Challenges in Accessing Higher Education in America

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This nation has always prided itself in seeking knowledge. The truth is that for many, it is difficult to obtain a higher education than that of a high school diploma. However, the issue we face is that we are in a time and age that requires our workforce to have the best possible education to have a fighting chance for a decent job. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the premier government source for information on jobs, shows that only 27 percent of jobs in the U.S. economy currently hold a college degree (associate degree or higher). This is a dangerous statistic to be facing when this nation needs to remain competitive in the workforce against competitors in other countries. In 2012, a study was conducted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), in which the United States was rated fourth in the world for being the most educated country; leaving Canada, Israel and Japan in the top consecutive slots and placing our nation with only a slight narrow advantage over New Zealand and South Korea. This seems like good enough of a reason for more people to want to push themselves for a higher education. However, the biggest problem that faces most people today in the United States is how to pay for college. According to research conducted through a non-profit organization called The …show more content…

This area of focus is flawed in that it only provides a mentor the requirement of volunteering 10-15 hours a year. Realistically, as a mentor, a person needs to be more involved with a person to make a real difference. The Tennessee Achieves website even claims that a mentor only has to give up on average one hour a month to an individual. This is not enough time to make proper acquaintances with a person, let alone to provide proper guidance and mentorship to a young aspiring adult who is trying to become successful under this

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