Today, a college education is not a privilege or an option but a necessity. Our culture has accustomed us o believe that, to succeed in life, one must earn a college degree or have a higher education. The belief augurs well with the saying, “If you think education is expensive, try ignorance”. Additionally, as the advancement of technology continues and computers are running almost everything, it leaves most people wondering whether a college education is necessary. As such, the argument has been there since higher education has become quite expensive despite having people who have succeeded in life without setting foot in college. Is higher education a guarantee of a successful life? Some people did not go to college but are doing better than ones who did (Rossi 1). There have been good views from both sides of the argument. Therefore, discussing whether a college education is worth the cost is important.
Most people join college after high school because they do not want to but have to attend. After high school, most people are pressured by their parents, guardians, or counselors to go to college since they are advised that it is the best thing to do. A student may have better things to do than join a college that costs money, time, and energy. Some people may end up doing what they did not want in college just because they were advised it was the best thing to do (Kayla 1). Therefore, live a life of misery and resentment. Money spent on college education ends up being a waste since the student is not interested in the course or did not get what he/she expected after finishing college.
However, I believe a college education is worth the cost since it increases the chances of securing a job. However, some argue that a college education is not an assurance of employment. Even after going to college, not everyone is employed. Therefore, it ends up being a waste of time, energy, and especially money. They say that the time wasted would have been spent working and earning money (Bennett and Wilezol 8). Additionally, there are arguments that the money spent on college fees and other expenses would have been invested in the business or in setting up any other profit-making venture.
The cost of a college education is much higher; therefore, most people take up education loans, which are expensive during repayment. It is evident that the unemployment rate is rising, and not all the students leaving college are assured of getting jobs. Surprisingly, the first bill they get is the notice to pay their education loan despite not having any income. Nonetheless, I say that a college education is worth the cost as people who have a higher education are expected to earn more compared to the money earned by people who did not get higher education (Daly and Bengali 4). Therefore, better pay directly translates to a better comfortable life. Hence, the benefits of a college education benefits outweigh the shortcomings.
Getting a college education enlightens a person and makes the person who is learned is more productive in society. College life exposes one to different people with different cultures and ideas. Higher education helps a person make better decisions since they have a higher reasoning capability and the ability to think critically. The persons with higher education are regarded with a higher position and expected to lead society (Vedder 126). Compared to people who did not go to college, society usually refers to them as just normal people, and usually, there is very little expected from them. Therefore, it is evident that having a higher education is important and is worth the cost despite being expensive.
In recent years, most jobs require a person to have attained a college degree compared to the previous years. Thus, this has forced most employed persons to seek higher education to remain relevant in the job market. The cost of acquiring higher education may be expensive, but the benefits that come with it outweighs the cost of paying for it. Most employers nowadays prefer to employ college graduates rather than people who did not advance after high school (Assesses 153). Thus, in the job market, a person with a college education has a higher advantage than an individual who has attained that level. However, there are claims that people who get loans to pay for their education end up being forced to live with their parents, hence delaying financial independence. They delay marriage and other milestones since they must rely on their parents or guardians to settle their education loan debts.
Due to lack of employment, most graduates end up being employed in jobs that do not match their level of education, reasoning that might prove that a college education is not worth the cost. As such, many people end up working as bartenders, parking attendants, or janitors, which are occupations that may only require a high school qualification (Rossi 1). In essence, comparing the fees spent on a college degree and the amount of money one earns from these jobs proves that higher education may not be worth the cost.
In conclusion, it is evident that having a college education is worth it and has much more benefits than those who do not acquire it. However, in recent years there has been a decline in employment opportunities, thus leaving many people wondering whether the cost of education is worth the price, time, and energy. Some people did not go to college, but they are more successful than those who went. On the other hand, some people have a college education but have failed to secure employment. As such, they are left struggling with the problem of settling their education debts. Therefore, the debate on whether a college education is worth the cost is still based on comparing expectations and reality. However, my final thought is that having a college education is worth the trouble. If an opportunity arises that requires a person with a higher education level, the one with better education will certainly be picked over the person with a lower level of education.
Works Cited
Andrew Rossi. “Is College Worth the Cost?” School of Thought, CNN, 19 Nov. 2014, edition.cnn.com/2014/11/19/opinion/ivory-tower-andrew-rossi-higher-education-cost/. Accessed 15 Nov 2016.
Assess, Public. “Is College Worth It?” Higher Education. Vol . 202, 2011, pp. 153.
Bennett, William J, and David Wilezol. Is College Worth It?: A Former United States Secretary of Education and a Liberal Arts Graduate Expose the Broken Promise of Higher Education. Thomas Nelson, Inc, 2013.
Daly, M. C. and L. Bengali. “Is It Still Worth Going to College?” Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco Economic Letter. Vol. 13, 2014, pp. 1-5.
Kayla, Johnson. “Why College Is Worth the Cost.” Azusa Pacific University, 4 Jan. 2016, www.apu.edu/articles/college-worth-the-cost/. Accessed 15 Nov 2016.
Vedder, Richard K. Going Broke by Degree: Why College Costs Too Much. AEI Press, 2004.
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