Is Higher Education Worth the Price Essay

When someone hears the term â€Å"higher education† the first thought tends to be college, of course. College has always been thought of as the one-way ticket to a high salary occupation. The reality of the situation is that while that may be true in some cases, it’s not as easy at it seems to receive that ticket aka the Bachelor’s degree. College tuition is a large amount and it’s even more expensive to attend college only to drop out. This leaves the student with no degree and vast amounts of debt. That debt is averaging 20,000 dollars for four years of schooling. Higher education is beneficial for anyone with the dedication to attending and knowing what they are striving for with while doing so. Achieving a Bachelor’s degree or a B. A. is a worthwhile goal for just about everyone. Why is it worth the time, effort and money to receive this diploma? Charles Murray in his article â€Å"Are Too Many People Going to College? † states, â€Å" Employers value the B. A. because it’s a no cost (for them) screening device for academic ability and perseverance† (pg. 233). The train of thought for employers is that the students with the drive and capabilities to succeed are the one’s that will attend college. This makes it close to impossible for a person with only a high school diploma to even be considered for a variety of jobs. Brian Kelly in his article â€Å"Is College Still Worth It? † has come across the same findings as Murray. He reports, â€Å" Hiring managers will tell you that creative intelligence and an ability to communicate are more useful in the long term. As a proven work ethic which is why persisting through four years of college is an admirable credential in itself† (pg. 8). College is supposed to teach a person how to think and work hard. That is something that any employer values greatly. The greater chance of a fulfilling career isn’t the only benefit to receiving a B. A. In 2007 the Census Bureau reported that the average college graduate had a yearly income of $57, 181 (Wilson pg. 260). The average high school graduate pulled in around $31, 286 yearly, leaving the college graduates earning around 80% more annually (pg. 260). Wilson also states that according to the Census Bureau the college graduate will earn around one million dollars more than the high school graduate (pg. 260). This is reason enough for many people to buckle down for the time it takes to earn his or hers degree. A fear for many is that the debt someone will leave college with will be unmanageable. The reasoning for this being unemployment rates as well as the fear of how long it will take to pay off his or hers debt. It’s true unemployment is a crisis that many are facing but it’s much scarier to be only a high school graduate in the economy currently. The rates of unemployment for a Bachelor’s degree holder over twenty-five is estimated to be around 4. 4% (Wilson pg. 260). For a high school diploma holder over twenty-five the unemployment rate is an even greater number at 9. 3% according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (pg. 260). As for paying off the debt accumulated in college, those figures aren’t as frightening. According to Sandy Baum, a senior analyst at College Board, â€Å"A student with twenty thousand dollars of debt should be able to make at least that amount in extra earnings in one to two year’s time simply by having earned a college diploma† (qtd. in Wilson). What is the key to unlocking the door for a brighter future? Apparently it’s a B. A. but if this is the case then why are dropout rates so high? When students are making the decisions to go to college, they are typically pushed to attend college rather than doing so out of free will. These students are the one’s that parents, teachers, and guidance counselors assume will succeed the most in that kind of environment. The truth is rather sad when it comes to how the students actually fared in their academic pursuit. Dana Goldstein in her article â€Å"Should All Kids Go to College? † informs that only fifty three percent of students actually finish their degree in four years, and half the students that attend a two-year college drop out before finishing. But this isn’t the only surprising information she writes about in her article. There is another group of students who unlike their peers, aren’t pushed as much into attending college. Kati Haycock, president of Think Tank Trust in Washington, DC, shocks with her statement of, Most schools sill resist the idea that all kids can and should be college-ready. By continuing long-standing practices of sorting and selecting, they created what is essentially an educational caste system- directing countless young people, especially low-income students and students of color, away from college-prep courses and from seeing themselves as ‘college material’ (qtd. n Goldstein). With these standards given in high schools these students pushed away from college will not ever think of themselves as able to perform well in a college environment, which greatly limits their future professionally. Goldstein shows in her article the research showing that with the decline of the manufacturing economy these students are the ones who would gain the most from the four-year college experience. The question is now, why are these students unable to realize their potential or stay focused in college? Most of the time these teenagers are unable to say what they want to do with their careers or lives. Going to college isn’t easy for anyone without a clear idea of what their striving for, which makes the entire experience even more frustrating for them. So how can these students go into college somewhat knowing what they want to do with their time there? The best solution is to allow these teenagers to explore the professional world while still in high school. If they can do that, then they won’t spend extra time or money changing their majors all throughout college unable to decide what their desires are. There is a program that has been implemented in a few schools across the nation called Career and Technical Education or CTE (Goldstein). These programs integrate school with real world occupational training so that students can have hands on experience with a job that they would like to pursue in college. The training available to these students includes internships, dual enrollment and hands on work out in the field (Goldstein). All of this is done while in high school accomplishing their high school diploma and getting a head start on college. Programs like the previous are great ideas that the government has been using to help these students struggling find their goals. It may be a while until these CTE schools are seen more but at least the students able to take advantage of them are showing the country how beneficial the programs are. With ideas like this, it is possible to cut down on the money and time wasted during college for someone who isn’t positive they would like to be there. It also allows the students who are judged due to unfair standards to prove that they are college material and able to do great things. There would be less wondering about whether or not they want to attend college because they have experience with the career of their choosing and are able to map out their future much more clearly. Overall the idea is yes, higher education is worth the price. The Bachelor’s degree alone can take someone to higher levels than just a high school diploma. College is costly, it is time consuming, and it is hard but when someone is dedicated it becomes increasingly easier. The solutions to making college more achievable for everyone isn’t ever going to be easy but there are steps that can be taken in the right direction. As long as students aren’t discriminated against or pushed into something they are unsure of, when the time is right for them to attend college they will do so in a way that will benefit them the most. Add in programs like the Career and Technical Education schooling and these students can come out on top ready for the work force. Higher education may not be for everyone, but for the people who do take the challenge reap benefits for the rest of his or hers lives.