College education has been embraced by majority of the countries all over the world. The United States introduced the higher learning institutions because they saw a need whereby the high school level of education was not sufficient to cater for their needs of fast economic development. The colonialists introduced college education in African continent. Their core aim was to impart knowledge on Africans so as to open up more channels of ensuring their stated goals and objectives are followed to the point and eventually achieved. From the introduction, many individuals may have to several questions in their minds. Such questions may include, why is college education important? Who funds college education?
Compared to high school education, college education has got concrete importance. College graduates have got more opportunities than their high school counterparts. They are in a better position to obtain well paying jobs that are currently available all over the world. U. S has undergone much transformation over past. For instance, they have moved a level high from the known manufacture- based economy to a knowledge based economy. Students who undergo the college education also have an opportunity of reading and listening keenly to their tutors. An elusive culture of reading books and understanding them is imparted on them hence vital to their degree or diploma courses. It is through the developed reading culture that students are stimulated to better thinking, being inquisitive and also better exploration of new ideologies that are modern to the current world (John Smart, pg 174).
More valuable resources are obtained with much ease when a person is in possession of college education. During an individual college career, one is able to interact with his/ her college mates, who might be of help in future when looking for employment opportunities. Promotional opportunities are prone to those with college degrees or diplomas, compared to high school graduates. This fact therefore shows the current direction in which the world is taking, since unlike earlier days, high school graduands has got narrow opportunities in benefits of prestigious job opportunities.
Many people go for college education for different reasons. If a research was to be carried out on a particular day, many individuals may come up with a reason such as earning much money. This is because the current world values money more than anything else. It's true that the graduate who has degree certificates gets more pay than those with high school diplomas. This is because of their potentiality to ensure that an organization in which they are subjects to excel. When a comparison is made between organizations whose employees are high school graduates and that employs college graduates, it is quite certain that organizations run by high school graduates contemplates shutdown decisions due to poor managerial skills and misappropriation of funds.
From exclusive research carried out by professionals, it was established that college education is an appropriate investment linked with much profitability. They established that in every dollar spent on an individual's college education, approximately thirty five dollars is earned back upon the employment of that same individual. This has positively impacted on majority and has propelled them to go for degree programme with a surety of gaining back what they spent in funding their education. The professions further established that unlike other investments or rather assets, college education gains appreciation in value other than depreciation which is associated with many investments in the world (Ellen Frye, pg 205).
Better quality of life is lived by a college graduate compared to other individuals. Studies shows that college graduates are associated with long life span. With sufficient income, an individual can access better health facilities and served with highly qualified staff. It is from such good health facilities that people are provided with advice on better dietary and health practices suitable for their families. Economy of countries with high number of graduates is more stable and has got greater securities compared to other graduates. This is because from their pay or rather their salary, the graduates loyally pay the government taxes. Such revenues generated by the local government are then channeled back to the tax payers through construction of modern infrastructures, establishment of social amenities such as hospitals, schools and even religious institutions.
Provision of college education has further been of great importance to governments of many countries. The level of dependency on government assistance has been drastically minimized since graduates are able to generate income for their basic needs. This has hence allowed many governments to forge ahead in ensuring the stability of its economy and also boosting security levels to ensure that their country is free from external interference. Despite being the limelight of the country's prosperity in economy, graduates have also been role models to the young and upcoming generations. They have articulated for the basic continuity of education. It is of rare circumstance to find any child of a graduate going for something less than a degree programme. This is because of the positive attitude that graduate parents impart on their children. Graduates have also ensured continuity of education by offering a helping hand to the bright but needy students. Others have even gone a step higher by organizing live performance with students and teaching them on the importance if possessing a degree certificate.
College education has also boosted the business activities across the world. This is not only through the better managerial skills that they avail but also through their purchases. When one undergoes a degree programme, a reading culture is imparted on him/ her. Once that individual is out of college, he/ she intend to further his/her knowledge. This fact therefore propels him/her to purchase more and more educative books, which not only boost their knowledge but also promotes the business activity.
When it comes to democracy, it is known that graduates embrace democracy since they undergo several lessons pertaining democracy in colleges. It is in universities where students learn on leadership skills. Since colleges are widely renowned in research works, students are in a position to research on democracy and leadership at large. At the course of research, they establish the causes of poor leadership, its impact and the most appropriate measures to handle such situations. Upon graduation, students would have had adequate confidence and in a better position to exercise democratic rights, because of their wide knowledge on governance.
