advantages of college education essay

The Benefits of a College Education Essay Sample

Today, it is expected that after graduating high school students plan on continuing their education at a university. We do know how beneficial a college degree can be. It not only gives students a better chance at an entry level job but also a lot of college graduates are suffering from student loans. According to US news “College graduates from the class of 2020 who took out student loans borrowed $29,927 on average, according to data reported to US news.” (Kerr and Wood, 2021).  So, in the end, we need to ask ourselves, all those years of studying, the high student loans, and not even being guaranteed a steady job after college, is it worth it?  While attending college can lead to a better more successful life, how does one define a student’s success beyond a college degree? As a current college student at Winona State University, this is important for not just me but other students to determine what are the factors in predicting whether to attend college or not? And how influential are prominent social media networks in the college decision making process? 

According to Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW), “Adults with a bachelor’s degree earn an average of $2.8 million during their careers, $1.2 million 

more than the median for workers with a high school diploma” (Nietzel 2021). This shows us that each additional level of education workers tends to earn more than those with less education. Any type of education after completing high school will have you earning more, whether it’s some college, an associate’s or anything higher. Furthermore, college graduates tend to have a better-quality life. How? you may ask, well apart from the obvious fact that their income is greater, studies show college graduates are healthier and live longer, their children are more prepared for school and are more productive members of society. Besides the academic benefits of a college degree, there are many nonacademic benefits of obtaining a college degree. According to Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences and the United States “Life expectancy for the two thirds of Americans without a college degree is declining — creating a growing gap in life expectancy between those with and those without a secondary education” (Hess 2021). This explains that earning a college degree will not help you for financial stability and job stability, but you have a higher chance of living longer with a degree vs not having a degree. Another benefit of college education is that graduates earn more communication skills beyond the classroom. One example is from Cabrini University, which states that “The top three soft skills employers seek are the abilities to work in a team, to solve problems, and to communicate verbally, college graduates develop stronger communication skills and learn how to think more analytically about decisions and problems”. 

As for the moneymaking, the first 5 years aren’t looking so great for college graduates with student loans, but after that, those who graduate college with a bachelor’s degree could be possibly earning more money in the long run despite the loans. In some cases, it depends on different areas of specialization students choose to study. According to Current Issues in Economics and Finance, “Students majoring in fields that provide technical training such as engineering or math and computers or fields geared towards growing parts of their economy such as health care, have tended to earn high returns on their educational investments, while many students majoring in fields such as leisure and hospitality, agriculture, architecture, or liberal arts have tended to fare worse, if they find themselves unemployed” (Abel 2014).  This demonstrates that while college does have some great benefits such as higher pay and increased job opportunities, which do outweigh the costs not all college degrees are in equally good investments. 

Nowadays college can showcase the life that people wish to achieve and not the life that a lot of people really want. So why do students choose to attend college? Are they influenced by society? Does social media play a key role? Growing up a lot of students are told college is the best and only option to be successful and that attending a higher level of education beyond a high school diploma can lead to a better more successful life. However, this opinion isn’t always accurate. Some even believe that success isn’t defined by having a college degree or financial wealth and measure it on other characteristics such as relationships with others and future successes in careers outside of education. Many people that don’t attend college can still provide a standard way of living. As claimed by the information found from Forbes “Stories about billionaire entrepreneurs, such as Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates, who decided not to graduate from college”. This shows us that that despite not following the traditional career path, their names become very successful even without a college degree. (Gold 2019).  But today, a lot of students choose to go to college not just for them but to please others since it expected of them. This was a huge factor in the high school I attended. A lot of students didn’t know what they wanted to study when starting college or even feel like they wanted to go at all. But they felt like it was the safest way out to be successful and have a stable future.  

Social media also plays a key role in deciding what students want to do with their futures. When scrolling through different social media platforms, we can get a glimpse into the life of college students and what it consists of. This can influence students deciding whether to attend college and even which college they want to attend. Tik Tok for example showcases lots of college content. According to The Ambassador Platform, “It’s a great place to share content that showcases the experience of life at your campus, that might be quick-fire campus tours, coverage of graduation, and, of course, interviews with your students (Musson 2021). 

