Essay On College Education In America

Education has long been regarded as the catalyst for change and the vehicle of social mobility. Generation after generation have stressed the importance and when necessary protested and drew governments to courts to ensure their children have had the opportunity to learn to read and write – a luxury most of them were never afforded. However, as society progresses many have come to acknowledge higher education as the standard and symbol of success. However, this assumption in itself is the subject of controversy. Therefore, the question of the 21st century is whether or not college education is the best option for Americans. Drawing from the arguments presented by Freeman Hrabowski in "College Prepare People for Life" and Michelle Obama in her 2013 "Bowie State University Commencement Speech," we will evaluate college education in America by examining three of its critical benefits – financial stability, improvement in quality of life and its role in transforming society. There is no doubt that with higher education comes with increase earnings. Speaking on the financial value of education to the graduating class of 2013, Michelle Obama noted, “People who earn a bachelor’s degree or
Information from the BLS shows that entry level automotive service technicians and mechanics, who only need a postsecondary nondegree, earn on average approximately $40,000 per annum. This is more, and in some cases on par, with what college degree holders in elementary level education, social work, counselling etc. earn. Additionally, when it comes to unemployment, according to a Rutgers University study, job placement for vocational school graduates rates close to 100 per cent, while the rate for college graduates is dismally lower. This therefore gives them social standing and power like degree holders to be influential in society and contribute to the “public