Is Attending College Really Worth It?

789 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The cost of higher education controversy

There is a huge discussion about whether or not attending college is actually worth it, especially these days when financial situations are stickier and there are other things to do besides school. People might not be able to afford the price, or get financial aid. Those who do go might not get much return. In this society, school beyond high school can even be controversial. There is also limited time for different people, and they end up choosing between two things. With so many contributing factors, and so many things that could go right or wrong, what is the value of college? Is it even worth it? Money doesn't grow on trees, any college student can tell you that. Several students rely on financial aid and double jobs to get through school. Over the years, the …show more content…

Society urges young high school graduates to attend, or else they get a slap on the wrist and a bad look here or there. Often, we are told the only way to get a stable job is to have a degree of some kind. Lots of parents will push their children to do their best in school so that they will be able to get a higher education, and o those children, a college education might definitely be worth it after all of the hard work and dedication they have put into school. However, some people also believe that you don't have to have school for everything, that there is more to it. If you go to college and all your time and attention is dedicated to one thing, when will you be able to learn useful life skills? People don't always care to learn how to work on things like their house or car, and end up paying loads of money to have others do it. Going into college and learning material isn't the same as actually learning to do useful things that will help you everyday. That might all depend on how you were raised, and what kind of society you grew up in. Are you pushed towards education? Are there other things you find more

Show More
Related

  • Summary: Is College Worth It?

    696 Words  | 2 Pages

    Is college worth it? This is a topic that has been heavily debated for years, and years to come. The late nights, stressful debts, and long papers due- not accepted a second late; does that make up for the amazing memories, high paying jobs, and social connections? Absolutely. The experience college can give is remarkable. College is a valuable experience because individuals who attend will have a lower chance of being unemployed, will be in better health, and paying off debts will be possible!

    Read More

  • College Is Not Always The Answer By Lawrence Mishel

    959 Words  | 2 Pages

    College is an experience of a lifetime . It's very expensive so for most they do not get the opportunity .They do not get the opportunity to get a higher education . Without a higher education most people can not receive a good well paying job . Now most of the United States attends or have graduated college . Which makes it hard for everyone to have a well paying job .

    Read More

  • College - Is it Worth it?

    1229 Words  | 3 Pages

    The main reason why people go to college is not because they want to but because they have to. Most high school seniors are pressured by their guidance counselors and parents to go to college because it is "the right thing to do." In the essay that Caroline Bird wrote "College is a Waste of Time and Money", she states that students go to college because " . . . Mother wanted them to go, or some other reason entirely irrelevant to the course of studies for which college is supposedly organized." (481) The student may have different ideas about what he or she wants to do in life, but because they think that these "mentors" know what is best for them, they probably end up doing something they do not want to do, resulting in being miserable and resentful.

    Read More

  • College: Is it Still worth it?

    1215 Words  | 3 Pages

    Elementary school, middle school, high school, college―that’s how we’re told our education careers should go. After college you go on and get a job based on the degree you received. Seems simple right? According to Erik Lowe in his Seattle Times article “Keep Washington’s College Tuition Affordable,” he informs that people in his generation are the first to be less educated than their parents, in the United States. He explains that this is due to the high cost of tuition followed by a huge amount of student loan debt. Lowe believes that there needs to be a significant change in the country’s higher education systems (in reference to the tuition costs) or the decline of college attendance will continue. There needs to be a decrease of college tuition because as it currently is, many people are unable to go to college due to the cost and if they do, they are loaded with debt and faced with the daunting task of finding a job.

    Read More

  • College Is Worth It?: Is College Worth It?

    552 Words  | 2 Pages

    “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Is a question most children hear from time to time though out their childhood. Most people ponder on that question as they grow up and become adults. The question that usually comes up when thinking about what they what to be when they grow up is “Is college worth it?” Are the risk of the high loans, and the challenge of finding a job after school worth the time of the college education?

    Read More

  • Is College Worth The Effort?

    898 Words  | 2 Pages

    Imagine telling that to a student who just finished four years of hard, grueling, expensive work; or, even worse, a parent who paid for their child to finish that same grueling work. But, in some ways, that statement can’t be any further from the truth. College can prepare a student for life in so many more ways than for a career. However, in the way that college is supposed to prepare soon-to-be-productive students, that statement could be right on. As a student myself, I’ve found college to be a little bit of both. I often find myself asking, "How will this help me later in life?" But, then again, college gives me more control over my life and where I want it to go. In trying to figure out what exactly made college like this, and whether the way I felt was felt by others as well, I interviewed an Anthropology teacher at Las Positas College, Mr. Toby Coles, and I examined an essay by Caroline Bird called College is a Waste of Time and Money. The two sources offered interesting views from both side of the spectrum.

    Read More

  • The Economic Value of a College Degree

    1599 Words  | 4 Pages

    As the cost of college tuition continues to rise each year, many individuals are questioning if a college education is worth the time and effort needed to obtain a college degree. In today’s society, however, a high school education or diploma is not enough to insure a chance at having a good future. For many students, the decision on whether or not he/she should pursue a higher education is a major conflict for many young adults who are graduating high school. Therefore, while some students wonder if going to college is worth the price tag, in the end, the benefits associated with earning a college degree are proven to uphold numerous opportunities for individuals in the future.

    Read More

  • Going To College: The Benefits Of A College Education

    1098 Words  | 3 Pages

    In our society, a college education is no longer an option or privilege, but rather a necessity. The main reason people go to college is not because they want to, but because they have to. Guidance counselors and parents pressure most high school seniors to go to college because it is “the right thing to do.” Our society has it in our mind that if a person does not go to college they will not become successful. Exactly one year ago I was in high school, and being a senior was probably the most stressful year. Most seniors worried about filling out college applications and deciding what major to do. Inputting all your grades and knowing that you were not the best student is especially stressful. For most people, going to college seems

    Read More

  • Is College Worth the Expense?

