Is the Tassel Worth the Hassle?

   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. 2^nd 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.