For years, high school students and graduates have been told that they need to attend college to follow in the idea that college is a gateway to advance and become successful in life. In the current mindset of people, college seems as if it’s a no-brainer, but for increasing amounts of people, college isn't desired. In today's society, high school students are increasingly pressured to attend college due to the assumption that a college degree ensures accomplishment, happiness, and prosperity in life. While there are benefits to attending college for a graduated high school student, it is not always the best path to follow for people, college is not the best option for everyone. Although, having a college degree is beneficial in order to pursue certain careers, however, it is not a requirement for all to pursue advanced education and it is not the right choice for everyone.
Pursuing education can take a psychological toll on a student's due to the pressure that can be faced when trying to obtain a college degree. According to a survey that was conducted by the American Psychological Association, reveals that serve psychological problems on campus has increased drastically. Anxiety present in college students by 41.6%,
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According to the College Board, obtaining a college degree leads higher paying jobs and an increase in civic involvement. The average salary for bachelor degree recipient age twenty-five or older was 67% higher than those with just a high school diploma. Acquiring a college degree can lead to a higher salary, which can lead a person to be financially stable in life, furthermore, potentially ensuring no financial hardships. The civic participation of college-educated people reflects the likelihood of engaging in civic duties and
As the economy evolves and the job market continues to get more competitive, it’s becoming harder to have a successful career without some kind of college degree. This creates a belief in many young students that college actually is a commodity, something they must have in order to have a good life. There’s many different factors that influence this mindset, high schools must push the importance of the student’s willingness and drive to further their education. College isn’t just a gateway to jobs, but it is an opportunity to increase knowledge and stretch and challenge the student which in return makes them a more rounded adult and provides them with skills they might lack prior to
Every single individual has once heard the words “get good grades, go to a good college and graduate, in order to get a good job and succeed in life.” However, no one can really assure that a student with a degree is going to have a better future than those who do not attend college. Lawrence B. Schlack, a retired superintendent, asserts in his article “Not Going to College is a Viable Option” that college is not the only place to go after graduating from high school. By using different kinds of persuasive techniques the author effectively supports his claim and makes the article an understandable and important tool for both parents and students who believe that college is their mandatory option after high school.
It seems as though the majority of college students these days aren’t looking to further their education because it’s what they really want, they do it to please their parents, to be accepted by society, or because there’s nothing else for them to do (Bird, 372). These expectations have led to students being unhappy and stressed, and have pushed them into a school or a job that they don’t particularly care for.
Many Americans today tend to believe that a college education is valuable financially, yet some others strongly oppose this, since they look at the college education as being both time and money consuming. A person who successfully completes a college education may obtain one or all of the following; an associate’s degree after two years, a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or a PhD. The institutions that provide the college education can be public or private. Whereas a college education might be seen as being very expensive, it actually increases people’s chances of getting higher paying jobs, instills knowledge into them, and raises their enjoyment levels.
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.
“A great majority of our nine million college students are not in school because they want to be or because they want to learn. They are there because it has become the thing to do or because college is a pleasant place to be; because it’s the only way they can get parents or taxpayers to support them without getting a job they don’t like…”(Bird 1).
Philip Trostle tries to take a larger perspective at the implications attending college can carry for society, individuals and communities. He states, “The total value of a college education is considerably greater than just the higher earnings... there are also substantial benefits that arise to the rest of society.” He also states, “not only are college graduates usually more involved in their communities and more giving and
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
The cost of college matters as well: the more someone has to pay to attend, the lower the net benefit of attending. Furthermore, we have to factor in the opportunity cost of college, measured as the foregone earnings a student gives up when he or she leaves or delays entering the workforce in order to attend school. Using average earnings for 18- and 19-year-olds and 20- and 21-year-olds with high school degrees (including those working part-time or not at all), Michael Greenstone and Adam Looney of Brookings’ Hamilton Project calculate an opportunity cost of $54,000 for a four-year degree (Forbes). In this brief, we take a rather narrow view of the value of a college degree, focusing on the earnings premium. However, there are many non-monetary benefits of schooling which are harder to measure but no less important. Research suggests that additional education improves overall wellbeing by affecting things like job satisfaction, health, marriage, parenting, trust, and social interaction. Additionally, there are social benefits to education, such as reduced crime rates and higher political participation. We also do not want to dismiss personal preferences, and we acknowledge that many people derive value from their careers in ways that have nothing to do with money. While beyond the scope of this piece, we do want to point out that these noneconomic factors can change the cost-benefit
Education needs to be affordable to all, but the notion that everyone should go to college in order to get a good job ignores reality. Education is an important pillar that facilitates economic well being of a person and improves the human resources in a country across various industries. However, there is an increasing number of Americans enrolling for college degree programs, but there is a mismatch of market requirements and what most people attain. Attaining a college degree is seen as the main avenue through which to attain Middle Class status in America, and this view ignores the fact that degrees do not have similar job prospects as well as the potential of oversupply in college degrees. This paper focuses on reasons as to why not all students should get the four years bachelor’s degree and offers alternatives to these programs.
Every year millions of students graduate high school and flock to college in hopes of a brighter future. In their minds are preconceived notions drilled into them through centuries of established culture and tradition that college is the only path to financial success.
By attending college, students guarantees themselves a better job that the average Joe. Because the world is changing rapidly, and many jobs rely on new technology, more jobs require education beyond high school. With a college education, an individual will have more jobs from which to choose. In addition to obtaining a better job, people who go to college usually earn more money than those who do not. College furnishes you with proper credentials and documents to land high-level jobs. Figures from an A&E television program on ‘The Working Class’ show that in 2004 the average earnings were $23,895 for a high school graduate and $41,478 for individuals with a bachelor’s degree. Getting a college education is simply a stepping stone in ensuring yourself with a good start in life. Some may agree that college students are open minded and knows exactly how to expre...
According to a study about the income gap between college grads and high school grads and how it widens, “today's young high school-only grads earn about 62 percent of what their college-graduate peers earn. In 1965, the figure was nearly 81 percent. ”. And the higher the degree the higher the salary. This shows that going to college is better than going to just high school. College can’t always guarantee the job you wanted or success, but having a degree is worth so much more in society and overall.
I have never had any doubts about pursuing College educaion. Higher education is very valued in my family, since both of my grandparents are teachers and my parents did their masters. So, the college education was my goal since hgh school.
Individuals who attend institutions of higher learning offer many benefits to society as a whole. Some social benefits realized from those with a higher education include increases in the individual’s volunteer activity, as well as increase in overall individual health and well-being. A report from Analyst Diana Wardell, entitled “The Benefits of Higher Education,” states that individuals who did not complete high school made up 9.9% of those who volunteer their time, while those with a high school diploma made up 21.7%. Those who have some college experience made up 34.1%, and those with a Bachelor’s Degree made up 45.6 percent of those who volunteered their time. Additionally, those with a high school diploma, with an income ranging from $35,000-$54,000, 62%, report to be in excellent or very good health, while 73% of those with a Bachelor’s Degree, in the same income bracket, reported to be in excellent or very good health (Wardell, Benefits). Similarly, an article e...