A College Education: Overrated or Invaluable?

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Since the beginning of the 20th Century, college education has been available for everyone and anyone who is willing to develop their knowledge regarding a specific professional field. Currently in the United States, the percentage of high school graduates going to college has increased considerably: 68 percent in 2011 compared to 49 percent in 1940 (Menand, 2) and the record high set in 2009 with 70 percent of total high school graduates enrolled in college ("Bureau of Labor Statistics"). Notwithstanding, it has come to the attention of many that the college tuition and fees have been increasing at an accelerated rate. According to The New York Times, college tuition and fees increased 439 percent from 1982 to 2007 (Lewin, 1). This sumptuous rise inhibits many citizens from obtaining a higher education; furthermore, creating the debate whether college education is overrated or if it is a valuable professional and educational experience. Despite the rising prices, I believe that the college experience provides the necessary tools to develop an individual’s set of skills that will furthermore lead them to a successful career. Going back to the beginning of the century, one is able to witness that most people wished to attend Ivy League universities like Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Standford, etc. Over the years with the development of the S.A.T.’s and other standardized examinations, there was a way to separate the most intelligent high school graduates from the less prepared. Moreover, this allowed public and state colleges to be more accommodating towards other sectors of the population. The main problem is that most students are more attracted to the social aspects of college rather than the academic ones. Higher education is ab... ... middle of paper ... ...ww.bls.gov/news.release/hsgec.nr0.htm>. ("Bureau of Labor Statistics") Lewin, Tamar, . "College May Become Unaffordable for Most in U.S.." New York Times. N.p., 2008. Web. 3 Apr 2012. . (Lewin, Tamar) Menand, Louis, . "A CRITIC AT LARGE Live and Learn Why we have college.." The New Yorker. The New Yorker, 2011. Web. 3 Apr 2012. . (Menand, Louis) Pappano, L.. "The Master’s as the New Bachelor’s." New york times. N.p., 2011. Web. 6 Apr 2012. . "Why College Students Stop Short of a Degree." Reuters. N.p., 2012. Web. 6 Apr 2012. .

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