Is It Worth It To Go To College

Students Get Access To College

Attending college provides more than an education and a potential financial advantage. It also offers many experiences that most people only have access to through their college affiliation.

For example, college students can:

• Find internships and gain on-the-job experience
• Take advantage of volunteer and networking opportunities on-campus
• Get access to career advisors, guidance counselors and more who can help guide you along your chosen path

Bottom Line: Why Is College Worth It

As you consider your options after high school, pay attention to what you hope to get out of college. Dont forget to factor in the cost of attending and what you can get in scholarships.

Free money can significantly reduce your cost to attend school, making the return on your education that much higher. Research colleges more generous with merit aid, apply for scholarships, consider your educational path, and plan ahead.

With the right approach, you can get a great return on your educational investment possibly even seeing a $1 million benefit over your lifetime.

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Persuasive Essay: If You Need To Go To College

Did you know to go to college at a public in state college is around $78,000 for four years? I think the world need to lower college prices because you need a college education for most good jobs, so poor students that are bright can still go to college, and so you can pay off enormous debt after you get out of college. I believe all kids need an education after high school. Most jobs require some kind of degree. If you want a house and a car after you go to college and dont want any more debt you need to have a good job to get you through life.

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Some Interesting Stats On College Debt

According to this WSJ article, this generation is in trouble .

The average class of 2015 graduate with student-loan debt will have to pay back a little more than $35,000.

How will you be able to pay off $35k of debt if you cant find a job? How will you start saving up for that home or wedding if you owe so much money? How will you even think about that first trip that you so badly want to go on?

Your Making Adult Decisions

Further, you may find yourself making debt payments on that degree years after youve completed it whether you use it or not. If you fail to do good on those payments, that could affect your credit, and subsequent ability to do things like take out another loan, buy a car, or become a homeowner.

This is part of the risk you take when you choose the narrow path, so tread it carefully. Understand that these are real-life adult decisions with corresponding consequences. So its important to do research, weigh your options, and look ahead- then you can make an informed decision.

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Why College Is Very Much Worth It Essay

You don’t have to know right away, but don’t miss out on the value that college can bring you. In the article “Actually, College Is Very Much Worth It” by Andrew J. Rotherham, the author states,”College graduates are also more likely to be in jobs with better benefits, further widening the divide” . Having a better job and a better salary is good in many ways as to being able to pay for more like a car, house, and maybe kids. Money is a struggle for a lot of people and if you go to college you get an advantage to getting more money.

You Likely Will Graduate With Student Loan Debt

Because college costs have increased so much, its unlikely that youll be able to cover the entire cost out of your savings or earnings from a part-time job instead, youll probably have to use student loans to cover at least some of the expense. According to The Institute for College Access and Success, 62% of 2019 college graduates left school with student loan debt, with an average balance of $28,950.

Depending on your student loan repayment plan, you could be in debt for 10 to 30 years. Thanks to your minimum monthly payments, you may feel pressure to put off other financial goals, like saving for retirement or buying a home.

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% Of Student Loan Borrowers Hold Jobs That Dont Require College Degrees

Although a college degree can lead to a better-paying job, this doesnt always pan out. The survey found that half of student loan borrowers ended up in jobs that dont even require a college degree. So, is a degree worth it for these borrowers?

The question is difficult to answer because of how often people change careers these days, Tomaszewski said.

Options: What To Do If You Cant Afford Your Student Loan Payments

If a person knows before they hit college age that they want to enter a career that would never require a degree, it may not be worth going. However, many of the borrowers currently in jobs that dont require a degree may want to switch careers to one that does.

The majority of higher-earning jobs do require a college degree, Tomaszewski said. Effectively, a college degree becomes your insurance policy of sorts that not only might open several doors via networking, friendships, club memberships, etc. but also a deterrent from many doors being shut in your face.

Are There Any Benefits Of Going To A Prestigious University

There are benefits of attending a top university, especially if you have a certain major. In addition to networking opportunities and potential career path benefits, Conger pointed out that, on average, prestigious universities spend more on each student. She also noted that students at top universities often have access to top researchers and education, as well as state-of-the-art facilities.

However, even though there are potential benefits of attending a top university, there might be other factors to consider before you borrow a large amount of money to attend.

