College, The Democratic, And The Meritocratic Theory

    In discussions of Charles Murray, he expresses his opinion on the thoughts and feelings that are being transferred to students before college, claiming them to be misleading. Murray brings to light the problem that exists in the constant pushing of guidance counselors, teachers, and even politicians to aspire for a college degree no matter what, “treating every failure to go to college as an injustice” (Murray 48). Yet, by doing so, parents and students are often blindsided by the overwhelming cost of college that many cannot afford, or the sheer amount of education students would put themselves through for no reason at all. Murray observes that “one aspect of this phenomenon has been labeled misaligned ambitions, meaning that adolescents have career ambitions that are inconsistent with their educational plans” (Murray 48). Convincing students that college is the only guiding light to a better life forces students to see college as such, an intellectual heaven where they can become anything, such as a doctor or an attorney “without understanding the educational hurdles they must surmount to achieve their goal” (Murray 48-49). They then attend a four-year university with the depiction of college as a “place where B.A.s are handed out” fresh in their minds, thoughtless as to if that particular college they are attending even has the educational requirements needed to complete their career goals (Murray 49). Unfortunately, as Murray reminds us, this is the system that  is in place. For “a brutal fact

In society today, a college education is often seen as a “the next step” in a young adult’s life. Whether they actually know what they would like to earn a degree in, they feel the need to continue their education as almost everyone around them is pursuing post-secondary education of some sort. It is often argued that a college education is not necessary to get ahead because of the manufacture based workforce that is up and coming in America, however, there are many benefits to having a post-secondary education such as a higher rate of pay and more job opportunities.

Theory 2 provides the opportunity for anyone to receive an education. Giving everyone a shot at success and the chance to go to school to earn a college degree opens the door for endless opportunities as well as better options in life. Our economy has made a huge transition over time from being a manufacturing economy to an economy based on knowledge and skill. If knowledge and skill is not acquired than the chance at becoming successful and living comfortable is close to impossible. Having the opportunity to go to college opens the door for new and better ideas, it allows for questions to be asked and answers to be found, and it also provides developmental and personal growth. I agree when Menand says, “It’s a way of producing a society of like-minded grownups.” It is important for everyone to have an equal opportunity to attend college to make for a better society.

Another point Kirn seems to overlook is the premise that many high schools, especially in Canada, offer introductory courses to university level material; such as courses in law, psychology, calculus, and even some higher level sciences. For many students taking these courses can give them insight as to what exactly they are in for in the coming years of their post-secondary life. For example a student could leave grade 11 physics thinking that they love the material and have enough of a grip on the math that they might be able to pursue a career down that path. However, upon taking calculus and a higher level physics course coupled they suddenly realize that they in fact hate math and

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, of the students seeking a bachelor's degree at a four-year university, on average, only 59% of them graduate within six years. It is unfortunate to note that even with the extra two years, students still struggle to persist through graduation, due to numerous hindering factors. Hence, the issue of college success now lies within the central realm of scholarly research, with numerous scholars applying previously known psychological theories to education, including Kurt Lewin’s force-field analysis model, Abraham Maslow’s need reduction theory for motivation, and the self-efficacy and attribution theories. Together, these theories have provided a framework to discover

Today many high school students are trying see if college education would good idea for future jobs or careers. Teachers and parents alike think about college being a good investments in for their children or students future. They believe that college is helping people to grow mentally and socially. Furthermore, they believe that getting a college degree is good for students that are trying to start higher paying careers, which will turn into a higher sum of money. On the other hand, there are many naysayers arguing that college is not the only option for education. But there are other options such as self-education, online schooling and vocational schooling. They consider college in being too expensive and requiring to take out loans making

College started to be the direction many students take after high school. During junior year, all the teachers start telling their student to consider college and the major that they want to pursue. Correspondingly, the students start to take the SAT and ACT tests. In junior year many students start to think if they are ready for college. Also, they start thinking about the major they want to enroll in if they decide to apply for college. More questions come in mind such as, would college be suitable for everyone? And is college worth the money the students would have to spend on tuition every semester until they graduate? From Leonhardt perspective, college is worth even with the debt it comes with. According to Matthews’s argument, college degree is needed because it is becoming more valuable with time. The arguments that both of Leonhardt and Matthews give prove that college is worth it and it is a good financial decision for most of the students.