In addition, you can use social channels as a chance to follow and interact with accounts who align with your academic goals. If there’s a specific area of study that intrigues you, you can seek out professionals in the field. Twitter for example is important in certain academics. According to Next Step U, “Twitter can offer you insights into their area of expertise. Not only will this show admissions officers that you’re using your social channels to engage with influential professionals, but it will also give you an opportunity to learn more about your prospective career field” (University Tudor 2021). This demonstrates that using social media is a great way to gain knowledge about not just which college to attend but also a deeper understanding into certain majors and minors of certain colleges. 

College education has always been an opportunity for individuals to enhance their education and more opportunities to improve your life. By looking into factors on how success is defined by a college degree, the factors that impact deciding to attend college, and the roles social media are significant in the college decision process.

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• The State of American Jobs
• 5. The value of a college education

Table of Contents

• 1. Changes in the American workplace
• 2. How Americans assess the job situation today and prospects for the future
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• 4. Skills and training needed to compete in today’s economy
• Acknowledgments
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An extensive body of research has argued that obtaining a college diploma is a good deal for graduates on almost any measure – from higher earnings to lower unemployment rates. By the same token, those without a college degree can find their upward mobility in the job market limited by a lack of educational credentials: This survey finds that one-third of Americans who lack a four-year college degree report that they have declined to apply for a job they felt they were qualified for, because that job required a bachelor’s degree.

But despite the potential benefits and opportunities available to college graduates – and the potential challenges faced by those who lack a college diploma – Americans have somewhat mixed attitudes about the effectiveness of traditional four-year colleges and other higher education institutions. On a personal level, many college graduates describe their own educational experience as having a generally positive impact on their personal and professional development. Roughly six-in-ten (62%) college graduates with two- or four-year degrees think their degree was very useful for helping them grow personally and intellectually, while roughly half think it was very useful for opening up job opportunities (53%) or for providing them with useful job-related skills and knowledge (49%).

Yet even as many college graduates view their own educational experience in positive terms, the public as a whole – including a substantial share of college graduates – expresses reservations about the extent to which various higher education institutions prepare students for the workforce more generally. Just 16% of Americans think that a four-year degree prepares students very well for a well-paying job in today’s economy, and 51% say this type of degree prepares students “somewhat well” for the workplace. Some 12% think that a two-year associate degree prepares students very well (46% say somewhat well), and 26% feel that certification programs in a professional, technical, or vocational field prepare students very well (52% say somewhat well).

The purpose of college: Americans view workforce-relevant skills and knowledge as more important than personal and intellectual growth

Americans’ views of what a college education should be tend to prioritize specific, workplace-related skills and knowledge rather than general intellectual development and personal growth. Half of Americans say that the main purpose of college should be to teach specific skills and knowledge that can be used in the workplace, while 35% think its main purpose should be to help students grow and develop personally and intellectually and 13% volunteer that these objectives are equally important. The public’s views on this issue have shifted slightly in favor of skills development since the last time Pew Research Center asked this question in 2011. At that point, 47% said main purpose of college should be to teach specific skills and knowledge and 39% said it should be to promote personal and intellectual growth.

Americans who have engaged in additional schooling beyond a bachelor’s degree are especially likely to say that the main purpose of college should be personal and intellectual growth, rather than the acquisition of specific skills and knowledge. Some 47% of those with a postgraduate or professional degree think the main purpose of college should be personal and intellectual growth, while 35% think it should be teaching workplace-relevant skills.

In contrast, those with limited college experience (or no college experience at all) are more likely to prioritize the development of specific skills over general intellectual improvement. For instance, 56% of Americans with a high school diploma or less say college should be primarily a place to develop specific work-oriented knowledge and skills, while just 31% see it primarily as a place for personal and intellectual growth.

There is also a partisan element to these views, with Republicans and Democrats expressing highly differing opinions on the purpose of college. Democrats (including Democratic-leaning independents) are about evenly split on which of these objectives is more important: 42% say colleges should prioritize personal and intellectual growth, while 43% say they should prioritize the development of workforce-relevant skills. But among Republicans and Republican leaners, 58% say that the main purpose of college should be teach specific skills – while just 28% feel that the main purpose should be general personal and intellectual growth.

