Written by Anwitha Manchala
When individuals are debating on whether or not they should have a college education, they tend to ask themselves, “‘Can I succeed without college?’” (Northeastern). Many people have various opinions about this, with some concurring and others disagreeing. College is a prime part for many people and can leave a big imprint on their lives. It can shape them into the person they are and create many new experiences that can be hard to forget, such as creating new relationships and developing as a person. However, many people perceive a different perspective with more drawbacks. Many believe that college can be pointless and is not the only way to live a stable life, with financial barriers also having an input in this. Some may be intent on making their own money right away instead of spending time in college. In spite of this, it can be an opportunity for people to prepare themselves for work. College education can be a valuable experience for many people, as it can lead to higher income and personal growth.
Among the many benefits of college, one that stands out is higher income among individuals who attended college. There is a substantial difference between the amount that high school graduates and college graduates earn, with college graduates taking the lead. While high school graduates can make a lot of money, people who attend college can make much more. For example, Georgetown University’s study mentions that high school graduates “earned a median of $1.6 million over their lives, compared to the $2.8 million earned by college grads—that’s a 75% increase in earnings” (Andrews). Through this, we can understand that college graduates make a more significant amount of money compared to high school graduates. A 75% percent increase in the amount of money individuals earn is a noteworthy change that can impact people’s lives. This shows us how influential and beneficial college really can be, as it can increase something very important for people. Furthermore, even obtaining a bachelor’s degree in college can give us a higher salary than the national average. There is a huge gap between the two. Particularly, people can see how much higher a bachelor’s degree recipient earns compared to the current national average, as “the average salary of a bachelor’s degree recipient is $67,500 per year. With the current national average just below $56,000 per year..” (Northeastern). This shows how college can be a valuable experience as the average salary of a bachelor’s degree is pronouncedly higher than the current national average, with more than $11,000 in difference! Getting paid this much more can lead to a happier life in a few ways, and can be a better alternative than just not doing college and getting paid normally. Additionally, there is also more evidence showing how people who attended and graduated from a four-year college are earning a great deal more than those who aren’t. For instance, according to Pew Research Center, “Adults who graduated from a four-year college believe that, on average, they are earning $20,000 more a year as a result of having gotten that degree.” (Pew Research Center). This piece of evidence shows us how much of a benefit four-year college can have on people. Individuals who don’t go to college are earning $20,000 less on average per year! An extra $20,000 could do so much for someone, and this really shows us the value of college. All of this shows us how much more money people who went to college earned than those who did not, which is a crucial difference that can prompt us to go to college.
In addition, individuals can see the personal growth in themselves after experiencing college education. College is also a good way to hone different skills and make them even more robust. For instance, individuals can gain skills such as “writing, time-management, and working on a team” (Northeastern) along with “opportunities to polish presentation skills” (Northeastern). This shows people that college can help you gain many skills and prowess useful in anyone’s life and creates self-development and growth. Even more, you can exercise the skills that you already have, such as your presentation skills! This makes it a valuable experience, as it is an opportunity that can really help everyone grow and perform better. Similarly, certain skills can also be developed in college that can help people in the job market obtain jobs. This can be very important, as having a good job can really help you fulfill your needs and some of your wants. For example, while earning a bachelor’s degree, “you’ll gain skills that will give you a competitive advantage in the job market. Today’s employers are most interested in applicants with exceptional communication and leadership.” (Northeastern). Going to college and getting a bachelor’s degree can help individuals gain specific skills that are useful in the job market. Exceptional communication and leadership are important for work, as you need to be able to communicate well with others to discuss certain tasks. You also may need to lead a group, and college can help you develop leadership skills, making it so valuable. Finally, students going to college can learn how to develop interpersonal relationships with their fellow peers. Learning how to do this and interacting with other people can create good relationships and be very impactful. In one of the stages that students are undergoing in college, “‘developing mature interpersonal relationships’”(Britannica ProCon) is one thing that they can really progress in. Interpersonal relationships can be a very important skill in people’s lives, as communication is a key aspect. In college, individuals are surrounded by others and can really amplify their communication skills this way, as there are many opportunities to interact with others. Developing these relationships can also be vital to succeeding in work. College can give us different abilities and allows us to grow as people - it can allow us to acquire many different characteristics that are useful in work and life, and allows us to hone the ones we already have.