More often than not, young students are taught to believe that they must go to a prestigious university to obtain a Bachelor’s degree or higher in order to have a fulfilling and satisfying career. This may hold true for some people, but others do not need to follow this same path. For students who choose a career that isn’t considered conventional or isn’t high in pay, they tend to be looked down upon which pressures them into choosing career paths that they do not have a passion for, or the skill set to actually accomplish which makes college a waste of time and money. While everyone should be encouraged to get an education beyond high school, people should be encouraged to get the education that is relevant and proper for them to make sure they are getting their money’s worth.

“In the United States today, there is no more certain investment than a college education”(Carnevale and Melton). Education has always been a major component of American society. One can only go so far without an education, and the more education and knowledge someone has, the better their chances of being successful. Some people believe a high school education is enough, and it is, enough to land a job at a fast food restaurant. I speculate they feel this way because they feel school is not for them, or maybe they just do not want to go far in life. To get far in life people must go above and beyond, and learn things that others do not know to make them

“Misconception No.1: A liberal arts education is a luxury that most families can no longer afford. ‘Career-education’ is what we must now focus on.” (Ungar, 2010, pp.191) As Ungar has claimed, there is a recent misconception that a liberal arts education is no longer a necessity but luxury because it doesn’t provide an instant career launching education. With so many people having to a need to spend as little money as possible, they are determined to only spend money on preparation for their future career. For this reason they go to college only to take courses that are necessary for their future. “She is in college to take vocational training. She wants to write computer code. Start a business. Get a job in television. She uses college to take vocational courses that pertain to her career interest.” (Murray, 2008, pp.228) Murray explained the story of a girl who is in college solely for preparation for her career. Because of this, she isn’t interested in a liberal arts education. If the course doesn’t directly pertain to her desired career, she prefers not to take it.

A big concern in todays’ world for graduating college students is being able to find a job right out of school. More times than not, there are many problems that occur when a student chooses a specific career path. In the short exert “Why Focusing Too Narrowly In College Could Backfire”, written by Peter Cappelli, he discusses in his opinion, as well as many others, the right path students should be taking. The lead way students should be following to secure they get a job in a field they will enjoy. Many students have trouble picking a college to go to let alone what major they want to focus on. Students are told to pick a major and start taking the classes for it as soon as possible without realizing they might not even enjoy that field of work. There are many struggles in college with picking the correct classes and

It is a well known fact but there are many people including counselors, parents, teachers, and friends who resist saying it out loud for fear it will sound like discouragement and negativity: college is definitely not for everyone. The pressure on high schools students, especially those that excel, to attend a college or university is enormous. And in the case of a bright, industrious and motivated high school student, attending a college or university is an obvious career choice. For those students, it's only a matter of what university to attend, whether one's SAT score is high enough, and the availability of the money. Then there are the millions of high school students who are not really personally motivated but are being pressured by their counselors, teachers and parents should they attend college if they really don't care? This paper examines those issues.

The decision to obtain a higher education beyond high school is no longer a question of if, but when. This is the question that author Caroline Bird discusses in her article, “College is a Waste of Time and Money,” written in 1975. This text strives to convince students, parents, and advisors that obtaining a degree might not be in the best interest for those involved. Circling around the idea that college is a requirement and no longer an act of free will. Bird starts the article off strongly by building her credibility through her own personal research and other credible sources as well as appealing to readers through logical reasoning using numerous statistics, but fails to convince readers and discredits her ultimate goal through a disconnect in her use of analogies.

Time after time you hear about going to college; whether at work, family, friends, and even when you are in high school you might have been repeatedly told of how it can benefit you in the long run in regards to your future. They say a good education can take you far in life. Students in high school may still question the importance of a college education. In the world of today people find themselves asking, “Why is it important to go to college?” An important aspect of succeeding in today’s world is getting a better education, and it’s much more than just a degree - in college you also learn how to better prepare for assignments, perhaps one of the most important things you can get out of attending

Now days, many people are told that they must graduate high school with good grades, so that they can get into a good college and be successful in life. Many people follow this because it’s what they have been taught their whole life. Most won’t even ask themselves, is college worth it, or is there a better alternative out there. College can be worth the time and money that is invested, for a lot of individuals, if they use it correctly. On the other hand, college isn’t for everyone and there are many reasons that make it not very appealing for these individuals. I consider college to be worth it if you use it correctly, even if it isn’t the best financial investment. While there are many people who think college is worth the time and money invested, there are others who disagree.