In today’s society, the idea of receiving a college education has been pondered quite a bit as to whether or not it is actually worth it. According to Michelle Adam, many people “…today believe that getting a good education is key to success in our society, this revealed surprising issues that challenge the notion of higher education being worth its price tag” (59). Naturally, many high school graduates apply for college right before or after graduation. Others decide to go into the work force, armed forces, or simply remain unemployed. The question that many people debate about is, is a college education worth it in the long run? Though some people believe a college education will benefit ones’ career, others believe it will cause a mass …show more content…
A college education isn’t meant to make people become rich, but to help them fulfill their interests within a career with the long term benefits of receiving a degree. “People who argue that college is worth it contend that college graduates have higher employment rates, bigger salaries, and more work benefits than high school graduates (ProCon.org).” So, it seems that college is worth more than just graduating from high school with a diploma and entering the work force. If you think about it, many people don’t attend college or continue due to the high costs of tuition, books, and room & board. I agree with Dr. Ricardo Azziz that “…we must focus on educating those without a college degree on its value, and foster access and retention so that those who want to attend college can attend -- and finish (Azziz).” It’s understandable that people fear debt and becoming burdened with loans, but an education is well worth the long term benefits. A college education is especially useful for when the economy is not doing well.
Declines in employment and wages were considerably more severe for those with less education, recent college graduates who
Have you ever just stopped to think about what it must be like to be “qualified” for a job yet be unemployed and homeless? Starving on the streets because you paid everything you had to an institution that was supposed to guarantee a better life, a more stable and successful career. Obviously this is an extreme case, not everyone who pays for college ends up living on the streets and broke, but almost every college graduate is in debt. For as long as college has been around it has always meant a better life, it’s always been that people who went to college were more successful, smarter, and would make way more money than someone who didn’t go to college ever would. Lately, however, college has become so expensive that going to college will more than likely leave you in debt working for years upon years just to pay back what you owe and then start making money for yourself.
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 graduates, on average, make a whopping one million dollars more in lifetime earnings than those with a high school diploma. Those with a college degree now make $17,500 more per year than those without — a wage gap that's doubled in recent decades. Those without a degree are four times more likely to be unemployed.One of the biggest and most important reasons for anyone to attend college is the upper hand it gives with regards to jobs and career. A college graduate has a higher chance of landing a job when compared to an individual with a high school qualification. Further, a college graduate also has better options and opportunities to progress in their
In 1931 the phrase "American Dream" swept the world and continues to bring hope to many Americans today. James Truslow Adams book, The Epic of America, defines the term as a “dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.” This phrase continues to aspire hope Americans of a better life with endless possibilities. As time moves past the 1930s the pure reality of achieving the American Dream dwindles. Harsh realities quickly set in; people just are not making enough money to support themselves. Everyday costs such as health insurance, mortgages, transportation, and costs of pursing higher education depletes any chances of upward mobility on the social ladder. America creates establishes college to be a necessity by increasing tuition prices; this drastically affects the everyday American’s ability to afford it. The rising costs of achieving higher public education in the United Stated schooling system reflects the increasing enrollment rates correlating with the increasing amount of student loans creating a higher dropout rate than in previous generations.
The U.S. is home to some of the greatest colleges and universities in the world. But with an overwhelming 1.3 million students graduating with an average student loan debt of $29,000 each and with youth unemployment elevated, the question of whether or not college tuition is worth the money arises (The Institute for College Access & Success, 2013). Higher education faces intimidating challenges: continually rising costs, access and completion problems, constant changing of technology, and responsibility pressures from state and federal officials. But no challenge is more intimidating than the fundamental question that many Americans face to ask themselves, "Is college worth the cost?" As a result of the economic turn down, many students who graduate are not finding well-paying jobs, either within their field of study or not.
College can still be worth it for many people when they are deciding on their future path. College doesn’t have to be very expensive, there are many scholarships that students can apply for to help reduce the cost. Also, having a college degree will allow the person to have the option for career changes in their lifetime. Some colleges offer work co-op programs,an internship, where the person can get a degree, learn their skill, and make money. This allows them to feel more comfortable in their field, and it helps to eliminate some of their student debt. These are just a few of the reasons why college can still be very beneficial to people, and why college can still be worth it for many people.
