The Real Value Of Higher Education

College is becoming increasingly expensive, ranging from 60,000 dollars to around 10,000 dollars. In the United states, 75% of people feel that “college is too expensive”(Source F). But to what extent should money rule an individual's life? The same survey also reported that 86% of people feel as though “college has been a good investment for them personally.” (Source F) This statistic proves that money should not control the life of an individual because although college is expensive a vast majority of people enjoy it. A college education not only prepares someone for a career in the future, but allows academic experimentation, higher pay as an adult and teaches students skills that young adults with only a high school degree may lack.

“You don’t have to be a genius or a visionary or even a college graduate to be successful. You just need a framework and a dream” (Michael Dell).College education prices are not worth it. College does not land you a good paying job, you end up in deep debt, and it is not worth it for low-income families. College prices are not worth it. Why, because of the rises cost of tuition and the lack of public school preparation.

I will discuss what the value of a college education means to me. A higher education will give me many physical benefits such as economic stability, a better quality of life for my family, more career choices, better job security, set a good example for my children at the same time, a college education will also give me many intangible benefits such as boosting my self-confidence, helping me to learn specialized knowledge, thinking critically, bringing me in contact with different people, learning better communication skill and being part of a team. It is something that will serve me well throughout my career and life. So, what is the value of college education to me? After I sat down and took some time to carefully consider what a college

Is getting a higher education worth the price? I think it is. In the book, “they say I say” the author, argues that not getting an education doesn’t necessary mean not having a good job or a good position. I disagree. I believe education is really important. You may think you have a good job in your possession or a good secure position, but later in life when a promotional opportunity arises, you’ll always fall short without the degree at your fingertips. Jobs requiring minimal or no education usually involve strenuous labor and lack the opportunities to advance. These jobs generally won’t be in the office. People with a higher education stand out in society, not just because they might necessary

As it is heavily believed and statistically proved by Document A, Earnings and Unemployment Rates Based on Educational Attainments (2015), the higher the degree earned, the more money attained, similarly the higher the degree earned, the lower the unemployment rate. This proves the worth of college by giving numerical comparisons of those who invested in it verses those who didn’t. The median weekly earnings of $1,730 from someone with a professional degree put up against the $678 from someone who only graduated from high school shows a very obvious difference. This information greatly supports the decision of going to college by displaying the “in the long run” advantage of college through the amount of money you can make in the future with the degree you earn

Some of the most incredible advancements the human race have made have been in the past century. We have sent men to the moon, improved communication systems, and made the largest technological advancements since the invention of the wheel. In 1946, the first official computer, named ENIAC, was made. It weighed 100,000 pounds, and all it was used for were various calculations. That was only 69 years ago, but now computers can be found everywhere in developed nations. In less than one decade, we have progressed from a 100,000 pound computer to handheld computers that weigh less a pound and can be used for numerous different tasks. It is crazy to think that the simple luxuries that our generation have become accustom to were not normal for our parents or grandparents. An increase in education is the reason we have been able to progress in such an accelerated way. The value of a college education lies in its ability to allow individuals to grow academically, by expanding their knowledge of various subjects, and socially, by being exposed to many different characters and beliefs. These skills ensure that they will have a better future because they will be advancing faster than those who chose other paths. A four year college education, although not for everyone, can push young adults in the right direction.

In 1931 the phrase "American Dream" swept the world and continues to bring hope to many Americans today. James Truslow Adams book, The Epic of America, defines the term as a “dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.” This phrase continues to aspire hope Americans of a better life with endless possibilities. As time moves past the 1930s the pure reality of achieving the American Dream dwindles. Harsh realities quickly set in; people just are not making enough money to support themselves. Everyday costs such as health insurance, mortgages, transportation, and costs of pursing higher education depletes any chances of upward mobility on the social ladder. America creates establishes college to be a necessity by increasing tuition prices; this drastically affects the everyday American’s ability to afford it. The rising costs of achieving higher public education in the United Stated schooling system reflects the increasing enrollment rates correlating with the increasing amount of student loans creating a higher dropout rate than in previous generations.

Although college is very educational, I don’t think college is worth the cost. College is very educational. It helps you learn the skills for your future and you get a degree if the course is completed. The degree helps in many ways even if it's a job that doesn't need a degree. For example in source D it states,”A new study even shows that a bachelor's degree pays off for jobs that don’t require one:secretaries,plumbers,and cashiers.” Jobs like plumbers and secretaries don't need a bachelor's degree but it can help to have one. College Is NOT worth the cost, even if you pay all the money for college it is not guaranteed that you will pass the course and have the degree. If a student doesn't get a scholarship they have to pay to get into a

Nearly every day, it seems that we as students are lectured to about the necessity of a college education. It seems that without a proper, costly university experience, we would be unable to lead a fulfilling and successful life. Despite the years of one’s life it takes up and the financial toll of the tuition, we’re told that it’s worth every second and every penny. However, we also learn about those who have been confined by outstanding student loan debt and have had little to no success after graduation. We’ve been confounded for a long time with the same question: is college worth the cost? As a society, we are unable to unite upon a reasonable response to this question. So, should we answer it?

In their article “Should everyone go to college?” Stephanie Owen, Senior research assistant, and Isabel Sawhill, former Vice President of the Brookings Institute, argue that many factors lead to individuals not being able to attend college. They go on to claim these factors to be school choice, career field, graduation, and area of study. The article states that while on average the rate of return is usually positive, there are cases in which it is negative. One of their focal points is what it cost to attend college and its affordability. Claiming that with the rise in the cost of college, which progresses at a faster rate than that of the job wage increase, that college is becoming less affordable. In their conclusion a three step policy plan is included for individuals who plan to attend college. While realistically I agree that yes, some individuals should not go to college, my optimistic side would like to believe that everyone should and can go to college without it becoming a sour investment.

“… 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).

In the essay “What A College Education Buys” written by Christopher Caldwell, the author questions whether or not the value of a college education today supports the high cost of obtaining a degree. Having a college degree is viewed as having achieved some measure of accomplishment. People think you are more intelligent for having gone to college. Employers seem to be more eager to hire college graduates. Certainly we have been told that having a degree will help to ensure you earn more money. But is being a college graduate an obtainable goal for everyone? Can we afford to succeed or has college become one more area that is reserved for more affluent people? According to the Caldwell “…the price of

Americans have always believed that going to college is beneficial in many aspects and leads to a promising financial future.Recently, people have started to challenge this belief. Back in the day, if you had a college degree you were almost guaranteed a job. As Sir Ken Robinson puts it “You’re better having a degree than not, but it's not a guarantee”. Robinson has a valid argument; education trumps ignorance, but at the same, you don’t always have a high paying job waiting for you. Common sense seems to dictate that if their isn’t a job awaiting you then why waste money on a degree? This imposes another debate; are colleges worth the price of admission? In Andrew Hacker’s recent studies, Hacker seeked to compose an answer. He concluded that

I have vigorous convictions that lead me to believe that a college education is worth it. A number of jobs require some college inculcation or a degree. The number of the jobs that require college education have highly incremented over the years; furthermore, a college education will proffer a plethora of money, diverse from what just a high school education would give you. In the article “Is a College Education Worth it?”, Henry Punoinoin encapsulates the essence that college is unanimously worth going to by divulging information and evidence fortifying his tone and noetic conceptions about the topic.

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.