College Is Not Worth The Cost

When it comes to the topic of attaining a college degree, most will readily agree that it is essential to securing a successful career post-graduation. Whereas some are convinced that a college degree does not guarantee entry into a career in one 's field of study nor does it determine success in one 's career, others maintain that a higher education is, in fact, the way to job security and financial success. What comes into question is whether the investment in a college education is truly worth it or not in order to accomplish a student 's goals of success. I think it could be said for most prospective college students that the reason for going to college is to gain the credentials required for most jobs today. What many of those potential students may not realize is the substantial percentage of graduates who do not acquire a job related to their majors, how much debt they will incur, and just how many students don 't graduate at all for reasons such as an overwhelming workload and a poor work/ life balance.

In the essay “Are Too Many People Going to College,” writer Charles Murray explains that not everyone is in need of going to college for three main reasons: a liberal education should be gained in elementary and middle school, many people already have knowledge and skills necessary for a technical career, and many students are in college to “buy an admission ticket-the B.A.” (246) and ensure employers consider their resume. Murray does not argue anything against college itself but more against society and especially the education system. Murray also accuses guidance counselors and parents of “automatically encouraging young people to go to college straight out of high school being thoughtless about the best interests of young people” (249).

Despite of whether going to college is worth it or not, recent college graduates have become more successful in their lives. Some people may think that attending college is a waste of time and money, while others feel that college gives them valuable skills in the real world. College will help the person gain the necessary work skills for his or her future job career. Moreover, the job that a person gets after college can outweigh the money and time the person spent in college. College graduates will be more favorable to have a better job than those who does not have a college degree. As our generation is rapidly changing, the work- force is getting tougher which means having a higher education is important in today’s world. Having a college degree is an obvious part of the candidate and is expected by the many employers. Nonetheless, going to college can also give students the opportunity network and develop personal connections among other students who are also interested in the career field.

A college degree is a valuable asset that could ultimately lead to a productive life in society due to the received education, but people without a college degree do turn out more than adequate in regards to societal success. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, of the forecasted 30 fastest growing jobs between 2010 and 2020, five do not require a high school diploma, nine require a high school diploma, four require an associate 's degree, six require a bachelor 's degree, and six require graduate degrees to get the jobs (College). In an article called “College Education” by ProCon.org,

The rise of college tuition along with room and board have lead many to believe that college isn’t worth the money. This among with the other factors of how getting a job into society is more difficult and that a college degree no longer competitive due to the high abundance of them. On the other side, many others urge the importance of a degree. They bring up how more jobs today require degrees, the return investment, and many other things.

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

Does college really give graduates the tools and knowledge required to succeed? In the article “Where College Fails Us”, author Caroline Bird attempts to argue that college may not be worth as much as people are led to believe. Bird believes that with the rise in college graduates being well above the Department of Labor Statistics anticipated job needs, college is quickly becoming a waste of time. Moreover, several reasons listed depict colleges many shortcomings, including the stress it puts on students and the unrealistic expectations it gives them combined with huge financial burdens. The author believes that the successful college graduates would have been successful regardless of their education, and that the majority of students felt forced to attend. Finally, she states that before wasting your money on a college education the reader should reflect on her article and determine if there is still value in a college experience. Although Caroline Bird presents many persuading arguments against the college experience in her article, I believe her logic to be outdated and generalized, and her content lacking of discrediting information. I disagree that all college graduates are taking dead-end jobs, and universities have withdrawn from the social side of their educational experience.

Many think college is not worth it, however when I think of college not being worth it, I ask myself what is “it”? Is college not worth the sacrifice, time, or stress? In this case, many are not college material, simply for lacking the amount of effort and self motivation it takes to get through college. I oppose with the statement “For many, College isn’t worth it” because college is worth everything it takes for you to become great in the field you choose to study. Many people are not able or do not have the mindset to get through college, but that do not mean they will never have the mindset. Most people do not work hard under pressure or have great skills at testing or learning at a slow or fast pace. Some people believe that after highschool, since it is required, that going straight into an occupation is better for them. In my opinion, college is a stepping stool for achieving higher education and newer knowledge for the area you decide to infiltrate. I believe the educational world is bias to the brainpower of many people and people of the world is bias to the things they are capable of doing. Therefore, I am confident in stating college is worth it because having a college background ensures you quicker job opportunities, college gives you knowledge to become disciplined and self-motivated, and; college also enhances your communication skills.

