By: Joanmys Pena

“Get a college degree and be successful” is a phrase that most of us have heard once or twice in our lives, always being taught that without higher education we are basically nothing, that that will give us money in the future. But is that true? Will a person be successful in having a college degree? For nobody is a secret that a lot of people drop out of school because “education is not good” but, what if they are correct? what if education is not worth it? what if you get a degree and get no job after wasting all that money in college? I am studying the value, necessity, and importance of education to help my reader, understand why people drop out of school and the other different factors that may make getting a higher education not worth it.

A lot of people tend to have different opinions about college education, most of them think that getting a degree is the key to having money. Others think that education is just a waste of time, that you can achieve a successful future without a higher education degree. Nowadays, getting a college degree is something that most students see as “mandatory” seen as some of them are being involuntarily forced by the feelings of their parents of wanting their child to be a professional. Yes, the pretty feeling of being pressured into doing something that they detest, a feeling that most students nowadays know very well. Higher education is now something that is more forced than anything, being looked at when you say that you only have one diploma. The not wanting to be a disappointment to the family and the insane amounts of money that goes into a degree.

Having a degree from a private university is like being a famous person walking in a crow of regular people. “The tiny minority of students who attend elite colleges do far better on average than those who attend nonselective ones” (Shell). this means that by not attending a private, more expensive, college your chances of opportunities are lower. For example, if you’re in a high job interview with graduates from a public college, and you went to a private college and manage to graduate from there you are going to be the perfect candidate for the position compared to the other students, because private colleges tend to be seen as privileged, because of the good reputation that they have.

Race and class also play a big part when thinking about higher education. If you are not the desired race, then you are simply left with having few opportunities. “Black and Hispanic students are significantly less likely than are white and Asian students to attend elite colleges” To put it simply if you are black or Latino then your chances of having equal opportunities as whites and Asians are very rare. Something sad. Just because that we are a different race does not mean that we are less equal than the other. we tend to be seen as “less smart” or at a lower level than white people. “African-Americans dropouts on average earn less than white Americans with only high school degree” (Shell). This demonstrates the inequality between other races when it comes to income.

If you don’t have any money, you’re not going to be successful either. “low-income students of all races are far more likely to drop out of college than are wealthier students.” (Shell). Having enough money to go to college is another problem that most students face since to be in college you need a lot of material. A computer to do the homework at home, notebooks, pens and pencils, Wi-Fi, etc. only those objects will take away most of the income of poor people, and this is without counting the expensive books and the college tuition.

“Tuition, room, and board can add up quickly, particularly if you attend a private school, where the sticker price can exceed $50,000 per year. Even in-state tuition at many public colleges and universities is upwards of $20,000 per year.” (’96) 

“Even with scholarships or free tuition, these students struggle with hefty fees and living costs, and they pay the opportunity cost of taking courses rather than getting a job.” (Shell). These two demonstrate how high the expenses are and that even with a scholarship, there are more expenses that a poor student must worry about.

To add to all these problems, we now have a bigger one that changed the lives of millions, the pandemic.

Since the start of the covid-19 pandemic, getting a higher education has been very difficult. “In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic and the rapid transition to online teaching put EdTech promises and research under heightened scrutiny.” (Laufer et al.). Beginning with the lack of development in education apps and the little time that professors and students had to accommodate to the new way of learning, Online lectures tend to be very difficult if the class is complicated. All those long hours through a screen just to learn nothing. All the technical difficulties make online learning one of the hardest times a present student can pass through.

Educational technology (EdTech) was made to improve the access of a student to education, and in a way, they did achieve that goal. In the new EdTech apps, you can access your course material with a click or with a keyword, making it easier for the student to study. But with that same click, a student can fall on another page and get distracted. Most students currently use apps like TikTok, YouTube, etc. that can be accessed through the computer or the phone, making it easy for the student to not focus on their work. “Research on learning effectiveness has been mixed, concluding that tech-focused investment alone cannot make learning better.” (Laufer et al.) illustrates that with all these factors, EdTech does not make higher education better.

Higher education can be very beneficial to a person depending on their situation. If they have a wealthy situation they will most likely succeed, but if they have a low wealth then their chances are lower, however, just because they have lower chances does not mean that they cannot become successful in life. If they work hard enough, they will achieve it.

For many people, college is well worth the expense. Not only do you gain valuable life experience and make lifelong connections, but Those with higher degrees will have a more secure position. “College graduates also earn roughly 73 percent more than high school graduates and those with advanced degrees earn two to three times as much as high school graduates.” (’96) “people who earn bachelor’s degrees and work full time can expect to earn more than their peers with a high school diploma over their lifetime” (Heckler). People with higher degrees end up winning more than high school graduates and dropouts. Having well-paid jobs and being successful. But this is only depending on the major and the wealth that the person has. If they have a low income by their major and they’re in debt, they will most likely just end up bankrupt.

Some people think more about the future before settling for a career. “With the rise of artificial intelligence and the consistent call for multi-talented and flexible critical thinkers in our workplaces, college is -and will increasingly be the best way to prepare for an uncertain future” (Heckler). Technology has been changing since a long time ago, must humans be preparing to be replaced any day by an AI, but the disadvantage that artificial intelligence has is that they don’t have a heart which means that they will never be able to think with emotions.

Going to college has its benefits. People that go to university tend to be successful after graduating. If they don’t have any resources, they end up borrowing money from the bank to pay their tuition. That debt has the same average as owning a brand-new car. “THE AVERAGE DEBT LEVEL OF A BACHELOR’S DEGREE RECIPIENT IS EQUIVALENT TO THE AVERAGE PRICE OF A NEW CAR.” (’96).

People from liberal art major tend to think that their major is useless. Often regretting their poor choice. “Liberal arts graduates are highly desired by employers” (’96). liberal arts graduates are indeed one of the most needed employers. Having lots and lots of jobs opportunities. But, what about the other majors?

Some of them tend to not be as desirable as these majors. Take by an example, the biology major. Having few work options, graduates of these majors tend to fall into a deep depression after doing 4 years of hard work just to have very few work options, those being: going into med, working as a scientist, or going back to university and doing a major in another science-related major to pursue that career.

To be successful in life with a degree you must either be in a good financial situation or be in a good major that has a lot of job opportunities.

To finalize, when thinking about the worth of higher education think about the situation and major. in my opinion, college is worth it because if someone is seeking a long-term job with security, mobility, and pay increase must attend college. Having a degree is better than not having one at all. Without higher education on your resume, it may be more difficult to find a high-paying job, and competition for available opportunities will be fierce.

Reference:

’96, Megan Scott. “Yes, College Is Worth It: Busting Myths about Higher Education – Features.” Knox College, www.knox.edu/magazine/spring-2018/features/yes-college-is-worth-it.

Heckler, Mark A. “The Importance of a College Education.” Chicagotribune.com, Chicago Tribune, 12 Dec. 2018, www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/opinion/ct-ptb-heckler-guest-column-st-0912-story.html.

Laufer, Melissa, et al. “Digital Higher Education: A Divider or Bridge Builder? Leadership Perspectives on Edtech in a COVID-19 Reality.” International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, vol. 18, no. 1, 2021, doi:10.1186/s41239-021-00287-6.

Shell, Ellen Ruppel. “College May Not Be Worth It Anymore.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 16 May 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/05/16/opinion/college-useful-cost-jobs.html.