One important answer to this question is more opportunity.

As opposed to generations of the

past, high school graduates today are unable to obtain the number of high-paying jobs that were
once available. The U.S. has been transformed from a manufacturing-based economy to an
economy based on knowledge, and the importance of a college education today can be compared
to that of a high school education forty years ago. It serves as the gateway to better options and
more opportunity.

There are additional reasons as to why it is important to go to college. When students experience
a post secondary education, they have the opportunity to read books and listen to the lectures of
top experts in their fields. This stimulation encourages students to think, ask questions, and
explore new ideas, which allows for additional growth and development and provides college
graduates with an edge in the job market over those who have not experienced a higher
education.

The importance of a college education is also accentuated because of the opportunity to gain
valuable resources during your tenure. The more connections which are collected during your
college career, the more options you will have when you begin your job search. Once you have
ended your job search and have started your career, however, the importance of a college
education has not been exhausted. Having a college degree often provides for greater promotion
opportunity.

So, why should you go to college? The reasoning does not begin and end with the job aspect. A
good education is beneficial from many different viewpoints, and while the importance of a
college education is quite evident for many high school students, what is often not as clear is
how they will pay for that education.

Funding Your College Education

Although the colleges and universities of today carry a heavy price tag, it is of great importance
not to let that discourage you from obtaining a college education. While the cost of tuition
continues to rise, so too does the number of available financial aid options. Below we will
explain why it is important to explore these options before you go to college and the large payoff
they often provide.

From local and federal options, to categorical and corporate options, college-bound students have
a variety opportunities worth exploring when attempting to obtain financial aid. A common
misrepresentation of financial aid packages (e.g. scholarships, grants, loans, work study
programs) is that they provides funding for an entire college education. The reality is that most
of these packages are smaller and it may take several of them to add up. This is why it is
important to explore all of your options before you go to college:

Local optionsThe people of your own community fully understand the importance of a college
education, which is why organizations such as the American Legion, the Rotary Club, the
Jaycees, and Boosters chapters offer scholarships for high school students in the area. These
organizations are often overlooked and serve as a great resource due to the fact that they have far
less competition than national awards. Start your local search by visiting your high schools
career options to see whats available.
Federal optionsThe federal government is also well aware of the importance of a college
education, which is why they award more financial aid to college-bound students than any other
resource. The most important step in obtaining federal aid is to fill out the Free Application for
Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Follow this link for more information on filing the FAFSA for
financial aid.
Merit-based optionsMerit scholarships are awarded to students based on academic or athletic
abilities, as well as categories such as ethnicity, religious affiliation, club membership, interests,
talent or career plans. Learn more about merit-based options by following this link: College
Scholarship Money
Corporate optionsCorporations are another resource who understand the vast importance of a
college education. Every year, corporations ranging from Target to Coca-Cola offer financial aid
to thousands of college-bound students. A great way to start your corporate scholarship search is
with you or your spouses company. Often times, organizations will award the children of
employees with scholarships or grants. Follow this link to learn more about college financial aid
and grant searches and determine the eligibility of your student.
Understanding the Importance of College Education

If you are still asking yourself why should you go to college, it is important to remember the
significant amount of opportunity available for college graduates. The global economy is
becoming increasingly more competitive, and in order to give yourself the best chance for a well-
paying job, you must first understand the importance of college education.

Attending college provides students with the knowledge and experience they are unable to
receive from a secondary education, and finding a way to fund a higher education now can pay
off in a huge way in the years to come.

Todays world requires a college degree for almost every corporate job, even administrative
assistants! This is actually a sad affair because most jobs dont require a college education, even
if the job description states so. The leaders of corporate America has been brainwashing by
articles like this into thinking that anyone without a degree is an idiot, which is far from the truth.
In fact, most recent college grads are still painfully ignorant and naive about the real working
world, much more so than their so-called uneducated colleagues who went straight from high
school into the working world.

The reason there arent as many opportunities for people without degrees is because colleges and
universities have pushed the notion that anyone without a degree is completely not partially
but completely ignorant of nearly everything except pushing a broom, and soon I fear even
janitors will have to get some sort of BS certification to proove theyre qualified to tell caca from
doodoo, though I see plenty of both in this article.