A former president, Theodore Roosevelt, once said, “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are,” but yet more than 30% of students don’t attend college the following fall after graduation. As of right now, college is only an option for students, not a requirement. But as technology increases, and jobs become tougher to get a hold of, college is more of a necessity and definitely worth the price tag. It has long term benefits and increases the chances of a successful future. College is definitely worth the cost for the reasons that college graduates have a higher salary than a high school graduates, more and more jobs recently require a college degree, and college graduates more likely to have health insurance and retirement plans.

Even though tuitiion costs have raised by almost 50% over the course of 30 years people still argue that college is still worth the price. One supporting reason that will always apply to this argument is, the fact that college graduates earn more money and have a much easier time finding employment than their peers who only have a highschool diploma. Others might state that though not all careers recquire a four-year degree, most do. With that being said a college degree can almost always give you ta head start and better skills for/in any field. Opposers also use Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg to say their choices to leave school were based off of billion dollar ideas, and that the two were already computer geniuses when their decisions were made. To add to that supporters of attending college would say , it’s not all about the learning material. The choice to attend college gives students the opportunity to gain financial responsibility, students usually learn how to put needs before wants when they attend college. Lastly whether it’s your peers or professors college provides students with the time to meet, and get to know new people, with new ideas who may challenge, inspire, encourage or even work alongside one another. This would be used by college supporters to show that college is also a networking tool, or maybe a student could just want a change of scenery. For some people the number 1 reason to go to college is to go away/move to a new location. Some may want to just escape the cold and move down south, others may want to get out of small towns and explore the world. There can be many reasons to attend college like just to live in dorms and experience a home without parents, all of these prove to opposers that college is still worth

In their essay “Should Everyone Go to college,” a part of the book They Say I Say, Stephanie Owen and Isabel Sawhill explore the advantages and disadvantages of college and examine the value of college for all individuals. Owen and Sawhills’ purpose is to put an end to the belief that a four-year degree is necessary to be successful. They adopt an informative tone to influence readers to open their minds to a new belief that college is still important but not mandatory for every student. Owen and Sawhill argue that the proposition that college is a requirement to be economically successful has failed to recognize that not everyone is created equally by reminding readers that many factors play into whether college is the right option for someone.

     It seems in the society we live in today, having a college degree is a necessity. Years ago it was the norm for people to just go right into a full time job after high school, if they even finished high school; they did this to support their families. In today’s society a person has a difficult time getting a decent job without a college degree. During an adults working life, bachelor degree graduates will earn about $2.1 million and a high school graduate can expect to earn an average of $1.2 million (Day and Newburger, 2002). This is quite a difference and it puts a college education in

Deciding going to college is a decision that today young adults are deciding for themselves. Alternatively, is this decision taken away from them by society standards? Most young adults are crossing this social dilemma by the time that finishes high school. In addition, we have learned how a college degree can provide us a higher economic status, power, prestige, and level of property. That is to say, it does not matter if you are very skillful on computer coding, managing, or finance, because most of your skills have to back up by a certification that it say so. US News Money had predicted by 2020 most of the “high education jobs” were you need at least a bachelor degree will cover from the 50% to the 60% of the job market. As a result,

Growing up I was always reveled that college was the cherry on top of the sundae that is your career. I was a child then, I did not understand the actuality of the subject. For example, my cousin Amber went to college for her associates in accounting three years ago, she is still knee deep in debt. It’s hard to find an actual job with the economy now a days. Which makes it that much debatable too think about college or not. Heidi Shierholz says, “America’s young college graduates have seen wages, adjusted for inflation, deteriorate.” Which basically explains that once you’re done with college, it is much more of a struggle to find a well paying job.

In my last speech I joked around about my dad and his degree in mathematics as a computer technician saying that it was such an odd match up; but in reality, it couldn’t have worked out better. Though the concept of math does not directly apply to his current position; he still utilizes the deep analytical skills that he obtained during his years of calculus to solve problem solving issues that arise with the computers. Education has value in many respects, ranging from the social connections that are tied to the college experience to the skills that can be acquired in multiple fields while searching for a suitable major. Richard Cohen of the Washington Post states that he had an eye opening experience while at college that made him happier as a person because of the connections that he was able to establish while there. College is worth attending in today’s economy because it provides so many benefits in the long run. Within this speech I will be covering three main points; 1. College creates a large social network that can be utilized to assist with all sorts of things after graduation. 2. College provides a higher probability of finding economic comfort in today’s world via a job. 3. College is what you make out of it in many respects.