Value of a College Education Essay
KEY to coded components:
ORANGE = CONNECTors: never “borangeing,” these are the hook, transitions,
introductions, and call to action (in conclusion paragraph).
YELLOW = the BRIGHT ideas: the claim (or thesis), topic sentences, and any
restatements of the central claim.
GREEN = what GROWS the essay strong: evidence, including facts, statistics, and
anecdotal evidence.
PINK = THINKing: the analysis, commentary, evaluation that is in the voice of the writer
and expresses her/his critical thinking or elaboration on evidence, or claim.
BLUE = the COUNTERPUNCH, or bruise to the writer’s claim: contains an argument
against the writer’s claim.
INTRO PARAGRAPH:
“Those who question the value of college tend to be those with the luxury of
knowing their own children will be able to attend it” (Leonhardt). Choosing whether or
not to attend college is a difficult decision in every person’s life. In today’s society, a
college education has never been more valuable. As the economy continues to struggle,
many Americans fall into a pit of financial distress. With a lack of education, the results
are even worse. In a study done by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, it is apparent that a
college education aids in lowering the unemployment rate for those with a degree.
Those with a doctoral degree had an unemployment rate of just 2.5 percent, while
those with less than a high school diploma had an unemployment rate of 14.1 percent.
Based on this study, along with many others, a college education is crucial in finding a
steady career. Not only that, but the weekly earnings of those with a degree are
significantly higher than those without. According to the same study, those with a
professional degree earned almost four times as much as those with less than a high
school diploma did. Those with a college degree will- without a doubt- be able to better
support their families in the long run. If more people were to obtain college degrees,
many problems in our society would be solved. The personal gain for those that attend
college and finish with a degree is absolutely and completely worth the time and effort.
BP#1
Having a college degree, or some form of college education, pays off when searching for
a place of work. It is no secret that our economy has been extremely unreliable for the
past several years. It is already a grueling process to find a suitable job, and even then a
person might not get it. If more people had a college education, some of this stress
would be reduced. In a recent report by the Boston Globe, this point is made clear. “As a
whole, high-school graduates were more likely to live in poverty and be dissatisfied with
their jobs, if not unemployed… In contrast, roughly nine in ten college graduates ages 25
to 32 said that their bachelor’s degree had paid off or will pay off in the future” (Yen).
The people in this study are fairly young, and are probably just now searching for a
legitimate career. Most high-paying and stable careers require more education than a
basic high-school one. A high- school diploma will not be much help while looking for a
long- lasting job, according to the same study. “...not only does a college degree
typically yield much more inflation-adjusted earnings that before, but a high- school
diploma also is now worth less” (Yen). Before a person takes drastic measures and
decides not to attend college, they need to question whether or not their current
amount of education will be able to carry them throughout their career. Realistically, a
college education will provide many more opportunities than a high- school one.
BP#2
Another important point to think about is that as the economy goes up and
down, the overall value of a college education continues to gain value. In a report by the
New York Times, this startling fact is explained. A paper was recently published that
goes in depth about the cost-saving effects of college. “According to a paper by Mr.
Autor published Thursday in the journal Science, the true cost of a college degree is
about negative $500,000. That’s right: Over the long run, college is cheaper than free.
Not going to college will cost you about half a million dollars” (Leonhardt). If people
would take the long view, they would realize that a financial investment in college will
pay off big, over time.This amazing fact is just another reason to consider college one of
the most valuable experiences available. Gaining a college education is one of the best
things a person can do to prepare for the world. Financial issues are a widespread
source of worry in America, and a college education is proven to save money while
giving great value.
The last thing that needs to be addressed is the fact that many people view a
college education as a waste of time. They feel that it is pointless to put in so much time
and effort when there are many possible careers that do not require such an education.
In addition to that, going to college may not even prove to be successful. In the same
article referenced above “...a goodly proportion (more than 40 percent) of those
attending four- year colleges, full- time fail to graduate, even within six years”
(Vedder)Many people believe that college is worthless, and will not help them in the
long run. This is completely incorrect, because almost all major careers require a college
education. It is important to study the field that a person wants to be a part of, and this
will prove to be a valuable advantage in a work environment. It is true that going to
college does not guarantee success or a meaningful career, but it does provide a more
stable lifestyle once a person actually gets a job. “The pay gap between college
graduates and everyone else reached a record high last year, according to the new data,
which is based on an analysis of Labor Department statistics...” (Leonhardt). People
need to realize that getting a good job is not based on whether or not they go to college,
it is simply that college provides jobs of higher quality. It is possible to land in a good job
without going to college, but going to college will allow a person to move up in their
career. If someone is looking to expand their opportunities in life, college is absolutely
the right decision.
CONCLUSION PARAGRAPH
The choice of whether or not to go to college is a problem facing countless
people around the globe. Almost every day, a teacher will address the subject of why it
is so crucial that a person attends college. Teachers seem to want students to move on
to a higher education, and it is very clear why. College is a valuable experience in social,
financial, and educational aspects. Not only that, but it provides a much better chance
of developing a strong reputation in a work environment. Not having a college
education can easily lead to landing in a poor quality job with little or no social
advantages.The choice is hard, but the benefits are simple. Anyone that wants to
continuously grow in knowledge and maturity should consider the true value of a
college education.
Works Cited
Leonhardt, David. "Is College Worth It? Clearly, New Data Say." The New York Times.
New York Times Company, 27 May 2014. Web. 3 Dec. 2014.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/27/upshot/is-college-worth-it-clearly-new-datasay.html?_r=0&abt=0002&abg=1>.
"New School Year, Old Story: Education Pays." 2014. Springboard: English Language
Arts. N.p.: CollegeBoard, 2014. 63. Print.
Vedder, Richard. "Why College Isn't for Everyone." 2012. Springboard: English Language
Arts. N.p.: CollegeBoard, 2014. 78-79. Print.
Yen, Hope. "New study shows the value of a college education." The Boston Globe.
Boston Globe Media Partners, 11 Feb. 2014. Web. 3 Dec. 2014.
<http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/nation/2014/02/11/new-study-shows-valuecollege-education/3IWWEOXwQEAcMFSy09msOK/story.html>.