However, some may argue that a college education can be a waste of time and money, thus causing additional stress and loss. While a college education can be beneficial for learning knowledge and skills in certain positions, not all of them actually require one. Despite this, many still go to college. According to the Department of Labor, many people have unnecessarily gone to college as around “17 million college graduates work in positions that do not require a college education” (Britannica ProCon). Here, we can understand how many people feel like they have wasted their time going to college on jobs that didn’t even need it! They could have directly applied for a job without all the college education! This shows us how society can make so many people believe that they have to go to college, even though it’s not always necessary. Additionally, many students can have trouble paying off their student loans and may have to work hard for many years to pay it off. They may have to keep pushing back their desires in order to concentrate on their student loan debt. In fact, there are more non-college students still paying student loan debt as there are “17 million college students in the United States, and over 43 million borrowers” (Britannica ProCon) who owe a total of “$1.75 trillion in total student debt” (Britannica ProCon). This demonstrates how prevalent an issue student loan debt really is and how challenging it can be for students who attended college - millions of people who concluded their college education are still trying to pay off their student loan debt, which is more than the people who are already attending college! This can create a stressful and taxing situation, and many people will have to postpone achieving certain milestones such as moving into their own apartment or buying a car. Nevertheless, college education is still salient as it is worth the stress and time. People can probably end up earning more money, interact with other students, and develop their skills, thus creating a memorable experience. As mentioned before, college graduates will probably earn more money than those who didn’t and will be in a better position. Specifically, there is a significant difference as “College graduates earn 80 percent more than their peers who didn’t attend, or didn’t finish, undergrad—and they’re also less likely to wind up unemployed” (White 411). This demonstrates how students in fact should go to college rather than not, as college graduates are earning more money and are more safe from being unemployed. While student loan debt can stress many people out, it is worth it as people can have a better living life and be less stressed about money issues. By earning more money, you can also pay off the student loan debt faster! Furthermore, college graduates can have the experience of interacting with their fellow peers, professors, and more. They can also take part in different extracurricular activities to enhance their skills and knowledge and help them grow when developing relationships. In particular, students attending college “have the opportunity to interact with other students and faculty, to join student organizations and clubs, and to take part in discussions and debate” (Britannica ProCon). While college can seem like a waste of time and effort, it really is not as it can enhance the skills that people have. Students can also develop skills and gain experience. College can really help with growing personally and meeting other like-minded people who have similar positions on certain jobs. Meeting new people can also expand people’s networks, which can be critical to job success, and open doors for new opportunities. This shows us that it really is not a waste of time. Some people believe that college requires a lot of their time and money, however, going to college can actually help people earn more money, develop skills, and grow in different ways.
In conclusion, college education can bestow one with a higher salary and personal growth, creating key experiences. People who are thinking about their future and career should understand the importance of college and really ponder on their decision. Similarly, parents should also care to understand and persuade their kids to go to college. College can deeply impact and influence people’s lives, changing them, and a college experience is a distinctive one that has many benefits. While college students have to abide with the ramifications of student loan debt, and college can seem unessential, the disadvantages do not overrule the benefits. Overall, people should ultimately decide that college education is the best option to maximize all the benefits, as going to college can have a prominent effect on people’s futures.
Works Cited
Andrews, Garrett. “Is College Worth It? Consider These Factors Before Enrolling.” Forbes, 24 January 2024, https://www.forbes.com/advisor/education/student-resources/is-a-college-degree-worth-it/. Accessed 17 April 2024.
Britannica ProCon. Is College Worth It?, 29 June 2023, https://college-education.procon.org/. Accessed 18 April 2024.
Joubert, Shayna. “10 Benefits of Having a College Degree.” Northeastern's Bachelor's Completion, 9 January 2020, https://bachelors-completion.northeastern.edu/news/is-a-bachelors-degree-worth-it/. Accessed 18 April 2024.
Pew Research Center. “Is College Worth It?” Pew Research Center, 15 May 2011,
Accessed 18 April 2024.
White, Gillian B. SpringBoard: English Language Arts. College Board, 2021.
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