Is the tassel
really worth the hassle? This is a question that I often ponder while spending much
time, money and effort on schooling. In America many students attend college or
other programs after high school and even later in life. Higher education is
stressed among students throughout their entire life. Growing up college was
always a big hype in school and even at home. I was always being prepared by
learning study habits and even how to do my own laundry for when I would leave
the house for college. With all the time, effort and money that go into a college
education it makes me question, is college essential for a successful job? There
are many advantages to attending higher education schools.
Today
in America College and other higher education programs are strongly encouraged.
When I was young it wasn’t a question of if I was going to college or not, it
was a question of what school I would go to. My parents always enforced that we
needed to go to college in order to be successful. After being at college, it
makes me wonder if college really is essential for a successful life. Going to
a four year, career based college can be very expensive, take a lot of time,
and can be very stressful. I did indeed
find that it higher education does benefit us.
Degrees
help you to get jobs. According to Charles Murray in “Are too Many People Going
to College?” He states, “Employers value the B.A. because it is a no-cost (for
them) screening device for academic ability and perseverance” (233). My mom
works for a bentonite company where I have seen this happen numerous times. She
helps to interview for possible employees. If the person does not have a
degree, they are automatically looked passed and sent to the bottom of the
pile. Employers look for degrees from
universities knowing the possible employees had to do something in order to
receive them. Before being asked in for an interview, employers look at resumes
or job applications where you would put your job qualifications on. A degree is
highly looked upon by employers. Also according to Charles Murray, “With more
than a third of 23-year-olds now getting a B.A., many employers can reasonably
limit their hiring pool to college graduates because bright and ambitious high
school graduates who can go to college usually do go to college” (234). If you
do not go to college it decreases your chances of being able to get a job. Higher
paying jobs usually are given to college graduates as well. I found a quote
from “Starting out in America.” By Dovel and Young stating, “It's no surprise
that the more you learn, the more you earn” (Section Edu Pays, para 1).
Higher
education takes up time in order to earn a degree. Many universities are the
typical 4 year programs helping you to graduate. After graduation you can also
apply for grad school, depending on your major or field of study you are
entering. There are also technical schools and others that can be 2 year
programs. Also according to Dovel and Young, “College grads aren't the only
ones to reap the rewards of higher education. Whether workers attend a trade
school, a community college or a PhD program, the additional schooling pays
off” (Section Edu Pays, para 2). Attending any of these programs will take up time;
but in the long run it benefits you.
College
is very expensive to attend. College prices continue to rise each year, costing
students more and more money. Liberal Arts schools in America are
even more expensive than universities. Liberal art universities are typically
four year colleges that encompass a wide variety of classes. They focus on
other things rather than classes just dealing with the major, giving students a
more rounded degree. According to Sandford J. Ungar in “The New Liberal Arts”
he says, “There is plenty wrong with American higher education, including
runaway costs” (195). Costs in college continues to grow each year, making it
harder for some students to attend college. Even though the price is high, the
education is still worth is. Also according to Dovel and Young they state that, “On average,
college-educated workers make 65% more than workers with high-school diplomas;
15 years ago, college grads made just 35% more” (Section Edu Pays, para 1). You
can see with this statistic that even with the increase in prices for college,
the pay is also increasing.
As
I researched more into my topic I found numerous facts about higher education
and if it is worth all the time, money, and effort that I put into school. As
college prices continue to increase, so does the job pay after graduating. This
helped me to understand and give me more of a confidence boost to finish
college. I realize that yes indeed, the tassel is really worth all the hassle.
Works
Cited
Graff, Gerald, Cathy Birkenstein,
and Russel Durst. “They Say/ I Say”: The
Moves That Matter in Academic Writing: With Readings. 2nd ed. New
York: Norton, 2012. Print.
Murray, Charles. “Are Too Many
People Going to College?”. Graff, Birkenstein and Durst 222-42. Print.
Ungar, Sandford J. “The New Liberal
Arts.” Graff, Birkenstein and Durst 190-97. Print.
Wilcox, Melynda Dovel, and Katie
Young. "Starting Out In America Today." Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine. EBSCO MegaFILE, Apr. 1994.
Web. 29 Sept. 2013.
