Introduction
Education is an essential aspect of our society that keeps evolving daily because of technological advancements. It equips the learners with the required knowledge and skills to navigate through the challenges of life. One of the highest achievements in the academic world involves studying at college because this is the level that defines the course that the learner’s life is likely to take. A good example is that the student gets to identify a career and specialize in it by getting the right knowledge and skills. The essay “Should Everyone go to College” offers greater insights on college education and why it is a suitable option for individuals wanting to advance their studies. I agree with their view because college is a worthy investment, and the government should ensure that it is affordable for all learners who wish to advance their studies. This essay explains why I agree with the author’s stance on the significance of college education and how higher learning institutions limit learners’ opportunities to participate in college education.
Summary of the Contents of the Essay
The essay is highly informative as it describes why individuals should not fear pursuing a college degree because it is an ideal investment. Some of the benefits asserted by the author include better social and health outcomes, job security, expose the person to higher earnings and provide them with beneficial networks to grow their profession. The authors further indicate that even though the economic times are quite challenging, they should not be a limiting factor as to why people fear seeking a college education.
The Benefits of College Education
One of the reasons why people should go to college is that the opportunity equips them with the desired skills to compete effectively within the labor markets on a better pay scale. The American Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that most workers with a post-secondary degree tend to earn better pay than those who search for work with a high school education certificate. In other nations, people with college degrees are likely to get jobs because they possess the required skills, unlike high school graduates (Mitchell et al., 2019). Better pay results in a person’s lifestyle change by improving the quality of their life as people can afford basic healthcare treatment and education and have a better awareness of the appropriate behaviors, such as regular physical activity, for a healthier lifestyle.
The other reason is that colleges allow the learners to form new networks and relationships which promote career advancement. A good example is that a college education allows individuals to connect with an academic advisor who accords the learners with the support they require throughout their experiences in college. The advisors not only assist the learners by scheduling classes but also provide them with the direction they require to navigate various academic resources within the campus. They are also suitable role models who mentor and encourage learners to aim high to succeed (Parker,2019). The college environment also creates a forum of peer interaction as the learners engage in various group activities and class discussions. These allow people to improve communication and establish a meaningful professional network through long-lasting relationships that grow into their professional networks. In addition, it allows the learners to connect with the alumni and become part of the alumni association after graduation. Alumni associations always play a vital role in giving back to the university through organizing and participating in various key events and mentorship of the learners. The alumni also work in various professions, and having a good relationship with them positions the learner on a pedestal of referral to various beneficial career opportunities.
College education also increases one’s chances of getting employed since most job descriptions require the learner to have a bachelor’s degree as one of the most preferred qualifications. Most employers worldwide consider college education a worthy investment as undergraduate degrees always involve various associate and bachelor’s degrees, which offer the learners a combination of specific education-related courses and specialization in certain disciplines that interest the learner. With the degrees, the learners get to develop field-specific and broad-based forms of knowledge that make them competitive within the job market. College education also equips the learner with meaningful soft and hard skills that allow them to participate in various experimental learning opportunities, which are relevant as the learners get to have a firsthand experience of issues that translate to real-life events (Arellano, 2023). The experimental learning approaches could adopt various forms. For example, a degree in cyber security allows the learner to join the college National Cyber League team, which tests their functional capability of cryptography and the other concepts they are likely to experience while undertaking the roles of cyber security. Other opportunities for experimental learning involve project-based assignments and internships, which are always done in partnership with various professional organizations. Learners can equally leverage the experiences on their resumes and work portfolios whenever they are called for job interviews to reveal to their employers how competitive and suitable they are for particular positions. Furthermore, college degrees allow learners to stabilize their careers by reducing unemployment rates, and that only confirms that college degrees are a worthwhile investment.
College degrees are also a pillar for expanding future opportunities since the degree is a suitable credential required to land a dream career. The degree also gives one a close view of their work as a career instead of a normal job for payment. According to the Pew Research Center, 77% of all the workers who have a postgraduate degree and 60% of the workers who have a bachelor’s degree live with the belief that their jobs accord them a greater sense of identity, unlike the 38% who have a high school diploma or something less than that. Studying for a degree allows the learner to gain some practical skills as a college student because they will always have to submit tasks within the deadline, equipping the learners with time management skills (Arellano, 2023). The degree also affects the family members and their future because, for most parents, that is an opportunity to be better role models and set the right examples for their children and future generations. Also, with the advice and tips on the best approaches to budgeting, one is likely to discover a helpful and ideal budgeting technique by learning about the other options of financing, which is a suitable process for future investment, like purchasing a home or a car. Therefore, parents and guardians should encourage their children to pursue a college degree because it is among the preparations an individual requires for their future.
How Colleges Limit Opportunities for Learners
Even though college education is important for learners, most institutions of higher learning perpetuate inequality in the learner’s efforts to seek education. Equality involves providing similar resources to every learner, while equity involves giving more to those in need (Lynn et al., 2020). One of the reasons for educational inequality is racism. The government always needs to distribute resources based on demand. Instead, it offers resources based on the needs of the ethnic majority, which is disadvantageous to minority learners as they have to access information secondhand. The other aspect is that it affects the expectations of the teachers and the other learners as the students of color always have to work extra hard to earn the required scores, unlike most students. The teachers always criticize the work of students of color when giving feedback, as the feedback is always void of constructive criticism, affecting their overall performance.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the benefits of college education to students cannot be ignored because of the numerous benefits offered to the learners. The article’s authors indicate that college degrees are beneficial because they position the learner for higher pay and a better future, allowing people to lead a better quality of life. Despite this, the existing systems create a limitation to the efforts of academic achievement through racial bias. Therefore, in partnership with stakeholders, the government needs to determine the appropriate approaches to address these challenges and ensure that the learners are equipped with the skills required to navigate the job market.
References
Arellano, K. (2023). STEP Mentorship Leads to Global Education on Bilingual Benefits. Leader Live. https://leader.pubs.asha.org/do/10.1044/leader.SSAY.28012023.bilingual-step-pair.36/full/
Lynn, C. D., Guitar, A., Keck, C. M., & Rector, A. L. (2020). Applied evolutionary education: the benefits and costs of hosting regional evolution conferences. Evolution: Education and Outreach, pp. 13, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12052-020-00121-z
Mitchell, M., Leachman, M., & Saenz, M. (2019). State higher education funding cuts have pushed costs to students and worsened inequality. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 24, 9-15. https://tacc.org/sites/default/files/documents/2019-11/state_he_funding_cuts.pdf
Parker, K. (2019). The growing partisan divide in views of higher education. Pew Research Center, p. 19. https://luminafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/the-growing-partisan-divide-in-views-of-higher-education.pdf
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