The Importance of a College Education
Many teenagers, after high school, attend some form of higher education, whether that be junior/community college or a four-year university. People attend college for usually one of two reasons, to become an expert in their field or so that they can make money and have a very luxurious life after college. However, there are a number of teenagers who decide to go to college because that’s what they think is expected of them. So, that leaves the real question, what is the purpose of college?
This question is a difficult one to answer seeing as going to college requires quite a lot of money. To be able to afford college without taking out loans or turning in bonds is not very common. Most students will get some sort of financial aid, but more often than not it’s not enough. According to David Leonhardt, student debt is now going over one trillion dollars. However, he says that college is worth it. Leonhardt says in his article “the decision not to attend college for fear that it’s a bad deal is among the most economically irrational decisions anybody could make…” He is talking about a paper written by Mr. Autor, which says, the actual cost of a college education is negative $500,000. This is because if you calculate the total cost of a college/university and subtract that from how much a college graduate makes, the net cost is negative $500,000. Later in David Leonhardt’s article, he talks about how just having a college degree is one of the most reliable things out there. One of my favorite lines in his article is “Those who question the value of college tend to be those with the luxury of knowing their own children will be able to attend it.”
Many people believe that it isn’t necessarily worth it to attend college. On the other hand, many people believe that it isn’t possible to be wealthy without one. Now-a-days, that’s what the majority of high school kids think. They believe that if they want to be rich, then they have to go to college or become a professional athlete. And out of those two options, the more realistic choice is to go to college. But what they aren’t realizing is that college offers so much more than that. Yes, depending on the classes you take, you will learn how to maximize your earnings and how to invest and all of that. However, you’re also going to learning a lot of skills that will be valuable later on in life. Dr. Muriel A. Howard is the president of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. In her article titled “Responding to the Commoditization of Higher Educaiton”, she talks about what the real meaning of college is. She says “…we prepare students for life, and challenge them to think beyond the confines of conventional thinking—whether that thinking is focused on philosophy, art, physics, chemistry, literature, mathematics, history, or any other subject that the mind can divine.” This statement is very true because in the college classroom you are learning so much about expanding your thoughts and how to make your thoughts a reality. She later goes on to say that “There is a grave danger in viewing higher education as no more than the means to a higher-paying job.” Dr. Howard believes that if that is the only reason people attend college/university, then the result will inevitably take us a step back in time.
That leaves with the main question still standing, what is the purpose of college? College is more than just a ticket to wealth and status. It’s a vital tool in real life applications. At college, you will learn valuable skills that will last a lifetime. Yes, college is wicked expensive in this day in age. However, with the skills it provides you, you will achieve what you paid for and more later in life.
This question is a difficult one to answer seeing as going to college requires quite a lot of money. To be able to afford college without taking out loans or turning in bonds is not very common. Most students will get some sort of financial aid, but more often than not it’s not enough. According to David Leonhardt, student debt is now going over one trillion dollars. However, he says that college is worth it. Leonhardt says in his article “the decision not to attend college for fear that it’s a bad deal is among the most economically irrational decisions anybody could make…” He is talking about a paper written by Mr. Autor, which says, the actual cost of a college education is negative $500,000. This is because if you calculate the total cost of a college/university and subtract that from how much a college graduate makes, the net cost is negative $500,000. Later in David Leonhardt’s article, he talks about how just having a college degree is one of the most reliable things out there. One of my favorite lines in his article is “Those who question the value of college tend to be those with the luxury of knowing their own children will be able to attend it.”
Many people believe that it isn’t necessarily worth it to attend college. On the other hand, many people believe that it isn’t possible to be wealthy without one. Now-a-days, that’s what the majority of high school kids think. They believe that if they want to be rich, then they have to go to college or become a professional athlete. And out of those two options, the more realistic choice is to go to college. But what they aren’t realizing is that college offers so much more than that. Yes, depending on the classes you take, you will learn how to maximize your earnings and how to invest and all of that. However, you’re also going to learning a lot of skills that will be valuable later on in life. Dr. Muriel A. Howard is the president of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. In her article titled “Responding to the Commoditization of Higher Educaiton”, she talks about what the real meaning of college is. She says “…we prepare students for life, and challenge them to think beyond the confines of conventional thinking—whether that thinking is focused on philosophy, art, physics, chemistry, literature, mathematics, history, or any other subject that the mind can divine.” This statement is very true because in the college classroom you are learning so much about expanding your thoughts and how to make your thoughts a reality. She later goes on to say that “There is a grave danger in viewing higher education as no more than the means to a higher-paying job.” Dr. Howard believes that if that is the only reason people attend college/university, then the result will inevitably take us a step back in time.
That leaves with the main question still standing, what is the purpose of college? College is more than just a ticket to wealth and status. It’s a vital tool in real life applications. At college, you will learn valuable skills that will last a lifetime. Yes, college is wicked expensive in this day in age. However, with the skills it provides you, you will achieve what you paid for and more later in life.