Why College Education Is Important

“Education is our passport to the future for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepares for it today.” College education has become very important in every individual’s life as it provides higher level of knowledge, confidence, academic, technical and social skills required for a successful professional and personal life. It not only enhances education attainment but also provides considerable values to individuals and to the economy where such individuals live and work, ultimately benefitting the society and the country’s economy. It is true that students invest considerable time and energy in addition to the college fees into building their future and their parents have to sacrifice their current consumption opportunities or even go into debt for their children’s education as college education is a heavy investment. However, it is also undeniable that college graduates have better earning potentials, have better time management and prioritization skills and college education also promotes women empowerment.

A college graduates have better learning potentials as they get better job opportunities as they get with better job security and satisfaction than those who do not have a college degree. Most people graduates with baccalaureate degree as it increases earning potential. Economist believes that pay is related productivity and productivity comes from the job skills provided by a college education. College education determines person employability as employers are thought to use the degree as the signal for making hiring decisions also called “signaling”. There is job security, increasing average lifetime earning as jobs are secured. According to the U.S census bureau’s (2004), college graduates will earn an average of about 2.5 million US dollar more over their working lives than the diploma or high school graduates. Earning better is related with job satisfaction as the job pays well and the skills required for the job is already been specialized in the college education. A survey from Perdue University suggest that on average, 5.71 on the scale of 7 indicated that the graduates were fairly satisfied with their jobs. Due to higher earning potential, graduates have better job security and are satisfied with their job.

College education also teaches time management and prioritization as college graduates have better professional and personal life after college. Price argues that college education is just wastage of time as it does not prepares one for real world with no job readiness and loan debt turning people into corporate clone. He argues students should rather educate themselves and build their own business and brand like Bill gates to be successful in future. Further college education is a heavy investment as benefits vary with quality of institution attended. Despite people investing lots time and money to attain college degree, only one-quarter of the U.S. adult population has at least a bachelor’s degree. However, most investment has higher return for the money paid in education with internal rate of return if 11 to 12 percent. In US, average tuition fees are estimated approximately 60000 dollars for four years in private college which is less than average pocket money of a person who attend public college. Similarly, degree holders are seen as goal oriented individuals who have time management and prioritization skills which make them better decision makers while facing adversity. College students are better citizens too as they fulfill their duties like voting and do volunteerism finding time for social works with effective time management skills. In US, estimates suggest that college education increases the probability of the person getting registered for voting by 18% and voting in presidential vote by 29%. College graduates are also better families as they prioritize their time to spend with family members. Due to effective time management and prioritization skill which yields so many benefits, college graduates are better people.

College education might help women fight gender stereotypes and become independent working women promoting gender equality. In underdeveloped countries like Pakistan, stereotypes such as socio-cultural values and norms strongly influence position of women as they are expected to work for family, get married and raise kids. It restricts women from pursuing higher education which leads to gender inequality. UNICEF (n.d) states, “Gender equality means that women and men, girls and boys, enjoy the same rights, resources, opportunities and protection.” In developed countries like US, 83% of college graduates feels it is necessary for a women to college education while 74% of non graduates feels the same. Thus, if women are provide equal opportunities as men, many women will get college education, get skills and get into jobs to live independent lives breaking stereotypes and gender inequality. In Bhutan, women are treated equal to men and the society do not restrict them from getting same opportunities and rights and are independent to work or raise family. College education would help women fight gender stereotypes and promote gender equality.

College education is important as it improves the life of every individual. College graduates have good earning potentials as they are preferred by most employers for their skills and experiences they learn in college. College graduates possess skills for prioritization and time management which makes them efficient in their work as well as better citizens and family. They are paid higher for their skills, which gives them job securities and satisfaction. College education also helps promote women empowerment, which is much needed in underdeveloped countries. College education would help women realize their potentials and fight inequality and stereotypes to become independent in their life. Despite rising cost of college education being a concern for students, one should not hesitate from making such investments for their future.

References

• Boyd-Franklin, N., & Franklin, A. J. (2000). Boys into men: Raising our African American teenage sons. Penguin Putnam Publishing Group, 405 Murray Hill Parkway, East Rutherford, NJ 07073.Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED443918
• DeVaney, S. A., & Chen, Z. (2003). Job satisfaction of recent graduates in financial services. Retrieved on, 12(12), 2006. Retrieved from: https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/cwc/job-satisfaction-of-recent-graduates-in-financial-services.pdf
• Hill, K., Hoffman, D., & Rex, T. R. (2005). The value of higher education: Individual and societal benefits. Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA. Retrieved from http://precisionmi.com/precisionmi/Materials/PMILearningMat/ValueFullReport_final_october2005.pdf
• Hudson, A. (n.d.). College education is important. Retrieved from www.financeplaza.org: http://www.financeplaza.org/10-reasons-a-college-education-is-so-important/
• Kyllonen, P. C. (2012). The Importance of Higher Education and the Role of Noncognitive Attributes in College Success La importancia de la educación superior y el rol de los atributos no cognitivos en el éxito en dichas instituciones. Pensamiento Educativo, 49(2), 84-100.Retrieved from http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.418.3947&rep=rep1&type=pdf
• Malik, S., & Courtney, K. (2011). Higher education and women’s empowerment in Pakistan. Gender and Education, 23(1), 29-45.Retrieved from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0954025100367407
• Price, M. (n.d). Reasons why you should not go to college and things to do instread. Retrieved from www.huffingtonpost.com: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/michaelprice/7-reasons-why-shouldn_1_b_5501111.html
• Sandy, B., & Kathleen, P. (2005). The benefits of higher education for individuals and society. Education pays 2013, trends in higher education series, 7.Retrieved from https://trends.collegeboard.org/sites/default/files/education-pays-2013-full-report.pdf
• Rose, R. (2013, 11 ). The value of college degree. Retrieved from cew.georgetown.edu: https://cew.gorgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/TVOACD.SR_.pdf
• Wang, W. (2011, 08 17). How important is a college education? Retrieved from www.pwesicialtrends.ord: http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2011/08/17/ii-how-important-is-a-college-education/
• https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01425690701737457?src=recsys