It is that time of year again where my tiny little Bible College spends a few days on a lake. We study together, eat together, and have fun together. I do not know any other school that spends syllabus week on a lake. But it is times like these when I am reminded of why I decided to come to school. More often than ever today, I hear people tell me that “college is not for everyone” or “you should go to trade school instead” or even “you spend a lot of money to go to college and you never even get anything out of it”.
While these claims are partially true, I do not believe they are fully true.
I can say without a doubt that coming to college was one of the best decisions of my life. While this may not be the case for everyone, I believe I can make a pretty strong case on while you should probably consider coming to school.
You will earn more
This is probably the biggest complaint that I hear from a lot of people. College is expensive. And many argue that it may not be worth it to spend all that money when it is not guaranteed you will get it all back. But statistically, by earning a degree you will earn more money. Families that are headed by someone with a bachelors degree will earn $1.6 million more in their lifetime than those with only a high school diploma [1]. In fact, every dollar put into education produces $34.85 in increased lifetime income [1].
“Well, what about all those people who cannot get a job after they get out of school?”
Oh right, that 2.5 percent [2]. Which is miniscule. There seems to be a narrative that all college students graduate and then sit in their parents house for months attempting to become employed. It just simply is not true. Even college students who choose to obtain less popular majors like Humanities tend to have no trouble finding a job [2]. The bottom line is that choosing to go to college will help you earn more and find a job.
You will be better prepared for life.
Several studies have proven that going to college prepares you for not only the workplace, but important skills for life. College teaches you to think critically and rationally. It teaches you to be a self-starter and independent. These are skills that employers want. These skills will even assist you outside of a job. You do not even need to get a job in your field of study, just by studying something you prove that you can succeed [3].
Not only the skills benefits, but college graduates live longer. The Brookings Institute did a study that found that college graduates have a 15 to 19 percent decrease in mortality rates [4]. In fact, some high school graduates have a mortality rate that is double then that of college graduates [4]. I do not know about anyone else, but I would like to live longer.
Conclusion
The benefits to college are enormous and the risks are relatively low. We can see that most of the negative notions about college are false. As a college graduate you will be paid more, live longer, and have a higher level of job security and benefits. I understand that college may not be for everyone…
But you should really think about it.
[1] Allen, Heather. “Why Is Higher Education Important?” Crosswalk.com, Salem Web Network, 21 Dec. 2007, www.crosswalk.com/family/homeschool/why-is-higher-education-important- 1367463.html.
[2] Cunningham, Sue. “Claiming Our Story: The Importance of Higher Education to Transform Lives and Society.” Higher Education Today, 14 Mar. 2018, www.higheredtoday.org/2018/03/09/claiming- story-importance-higher-education-transform-lives-society/.
[3] Loveless, Becton. “Benefits of Earning a College Degree.” Strategies for Building a Productive and Positive Learning Environment, 2018, www.educationcorner.com/benefit-of-earning-a-college- degree.html.
[4] Buckles, Kasey, et al. “The Effect of College Education on Mortality.” Brookings, Brookings Institute, 12 Oct. 2016, www.brookings.edu/research/the-effect-of-college-education-on-mortality/.
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