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The Pros And Cons Of Going To College

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The Pros And Cons Of Going To College
Modern society holds college at a level of necessity in achieving success, unlike the past, in which going to college was not viewed as, nor was, a requirement to land in the middle class. Likewise, today’s public schools have come to compensate this new workforce in setting standards to prepare students for college beginning as early as elementary schooling. While there are exceptions to those who need a college degree in order to make something of themselves (namely, individuals such as Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg), the exceptions are certainly such in that they are rather rare. Therefore, in hopes of gaining what some consider the American Dream, the majority of the most recent high school graduates have gone on to attend …show more content…
This means that attending one of the Nation’s top colleges without considerable financial support or a hefty scholarship will immediately force a college graduate into debt: “10% of students graduate with over $40,000 in debt” and others graduate owing their college funds that lean into the hundred thousands. (procon). “According to the US Congress Joint Economic Committee, approximately 60% of 2011 college graduates have student loan debt [that] balances equal to 60% of their annual income.” (procon). Being thousands in debt before even finding a first job immediately sets college graduates behind their peers financially who got a job immediately following high school. Unless a student got a degree in a high-paying, in-demand job like a doctor, their loans will likely be hanging around for years. This can make it more difficult
Even more concerning, the Gallup-Purdue Index shows that the percentage of “graduates [from 2006 to 2015] who ‘strongly agree’ college was worth the cost” lies at 38%. (gallup). The odds of agreeing are nearly twice as high if college professors cared about their students, students had had an encouraging mentor, or if at least one professor made learning exciting, and these three factors are hardly connected to the price of a college. For these reasons, excessive student loan debt due to attending a top-tier university without the financial means

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