Value of College Education

College education is fundamental in today’s ever-changing world. Moreover, most people acknowledge college education as it gives them a better chance to be successful people in life. Despite the contemplation that college education is expensive and not worth pursuing, it is necessary to consider the value it adds to an individual’s life (Hill, Hoffman & Rex 12). Notably, nothing beneficial in the future is likely to cost less as most people think. Therefore, college education is the best way to acquire knowledge that will be useful in future endeavors. Caroline Bird’s “College is a Waste of Time and Money” points out that colleges have many students who do not belong there. She goes ahead to say that college is not good and not instrumental for the youths of today (Bird 28). The title of her essay suggests that college is not worth investing money and time, which is not the reality as it helps catapult one to a level of prosperity.  Moreover, colleges offer students more than just education since they get to understand other cultures and improve their critical thinking abilities (Dickler). A college degree is a well-known and respected element that enhances a successful life and creates more opportunities for job applicants.

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A college degree allows anyone to have a better chance of finding a desirable job with matching qualifications (Beard). The chances of getting a well-paying job are unlikely without a college degree. As a result, college education is not a waste of money and time as Bird (34) asserts since it is a good platform to pursue the right job. In fact, a college graduate can start a company and work to the top hence achieving the desired career. Most jobs are out of reach without a college degree and most employers will pursue college qualifications despite the sufficient experience that one may have. Those with a bachelor’s degree and aged 25 years and above face an unemployment rate of 2.4 percent, which has reduced by almost half as provided in the bureau of Labor Statistics.  Moreover, 4 in 5 graduates of the 2016 class considered job availability in their career field before choosing a major. Also, 21 percent were employed before their graduation an increase from 12 percent in 2015 (Smith &Lavelle). Notably, there are careers that want a specific degree for one to succeed. A nursing or teaching job, for example, will not only require formal training but also a college degree. Additionally, a job that does not require a degree will enable one to be more qualified than others for a promotion owing to the possession of a college degree.

A college degree exposes one to a new environment where socialization is relevant in building networks for future career endeavors (Hill et al. 13). In most colleges, students participate in forums that foster their interaction skills through which they build networks with those pursuing different careers. In today’s world, people are determined to access college education as it helps in their preparation for job opportunities and a good pay. Notably, college graduates earn an average salary of $42,000 while those with high school diplomas earn an average of $32,000 (Dickler).  Clearly, a college degree entitles one to better pay and great job opportunities in their fields of choice. In pursuit of college education, socialization comes into perspective (Barrow & Malamud 523).  Furthermore, an individual’s social skills can be acquired and then developed while pursuing education. The social life is integral in human life as it positively encourages a person to work and stay with others (Hill et al. 16). Therefore, as people develop social skills that are not usually acquired spontaneously, they render the education process progressive. College education is therefore valuable in enhancing social skills while ensuring idea-sharing as part of the learning process.

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College education enhances the exposure to different cultures. Notably, college students interact with people on a daily basis who are new in their lives. As a result, they get to understand the differences and similarities among people in terms of their attitudes, perceptions and notions towards things. Moreover, colleges comprise of people from unique cultures, race and color, which renders it a diverse environment with a lot of social learning (Hill et al. 15). College students not only pursue education but also critical thinking to enable them to co-exist peacefully with those around them. They learn to fit into a place where everyone matters regardless of their background, age, race, color and culture (Beard). As a result, college students understand the essence of a peaceful environment brought forth by averting issues of racial discrimination and isolation. Therefore, college education is valuable in uniting people around the world and building a network of empowered individuals.

College education enables one to gain valuable workplace skills. Notably, college is mostly what one makes of it despite of the college rank and category.  College education also introduces one to internships that provide technical experience, build the resume and networks for greater job opportunities (Kantrowitz 5). In addition, college education is exploratory as it is not just about meeting new people and having a new experience (Beard).  Those enrolling in colleges learn to interact so that the work environment does not become complicated. Moreover, colleges comprise of different personalities just like the workplace hence a great place to explore the world. Colleges also introduce one to being a responsible adult owing to the commitment to attend class and plan activities that eventually translate to important life skills in future.

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Bird may be right by implying that college is a waste of time though not all the time. Interestingly, she holds a masters and bachelors degree from two distinct universities. As a result, college education cannot be bad as she purports since she could have not pursued it as it is a waste of money and time. Although the administration in most colleges compels students to take dissociated classes from their intended majors, it should not be the basis for rendering college education a waste of time (Bird 32). The classes should be optional and not compulsory. However, these are classes that are useful in building networks and developing the critical thinking ability of the students. While Bird may be just in arguing that these dissociated classes waste student’s time, college education remains valuable especially in a world that keeps evolving.

Bird (34) also argues that college is certainly a waste of time as people invest a lot of money on something that may not be useful in the future. She notes that a payment of sixty thousand dollars a year to gain college education has to be about good education. The price and quality of education should be justifiable so that colleges do not extort money from unsuspecting students yet the quality of education is poor.  Moreover, Bird notes that it is unacceptable for unranked schools to solicit students to pay a similar amount of tuition fees as the private ones that are considered to be best schools in the country (Bird 35). The idea here is the amount of money that is invested in education that may not be worth it.

College education is certainly an investment that one has to make in order to have a prosperous future. As a result, it is better to get a student loan debt to facilitate college education. However, most people are deterred by the inability to find a career they want hence the irrelevance of a college degree (Beard). Moreover, others want to begin work immediately after high school as they feel that college education is expensive and one may end up jobless in the end. There are also those without any idea of what they want to do with their lives so college education is not a priority in their case. The Bureau of Labor Statistics noted that 51 percent of those who graduated between 2014 and 2015 work in jobs that do not require a college degree. This is an increase from 49 percent of those who graduated in prior years (Dickler).  Despite these notions, college education is valuable because it increases the chances of having a successful future.

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In conclusion, college education is vital in entitling one to a successful career and future. While college education is considered expensive and unnecessary by Caroline Bird, it is certainly useful in enabling one to build social and career networks while pursuing a desirable degree. Moreover, college education improves an individual’s social life and interaction skills.  It is therefore unjust to consider college education as bad and a waste of time as it is a worth investment for future prosperity.