What is College (good) for?

Is college a waste of time? Can I make a good living without a college degree? Is paying all of this money for college going to be worth it in the end? Is getting a degree the best thing for me? Why should I go to college?

These are all questions I asked myself before I made the decision to attend a college or university. These questions are easy to ask, but so much more difficult to answer. With different people telling you different things, you cannot help but feel confused. Most people encouraged me to attend college, but there were always a fair few who told me to just attend a trade school and get better pay.

 

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 After thinking of the answers to all the questions I had been having about college I slowly began to reason with myself. When I attended to high school, I saw teachers. Teachers have degrees. In order to be a teacher you must have an education degree. College is obviously not a waste of time. College is a necessity if you want to become a teacher, and I want to become a teacher.

Can anyone make a good living without a college degree? According to an article written by in the Los Angeles Times, college graduates earn 84% more than those without a college degree. This study was conducted by Georgetown's Center on Education. I trust this study to be legit and I even conducted on research on whether or not college graduates make more money than those without a degree. The results of my search were astounding. I was always told that someone who worked in a trade (welding, electrical work, mechanics, etc.) made amazing money, and you didn't even have to go to a real college or university to do these things. College is definitely good for having a better career for yourself.

It surprises me that more people don't want to attend college. Yes, college is expensive. It always will be. Many people say they cannot afford college for one reason or another. Student loans were created for a reason. I think that people should be most focused on their education. In my opinion, an education is the most important thing a person can possess.

Is paying all that money for college worth it? This 2011 article from the New Yorker says that college is a way to separate those who are intellectual from those who are not. I agree, but I also believe that if someone wants a degree they are going to do their best to earn that degree.

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I believe that college is a necessary tool in the building of both a person's character and attitude. In college people are exposed to many different cultures and beliefs that they have never seen or experienced before. You are immersed in a new world full of endless opportunity the day you are dropped off at college. College allows you to become a part of something much greater than high school clubs and organizations. People can become a part of a brotherhood that is a fraternity. Greek life at a college or university can definitely help you to be a more successful person. If you do not attend college, I feel that you miss out on many great opportunities. I am just a freshman and college has already been one of the greatest experiences of my life.

 

Many people that don't believe that college is important argue that certain degrees are useless. I do not believe that a college or university would have a degree program for a career that has 0% employment. Some degrees have higher employment than others, but that is just life. I completely agree with this article from The Daily Beast that encourages people to get a degree in whatever they want to. If someone wants a degree in 17^th Century Literature they should be able to obtain one. Though positions in this field may not be abundant, there are always possibilities with every degree.

 



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I am attending Jacksonville State University to receive my degree in music with a concentration in music education. I want to teach music to people. It is what I love to do. There is not a high demand for music teachers, but it is what I enjoy doing so I am going to stick with it.

More and more jobs are requiring degrees. Like this article from the Teachers College Record says, an education is a process. If you are not willing to take the next step and work a little