Dear Cory Hunt, Is college important? Is it worth it the time and investment? The short answer is YES it is worth the time and money and YES it is very important. Saying that it is worth it still doesn’t make the decision for some easier, it can actually make it harder. There is often a fight between the investment right now vs. the dream job and life in the future. I know many of you will end up in a STEM field, many if not all jobs in any of the STEM fields require a college degree. The STEM fields consist of agriculture, architecture, computer and information sciences, engineering, engineering technologies, interdisciplinary studies, mathematics and statistics, natural resources and conservation, and physical sciences. I …show more content…
The closer it is the more real it becomes and the closer they are to their dream job. “Yes, colleges prepare people for jobs, but more critically, they prepare people for life. A job may be a starting point for a good life, but it shouldn’t be the end” (Hrabowski 260). Many come to college with the idea it will be all fun and games, but I here to tell you that you actually have to study and go to class. Only some classes take attendance but if you don’t go to class you will not pass. That means you have to retake the class, paying for it again. There is no one who will follow you around to make sure you turned in the assignment that was due. Just like in the real world, you are expected to do your work with no one checking up on you to make sure that you have started that report. If you don’t do your work you will be fired. College is the transition from high school to life. “’Despite the recent struggles of college graduates, investing in a college degree may be more important than ever before because those who fail to do so are falling further and further behind,’ the report read”(Peralta). There are resources to help, but if you are struggling it is up to you to ask for help. They aren’t going to see you struggling among 30,000 students, you have to ask for the help. College makes you grow up and learn how to do things on your own without your parents. College …show more content…
For some it makes financial sense to go to a community college before going to a 4- year college, or even going to a public college instead of a private college. But there are also thousands of scholarships and grants that one can receive to make college more affordable. These make college more affordable because you don’t have to pay back scholarships or grants. “Studies suggest that the return to an additional year of school is 10 percent”(Owen 209). By investing in your future now, you are creating a path to financial stability and opening doors. “At stake isn’t just a clear path to financial stability, but the path to limitless possibilities” (Hrabowski 261). Since almost jobs in the STEM fields require a college degree, and are the fastest growing job categories. “College graduates earn more than $20,000 more than high school graduates per year on average, according to a recent study” (Peralta). Having that degree helps college graduates get a foot in the door. “In contrast, many economists and educators point to data showing that the fastest growing job categories require at least a college degree” (Hrabowski 260). That degree helps you to get a foot in the door, but the rest of the skills you learn in college come into play as well. The awkward career fair and interviews that teach you how to walk up to a complete stranger and not feel intimidated but prepared to put your
The argument about if college is worth it or not has been one of the biggest arguments throughout the media for decades. Students suffer a lot from the debts that they get from college and also the amount of studying that they do in college and when they graduate they ask themselves “is graduation from college really worth all the money that we paid and all the work that we have done?”
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.
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.
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.
Right now in our society a college education is no longer an option or privilege, but rather a necessity. We are practically raised and conditioned to believe that one needs higher education in order to succeed in life. There is a saying that says "if you think education is expensive, try ignorance." But as technology is constantly advancing and computers are running almost anything, is a college education really necessary? There are people whom have never set foot in a college and are doing better than people who have their master's degree. There are views from both sides that contain a valid argument.
