Is The College Education Necessary For The Student?

Name Tutor Course Date Is The College Education Necessary for The Student? College education has become an essential tool in the current generation and more and more students are striving to perform well in schools to get a chance to join college to further their education (OECD 154). There is a general perspective that performing well in the lower level of education gives the student a chance to join the college in the future, which will help them to obtain a good job and have a better life. There has been a heated debated on the importance of the college education and the role it plays in an individual’s life. The proponents of college education contended that although a considerable amount of money and time are required to complete a four-year degree, it is a worthy venture because it helps the individual to cope favorably with the modern life demands (Daly and Leila 1). They argue that going to college is a valuable experience and is accompanied by several benefits. When one joins a college, they get an opportunity to live independently for the first time in their life, and it is during this time when they have to learn how to stay within a tight budget, live with people from different parts of the country and the world and effective management of time. After obtaining a four-year degree, students have increased chances of getting employment than those who did not obtain a college education (Rose 23). Further, university education teaches individuals how to be a team player, open-minded and how to network. People with a college degree have been proven to be more creative than those who have not gone beyond high school. In addition, the amount of wage increases with increase in the level of education (Daly and Leila 1). For instance, the individuals who have obtained master's degree earn more than those with a bachelor's degree, whereas high school certificate holders typically earn less than university degree holders. Therefore, having a college education guarantees a better life because with a higher salary, one can afford to buy healthy foods, pay for insurance cover and holiday expenses, among others (OECD 152). However, the opponents of the higher education indicate that college education consumes a lot of time and funds, where some add that it does not increase chances of employment as is the general view (Biswas and Kirchherr 1). One of the biggest worries as far as college education is concerned is the cost. Some promising students have not been able to finish school due to large amounts of money required for the fees as well as maintenance. Moreover, the hirers are not just considering college degree while recruiting new employees (Biswas and Kirchherr 1). They are now looking for individuals with real-life experiences and crucial skills that will enable them to thrive in a highly dynamic and competitive world (Biswas and Kirchherr 1). In this paper, I will focus on why obtaining a college education is essential in the modern era. I particularly will focus on giving a comprehensive comparison between high school and college education throughout my paper. The college enrollment rate in the United States has tremendously increased (Hussar and Tabitha 5). For example, more than 20.2 million students attended American universities and colleges in 2017, which represents an increase of over 5.1 million since the year 2000 (Hussar and Tabitha 8). Females constituted the majority of the university and college students; approximately 11.5 million women attended higher education institutions last year (Hussar and Tabitha 5). This number is higher than 8.6 million men who attended the same institutions. In addition, more students enrolled in full-time than part-time programs. The number of the students who enrolled in two-year programs was much lower than that of those who attended four-year courses. Also, about 17.5 million students were expected to enroll in undergraduate programs, whereas only 3 million were expected to take postgraduate studies (Hussar and Tabitha). The higher enrollment rate has led to the increased number of individuals attaining various degrees and in 2017/2018 academic year, approximately 1 million individuals obtained an associate degree, 1.9 million were awarded bachelor’s degree, 790,000 individuals obtained a master’s degree and about 183,000 students were awarded doctoral degrees (NCES). According to US Department of Education statistics, the total average price of tuition fees is approximately $16,757 per year at the public colleges, $43,065 in private non-profit colleges and about $23,776 in private for-profit schools (NCES). Currently, about 44 million Americans owe Government more $1.4 trillion in terms of loans. In most United States Universities, tuition and living cost may add up to over $60,000 per year (NCES). To obtain a bachelor’s degree in most universities around the world, it takes four years of full-time study. Although some private universities may offer a two or three-year version of a bachelor's degree, many recruiters prefer a four-year degree. Based on the facts presented here I believe several factors have contributed to increase in rate of enrollment in college education. I will present various points on why the number of individuals enrolling in a college education is increasing every year. Enrollment in a college education is important considering the fact that competition for employment opportunities has massively intensified. Most of the state and private jobs requires one to at least possess some sort of college education, including associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s or doctor’s degree (Baum and Payea 10). In most of the nongovernmental organization, bachelor’s degree is not enough to secure one a job, but it is a prerequisite for many jobs today and it is, therefore, crucial to possess one. Most of the professions require one to possess at least a university degree to get started. For instance, persons looking forward to becoming teachers, lawyers, doctors, and accountants must spend at least four years in college. Employers have a notion that spending four years in college equips the students with critical skills, strong knowledge-base and capacity to maneuver in the organization (Baum and Payea 10). Thus, I am convinced that landing a job with just a high school diploma is hard in the current job market. In 2012, the employment rate for individuals aged between 25 and 64 stood at about 67% for high school graduates and 82% for persons with a four-year college degree (Baum, Ma and Payea 13). In the same year, the unemployment rate of individuals within the same age bracket stood at approximately 3.9% of the university graduates who did not have jobs compared to 11.2% of their high school counterparts College Board indicates that higher education increases the chances of an individual to get employed than those with only a high school diploma (Baum, Ma and Payea 19). In addition, college graduates earn higher wages than the individuals who have not attained higher education. For example, in their entire lives, college graduates can make about 73% more than their high school counterparts. Likewise, the persons who have advanced beyond the bachelor’s degree earn three times than the high school graduates. In 2003, a bachelor's degree worker earned an average wage of $49,900 per year, compared to the annual salary of $30,800 received by high school diploma holders (Baum and Payea 10). The average yearly salary increased with the level of education, and people with a master’s degree received twice as much as those with a bachelor’s degree. Although some scholars argue that some individuals with lower levels of education also make a substantial amount of money through businesses I refute the idea that they have a prestigious occupation than college graduates. In addition, I am of the opinion that individuals with university degrees who have ventured into business have higher chances of prospering than high school dropouts. According to College Board, obtaining university education reduces the likelihood of living in poverty because it increases employment chances. In 2003, the families headed by single mothers who had obtained a bachelor's degree had a poverty rate of 20% compared with 49% and 30% for the mothers with and without a high school diploma respectively (Baum and Payea 17). Correspondingly, among the married couple families, the poverty rate was 2% for the families with at least one parent having a higher education degree, whereas those with high school diploma had a poverty rate of 7% (Baum and Payea 17). This trend has not significantly changed over the last 15 years and poverty rates decrease with an increase in the level of education. In 2011, the overall rate of poverty in the United States was about 5% among the recipients of four-year degree compared with 14% observed in high school graduates (Baum, Ma and Payea 25). As the above information indicates it is apparent that the main tool to fight against poverty is through education, particularly the education further indicating the importance of college education. Another benefit of the college education to the students is improved health outcomes. Health outcomes are the product of individual lifestyle, and unhealthy behaviors have been linked to premature and preventable diseases (Baum, Ma, and Payea 27). People who have attained higher levels of education have been known to practice healthier lifestyles. Educated individuals earn higher salaries and as such, they are more likely to invest in healthy lifestyles than those without education (Baum, Ma, and Payea 27). People with a college education are less likely to engage in behaviors that compromise their health. They rarely participate in activities such as consumption of alcohol, smoking, and drug abuse. They are more likely to eat healthy food, exercise often and have frequent medical checkups. In addition, the smoking rate has tremendously decreased among the college students than other adults (Baum, Ma and Payea 27). Prior to the introduction of public awareness about the health risks of using cigarette and other tobacco products in 1970, smoking rate was much lower in colleges than in other places. The rate of smoking massively dropped to 37% among the college degree holders and 44% in individuals with high school certificates after the information about the impact of tobacco was publicly availed (Baum, Ma and Payea 27). The rate of smoking declined and by 2...