College Degree and Its Significance

Introduction

At the present moment, there is heated debate concerning the significance and importance of college degree. Some people state that college degree is a must to get a good job, while others state it is not mandatory in the modern world, in which people have to establish startups themselves. Thus, it means they have to do something great on their own without wasting their time on academic things they may not need. Nevertheless, one believes that people should get a college degree not only because it introduces them to their possible career choices but also because it enlarges their worldview, structures their knowledge and allows people to understand and use their talents more effectively.

Philosophy of Education Essay Example

Firstly, a college degree helps while looking for a job. According to “a survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers,” it is much easier for math graduates to get jobs after college; it is especially easy in the fields of accounting, business, and engineering (Mead, 2010). Basically, it shows that students are able to get good jobs owing to their education, and they can learn all of the necessary skills needed for their future positions. It shows that a college degree does a good job preparing a person to their professional career. It also helps the person to develop the talents needed for the career as well as understand the future working process better. Graduates are able to enter a professional field with a significant package of skills, and they have a competitive advantage comparing to those looking for similar jobs. Basically, college degree gives a young person better chances of getting a well-paid job instead of struggling in order to get a good job position with no degree.

Another thing about getting a college degree is that it actually expands people’s knowledge and understanding of the world as well as allows them to structure their skills so that they are able to use these skills more effectively. With a college degree, a person understands one’s potential better and is able to achieve success. A college degree plays an important role for the person’s future because “it could be the single most important tool to compete in the global marketplace of the future” (Schneider, 2009). College allows a person to become more aware of the things they want to accomplish in their life. It also provides the person with an opportunity to communicate with many peers who have similar goals and who improve their intellectual capacities in order to achieve these goals. Such an environment allows the person to become more motivated and eager to work hard. A college degree also enlarges the person’s perception because it does not teach a student classes connected to their major only but provides them with an opportunity to learn much more besides it in order to become a versatile person. Thus, college life provides students with an amazing opportunity to test themselves and see their skills on practice before obtaining an actual job. A good example may be seen with The Coffee House which was a small business on a university campus described by Scott Adams in his article “How to Get a Real Education.” Adams describes the process during his education when he was able to learn rules and principles of management owing to an opportunity he got on campus (Adams, 2011). Thus, college education allows combining practice and theory, rationality and creativity, and is very important for the future development of an individual.

Critics of college education may say that a college degree does not define people’s real talents. They may use examples of world-famous dropouts such as Steve Jobs who did not get a college degree but still managed to succeed. They also state that college education is very expensive, and it is smarter to invest money into something else like a business or house because the skills people may need for their jobs can be obtained directly through practice. Critics also state that soon there will be no need for college degrees in most professions, and educational institutions emphasize on the necessity to get a degree to make more money. Critics add that since college education is so costly, it places people in disadvantaged positions because it provides the poor with fewer opportunities comparing to the rich.

Such criticism has some point, but it can be easily proven wrong. To those who state that college is a waste of money, one would like to show the statistics which state that “college graduates earn 80 percent more on average than high school graduates” (Schneider, 2009). Basically, that means that even if a person spends a lot of money on college, they get that money back later on owing to professional career. Many universities provide scholarships which also prove that college education can be for everybody despite their finances as long as this person is smart enough and can learn even more. The fact that some jobs do not need a college degree does not mean that all of the jobs are the same. There are professions which require a college degree as a must. Finally, examples of dropouts being used so often are exceptions which only prove the fact that a college degree is important for the person’s future.

It is hard to disagree with Scott Adams that modern society consists of different people like A and B students, but B students make the majority. Nevertheless, being a B student does not mean being stupid. In fact, it means that a person has to spend more time on education and focus on things which they find truly important. It is generally perceived that college is the best place for such person to focus on things like that because it allows them to communicate with other people who have similar interests as well as get professional training and broad education.

Summary

Thus, a college degree is an important tool for modern people which allows one to become a successful and well-paid professional who is also capable of developing their talents in many spheres. The debate over a college degree is concerned with the future of current educational system because many people think that as technology changes, education should change as well. It is true that education has to transform, but it does not mean negating a college degree but making colleges implement the usage of new technologies. A college degree determines the future of a person, and that is why it is important for the entire nation.