Since I grew up in a household with two parents who are college graduates, and even two grandparents who had graduated from college, the idea of attending college was never seen as a unique opportunity, but rather as a necessary part of my future. I’m not going to complain about growing up with parents who valued the pursuit of knowledge, but it certainly never exposed me to the mindset that maybe college is not the best option for everyone after high school. Today, there is a huge debate over if the price of college is really worth it in the end, with the high cost of tuition and the number of people who just aren’t prepared for the demands that college has to offer. And on the other side, some say that college is a necessity not just in one’s
When looking at attending class from the perspective of a college student it should hopefully be easy to understand why you should attend. For most students the answer would consist of something along the lines of ‘to better educate myself’ or ‘so I can get a better paying job’, both of which seem plausible. However, those from past generations and those with different demographics might look at this question much differently, due to a college education not always being a necessity to become successful in life. Therefore older generations may have looked at skipping class in a different light than a 20 year-old would today. With much higher stakes to do well in both primary and higher education courses causes cutting class to carry great risk
Is it necessary to have a college degree before having the opportunity to experience the dream career of your choice? Depending on what background you came from, there are different reasons why we go to college. Most of us go due to career change/job position, increase our intellect/knowledge, not to be stigmatized, playing as a role model either to our children or even someone that we care of. In his essay, “A College Education: What Is Its Purpose?” Andrew DelBanco mentioned the three reasons college still matters which are: Economic (A college degree has replaced the high school diploma as “the minimum requirement into the skilled labor market.”), Opportunity (Our democratic form of government requires an educated
Although most will be pushed to go to college some will choose to go out into the workforce immediately and that cannot be looked down upon because that is their decision and that is what they want to do, but with that in mind they must always consider college because in a lifetime it will more than likely be the wiser decision. One who takes the risk and tries to go to college might find out they want to be a biology teacher and not an astrophysicist and that is all due to college and all the experiences that it can bring along that have absolutely nothing to do with education but of broadening horizons and making one see different points of view. That is where the true value of college lies, not with the education and degree, but with the experiences, meeting new people, learning new ideals and cultures, and the ultimate tool you gain is just finding out who you are as a person. During college you learn what you like and don’t like, what makes you happy and doesn’t, you find yourself during college and that cannot simply be overlooked because of a price tag. That is why I believe everyone should consider college and overlook the price tag all to find themselves and further them along as a human being and a
How important is a college education? High school seniors should consider going to college because students who gain a college education often have higher lifetime earnings and a great quantity of other benefits. There are more employers who choose to hire applicants with college degrees. People who lack college degrees are more likely to be limited to basic jobs. Those with a high school education may obtain jobs with good benefits, but college graduates often earn better. Although going to college costs a lot, it is actually true that high school seniors should go to college because they’ll learn more skills that can be applied to their jobs and they’ll have much more benefits while having a career.
In today 's society, there are multitudes of pressure high school students face. One of the biggest pressures put on high school students is the decision of going to college. From the moment students enter into a secondary education, they are constantly asked questions about their future plans. Teachers and parents expect students to perform their best, while giving them no chance but to look towards college. In some cases, however, college might not be the answer. Other options exist as alternate avenues after high school, however, these are not as often expressed as the idea of a four year university. Although a college education and degree is most often more impactful than a high school diploma, there is too much pressure
The main focus of the essay is on the meaning of an education. It’s stated that a real education consists of more than just training in the specifics of one’s chosen field. It cites lateral thinking and communication skills as the valuable life skills that should be learned.
College. It is the seven-letter word that almost every child will hear thousands of times while they are growing up. They constantly are bombarded by the idea that they must go to college if they want to be successful. However, what if this is a false statement. What if college isn’t as great as everyone makes it out to seem. Well, these days some people believe that young people are better off, not going to college. Over the years the economy around the world has changed. It has prospered, and it has fallen. As the economy went downhill the government began cutting funds in areas that they felt were necessary to exterminate. One of the largest areas of funding that was cut was education. Colleges began receiving less money from the government, resulting in a rapid increase of college tuition fees. Due to this, a lot of people believe that college tuition is too expensive for what you get, and not worth the money. However, most people believe that college is necessary in order to further their education, and in order for them to earn their degree. They think that this degree has the ability to help college graduates get a job and work up to a career that only someone with a college level degree is able to achieve. The truth lies in the facts, and statistics. College is the seven-letter word that all people should be thinking about. A college education is a valuable investment that everyone should strive to achieve, and is completely worth the expensive cost.
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 of debt and loans for college students and graduates, and postpone life events.
As the late Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” When it comes to the topic of higher education and if it is worthwhile, strong opinions come into play. Many people believe that higher education is valuable because there are undeniable benefits from the time put forth in college and beyond. On the other hand, some people also believe that college is not for everyone, and all career paths do not require a college degree. Higher education is a valuable tool from which the benefits can been seen in future salaries, personal growth, and in opportunities that arise.