A college degree is valuable in various aspects, from providing one with a broader range of opportunities to boosting character development.
Some may argue that college is not strictly the only path that one can pursue in order to succeed in life. However, college ultimately shapes students and prepares them for the real world.
Today, as the world constantly evolves and develops, there are a few industries that experience a growth in demand for specialized skills and talents.
Due to the increase in specialization, jobs in these industries would most usually require at least a bachelor’s degree, some even require a graduate or doctorate degree.
This is owing to the fact that there are skill sets that can only be taught in college, as well as the opportunities for first-hand experience in the industry like internships.
According to a government report focused on job market analytics, the total number of job postings requiring a bachelor’s degree from 2019 to 2022 reached nearly 98.5 million.
Over 80 percent of jobs in four of the fastest-growing occupations – healthcare, science, technology, engineering and mathematics, education, and government services – demand postsecondary education.
Besides the number of jobs that require a college degree, post-secondary education also allows one to stay competent in the industry and earn a higher income.
Dr. Mark Smith, a professor of management, has been teaching at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette since 1977.
When asked whether a college degree is worth it, he answered, “If you strictly look at your average income, yes it seems to be worth it. Your average income will probably be better.”
According to government data, 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, individuals with a bachelor’s degree are rewarded with higher earning potential as compared to high school diploma and associate degree recipients.
In that same government report, it is stated that from 2020 to 2022 the average median salary of individuals with a bachelor’s degree increased by nearly 20 percent.
Financial stability can make it possible for college graduates to be able to live a more comfortable and secure life, without having to worry about making ends meet.
The lessons taught in college could also provide students with crucial information and skills that may seem unassuming at first, but could come in handy later in their lives.
Smith shared, “When I went to school the internet didn’t exist, now I use it all the time. Back when I went to school they were teaching programming and programming turned out to be a vital skill for me. I don’t program, but it was the computer skills that led me to follow the computer revolution, let me understand what was going on and follow it and learn with it.
He added, “You never know what little skill you get that’s gonna let you learn the next skill which is going to let you learn the next skill, it’s like a stair step of skills.”
According to Smith’s valuable insight, the skills that we learn in college, even in the general education aspect, could make us much more knowledgeable and competent, even while it may not seem so.
College is also important in terms of shaping one’s character, providing a platform for networking and forging important connections.
Danisha LaShawn Williams, a senior majoring in psychology with a double minor in criminal justice and dance, felt that coming to college has shaped her into the person that she is today.
“You find yourself a lot, and you start to find your self-worth and who you are supposed to be. It’s a stepping stone you should take before going into the real world,” Williams said.
In college, students also experience immense growth and change, especially if they’re having to live independently for the first time.
As most students have to be away from home, they start inculcating a sense of responsibility especially from having to make their own decisions.
The people students meet in college and the connections that they make also determine a huge part of their personal development.
This is due to the fact that college has a widely diverse student population. By being exposed to people of different backgrounds and cultures, students can expand their worldview and be inspired by different values.
Through meeting new people in college, Williams experienced character development ever since coming in as a freshman in 2019.
“I came in so quiet and boxed in, meeting the people I met got me out of my comfort zone,” she shared.
While college may be beneficial for most, it may also not be the right path for some. Students have to possess the will to learn, and the drive to persist.
Taylar Johnson is a second year graduate student majoring in psychology. When asked what she would say to someone who is still considering college, she stated, “College is really hard, it’s not just this fun experience where you make friends and party.”
Johnson continued, “I would have this person think about if this is something you actually want or something you feel you have to do. If you want it then you should go to college because that access to education would be helpful long-term, but if it’s not something you really want then college is not the only option.”
On the whole, college is certainly valuable in the sense that it provides us a platform for higher learning, opens up more career opportunities, mostly guarantees a stable income as well as shapes one’s character.
Ultimately, college is an important milestone for preparing students for the real world.