These partisan differences hold true even after accounting for differences in educational attainment. Democrats and Democratic leaners with high levels of educational attainment are more likely to prioritize personal and intellectual growth relative to Democrats and Democratic leaners with lower levels of educational attainment.

But Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents at all educational levels are more likely than Republicans and Republican-leaning independents with similar levels of education to believe that personal and intellectual growth should be the main purpose of college.

Along with Democrats and those who have progressed beyond a bachelor’s degree, younger adults (those ages 18 to 29) are more likely than older adults to feel that personal and intellectual growth should be the primary purpose of college: some 43% of 18- to 29-year olds feel this way, compared with roughly one-third of those in older age groups.

In addition, Americans who themselves work in the education field tend to place a greater emphasis on personal and intellectual growth as the primary purpose of college: 46% believe that this should be the main purpose of a college degree, while 35% believe that college should mainly be a place to develop specific skills and knowledge (19% of those who work in the education industry consider them equally important).

Most college graduates regard their college experience as very useful for intellectual growth; views are more mixed when it comes to job opportunities and marketable skills

When asked to assess certain aspects of their own educational experience, about six-in-ten (62%) college graduates (including those who graduated from a two-year degree program) feel that their time in college was very useful in helping them grow personally and intellectually. About half say their college experience was very useful in helping them access job opportunities (53%) or in helping them develop skills and knowledge they could use in the workplace (49%).

The further people have progressed in their college career, the more likely they are to consider their experience very useful. Those with a postgraduate or professional degree are more likely to say that their college education was very useful in each of these respects compared with four-year degree holders, who are in turn more likely than those with a two-year associate degree to say that their education was very useful across each of these measures. For example, while two-thirds of those with a postgraduate or professional degree say their college education was very useful in opening doors to job opportunities, 56% of those with a four-year degree, and an even smaller share (40%) among those with a two-year degree, say the same. And while 57% of those with more than a bachelor’s degree say college was very useful in helping them develop marketable skills, about half or a smaller share among those with a four- or two-year degree hold this view (49% and 43%, respectively).

When it comes to helping them grow professionally and intellectually, majorities of those with a postgraduate or professional degree (77%) and those with a bachelor’s degree (64%) say college was very useful, compared with 46% of those with a two-year college degree.

Americans have mixed views about the extent to which college prepares students for a well-paying job in today’s economy

When asked a broader set of questions about the impact of college more generally, the public expresses somewhat mixed views about the extent to which a college education prepares students for success in the workforce.

Two-thirds of Americans (67%) think that a traditional four-year degree prepares students for a well-paying job in today’s economy at least somewhat well, but just 16% think it prepares them very well, and 29% think it does not prepare them well. A somewhat smaller share of Americans (58%) think that a two-year community college degree prepares students for a well-paying job either very (12%) or somewhat (46%) well, while 38% think that these programs do not prepare students well.

Interestingly, Americans with a four-year college degree are generally no more positive – or negative – than those with less education about the relationship between a four-year degree and a well-paying job: 13% of those with a bachelor’s degree or more education say a four-year degree prepares people very well, as do 11% of those with a two-year associate degree, 12% of those with some college experience but no degree, and 17% of those with a high school diploma. Among those who did not complete high school, however, 40% believe that a four-year college degree does a very good job of preparing people for a well-paying job.

When it comes to assessments of a two-year college degree, about one-in-six (16%) Americans who hold this type of degree say it prepares workers very well for a well-paying job. This is considerably larger than the share of those with at least a bachelor’s degree (7%) who say a two-year degree prepares people very well, but not necessarily more positive than the views of those with less education.

Blacks and Hispanics are more likely than whites to say four- and two-year degrees prepare people very well for a job in today’s economy. For example, about three-in-ten (29%) Hispanics and about a quarter (24%) of blacks say this about a four-year degree, compared with 12% of whites. And while about one-in-five blacks and Hispanics (18% each) say a two-year associate degree prepares people very well, one-in-ten whites share this view.

