Aiya Almogaber

April 5, 2016
ENGL 102 Padgett
Inquiry Essay Rough Draft

How Beneficial are College Degrees Today?

In todays world, many people think of obtaining a college degree as a

life goal, an ultimate key to success. The initial thoughts about attending
college usually start around the time of a students senior year of high
school. You begin to think about scholarships, tuition, and application
deadlines. With all of this in mind, todays world is constantly changing.
Tuitions are increasing, scholarships are harder to find, and seniors in high
school are losing motivation. As a result, the question why is it important to
go to college? begins to arise. Some argue that college is always important,
no matter what, because it provides opportunities for graduates that are
widespread to those who have not received a higher education [CITATION].
The counterargument, then, is that college really may not be for everyone,
and if not why? Charles Murray states, one of the most damaging messages
of educational romanticism has been that everyone goes to college.

When thinking about how beneficial a collegiate degree will be in the

long run, almost everyone takes into consideration the amount of money
they will be paying. Tuition is, hands
down, one of the top factors that discourages people from attending college.
One of the biggest burdens throughout anyones adult life is student loans.
Today, loans comprise 70% of financial aid packages. [CITATION] This
burden not only falls solely on those who just cannot afford college, but also
those who have been saving for it and still cannot meet the high cost of
attendance. Upon graduation, about 2/3 of Americans are in debt and this
rate is constantly increasing. This rapid increase in cost of education has
been a result of several different factors: inflation in the professors salaries,
booming and building bigger and nicer campuses, the need for luxury
student housing, administrative costs, and overall availability of student
loans that can be distributed. This increase has caused major problems for
the economy of America, as well as the individual students. Depending on
who you consult, the value of a college degree is anywhere from $185,000
(via the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) to
$1,000,000 (via the U.S. Census Bureau) in extra earning over the course of
a lifetime. [CITATION] All of this is a common reality, but should not be a
reason to brush off going to college. With the help of scholarship
opportunities, federal aid, and flexible scheduling options, the annual
number of high school students furthering their education through college is
increasing.

As times are changing, so is the economy of the world. Money is

getting harder to come by, and that is with or without a college degree.
Students in high school that are considering whether or not college is for
them usually compare their current salaries to their prospective salaries. In
the most prevalent cases, those who choose not to attend college are the
ones
who think they are making enough money as it is. However, the dilemma
occurs when these
students fail to realize that in high school, the definition of what constitutes
a fair paycheck is flexible because the bills havent begun rolling in yet.
[CITATION] Unfortunately, these individuals do not take into account just how
hard it is to manage money in the real world. Gas prices are always
fluctuating. Owning a home today comes with more costs than ever before.
On average, groceries for one month round up to about $400. All of the latter
information is considering these individuals are racking in at least minimum
wage. What, then, is the solution? How would it be possible to attain a job
with better pay? A college degree.
Indecisiveness about the future is another top reason that people give
for not attending college. Since being a senior in high school is stressful
enough, many people are set back by the notion that going to college means
picking a path you want to follow for the rest of your life. At such a young
age, anyone can see how this would be frightening. The truth of the matter is
that over half of college undergraduates end up saying the same thing. They

might have a slight idea of what they would like to do as a career, but most
of them are not 100% convinced that they will stick with it. It is inconvenient,
though, that these specific individuals fail to realize that a large amount of
colleges do not even require that students declare or choose a major until
the end of their sophomore year. [CITATION] This ends up removing the
pressure to decide on a major, and allows each student to learn about all of
the different subjects and career fields they can choose from. Additionally,
college comes with peers, teachers, mentors, and advisors who are there to
guide you and help in any way that they can. They are there to assist each
student as he/she determines the major they would like to pursue and
explore different career paths.

The most unfavorable excuse for not attending college is the I cant
go to college, because I just wont fit in attitude. Anyone who can make it
through high school and get accepted into a college to begin with, can find
somewhere to fit in throughout their campus. People most often fail to
remember that there are many different types of colleges out there.
Throughout the United States alone, there are quite literally hundreds of
very diverse colleges and universities. [CITATION] Among these are general
colleges, undergraduate colleges, specialty colleges, special interest
colleges, and colleges with unique cultures, racial makeups, and ethnicity.
These are just a few of the college/university options. To delve deeper, within

each college you will find a countless number of student organizations and
clubs to be involved in. As previously stated, aside from these clubs and
organizations, there are people who will help guide you throughout the entire
process. So, letting a fear of not fitting in stop you from attaining a higher
level of education is inexcusable.
In life, there will always be people who seem to prosper without any (or
very little) effort. These individuals cannot help it and some cannot explain it,
but they seem to take a toll on the rest of us. Taking a toll, in this case,
would mean raising the question (once again) of whether or not going to
college is beneficial. Although many of us would very much like to invent
something and become rich, the truth is that is just not a reliable way to live.
For high school students, it is hard to imagine the long term benefits of
having a college education. However, having that college degree at the end
always pays off. There are numerous outcomes for going to college, even if it
is not all about the pay. Studies show that people who attend come out with
better health benefits, economic security, entrepreneurship possibilities,
creative solutions, and an overall expansion of awareness.