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

Comment [EK1]: Good quote but dont forget to add the

actual citation

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

Comment [EK2]: You could maybe add more information

on college degrees to make your intro longer

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

Comment [EK3]: Dont forget to add the citation of the

author even when your paraphrasing a source

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.

Comment [EK4]: You should add facts on how much an

individual makes when they have a college degree versus
someone who doesnt have a college degree

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.

Comment [EK5]: You need to add in your counter

argument paragraph

I think your paper is good so far, but I think you should change your title to something

like College Degrees: How Beneficial Are They? Your inquiry question is good and you seemed
to have been able to get a lot of information defending college degrees. You are taking a clear
stance on how college degrees are still beneficial and that its better to have one than not have
one. My only negatives are that you should add more to your intro and providing background
on college degrees, and you also need to add a counter argument paragraph explaining the
other side to the argument. If you do that, then you will definitely get to 2000 words and get
your point across. Also, when you have the [CITATION] at the end of your quotes, you need to
add the authors last name in parentheses in your actual paper.