The Importance Of Obtaining A College Education

One of the most important keys that I’ve been taught throughout my life was to go to college. My mother would always remind my brothers and I of how much college is important right after Sunday’s church service. She would always say, “Kids, me and your father work very hard so that you won’t have to live like us in the future. A life of making a few dollars an hour is a life you boys don’t deserve, trust me.” Attending college has always been my main goal, but will I live up to my own expectations?

The decision of whether or not to attend college can be difficult, especially given the tremendous costs associated with tuition, books, and campus living. Moreover, getting a good job or earning an attractive income is not necessarily guaranteed with a college degree. The decision of whether or not to attend college must come from within, and must transcend thoughts about money. For me, going to college represents a genuine personal feat. There are three main reasons why college education is important to me. First, I would be the first person in my generation to receive a higher education. My going to college therefore represents a new precedent in my family. Second, I love learning and want the opportunity to expand my personal and academic horizons. Third, the career path I have embarked on is one that requires a college education in order to succeed. Therefore, a college education is important to me because of personal and professional reasons.

I was born in Cuba and moved to the United States at the age of ten. I had to overcome several barriers such as language and culture. Learning the English language and adapting to a new culture was extremely challenging. In order to overcome these obstacles, dedication and persistency were key factors in the process. The lessons learned from these events have turned into advantages that have fueled my desire to complete my college education. I graduated with a bachelor of business administration in accounting from St. Thomas University. However, I believe that in order to be successful, one must have an extended and deep understanding of the concepts that will be used in one’s endeavors. For this reason I believe that the Masters of Finance

Education that succeeds past the years of your high school graduation is what counts when you go out looking to make a career for yourself. Going into the start of high school parents, teachers, counselors, and many other administrators prep you for the path you need to take to college. An education that is beyond your senior of high school can be very beneficially to shaping your life and helping with many accomplishments you wish to have. A college education is something that shapes and helps develop you into an adult. Hence, going to college can help me gain insight into the world, provide more knowledge, and many opportunities can increase in my life.

The higher education system  should be closing the gap between the rich and the poor. But the college economics are driving them further apart. In the United States, people like to view higher education as a great equalizer for social mobility of people. But selective colleges have long been accused of perpetuating race and class division, rather than blurring them. A study by Stanford’s Caroline Hoxby and Harvard’s Christopher Avery lent further practical evidence  to the accusation, finding out that high-achieving low-income students do not have access to selective school and most of the time do not apply to top tier colleges knowing they won’t get in.

Have you ever felt the need to just go to college? A highly debated topic in the United States is college. Some may argue that college is worth it other say it not. A college education is valuable for everyone, with a college degree you get more job offers and you receive a higher pay.

The importance of getting a college degree is centered around society's view on telling students that it is the right way to go. The biggest reason college is not an option for some people because of the student debt. In order to attend college, most students must take out student loans. “As of June 2016, about 42 million Americans owed $1.3 trillion in student debt,” (Is a College Education). Also, the debt can cause students to go out and waste their college degrees. For example, when students graduate they live with their parents and also delay relationships. Even though college can cause students to have debt, going to college is worth the cost because of the ability to learn new skills, have financial and career benefits, and the ability to self-improve.

For the majority of individuals who are in or out of highschool, we often ask ourselves this question which can potentially determine how the rest of our lives are lived. This question is important and is, “Should or should I not go to college.” According to the U.S Census Bureau, “33.4 percent of Americans 25 or older said they had completed a bachelor’s degree or higher which is a sharp rise from the 28 percent with a college degree a decade ago.” This sharp rise in college graduates does not come without reason. The answer to whether you should or should not attend college is simple. There is a great value in having completed a college degree. It provides you with a better source of income, a healthier and happier life, and gives you more opportunity. However going to college does not come without sacrifice. Despite that, in the long run the impact a college education has on your life outweighs the sacrifices you have to make in order to attend college. There is a great value attached to a college level education, and everyone should strive to get one even if there are struggles.

I believe getting a college education is important. It’s worth while in the long run to get a college degree. It is also a good reason to attend college because more opportunities will be available to you than to people with only a high school education. There is also the money factor. College graduates make more money each year than people who just went to high school. There are more well paying job opportunities that are open to someone with a college degree than people who don’t have a college degree. College is also a choice, which means that if you go to college you will be surrounded by people that also want to be there to learn.

As a student from an inner-city school, my experiences have bred a type of yearning and appreciation for the potential of a good, college education. I held the values of a family and community who taught me that whatever I sought after, I could achieve. These values that were instilled in me, have gone on to render me an active community member, as well as a strong, influential African American female who made selfless acts.

There are a handful of achievements one unlocks during their quest through life, whether it be starting a new job, getting married, or having a child. One of the most significant of them is graduating from college. When an individual walks across the stage and is handed the key to life, they are able to open the doors of many opportunities. Not only do students leave college with an education, but with other hidden skills. For instance, college graduates become more employable individuals, are exposed to a diverse environment, and are subjected to extra support and guidance from people who will help them achieve their goals. Leaving college with more than one went for, in itself, is a reason a college education is worth it.

I would like to acknowledge my entire family for their help and for never giving up on me. I have to thank my parents for tirelessly encouraging a son who didn’t seem that interested in getting a degree for a very long time. They also shouldered an enormous portion of the financial burden involved in attending a university. I would also like to thank my younger brother. Ironically, he has been a role model for me, and has been an example of how to be a better student as well as a better man. Both of my grandmothers have been wonderful and patient with me, while making sure that I understood that they were both expecting a graduation at some point. Lastly, I would like to acknowledge my wife, who has supported and encouraged me during this last stretch of going back to school after a long hiatus. Without her love and support on a daily basis, I am quite sure I would not be completing my degree in December.

A college education in the twenty-first century is easily one of the most crucial things that can make life cruise by at a much more comfortable pace. College is worth the time, effort, and money due to its multiple “bridges” to a better job and life altogether. College prepares you for a “real world” job by connecting you to college related internships, forces you to gain organizational skills, creates a self-worth and independence, and finally the experience is simply worth it.

Education was never a priority or something I placed much value in personally. However, within the past few years, my perspective has shifted from one of negativity and doubt to a genuine desire to learn, and embrace the opportunity to pursue an undergraduate degree. Being homeschooled from kindergarten to graduation I was not exposed to a formal classroom setting, and felt robbed of the experience of learning with others and knowing where I stood on an intellectual level with my peers. I also struggled throughout all of school, with an attitude of doubt, and a paralyzing fear of failure. Because I was never interested in school, and felt like I was stupid--especially in comparison to my older siblings and friends who excelled intellectually--I truly believed that I would never pursue a college education; I had made up my mind that I could not succeed in a classroom.

Ever since I was a young girl, I have loved learning. I used to read anything in front of me, even the Spanish labels on shampoo bottles. Naturally, I was set on not stopping my education at a high school diploma. Therefore, going to college has always been a goal of mine, and I’m finally able to fulfill that goal. I’m very thankful for the opportunity to expand my mind and discover new information. However, as I’m getting older, I realize that fulfilling my college goal is not the only reason I chose to pursue a college degree. New reasons have arisen. For instance, I need a higher education to work in a medical field, and going to college is something that feels obligatory. How apathetic are these reasons, though? Growing up so often steals curiosity and passion, which I find disheartening. So, I have decided to fight that, and I will fight by reflecting on not only the economic reasons I started college, but also on remembering my enthusiasm for learning, my desire for self-improvement, and the eternal implications of my decisions.