The communities also benefits from college level of education. College graduands have been associated with charitable activities as a way of giving back to the society. They participate in volunteer works such as maintaining the environment. In addition, criminal activities has been dealt with since many graduates are too busy and do not have time to engage in social evils such as corruption, violence among others. The high demand of graduates from various organizations has enhanced massive absorption of the workforce hence the idle capacity has been minimized (Kathleen Hartman and Thomas Stewart, pg 80)
Despite being of great importance, college education has been faced by many setbacks. Apart from gaining knowledge from the education offered, some of the students engage themselves in immoral behaviors such as prostitution and massive use of hard drugs. This has been a negative show to the public which has more often raised questions on the real competence and appropriateness of college education. Almost all societies are against such immorality. It is not surprising to find some of the parents or guardians denying their children a chance to go to college because of such evil deeds. In addition, funding college education is not such easy. It is too demanding when it comes to payment, hence many might shy off due to their financial inability.
Many governments have positively responded to such critical issues facing college education, since they are for its continuity. Prostitution is usually associated with dangerous diseases such as gonorrhea and worse of it HIV/Aids. Governments of various countries have responded to this by creating public awareness on the dangers of prostitutions. They have also gone a step high by providing protective gear to students with an aim of preventing them from exposure to deadly diseases. The use of drugs has also been prioritized by many governments. Special teams in governments have been set aside to create public awareness on dangers of drugs such as cocaine, heroin among others. Individuals found in possession of such drugs have been subjected to harsh punishments. This has created fear to students hence the use of drugs has been reduced. When it comes to funding, the government has responded college expensive rates by providing scholarships to the bright students. In addition, most governments set aside some capital in its budget so as to avail loans to the college students. Furthermore, bursaries are provided hence this has made students to have an opportunity to explore their potentialities through access to education.
In summary, an assumption can be made that college education means prosperity to individuals who undergoes it, better enhancement of quality life, quality living standards, a good model to upcoming generation and important of all, a leeway to economic prosperity of any nation.
Importance of college education cannot be underscored more so in the modern times when high school education alone cannot easily lead someone into a successful and fulfilling life. This paper discusses the reasons why one should attend college education. College education is imperative because it leads one into a world of more opportunities. Most world economies are shifting from manufacturing to knowledge based economies that tend to favour those with relevant skills. It is mostly in colleges where one can acquire such skills. The days when high school education alone could lead one into a well paying job are long gone. Most jobs currently require one to have ascertainable degree or significant experience thereby locking out high school graduates. On the same note college education also increases one's competitiveness in acquiring the few opportunities available for instance a degree holder is considered more competent than a diploma holder for the same job.
In the colleges one gets to be acquainted with people from various places and backgrounds and this opens wider one's networking window which can help him or her know of opportunities available in distant places which he or she would have otherwise not known. College education therefore serves as a gateway to more and better opportunities in life. Similarly, it is important for one to go to college because colleges have a lot of life transforming experiences that help in developing oneself. Colleges bring together people of diverse backgrounds and through interactions with people in the colleges one will get brand new experiences that will make one a much wiser and an exposed person- exposed to the world. Through the experiences one will develop into a more developed individual with right frame of the mind. Other than interactions with the students, in the colleges students also interact with various lecturers and top experts who may encourage and guide them towards the realisation of their goals.
The experiences learnt may also lead one into acquiring desirable values that can enable one to fit well in the society. Gardner, Jewler, & Barefoot in their book wrote that "a well-rounded college education will expand life possibilities for you giving you a richer understanding of how the world, your nation, your society and its people came to be" (11). Further, they wrote that as a result of college education "you will be more likely to seek to seek appropriate information before making decisions such information also will help you realize how people's lives are shaped by global as well as local political , social, psychological economic environmental, and physical forces". College Education also plays an important role of growing you intellectually. (Gardner, Jewler, & Barefoot 11)
College education also enables one become independent which is very important in preparing one to the challenges of life. Attending college allows one to gain independence from his or her parents and guardians more so when one attends a college that is far from home. Acquiring independence is very important in that it will allow one to be prepared for life after college which requires one to be autonomous in making various decisions regarding career and even personal life. Achieving independence is also likely to inculcate sense of responsibility on an individual since by being independent one has to learn to take responsibility of his or her actions for instance a college student learning away from home has to learn how to manage his or her financial resources and general personal care effectively.
Going through college education has also been observed to increase people's earning power. Those who go to colleges usually earn more than non college attendants this is true because those who graduate out of colleges are more eligible to well paying jobs than those who do not attend colleges. Those who go for masters and doctoral degrees earn even higher. Primarily most people go to colleges so that they can pursue well paying careers that will ultimately lead to well paying jobs and earn more money.
