While it is true that college tuitions can be exorbitant, I still maintain that getting an undergraduate degree will pay off much further in the future than a high school diploma. Sanford J. Ungar, president of Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland, author of “The New Liberal Arts” claim that “the critique… seems to be fueled by the reliance on common misperceptions” (226). It is important for people, especially high-schoolers, to know the truth about going to college and all the little things that go with it before deciding for themselves. Gillian B. White, a senior associate editor at The Atlantic and author of the article, “Even With Debt, College Still Pays Off”, insists that “Though the cost of college is increasing, a variety of empirical
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What Ungar believes to be a misconception can finally put some of our worries to rest. “Misconception No. 1: A liberal-arts degree is a luxury that most families can no longer afford” (227). According to data from the College Board, “ In the 2012-2013 academic year, the average cumulative student-loan debt for a four-year, public-college graduate was about $25,600… For those attending private four-year colleges, cumulative debt amounted to about $31,200” (White). While looking at these data can be alarming to some people, Ungar would argue that “the traditional, well-rounded preparation that the liberal art offer is a better investment than ever” (227). This is exactly how everyone should view the idea of going to college. Going to college and paying this slight amount of money is nothing more than an investment in yourself. You pay the money now to equip yourself for a career that will increase the amount of annual earnings you make in the future. All throughout Ungar’s article, he uses an ethical appeal. He understands that “Many families are indeed struggling, in the depths of recession, to pay for their children 's college education” (227). And when he quoted Geoffrey Garin, president of Hart Research Associates, on how the responsibility of higher education today is to prepare people “for jobs that do not yet …show more content…
“Misconception No. 2: College graduates are finding it harder to get good jobs with liberal arts degrees” (228). Ungar reports “A 2009 survey for the Association of American Colleges and Universities actually found that more than three-quarters of our nation 's’ employers recommend that collegebound students pursue a “liberal education”” (628). According to the chart on Unemployment Rates by Degree and Experience Level, 17.8 percent of recent high school diploma holders are unemployed. This percentage then lowers to 11.8 for all high school diploma holders. Out of all the workers, 8.9 percent are unemployed and only 7.5 percent of recent college graduates are unemployed. But looking at all of the Bachelor’s degree holders’ unemployment rate, it is a mere 5.1 percent. Ungar reports that “An astounding 89 percent said they were looking for… the development of better “critical thinking and analytical reasoning skills” (228). These are all skills that can be learned through a college education. College is so much than just going to classes. It teaches you the essentials and gives you the tools for any career of your choosing. It also prepares students “for change- and the multiple careers they are likely to have- than to search for a single job track that might one day become a dead end”
What Ungar believes to be a misconception can finally put some of our worries to rest. “Misconception No. 1: A liberal-arts degree is a luxury that most families can no longer afford” (227). According to data from the College Board, “ In the 2012-2013 academic year, the average cumulative student-loan debt for a four-year, public-college graduate was about $25,600… For those attending private four-year colleges, cumulative debt amounted to about $31,200” (White). While looking at these data can be alarming to some people, Ungar would argue that “the traditional, well-rounded preparation that the liberal art offer is a better investment than ever” (227). This is exactly how everyone should view the idea of going to college. Going to college and paying this slight amount of money is nothing more than an investment in yourself. You pay the money now to equip yourself for a career that will increase the amount of annual earnings you make in the future. All throughout Ungar’s article, he uses an ethical appeal. He understands that “Many families are indeed struggling, in the depths of recession, to pay for their children 's college education” (227). And when he quoted Geoffrey Garin, president of Hart Research Associates, on how the responsibility of higher education today is to prepare people “for jobs that do not yet …show more content…
“Misconception No. 2: College graduates are finding it harder to get good jobs with liberal arts degrees” (228). Ungar reports “A 2009 survey for the Association of American Colleges and Universities actually found that more than three-quarters of our nation 's’ employers recommend that collegebound students pursue a “liberal education”” (628). According to the chart on Unemployment Rates by Degree and Experience Level, 17.8 percent of recent high school diploma holders are unemployed. This percentage then lowers to 11.8 for all high school diploma holders. Out of all the workers, 8.9 percent are unemployed and only 7.5 percent of recent college graduates are unemployed. But looking at all of the Bachelor’s degree holders’ unemployment rate, it is a mere 5.1 percent. Ungar reports that “An astounding 89 percent said they were looking for… the development of better “critical thinking and analytical reasoning skills” (228). These are all skills that can be learned through a college education. College is so much than just going to classes. It teaches you the essentials and gives you the tools for any career of your choosing. It also prepares students “for change- and the multiple careers they are likely to have- than to search for a single job track that might one day become a dead end”