Proof of how ridiculous the value of a college degree is come from the fact that corporations
routinely pass on qualified and seasoned professionals in favor of kids with a degree. Not only
that, theyll pass on qualified candidates with years of experience in the field their hiring for in
favor of an inexperienced degreed candidate who didnt even major in the same field the job
requires! Ive met many database developers with degrees in English.
Michael said it best with his simple statement that college grads make more than their colleagues
who do the exact same job. Its extremely unfair and prejudiced, but thats a fact. It also belies
the true reason the overwhelming majority of people go to college in the first place to land a
job making more money. The real problem with colleges and universities is that theyre so
greedy they require far too many subjects to be studied and time invested in order to get a
degree. Forcing students to waste time/money on physical education courses in order so they
have a well rounded education (well rounded is not hyphenated, by the way, because its not
a compound adjective; well modified rounded) is just a ploy to rake in more money. College
educators and students delude themselve into believing theyre attaining a higher and more noble
goal by requiring students to take so many prerequisite courses outside their majors, but the bean
counters know the truth it brings in money. Lots of money. I have made absolutely no use of
the judo I studied in college, but Im hundreds of dollars poorer for it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/27/upshot/is-college-worth-it-clearly-new-data-say.html
Some newly minted college graduates struggle to find work. Others accept jobs for which they
feel overqualified. Student debt, meanwhile, has topped $1 trillion.
Its enough to create a wave of questions about whether a college education is still worth it.
A new set of income statistics answers those questions quite clearly: Yes, college is worth it, and
its not even close. For all the struggles that many young college graduates face, a four-year
degree has probably never been more valuable.
The pay gap between college graduates and everyone else reached a record high last year,
according to the new data, which is based on an analysis of Labor Department statistics by the
Economic Policy Institute in Washington. Americans with four-year college degrees made 98
percent more an hour on average in 2013 than people without a degree. Thats up from 89
percent five years earlier, 85 percent a decade earlier and 64 percent in the early 1980s.
Rising Value of a College Degree
The pay of people with a four-year college degree has risen compared to that of those
with a high school degree but no college credit. The relative pay of people who attended
college without earning a four-year degree has stayed flat.


For some, the idea of continuing their education after high school is a scary thought. More strenuous
coursework, adjusting and fitting in with a peer group and finding a way to pay for an expensive college
education can be intimidating. However, in an economy where many are looking for jobs, the importance
of a college education cannot be measured. The benefits of college far outweigh the stresses.
Higher Education
Probably the most obvious benefit of going to college after high school is that it provides you with the opportunity
to educate yourself further and at a higher level in the field of your choice. With access to libraries, documents and
professors at your fingertips, the possibilities are endless. If you liked a subject in high school but could take only a
class or two in it, college gives you the opportunity to immerse yourself and become a professional in your chosen
field.
Better Opportunities
As technology advances, higher-paying jobs that were once available to high school graduates now require some
form of higher education. Earning a college degree opens up many more avenues than having just a high school
diploma does. Whereas factories and manufacturing were once at the center of our job market, the trend is shifting to
jobs in other sectors that require more specific skill sets. With so many people competing for jobs in today's job
market, employers are likely to look at candidates with more training and education.
Higher Wages
On average, college graduates make significantly more money annually than high school graduates. According the
U.S. Census Bureau, college graduates make nearly twice as much money as high school gradates. Because a
college degree tells employers that you have the self-discipline, work ethic and intelligence to get the job done, not
only are you more likely to land the job, but you'll probably make significantly more money than your peers who
don't have a college education.
Personal Growth
Going to college after high school teaches you invaluable lessons outside of the classroom as well. Exposure to new
peer groups, cultures and social situations provides you with the opportunity to expand your social circle and
experience new things. All of these experiences allow you to grow and evolve as a person as you move from young
adulthood into adulthood.
Access to Great Teachers
Generally, colleges provide access to topnotch professors and experts who are constantly teaching classes, giving
lectures and offering help to students in their chosen field. This type of interaction extends well beyond classroom
learning and gives you an opportunity that most high school grads don't have available.

Students who gain a college education often have higher lifetime earnings and a variety of other benefits,
including a better quality of life. More and more employers prefer to hire applicants who hold college
degrees. Read on to learn why a college education is so beneficial.
Why a College Education is Important
People who lack educational degrees are more likely to be limited to basic jobs in service,
manufacturing and construction industries. While employees with a high school education may secure
jobs with good benefits, college graduates typically fare better, entering higher-level careers with greater
salaries. They are also more likely to receive promotions, earn raises and develop reasoning and
communication skills that can be applied to their jobs.
Higher Salaries
A college education may be one of the best investments of time and money for a person's career. A
2011 report produced by the American Community Survey (ACS) that was released by the U.S. Census
Bureau stated that those who held a bachelor's degree were expected to earn a 40-year lifetime salary
of about $2.4 million on average, while high school graduates only took in a lifetime salary of about $1.4
million (www.census.gov). On average, those who held master's degrees earned $2.8 million. Holders
of professional degrees could expect lifetime earnings in excess of $4 million.
Salaries by Major
Starting salaries of college graduates typically exceed those of people who hold only a high school
diploma, although the field a student majors in also influences her or his salary potential. According to
the 2011 American Community Survey, those with a bachelor's degree in engineering who worked in
management could expect a $4.1 million lifetime salary, which was almost $3 million higher than the
average for people who majored in education and worked in public services.
Better Life Skills
During their classes, college students often develop the reasoning skills needed to make life decisions,
ranging from buying a home to helping their children choose their own college. In fact, college
graduates are more likely to have children who also complete a college education. Other advantages of
educational degrees may include improved self-discipline, study habits and cooperative behaviors that
can be applied to career projects and tasks.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/nation/2014/02/11/new-study-shows-value-college-
education/3IWWEOXwQEAcMFSy09msOK/story.html