If the extra cost to attend a more prestigious school is going to require a student to take on a heavy debt burden, it might not be worth it, said Debbie Schwartz, a college preparation expert and founder of the website Road2College. Studies have shown that getting accepted to a prestigious school is the more important factor in success, not necessarily attending and graduating from that school.

If you decide an expensive college is worth it, its important to make sure that you take full advantage of the opportunity. Build relationships with professors and students throughout and reach out to alumni, Schwartz said. Participate in clubs and activities. If youre paying more for the prestige, you should take advantage of it.

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What About Online Colleges

When it comes to choosing colleges, prospective students should always consider online options â both in-state and out-of-state.

Many online schools offer tuition discounts for fully online students. At some schools, online learners even pay in-state tuition rates, regardless of where they live. Tuition policies for online learners vary depending on the school, so prospective students should research discounts for out-of-state students at their potential schools.

Attending an out-of-state online program allows students to pursue prestigious specialty programs without relocating. However, keep in mind that some online programs have in-person requirements, including occasional campus visits or intensives. This is especially common in fields like nursing, engineering, and education. Research whether an online program allows distance learners to complete in-person requirements locally before enrolling.

Finding : Majors Matter For Return On Investment

The final dimension of the financial returns to college I explore in this report is that of college major. After the decisions of whether to go to college and where to attend, the decision of what to major in may be the most financially consequential decision a student makes. The difference in lifetime earnings between the top- and bottom-earning majors is close to $2 million.10 On the other hand, the issues of comparative advantage and job satisfaction are difficult to deal with given that students choose majors in part based on their own skills and preferences. The statistics below should thus be taken with the large caveat that they should not be used to argue in favor of switching majors for people with very strong preferences for a certain field. It is fundamentally impossible to know what the financial outcome would be for a linguistically brilliant English major who hates math if they were forced to major in engineering. That said the numbers are still quite useful for the type of comparisons we have been making throughout the rest of this paper.

Figure 4

Keep in mind that there is considerable variation within these broad categories. Biology is a STEM major, but it provides roughly the same lifetime earnings as an area/ethnic studies major. Economics is a social science, but it is in the top 5 of all majors in terms of return on investment,11 behind only several engineering concentrations.

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Advantages And Drawbacks Of Going To Varsity

In the event youre making an attempt to resolve whether or not school is price it for you, listed here are just a few professionals and cons to bear in mind:

Is It Worth Going To College In 2020

Mark Twain once said Never let schooling interfere with your education. I cant think of a more accurate description for how I feel towards a college education in 2020. However, just because I earned a worthless piece of fancy toilet paper, doesnt mean a college degree is worthless for you.

If youre wondering if college is the right answer, this article will give you perspective so you can

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Why Dont Millennials Believe College Is Worth It

Millennials are paving the way for Gen Z on the college-free route. More and more young millennials are asking themselves is it okay to not go to college? And many of them are going on to prove that it is.

• Young millennials are breaking away from the societal mold. Nearly 20% of would-be students ages 22 to 28 stated theyd likely take a gap year before college. Another 20% indicated theyd choose to forgo the college experience altogether. Theyre determined to avoid the massive amounts of student debt that often comes along with getting a degree.
• Over 70% of these surveyed millennials have considered one of the many alternative means of education. This figure has grown exponentially since 2017 alone, by almost 20%. This is no doubt due to the growth of technology and the increased accessibility of education because of it.

There Are Many Financial And Career Benefits

Let’s start by considering the financial advantages of a college education.

In 2019, college graduates with a bachelor’s degree earned $30,000 more per year than those with a high school diploma or its equivalent.

Here’s one of the most cited statistics that shows the benefits of a college education: a person with a bachelor’s degree will, on average, earn almost $1 million more over the course of her lifetime than somebody with just a high school diploma. While money shouldn’t necessarily be the biggest priority in anyone’s life, there’s no doubt that a higher salary will give you more opportunities, alleviate stress, and allow you to more easily support a family.

Moreover, college-educated Millennials have much lower unemployment and poverty rates. According to recent studies from 2020 to 2021 by the New York Federal Reserve Bank, young people aged 22-27 are more likely to be unemployed if they don’t have a college degree. Unemployment among those with a college degree was 3.9%, but it was 10.3% for those without a degree.