These findings are consistent with previous Pew Research Center surveys that found that black and Latino parents view college as more essential for their children’s success than do white parents.

A substantially larger share of the public has positive attitudes towards certification programs in a professional, technical or vocational field in the context of workforce development. Some 78% of Americans think that these programs prepare students well for a job in today’s economy, including 26% who think they prepare students very well. Just roughly one-in-five (19%) think they do not prepare students well. It is important to note, however, that respondents were not asked about the effectiveness of certification programs instead of a college education.

Positive assessments of certificate programs as a way to prepare workers for jobs in today’s economy are particularly widespread among those who did not complete high school; 44% in this group say these types of programs prepare people very well, compared with about a quarter (27%) of those with a high school diploma and a similar share of those with some college, but no degree (22%), a two-year degree (28%), or a four-year degree or more education (22%). Certificate programs are also particularly well-regarded among Hispanics, 39% of whom say they prepare people very well for a good job in today’s economy. About a quarter of blacks (25%) and whites (23%) say the same.

One-third of Americans without a bachelor’s degree have elected to not apply for a job they felt they were qualified for because it required a four-year degree

Recent research has argued that there is a “ credentials gap ” in today’s workforce, as employers increasingly require a bachelor’s degree for positions that did not demand this level of schooling in the past. And the survey finds that 33% of Americans who do not have a four-year college degree report that they have declined to apply for a job they felt they were qualified for, because it required a bachelor’s degree.

Americans who have engaged in some type of formal education beyond high school (short of obtaining a bachelor’s degree) are particularly likely to believe they’ve been adversely affected by credentialing requirements as they work their way up the educational ladder. Some 25% of Americans with a high school diploma or less and no additional schooling beyond that have not applied for a job because of a bachelor’s degree requirement. But that figure rises to 34% among those with a high school diploma plus additional vocational schooling, to 38% among those with some college experience but no degree, and to 44% among those with a two-year associate degree. Put somewhat differently, as people receive additional formal education without actually obtaining a bachelor’s degree, they may develop relevant skills without the on-paper credentials to match.

In addition, adults younger than 50 are much more likely than older adults to have refrained from applying to a job they felt they were qualified for because they didn’t meet the formal educational requirements. About four-in-ten non-college graduates ages 18 to 29 (41%) and ages 30 to 49 (44%) say this has happened, compared with 31% of those ages 50 to 64 and just 12% of those 65 and older.

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The Benefit of a College Degree to My Life Essay

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A college education could be essential to one’s achievement in the profession today because growing and increasingly occupations demand advanced knowledge. Employees with a college degree have higher chances of employment and often earn more than those with solely a high school education. College may be an environment where learners develop various kinds of relationships in addition to receiving a degree.

College graduates are more inclined to contribute, donate to charities, and cast ballots in society to improve their livelihoods (Gruzdev et al. 6). My major is a degree in General Studies, which gives me a comprehensive understanding of specific fields of self-interest in addition to a broad range of knowledge operating in multiple fields. College education can diversify graduates’ points of view by exposing them to a multidisciplinary perspective.

Pursuing a college education is a crucial career goal that has taken a prominent role in the “American Dream.” Therefore, attending college, securing a career, purchasing a property, and establishing a new life is among my motivation for pursuing a degree in General Studies. Through earning my college degree, I have broadened my life opportunities through self-mastery and growth, eventually leading to my future success. A thorough program for General Studies has been created to help students become more effective communicators and intellectuals (Gruzdev et al. 4). Therefore, through applying this knowledge, I am motivated to reach out to my co-workers and society and convince them about any area of concern that can improve their livelihoods.

Apart from the brighter side, which motivates me to pursue my college degree, I often encounter a few internal and external distractions towards my career goals. My feelings and opinions cause these internal distractions. These typically manifest as thoughts about important obligations, feelings regarding my present predicament, the activity am operating upon, worries, and tensions. Distractions outside of myself include interruptions from other people or smart gadgets, such as my smartphone, social networking sites, videos, and computer games. Therefore, to avoid these distractions from stopping me from achieving my career goals, I have used my learned knowledge to devise a management plan for my thoughts and feelings, smart gadget usage, and the people around me.

