The College Board Report

Many people believe that a college education is a worthy investment. The ability to become a college graduate will result in making more money. There are more jobs in today’s society that require college degrees. College graduates develop more and better employment opportunities within earning a degree. Self-discipline is a major element in becoming a successful graduate. Also, college graduates are healthier and live longer. Adults-young and old, male and female-who have a bachelor’s degree or higher have twice the annual median income than someone with only a high school degree ("Do college graduates," 2014).

Most people only consider the direct impact of a college degree on their own lives-but a college degree has a tremendous impact on the well-being of our own families as well, especially our children. Not only are children of parents with a college degree education better off socially and economically, but studies have shown that children in households where one or both parents have a college degree are themselves more likely to earn a college degree. “According to an estimate in 2028 there will be 19 million more jobs for educated population that there are qualified people to fill them”.

College tuition has been an increasingly intense topic of discussion over the years. The costs of higher education have been debated by many people, and it has been discussed as to whether costs are becoming too high for students to afford. College has become more and more popular, and now as many as 20 million students attend universities reported by The National Center for Education Statistics (1). The value of a college degree is immense, but college tuition is becoming too expensive for students to afford, and furthering the problem are students’ lack of knowledge on how to pay and earn money towards their college degree.

College graduates, on average, make a whopping one million dollars more in lifetime earnings than those with a high school diploma. Those with a college degree now make $17,500 more per year than those without — a wage gap that's doubled in recent decades. Those without a degree are four times more likely to be unemployed.One of the biggest and most important reasons for anyone to attend college is the upper hand it gives with regards to jobs and career. A college graduate has a higher chance of landing a job when compared to an individual with a high school qualification. Further, a college graduate also has better options and opportunities to progress in their

Recent high school students are debating whether to or not attend college, should consider the benefits of attaining a college degree. For many low or middle income students, this a route to gain opportunities to improve their economic circumstances. An article, “Pathways to Prosperity,” states in 2008, workers with bachelor's degree make about 65 percent higher than high school graduates and workers with associate's degree make about 73 percent more than high school dropouts.. This is evidence obtaining a college degree can be an opportunity to have earnings higher and significantly increase one's income.

Since 1974, tuition has been on the rise and has reached new heights. One reason why tuition is increasing is because of “the state governments’ unwillingness or inability to raise per-student financing” (Davidson). The government is spending less on college and moving those funds into other categories, such as the military. Furthermore, colleges are spending less on each student than they did during pre-recession (Fox). Even after the recession, the government is continuously cutting more and more from education funds. As the government cuts more from education funds, tuition cost will steadily increase to compensate the loss. Tuition increased from 1994 to 2015 is depicted in the graph on the next page. Drawing a conclusion from the graph, it is possible that if this trend continues, public colleges will approximately reach the same price as private colleges one day. The amount of financial aid given is unable to meet the needs of lower income students,

In the article Our Crazy College Crossroads, Frank Bruni, addresses the topic of rejection involving students who are applying to colleges by using pathos to connect to his readers on the topic. The author appeals to his readers by uprooting the idea of rejection and worth that are commonly felt by students who are rejected from their top school. He does this through the use of metaphor, rhetorical questions and aggressive statements. Bruni attacks many opposing views such as of Malcolm Gladwell by criticizing the science behind his an argument. Bruni also points out the difference between those who get in to Ivy League colleges and those who don’t. He does this by presenting the means that some individuals lack such as financial support,

It has been a heavily debated topic over whether college is worth it or not. In “College’s Value,” college professor Eric Hoover explains his studies of college degrees and concludes that attending college has greater benefits than we expect. Nowadays, when families think of college, they think about the amount of financial burden instead of what they will gain from attending. In this article, Hoover states, “Yet the perceived benefits of attending college go well beyond the dollars” (Hoover 1). He writes how diplomas help receive better and higher paying jobs. Hoover is persuasive by using statistics, interviews with undergraduates and graduates, and acknowledging the opposing views as well as refuting them.

Counterfeit academics, counterfeit grades, and in fact, counterfeit universities are the theme of a scathing commentary by one Philadelphia professor. Brent Staples, a long time college professor often writes excerpts for big name magazines like The New York Times. Brent Staples article “Why Colleges Shower Their Students with A’s” is very well written but lacks extensive evidence for some of his emotionally driven statements.

In Brent Staples' story, “Why Colleges Shower Their Students with A's” he explains how grades have gotten higher in colleges over the past years. Students and parents seem to demand for grades because of what they pay for college. Professors sometimes have no choice but to give in, because it might look bad on them or to avoid classes from being removed.

“… A college degree is the surest ticket to the middle class,” says President Barack Obama (10, “College Education”). However, many disagree. Only 44% of people say that college is worth it from a previous 75%. This is understandable because tuition is the highest it has ever been and is still rising; meanwhile, student debt has surpassed $1.2 trillion (4, “Is College Worth”). Is college really worth the money? It depends on many factors such as the student, major, college, and time taken to graduate. But for the average student, it is definitely worth it; in fact, a college degree has never been more valuable because it increases the chances of having better wages and benefits, more job opportunities, and marketable knowledge. Anthony Carnevale from Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce says that ““the only thing worse than going to college is not going to college,” meaning students must decide between risking lower wages and higher chance of unemployment or paying for college (4).

A successful application of this concept, created in 2008, is Khan Academy. Students create accounts and sign into the Kahn Academy to choose a course of study. They have the option of choosing their starting point or taking an assessment to define their level. Students watch videos and work through practice exercises; all the while, their progress monitored. Badges are earned at a variety of achievement levels creating a sense of accomplishment, as well as bragging rights with peers when this program is utilized in a blended format within an educational setting (Khan Academy, n.d.).

A free postsecondary education will benefit the economy as it allows more individuals to graduate college, permitting the middle class to grow and put more money in the markets. In his article Higher Education, Wages, and Polarization, Rob Valletta asserts that a postsecondary education brings distinct advantages in the labor market. The author includes a graph comparing the rising wage gaps of those with a college or postgraduate degree to those solely with a high school diploma, which depicts individuals who have sought a higher education as receivers of a larger income (2). This implies that a college degree contributes to a graduate’s financial success and spending power. Graduates are more likely to use their paychecks in the market economy, as they have more money. In addition, Erin Dillon, a senior policy analyst at Education Sector, argues that college is worth the money, as graduates have an unemployment rate of 4.4 percent while high school students have an

As a first generation college student I understand how overwhelming the college proccess can be. The only thing that feels certain is a student's determination in getting there and a student's will in knowing that college is a must. Their is a beauty in those intrigued individuals who know their destination, college, but are have a bit of confusion in getting there. By having someone there for you who has experienced the college process, who was a bit lost but figured it out, who is actually in college provides a sense of security, answers and hope. I feel that I can be that person for the students in this program.

Twenty-one million students are anticipated to attend some sort of higher education (Barrow et al.). And tuition costs are reaching all-time highs; about high as the salary an average American makes in a year (Kay 36). This is a drastic change in the higher education system in America. Colleges used to be mainly religious institutions hundreds of years ago and were based on moral training and proper conduct. Overall, making better people for society. In the present day, American colleges are helping aid students in getting jobs while building up the student’s values. Many have pondered over if the value of higher education that is taught is worth the price being paid. Some have said that the costs are too high for anyone besides the upper class, but people are still enrolling with increased rates each year. Higher education is worth the price because it provides lifelong benefits to the people who graduate with a degree. People who obtain a degree attain life skills that everyone should learn, get paid more money in their lifetime, and gain a quality education.