Why Liberal Arts Matters Summary

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.

Nowadays, companies require at least a college degree for better income. If an employer has two candidates for an open position, he will pick the best of both the one that fills all the requirements. Also, there is a high probability that the person chosen is the one with the highest level of education. Another reason to have a college degree is to earn more money with better features and benefits. In today’s society the cost of rent, food, medical insurance, and others bills is too high. A person with a high school diploma may need to have two jobs to support its family. Nowadays, the best recommendations are to either have a business or at least have a degree this will facilitate your income. A college degree is the base to accomplish higher goals in a company. The more education an employee has the faster this person gets to move up in a company.

More people than ever before are attending college due to the endless opportunities that it provides. Louis Menand, a college professor and the author of “Live and Learn: Why We Have College,” explains the meaning of college through three theories that have been developed. Theory 1 supports the idea of the sorting-out process that separates the highly intelligent from the less intelligent. Menand’s second theory explains that college provides opportunities for developmental growth, personal growth, and teaches individuals about the world around us. These are valuable lessons that will not be learned anywhere else. Theory three supports the idea of people attending college to specialize in a specific vocation. I

Imagine a store only sold two sizes of the new shirt you wanted. In today's society that is the perfectly painted picture on college education. College has become an option, a granted privilege, and no longer a necessity. Jobs such as small business owners, Web developers, and Wind Turbine Technician no longer require a college degree. College education is still worth it because college, ¨encourages students to think, ask questions, and explore new ideas, which allows for additional growth and development and provides college graduates with an edge in the job market over those who have not experienced a higher education¨ (McGuire). A college degree is an essential tool in an adult's life because of prominent health, labor market balance, and overall career success.

As technology evolves and the price of higher education increases, alternatives to College are considered. Some people don’t believe a college education is necessary to be successful. Instead, they decide to go into business for themselves, using the skills and crafts that they 've developed on their own time to become entrepreneurs. In this day and age, it is easier than ever to learn from the comfort of ones home and actually get a degree in something with a high pay out, such as a real estate license or accounting degrees. But what social skills will be gained from sitting in pajamas on the couch? In college, you not only finish with a degree, you get real world experience. College is necessary for success and survival.

If you get a degree in college the unemployment rate is 4.5%, if you just get a diploma for high school the unemployment rate is 11.3% percent. Getting a degree in college boosts your chances of getting in the job position you want. Imagine a situation where you and someone else are applying for the same job. You have a diploma and the other person has a degree in that line of business, guess who the employer will pick. The career options are a lot larger

College students get to analyze other subjects that they may have not shown an interest in before; that will help them construct their career. Getting the necessary skills students need, will assure their success on anything they choose to do. “It is the education which gives a man a clear conscious view of his own opinions and judgments, a truth in developing them, and a force in urging them” (Newman, 54). Education gives students a better understanding their own opinions, and judgments; it creates anxiousness in developing them, a fluency in expressing them, and a power in urging them.

After students expand their knowledge in college and receive a degree they have greater odds of finding a higher paying, more desirable job or career. The degree a student obtains while in college will help him or her have more success once they have graduated. Having a college degree offers a competitive edge against others.

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

Martin Luther King Junior said, “Intelligence plus character-that is the goal of true education.” Higher education does not exist for the sole purpose of preparing students for future jobs; it’s there in order to prepare individuals for life where they are expected to participate in their community, their government, and the lives of those around them. Liberal arts, in particular, exist for the broadening of students’ minds in order for them to be successful not only in their chosen career but also in their lives outside of it. Liberal arts lost their past popularity during the last few decades, but they shouldn’t be disregarded in favor of technical and professional degrees because they still provide students with skills that are perhaps less tangible, but no less necessary for life in modern world.

College is a great place for many to experience new things and to further education. However, college is not for everyone. According to the film Ivory Tower, college teaches people valuable skills such as networking with peers and extensive knowledge. College also provides students, upon graduation, with a degree and proper credentials. Based on a survey done by the Pew Research Center; the article “The Rising Cost of Not going to College,” states that “economic analysis consistently find that college graduates regardless of generation are doing better than those with less education,” this shows that there is a reasonable gap between a college degree and a high school diploma. On the other hand, it may not be worth the rising costs. Carolina Bird, author of “Where College Fails Us,” mentions in her article “in the current slowdown it has become evident that there were never, and probably never will be, enough jobs requiring higher education to go around,” (59-60) this shows some people's job outlook may not be aligned with their major. Jeffrey Selingo’s article “Is College Worth the Cost? Many Recent Graduates Don’t Think So,” says that “nearly half of college graduates in their 20s are underemployed, meaning the jobs they have do not require a bachelor’s degree,” this brings up the possibility of college not being beneficial to many. College can be needed because of higher salaries after graduation and providing people with the tools to succeed. On the contrary, going to

Going to college and obtaining a college degree would provide one with endless possibilities and opportunities in their life. While attending college students have the chance to meet many new people. This provides students to get out of their shells and explore new ideas. Having a college degree also widens ones options for a career and gives the opportunity to make a better salary. Many jobs today are requiring employees to have some type of college degree. Employers also pay an extra amount if one does obtain a college degree, and having a college degree often provides for greater promotion opportunity.

The benefits of a college degree are not just for money, but also a college degree will also give a person more career options. A person with a college degree will have more career options than someone without a college degree because employers will see that one has a college degree and think that person knows what to do and can do the job well. Employers want the best person for the job and a college degree looks really good on a person’s resume (Ten Great…). In a survey that was casted to see what employers look for, those employers said that they wanted people that have dependability, reliability, a good attitude, the ability to read comfortably, the ability to think more consciously, computer skills, and the ability to communicate clearly whether it be spoken or in writing (Knowledge and…). Along the path of getting a college degree, one will also learn these skills and attributes.

Firstly, society should view higher education as much more than the path to obtaining a degree. The real merit of higher education lies not in the practical use of a degree to obtain a job, but simply in the acquisition of more knowledge. On a basic level, attending a university gives young minds a space in which to study their chosen field. The Chinese philosopher Hsun Tzu argued that

A person is more likely to be more successful in life when attaining a higher degree. They can pursue a successful career that they are passionate about. Higher education is beneficial because no matter what you choose to do it will always be there to back you up in the future. Having a college degree can help you with financial stability as well. But, in today’s world, does having a college degree mean you can get any job at any given place or time? Not always will you find jobs that need certain degrees to be placed in jobs. Many places prefer no degree than having one. Some jobs require something even higher. There are a few limitations on having higher education. Also, by having higher education, it does not necessarily mean a person knows everything. You may have little to no education and still learn and know more things than someone with higher education can. For example, in Blue-Collar Brilliance, Mike Rose; Rose’s mother had dropped out of school to help support her family in a diner. She did not need school or a degree to develop psychological skills. She knew how things worked in a person by socially connecting to them. “Her tip depended on how well she responded to these needs, and so she became adept at reading social cues and managing feelings, both the customers’ and her own.” (Rose). That goes to show that higher education is not always needed in workplaces that use more connection to humans