College education also enables one to pursue one's dreams and passion. In colleges students usually specialize in one field. This makes one to be more knowledgeable in a particular field that interests him or her. By being highly specialized in an area boosts one's chances of being employed in that area. As mentioned before it is in colleges where one gets to meet the top experts in his or her area of specialisation who may help him or her improve and perfect in that field. On the same note most colleges offer a conducive environment s and facilities to learn for students to learn much about their fields of interests. This will eventually enable one realise his or her dreams.
It is also true that college education increases employability. One who obtains a college degree greatly enhances his or her chances of getting employed over those who do not have college degrees. According to a study by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, it was found out that, "lower levels of educational attainment are associated with lower levels of skills" (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development 213). In this respect "early school leavers with low skill proficiencies are more likely to face difficulties in entering the labour market and maintain employment". (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development 213). This is as opposed to college graduates who find it relatively easier to find and maintain jobs.
In as much as going to college is advantageous, it is also have some disadvantages. Amongst these disadvantages the one that stands out so strongly is that college education is very expensive and not very many people can afford it. But critically the pros of going to college by a great deal outnumber the cons and hence despite its huge cost, one should really strive to go to college after high school.
There are some critical strategies that enable students to succeed in college, and in this essay we are going to discuss three main strategies that can assist students to succeed in collage. These include; figuring available resources, knowing themselves and last but not least getting involved in collage activities.
First, students should figure out what resources are at their disposal and how to fully utilize them. For instance academic advisors, mental health counselors and college tutors are some of the resources that students should get acquainted with when they require help in college. While in college, students need to have excellent computer skills and they should therefore take every chance in using World Wide Web through which they can access different relevant materials beneficial to their academic work. Well developed computer expertise also enables students to use technology which is an advantage in both college and their career.
Secondly, students are supposed to know themselves. This strategy enables them to choose careers which they can enjoy in the college. Therefore students are supposed to know who they are and what they want to do with their lives. This leads to self esteem which gives students confidence to face and deal with difficult tasks in life and enables them to have a positive future vision. The self esteem also helps students to meet their set goals and gives them confidence to act on their values.
Lastly, students should get involved in collage activities such as socializing and studying with friends, engaging in extracurricular activities, interacting with faulty and even doing part time jobs. These helps the students in tackling boredom which sometimes makes students feel socially isolated and unhappy with their college experience. Also students should spent part of their time checking and re-checking the college catalog for new ideas which are relevant to their fields of interest.
If students can pick the above strategies, they are likely to perform better in their school grades and be able to pursue their desired jobs thus fulfill their dreams.
The excerpt, “The Case against College”, by Caroline Bird, presents arguments that highlight the insignificance of college education. According to Bird, a significant percent of college students do not derive anything valuable from their college education. On the opposite, most college students just waste their time in college campuses rather than using this time to gain experience in the real world and start taking responsibilities. Bird argues that individuals have different gifts and thus creating a framework that benchmarks individual achievements in accordance to a universal higher education fails to respect differences between people.
Bird focuses on three major concepts whose analysis highlights the insignificant impacts college education has. First, Bird argues that education has become an industry whose main objective, just like other industries is to expand market dominance. The author supports this assertion by citing annual spending by institutions of higher education in marketing exercises. This demonstrates that colleges have become more market-oriented rather than focusing on the main objective of education, which is to impart knowledge. Secondly, Bird describes college environment as unexciting for most students whom she observed to be unhappy in the colleges that she visited. Bird uses this to illustrate the factor that not all individuals derive satisfaction by going to college. Furthermore, she uses dull scenario in colleges to demonstrate that college education is a system whose main purpose is to keep students way from the society. Thus, most students just pass time in college to observe the formality created by the society. While some individuals go to college as a simple formality, others view college as an opportunity to avoid various responsibilities (Bird 32). Bird argues that colleges act as safe haven for individuals who continue to demand financial support from parents and use taxpayers’ money. This aspect promotes irresponsibility among college students and introduces a burden for parents and other concerned parties.
Bird’s arguments concerning higher education highlight various factors, which depict the ineffectiveness of the current system of education. Although, the key objective for education is to enlighten and imparting knowledge, moreover, the way the system operates leaves many individuals dissatisfied. The current education system fails to consider that people have different abilities and thus should not be subject to a similar system of goal realization. While some individuals have the ability to tackle science-related subjects, others are good in arts or humanities. The education system fails to consider these disparities and seeks to impart knowledge and enlighten students under the same framework. This approach contributes to frustrating and a gloomy learning environment. Hence, although student may have interest in self-actualization, the system introduces barriers in their endeavors. When individuals perceive college education as a hindrance to their personal goals and interests, they start to lack interest in learning. Such instances force individuals to drop out of college or just pass time as they await the completion of the stipulated period of study, and then pursue their own interests. This may turn a college into a factory for irresponsible individuals who deceive parents and other concerned parties to continue funding their education.