As kaufman states in her article, “Yes, college is worth it, and it’s not even close. For all the struggles that many young college graduates face, a four-year degree has probably never been more valuable.” In today’s studies, it has shown that the pay gap between college grads compared to others has reached a high point, with college students making 98 percent more an hour, which has increased from 89 percent five years ago. If more high school students planned on going to college and graduating the pay for these students would decrease. As many teenagers do not choose to face the challenge of college, the pay for those who do graduate increased.
In the United States alone, roughly about 20.2 million people are attending American universities and colleges as of the fall of 2015 (“Back to School Statistics”). Students around the country are paying thousands upon thousands of dollars to receive a degree in a field of their choice, where they may or may not be able to use to find work once they graduate. Is college really worth the money? Is it worth putting ourselves tens of thousands of dollars in debt to receive a diploma that doesn’t guarantee a job after graduating? I believe it isn’t. I believe that driving up the cost of education is utterly unreasonable and outrageous in a society that expects young adults to earn a degree to be successful in life.
Throughout the USA college tuition has increased drastically; in the last five years Georgia colleges have had 75% increase along with other states such as Arizona whose tuition has increased by 77% (NPR). Since 2006 the tuition in Utah has increased by 62.8% and is rising throughout the U.S. (Desert News). Between 1885-2016 the price of college has increased between 2.1% to 4.3% per year beyond inflation (CollegeBoard). Through calculations, that equates to about a hundred precent increase since 1885. It’s no secret that college tuition has skyrocketed, increasing student debt and leaving prospective students to ask “Is College Worth It?” college education is beneficial in that it teaches students valuable life lessons in responsibility, prepares students to enter the workforce and can be relatively inexpensive. The eduction is “college education” is worth every penny but America has created clichés to define the college experience which are expensive and unnecessary. In a radical new world a college education is required in many high paying jobs, which leads to the question “Is the experience of college all it is built up to be?” Through recent research, many articles and news mention about the value of higher education seem to only take account of is the financial aspect. A college education is worth what one makes it and is an investment in a future and in one’s self. The purpose of college the education is to be prepared to go into a the workforce having gained the
Many people throughout history have said more or less the same words in many different ways, from Presidents to philosophers, from dictators to martyrs, men all through history have come to the same conclusion; knowledge is power. The question of knowledge being equal to power is not the question that has so many people preoccupied in the current economic climate. That statement as fact has been branded into the minds of young people in America and all across the world for so many generations that the point seems hardly worth debate. Now the question has become, “Is knowledge money?” The cost of a college education has skyrocketed to the point that many would be students are asking themselves, is college worth the cost?
College degree higher costs. After students have spent some time in college, they probably will find a couple of things. Maybe the education is costing more than what they thought, or the financial situation has changed. Whatever the reasons are college students often find need for financial help when they are not expect. There is not perfect formula to calculate how much money college will cost. The cost of some necessities like rent, food, tuition and books change every semester. According with “Is College Worth the Money” by Krysten Exchange, A College degree is worth the investment. College education essentially is the key to success in the future. It opens many doors of opportunities and allows us to explore every option available.
Due to some recent events in my life, I have been strongly contemplating on whether or not college is the right choice for me. My father went to college at St. Norbert College in DePere, Wisconsin and shortly after he received a job as a clerk at the Chicago Mercantile
In the debate about whether college is worth attending, many argue that college is worth it but others argue that college is not worth it. Those who argue that college is worth it contend to say that college graduates make more money, college allows students to explore career options, and not going to college will cost people more money in the future but on the other hand, those who argue that college is not worth it contend to say that college graduates are employed in jobs that do not require degrees, students who do not graduate waste their own money and the governments money, and student debt can cause another financial crisis for students who are already struggling with financial aid. While it is true that college does cause many problems already, college is worth attending and worth all the problems at the end of the road.
College has the ability to strengthen each individual’s power and potential. Even though a tuition is tagged onto it, college is worth the cost because it provides an essential learning experience, gives graduates power and credibility when searching for a job, and greatly increases people’s earnings. One of
Ever wonder if a college education is really going to help you in life? The high cost of postsecondary school tuition and the event in where people are achieving success without degrees make it seem as if the perspective of the future generation’s value of college education is shifting negatively, when realistically value of a higher education is increasing as STEM and other higher qualification jobs are increasing. The next generation should pursue a college education due to the fact that going to college will help teach the future generation how to make a difference in his or her community, give them financial security, and find a career that they are passionate about. People who lack educational degrees are more likely to be limited