Intrinsic motivation is behind my overall performance, which comes from within myself. The primary intrinsic motivation towards my college degree is the intrinsic reward, which is earning my degree in General Studies, which I believe could lead to a powerful impact. The major that I am undertaking is the area of my interest. Therefore, studying what I choose makes me understand that education is a choice, not a requirement; therefore, I am responsible. As I continually follow my decisions, these improve my self-esteem as a good decision-maker. Ultimately, completing my college degree program will make me confident that achieving personal goals is possible.

My General Studies degree can better my life by making me flexible in the job market apart from my major, as I will be able to switch jobs. I will use my degree to reduce my chances of becoming unemployed and competitive in job seeking, which can see me earning more. Every aspect of my existence can benefit from the discipline and schedule management practices I acquired along the process. A college degree makes me a good role model to the children in the community by emphasizing the importance of education. Completing my studies will improve my self-confidence, demonstrating to society and employers that I have the discipline to take and complete challenging assignments.

In conclusion, a college education is crucial for personal and career development. Both external and internal motivations play a significant role in one’s success in completing a college degree. Identifying one’s distractions and finding a way to control them is healthier for one to achieve their goals. It is simple to understand that a degree can significantly impact one’s life and work when considering a college education’s economic, societal, and cultural advantages. For instance, employees with a college degree are more inclined to be satisfied with their occupations than employees with less education.

Gruzdev, Mikhail V., et al. “University Graduates’ Soft Skills: The Employers’ Opinion.” European Journal of Contemporary Education . 2017. Web.

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Home / Essay Samples / Life / Why is College Important / Why College Education Is Important

Why College Education Is Important

• Category: Education , Life
• Topic: College Education , Graduation , Why is College Important

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• Boyd-Franklin, N., & Franklin, A. J. (2000). Boys into men: Raising our African American teenage sons. Penguin Putnam Publishing Group, 405 Murray Hill Parkway, East Rutherford, NJ 07073.Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED443918
• DeVaney, S. A., & Chen, Z. (2003). Job satisfaction of recent graduates in financial services. Retrieved on, 12(12), 2006. Retrieved from: https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/cwc/job-satisfaction-of-recent-graduates-in-financial-services.pdf
• Hill, K., Hoffman, D., & Rex, T. R. (2005). The value of higher education: Individual and societal benefits. Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA. Retrieved from http://precisionmi.com/precisionmi/Materials/PMILearningMat/ValueFullReport_final_october2005.pdf
• Hudson, A. (n.d.). College education is important. Retrieved from www.financeplaza.org: http://www.financeplaza.org/10-reasons-a-college-education-is-so-important/
• Kyllonen, P. C. (2012). The Importance of Higher Education and the Role of Noncognitive Attributes in College Success La importancia de la educación superior y el rol de los atributos no cognitivos en el éxito en dichas instituciones. Pensamiento Educativo, 49(2), 84-100.Retrieved from http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.418.3947&rep=rep1&type=pdf
• Malik, S., & Courtney, K. (2011). Higher education and women’s empowerment in Pakistan. Gender and Education, 23(1), 29-45.Retrieved from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0954025100367407
• Price, M. (n.d). Reasons why you should not go to college and things to do instread. Retrieved from www.huffingtonpost.com: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/michaelprice/7-reasons-why-shouldn_1_b_5501111.html
• Sandy, B., & Kathleen, P. (2005). The benefits of higher education for individuals and society. Education pays 2013, trends in higher education series, 7.Retrieved from https://trends.collegeboard.org/sites/default/files/education-pays-2013-full-report.pdf
• Rose, R. (2013, 11 ). The value of college degree. Retrieved from cew.georgetown.edu: https://cew.gorgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/TVOACD.SR_.pdf
• Wang, W. (2011, 08 17). How important is a college education? Retrieved from www.pwesicialtrends.ord: http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2011/08/17/ii-how-important-is-a-college-education/
• https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01425690701737457?src=recsys

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