The aspect of marketing institutions of higher learning highlights the lack of a standardized college education. This has varying effects on a student’s learning depending on the college attended. It portrays a scenario whereby some colleges use better systems of learning compared to others. Consequently, the college that a student attends determines his or her level of self-actualization. The fact that some colleges produce better graduates compared to other colleges highlights the lack of standards in college education. Colleges that want to attain considerable market appeal to adopt systems that ensure they create productive graduates. An effective education system should guarantee optimal results from a candidate irrespective of the college attended. The extensiveness of marketing institutions highlights a shift in the objectives of such institutions towards money-oriented facilities of knowledge.
Education has become an integral part of the society. People view education as a crucial tool that every parent should ensure his or her child possess to compete effectively in life. The overemphasis on education has forced parents/guardians, irrespective of their financial status, to ensure that children access education facilities and observe the formality in the society. Thus, going to college may not elicit inspiration of excitement for a student; he or she has to attend college in order not to appear as an outcast. Parents ensure that all their children go through the education system ignore any objections in this regard. Although parents and the society may force children to go to college, however, they cannot force them to read. In this regard, individuals will go to college to avoid disrespecting the elders rather than in pursuance of self-actualization (Rosen 31). Enrolling in college without any meaningful purpose introduces a lot of free time for college students. Time wastage in college is further enhanced by the lenient system of administration which considers that college students are mature enough to make their own decisions. College students with minimal parental supervision who lack self-drive and discipline can rarely attain anything meaningful through college education.
Since college education is for people with the capacity to make personal decisions, parents and the society should allow individuals to decide whether to enroll or not. This will ensure that individuals pursue their own interests and achieve self-actualization. In addition, colleges should provide a variety of choices to accommodate diverse interest. The society should not subject individuals who do not intend to attend college and should not criticize and discriminate. The overemphasis on education, as a tool to safeguard one’s future, has led to the lack of consideration for other aspects which do not relate to education, however, are the appropriate fields for some individuals. The narrow scope of education hinders individuals from effectively exploiting their abilities. The fact that some renowned inventors, entrepreneurs and other great people dropped out of college to pursue interests that gave them self-actualization highlights the need for a flexible system for college education. These individuals perceived the world outside the college as the most suitable place to actualize their dreams.
Although Bird highlights the inadequacy concerning institutions of higher education, she does not provide a comprehensive analysis of the appropriate ways to improve future college education. The concerned stakeholders should establish measures that seek to identify an individual’s abilities during the early stages of learning. This will ensure that individuals pursue whatever inspires and excites them the most. Furthermore, colleges should provide support to individuals who intent to pursue goals that may conflict with the traditional routine in college learning as long as these goals enhance productivity and the overall betterment of the society.
Kate Mather, who is a student in Wheaton college of Massachusetts, narrates her story about the attitudes she has created to college education before she joined, during her lifetime in the college and even after completing. Just like other people, she had a belief that college education is vital and that it is one of the main paths for any individual to succeed well in future. However, she frankly admits that though education is an essential asset to acquire, it is not the only key to success. She clears the air that those who fail to join college will end up being failures. She terms these thoughts as mere insinuation raised that has no foundations in life.
Kate is reminding us that some years back in America, only the lucky people in the society had an access to education because they were in a position to pay it. However, after some period, the government introduced compulsory level education for overall regions of the country. Individuals were supposed to attend secondary education before enrolling for tertiary institutional education such as universities and poly techniques for specialization specified areas or become professionals. The people ended having various options for studies according to individuals desires, where some became doctors, lawyers and others - teachers. The government and the citizens regarded achievement in education as the main key for the country to fulfill its state dreams. Secondly, the Americans took it as the main source of wealth and income, failing to consider and value education as a source of knowledge to individuals so as to live a better life.
White-collar job education, for instance, attending a college and earning you a degree, is assumed as the most important form of education that one can have. Vocational education linked with training individuals to become, for instance, plumbers, electricians and cobblers were termed boring and thus were neglected. The people forget that a plumber or a garbage collector is as essential as an accountant is, because the latter cannot do the work of the other. Both must complement each other in duties. They fail to ask themselves that if all of us become doctors or lawyer, who will build for us houses and who will fix electricity cable in our bungalows; hence, though college learning is vital, we need to appreciate diversity in training in order to have all sorts of job specializes.
