has dated back to the time when the colonists came to America from Europe. The colonists founded “New College”, which was later later renamed to Harvard University. Colonial America produced nine colleges that still prevail to this day and are some of the most prestigious colleges in America. Harvard University, College of William and Mary, Yale University, Princeton University, Columbia University, Brown University, Dartmouth College, Rutgers University, and University of Pennsylvania are the nine main colleges that colonial America has composed. With about 19.9 million United States college students in 2013, and average student debt over $26,500, the discourse about the importance about a college education still continues to this day.
The higher education institution in this country has been an ongoing evolution since the founding of our nation. Even so, the history of colleges and universities reach deep into our pasts and always have been the ultimate source of wisdom and knowledge for peoples across the world, be it in Europe, Asia, or wherever human civilizations established for themselves societies and communities. Addressing Europe is a fair beginning for the discussion of the American university as it is today. Recognising how the European style of higher education developed and how it influenced the structures of our modern institutions is vital to coming to a conclusion of whether or not college is worth the time or money for students. Upon observance of the history of the university, the psychological state of college students, and finally understanding American ingenuity and its relation with the university, will all justify that college is worth the investment that our families and students place into their success and education, while securing and not hindering the American ideology of individualism and the person 's right to choose whether or not they are willing to take the path of college. I do not argue the superiority of college over all alternatives for our high school graduates as some kind of ultimatum, but rather I assert college as a valid choice, despite the financial burden as it may appear, amongst the many options available for our students to choose from; and no matter the path