We live in a society where it is hammered into our heads that education is important. We hear things like "an education leads to a job in the future," and "with an education, so many doors are opened for you". An education is said to be crucial if one wants to succeed in life. But does college really guarantee everything will be set for you post graduation? Is it worth paying so much for college with prices always on the rise? Let's take a look at the different aspects of a college education and then we can decide whether college is worth its cost.
How about we start with the cost? According to College Board, for a public university, the average tuition cost, including room and board, is over $30,000, and over $40,000 for a private university. Each university's cost has risen about 3% over the past year, and the National Center for Education Statistics shows that the cost has been growing steadily each year. The point is that college is not getting any cheaper for students. Now, thankfully we have things like scholarships and grants available to help alleviate the amount we pay, but its always conditional. Those who usually receive more money are the minority students, those less fortunate, low-income families, students who had amazing grades, or students who were greatly involved in organizations and/or sports. But when those students come to school, unless all costs are waived for them, they still have to deal with paying for things such as food, books, personal items, and other things, and these all contribute to college debt that in the end has to be paid off. As for students who don't fall under one of these categories, such as students who come from wealthier families, or families that can pay the full tuition without a problem, they don't get a break. So, students are spending a large amount of their own money to pay for college and usually don't have as much left afterwards, unless they came from a very wealthy, or financially stable, household. In addition, as I said before, a large amount of debt is usually awaiting them after they graduate. Now that we know the cost, let's look at what colleges and universities generally offer to students in return for their money.
First, of course, it offers schooling to students by providing them with knowledge from some of the best and brightest individuals in their respective field of study. The school they attend usually determines how knowledgeable professors are in their field. These professors come with a substantial amount of expertise to pass on to their students that they can then utilize in their future jobs and careers. Secondly, it comes with connections. By connections, I mean the people, jobs, careers, and resources professors and other students have at their disposal. Some students' parents own their own businesses, have done a great deal of research in their own field or another, or they themselves have worked in certain jobs and internships that may be useful to other students. Some professors have contacts with successful businesses, companies, organizations, and individuals, that hold significant power. For students to have access to these connections, they must take it upon themselves to talk to these people and build that relationship. Now, one shouldn't only want to become close with a person to use them. Instead, it should just come as a possible bonus to that relationship. These connections can prove to be extremely beneficial in one's future. The last thing they offer are things meant to make a student marketable in the work world such as job and internship opportunities, training in different fields, and numerous resources students have at their disposal. These things will aid a student in their road to success, and not only help them have a better idea of what they would want to do with their lives, but also guide them in their trek for success. Colleges and universities also come with great times with friends, experiences you could only have in a college environment, and the chance to find yourself. As we can see, college comes with many positive things from which students can benefit a great deal. But what about after college?
Well, depending on the field you are in, a job may be easy or difficult to find. If a student is an engineer, it may not be as great a challenge landing a job because of the high demand for them in the work force. If a student is studying to become a doctor, nurse, or a medical related position, there will always be a need for them, so a job may also very well be easy to find. However, other job fields that numerous students have decided to pursue usually have a larger pool of candidates to compete with for a limited number of positions, such as lawyers, business students, psychologists, and many others. The current unemployment rate is now 5.8%, and that is 1.8% lower than November 2013, and the lowest it has been since July 2008. It has continued to decrease, and it is quite a significant percentage. The National Center for Educational Statistics states that 30% of males and between 35-40% of females are unemployed post graduation. Does a student going to any ivy league school have the same opportunity as a student attending a Historically Black College or University? Typically, the ivy league school has better things to offer because it has the money and resources. So students who don't attend prestigious schools seem to already be at a disadvantage. What about the knowledge and information students receive in the classroom? For students who actually attend class, you may realize that a professor's job is to present the information to you, and it is task of the student to understand the material. Sometimes, a professor just can't teach or convey the information in a manner that facilitates learning. It results in cases where the student either understands or is left behind. This plays a factor in the grades they receive because if they don't get what they are being taught, their grades will reflect it. Overall, we see that a student's choice of school, their professors, and the field they decide to pursue, has an impact on their future. Does that mean a student shouldn't follow their dreams if their field isn't as successful? Well, I don't think so. It's very much possible to be successful following your passion. The main reason people do not believe this is because seeing how the economy has deteriorated, money has become a major problem and necessity. So success is now measured by the amount of money one can make. However, the saying goes, "Do what you love, and the money will come." Would you rather be rich doing a job you hate, or make a decent amount doing what you love? That's a question you have to answer for your own.
Now back to the big question - is college worth it? Try looking at it from two different viewpoints - life with a college education and life without one. The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the current unemployment rate for people without a college degree is 8.5%, but the unemployment rate for those with a degree is 3.2%. Without an education, it will be significantly more difficult to find work, compete in the workplace, and retain your job. There is also a strong chance you will have less resources and opportunities available to you. Now that is not to say without an education you will not be successful. Amazing individuals such as Steve Jobs (God rest his soul), Mark Zuckerberg, a founder of Facebook, David Karp, creator of Tumblr, Daniel Ek, co-founder of Spotify, and many other examples have proved this wrong. These people had a great idea and made it a reality. However, college does not only entail receiving an education, but also experiencing different things that help one learn about themselves, be successful in life, and shape themselves to be better people. I would also recommend college to have a better chance at a secure future. I do not believe that college is worth its cost, with prices being so ridiculous these days, and that it should be lowered to make it attainable to students who may not be able to receive a secondary education for different reasons, whether it be finances, family situations, or something else. If society wants a college education to be something every student receives, they shouldn't make it so it costs them an arm and a leg to better themselves. That's my piece. I'm not here to tell anyone what to do, just merely stating my own opinion. Take into account the information I have shared, do your own research, because I didn't cover every aspect of school, and think about your future. Think about what you could do with and without a college education, and make an educated decision on whether or not college should be your next step. I hope you found my piece helpful for the most part and keep an eye open for later posts I release about college, and what it means for you.
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