Regardless of the fact that most people join colleges to acquire formal education, there are various challenges bedeviling them, for example, financial limitations. People who enrolled in college at the same year end up completing and graduating in different periods just because of these. As a result, they end up having a difference in life positions such as income, marriages and even job levels. Kate suggests that it is very unfair to compare these people as fate and destiny has drawn their life graphs differently. She reminds us that these people were zealous in life and education just like the others. Furthermore, it is not compulsory for us all after completing secondary education level to go and join colleges. If one has a talent of boxing, one can go and train as a martial artist among other things. Another example is that if a person is talented as a musician, he/she can open up a studio and record his/her own music or even start an entertainment band. As a result, one will inevitably emerge as a very successful person because he/she is doing so in passion. This is true as most successful and popular artists and musicians frankly mention that they did not even complete their secondary education, leave alone joining a college for further studies. Because of their talents, most of them, like Michael Jackson, are billionaires. They are just paid by their talents, regardless of the educational level they possess. Surprisingly, some of them employ their classmates, who topped in secondary level and were awarded college level vacancies, as their managers or personal assistants.
Although the author admits that college education is very essential because there are skills you can acquire here only, she claims that failure of an individual to join tertiary level of education is not supposed to be taken to mean that people are not complete in life and should not be taken as mere level individuals. She call all of us to embrace diversification and to accept that each of us has a talent and thus, it is not obligatory for us all to join colleges in order to be regarded as success people in life. However, she warns us that college education given an opportunity should be attended. The reason behind this is that the skill acquired here may be used as a benchmark for achieving the dreams of the talent we own. Kate recalls how she acquired one of the most vital life skills while being in the college, which any literate individual cannot stay without - writing. Besides, she learned social life skills that have helped her interact and socialize with friends and relatives well. This has minimized her conflicts. Moreover, college life has enabled her gain communication skills necessary for expressing herself, thus it is essential to have a college education. Kate claims that she hopes her education will not only make her climb to the ladder of her carrier but also serve as a source of wealth, as many of the citizens believes.
The author closes her narration by reminding us that these perceptions that for any of us to succeed must acquire formal education from the colleges, universities in order to prosper in daily life are baseless believes, which should be seriously condemned and avoided to follow. In life, we have various ways we can follow and end up succeeding only if we trust in our talents and erase completely those tainted thoughts about technical and vocational jobs. Kate, thus, concludes that for her to be more successful in life and help her society, she will only need to use the formal educational skills from the college to make a decision on who she wants to be in the future.
From my perception and experience, I support Kate, as most of us believe that going for further studies in college and universities and acquiring a degree or even a master, then securing a great job in one of these big offices in the city is the best thing that you can have in life. The few educated and employed starts seeing the unlucky ones as failures and a problem to their advancement. They even go further to scorn them or even use them as their domestic slaves. A good example that I have witnessed is a boss misusing his house cleaner, by waking her up at dawn to commence house cores while he sleeps. He harasses the house cleaner sexually and scorn her all sorts of dirty words. Whenever, she demands respect, the boss says that she is not worth it because she is not educated. To my mind, this is intolerable, and we should not use our education level to harm others. Our parents and those close to the government and us are to blame for making us belief that college education is the only key to a successful life. We need to embrace diversity in life as all of us are given with different talents and abilities.
However, from my point of view, college education can fully transform individuals, earn them income and make them more successful in the future. For instance, Bill Gates, who earns billions of dollars annually, was highly aided by his college education in Harvard University in discovering the Microsoft system.
On the whole, I find Kate’s argument not only persuasive but also full of wealthy ideas that we as young people should copy for us to come and take pride that we are the people whom we had wanted to become. Unemployment is one urgent problem biting us, and if we have been thinking like Kate that we could definitely avoid it. Thus, I give Kate a credit for such a wonderful and persuasive advice for the youth, who believe that college education is the only key to success.
In conclusion, while education is a crucial tool for imparting knowledge, it should not act as a standard for evaluating individual abilities and achievements. Bird’s assertion that college education is more of a formality rather than a stage for self-actualization highlights the need to redesign the education system and incorporate measures that facilitate the betterment of individual lives. Although the society may view the completion of college education as an important step in one’s live, such an education system contains flaws if it does not facilitated the self-actualization of an individual. An effective education system should promote the realization of personal goals and interests irrespective of how diverse they may seem.
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