Students have to pay for tuition, fees, supplies, books, housing, and food. The College Board says that in 2015, the average tuition for a four-year public college is 9,139 dollars for in-state students. For out-of state students, college tuition is 22,958 dollars. A private four-year college tuition cost is on average 31,231 dollars (College Costs: FAQ’s). These prices do not include the prices of housing and such. Many people believe college is a waste of time and money and among those is Steve Jobs, the CEO of Apple Computers and Pixar Animation Studios. In his commencement speech delivered on June 12, 2005, Jobs spoke about his story and how dropping out of college was the best decision he has ever made. He stated, “all of my working-class parents’ savings were being spent on my tuition. After six months, I couldn’t see the value in it” (Jobs 1). Steve Jobs is extremely successful, and he believes college is not worth it; but, this should not apply to everybody. There is no guarantee that anybody could become successful without college. College is pricey, but, essentially, college pays for itself. College graduates make more money than those who finished schooling after high school. In a recent article published in U.S. News & World Report, it is stated that “the median weekly earnings of a college graduate to be $1,053 per week and those of a high school graduate, $638” (What Are the Odds of Succeeding with a College Degree). This …show more content…
College is a chance for people to really mature and see what life has to offer, but there are people who think otherwise. Some believe that they do not need college for what they choose to do with their lives. For example, some people want to be mechanics, truck drivers, property managers, or carpenters. All of these jobs, among many more, do not require college degrees. However, college does so much more than just prepare students for their careers. In her article, Jennifer Pfeffer gives statistics to show that “college graduates report being happier with their work, and having a higher likelihood of learning new things at work compared to those without a degree” (Pfeffer 1). College is a chance for students to figure out what they want to do with their lives rather than jumping into a career that might not work out for them. This is why college graduates are more satisfied with their work. Pfeffer goes on to say that “college is a perfect space for students to: gain independence, confidence and grit, meet friends and build a network, improve writing and communication skills, and learn how to manage time and budget expenses” (Pfeffer 2). All of these things are very valuable in life and are also very hard to achieve without college. Take being a truck driver for example. Improving one’s writing and communication skills, and meeting friends would be