    1203 Words  | 3 Pages

    Throughout the years, America has always debated whether education is needed- if it helps people succeed or not. The argument in the past was always over high school education, which is now mandatory. That decision has helped the US rise economically and industrially. Today, the US is in the middle of the same debate- this time, over college. Some, like David Leonhardt, a columnist for the business section of The New York Times, think a college education creates success in any job. Others, such as Christopher Beha, an author and assistant editor of Harper’s Magazine, believe that some college “education” (like that of for-profit schools) is a waste of time, and can even be harmful to students. Each stance on this argument has truth to it, and there is no simple answer to this rising issue in an ever changing nation full of unique people. Any final decision would affect the United States in all factions- especially economically and socially. However, despite the many arguments against college, there is overwhelming proof that college is good for all students, academically or not.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On Standardized Testing

    1272 Words  | 3 Pages

    There is no true price that you can pay for what collegeoffers. That is, because a high school graduate can readily and unfortunately expect “higherunemployment rates than college graduates” (Fain 1). And if those high school graduates happento find a job, they can expect college graduates to make approximately “$17,500 more” (TheRising Cost of Not Going to College 1) than college graduates. The statistics for going to collegemight be scary, but the ones for not going to college are terrifying.So, what exactly is so good about college? It might not seem like it, but college isn’t justthe lesser of two evils, really, college can be great for most people. College gives young adultswith the first taste of true and undeniably terrifying freedom. It gives its students greaterresponsibility. But above all else, college is a platform in which one evolves and grows within anintellectual yet social atmosphere. It allows students to make their future brighter and it sets themup for a comfortable and happy life in which they can prosper. According to Jennifer Pfeffer“college graduates report being happier” (1). That in on itself is a great attribute for collegegraduates. Just about everyone is looking and striving for happiness, college gives you a boost toachieve

    Read More

  • Is College Worth the Money?

    1151 Words  | 3 Pages

    Imagine telling a student who just graduated from college that you have wasted four years of hard, stressful and even worse, expensive work. Unfortunately, in this cynical society today, the world isn’t just full of competitors, but it’s full of greedy money-grabbing businesses. The worst businesses aren’t manufacturing or electric companies, but colleges and universities. In Caroline Bird’s essay “College is a Waste of Time and Money,” she examines how college has been viewed for so long as the best place to send high school grads no matter whether they actually want to go or not. She adds that students don’t realize how much college costs and are wasting their parents time and money, which is especially a horrible thing to waste. Now that the economy is better since September 11th and states have been stabilizing their budget debts, it doesn’t make sense that tuition prices higher than ever for college students.

    Read More

  • College Is Worth It Or Not?

    1523 Words  | 4 Pages

    With tuition rising every year, students face the challenge paying the debt achieving a college degree comes with. “Student debt surpassed credit-card debt in June 2010 for the first time in history, rising to about $830 billion — or nearly 6 percent of the nation 's annual economic output”(Clemmitt, Marcia). Not everyone has a ton of money just laying around. Being that financial trouble is the biggest problem for students, they begin to question whether college is worth it or not. In recent years, students have taken out loans to help with expenses. Most students choose to attend a community and junior college to help minimize the debt. Even after graduating with a degree, students still face the struggle of finding a job in this economic time. For higher class families this may not be a problem to them. But for the middle class and low income families, they face tougher times being that they don 't have the financial help like higher class families do. For the middle class and low income families, it makes more sense attending a community and junior college rather than a four year university.

    Read More

  • College is not for everyone

    1039 Words  | 3 Pages

    One question that comes to mind when graduating high school is, “should I attend college?” For many graduates this question have a very obvious answer. A high school graduate may state that, “college is the best option if one is trying to get a higher level of education, and will help one compete for a higher paying job.” However, in my opinion most graduates do not consider the fact that going to college is a very big decision to make and that the schoolwork will not be easy. Going to college is not the best choice for every high school graduate because many students cannot handle college, colleges’ lower standards, and not all jobs require a college degree.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Should Everyone Go To College By Stephanie Owen

    1094 Words  | 3 Pages

    In “Should Everyone Go to College?” Isabel Sawhill and Stephanie Owen make a strong valid point on whether or not college is for everyone. For many students ready to leave high school, wondering whether they should attend college is an issue that may lay heavy on one teenagers mind. There are a few factors that could be a difficult decision depending on a person’s goal they are working towards. Some students jump right into the workforce after high school. Others may sign up for the military after graduation. While these are different options, research says higher education is very important. Higher education provides opportunity for students that attend college are giving a good shot of a better career later in life. Approaching graduation, a student might find themselves asking, “Why is it important to go to college?” The answer is that education is the most important growing factor in the growth of our country. Obtaining a college degree is a

    Read More

  • My Generation Essay

    1061 Words  | 3 Pages

    Individuals in my generation that decide to go away for college may graduate with a degree, but they also graduate with debt and have a hard time finding work in their area of study. College graduates are young, and many may not have much experience in their field. It is a bittersweet option to go to college and further your education, I am all for it, but I am not for getting yourself in tons of debt, that will cause you to live your whole life paying off student loans and such. Which is one of the reasons why I chose to stay at home and go to community college, I’m saving money while still getting a great education. In earlier generations, people may not have felt that college was important because they needed a job to support themselves and their families.

    Read More

More about Is Attending College Really Worth It?

Open Document