In addition, those who attended college are more likely to get married and less likely to be living in their parents’ homes. Statistics indicate that attending college has more economic benefits for Millennials than it did for previous generations. Going to college might be more important now than ever before!

As you can see, there are tons of financial benefits to getting a bachelor’s degree. But what about the professional advantages?

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Knox Magazine Set Out To Take On A Few Of The Headlinesor Bust A Few Of The Common Mythsabout Higher Education To Help Us All Understand Better Why A College Degree Is Still Worthy Of Pursuit

“Student debt is out of control.”

“Unemployment rates for college graduates are high.”

“College is not worth the money.”

It’s not a myth that faith in higher education is on the decline, but the headlines we read in the newspaper or see on social media are just that-headlines.

Many are based upon extreme cases and not reflective of the experience of the vast majority of college graduates.

So how do we know what’s a myth and what’s real? Knox Magazine set out to take on a few of the headlines-or bust a few of the common myths-about higher education to help us all better understand why a college degree is still worthy of pursuit.

Lets See What The Experts Had To Say About Going Back To College

Should you go back to college in your 20s or 30s if youre not satisfied with your life?

Maybe more important than a formal program is just keeping up with changes in your industry and keeping your skills fresh. Best example is learning how computers and the internet have changed different jobs and roles. How many people have been locked out of the job market because theyre still an analog worker in a digital age? Doesnt matter if your in your 20s or 50s, absolutely have to keep learning. Joseph Hogue of Work From Home Blog.

Amen. Never fall behind in your field if you want to stay relevant.

Generally, no, but it depends on what you want to do. Too many young people go back to school because they dont know what to do next. If youre going to be a lawyer, youll obviously need law school. If youre a teacher, you make more money with a masters degree. But if youre a writer, journalist, communications executive, etc., having a higher degree or more degrees doesnt affect your compensation at all. If you want more education and your employer will pay for it, thats a good opportunity to go back to school. Teresa Mears of Living on the Cheap.

Never turn down a free education. If your employer is willing to pay for it, then do it.

Going back to become a lawyer is a wise move because theres always a demand for work in this field.

Thats a cool story. If you want to make more money, youre going to have to upgrade your skills.

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Opportunity Gaps In Higher Education

Achieving success through effort and education is a prominent theme in American meritocracy, but the gap in college opportunity means that not everyone makes it to the starting line. Many low-income and minority students lack equal access to quality schools and academic resources, with these disadvantages beginning at an early age.

Closing the opportunity gap in higher education starts with primary and secondary education, and recent data indicates promising trends in these areas.

Many low-income and minority students lack equal access to quality schools and academic resources, with these disadvantages beginning at an early age.

According to the Stanford Center for Education Policy Analysis, achievement gaps for minority students in reading and math declined sharply in the 1970s and ’80s before stagnating in the ’90s. Fortunately, these gaps have narrowed dramatically in the last 15 years.

Going to college can have a lifelong positive impact, propelling students into good careers and the middle class however, the upward social mobility that college promises is often withheld from students who lack proper college prep and financial support.

Remedying this situation requires both funding and policy changes, as well as rewriting college admission practices that have known exclusionary effects, such as standardized testing requirements.

Why College Isnt For Everyone

Around half of the American college students drop out before completing their four-year degree. This goes to show that not everyone is cut out to thrive in the college environment.

• Extensive studies have shown that only 5% of people surveyed felt that lecture halls were their prime learning conditions.
• An astonishing 75%, on the other hand, stated they learn best from hands-on, practical work.

Whats more, is that college wasnt actually designed for everyone to attend. Before the 1960s schools were focused on teaching kids practical skills they could take with them into jobs and apprenticeships. Unless a person wanted to practice medicine, for example, it was believed a college education not worth it. Only afterward did schools begin ushering students into the college system, a decision that has been financially catastrophic to many who have gotten little use out of their expensive degrees.

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Possible Disadvantages Of Attending College

Even though attending college can offer you many benefits, there are potential drawbacks.

Note that you only get many of the benefits of going to college if you’re able to graduate. A 2019 NPR article reported that only 58% of students who enrolled in college as first-time students in the fall of 2012 had earned a degree.

Now, let’s take a look at the three biggest cons of attending college.