94% of American parents say they expect their child to attend college, yet most young adults do not obtain a higher education (Pew). Why? When there are so many colleges and universities in our country do so many young adults elect not to attain higher education? It is easy to say that college isn’t necessary for manual careers, and it is easy to say college should not only be a means to teach the next generation how to perform their careers, but let them grow as people. Whichever side of the spectrum you happen to fall, college is worth the cost. Some don’t consider college worth its salt. 57% of Americans say the higher education system in America fails to provide a good value for the students’ money (Pew). According to studies by the nonpartisan
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Matthew Crawford, writing for The New York Times says manual labor, which cannot be outsourced and is one of the steadiest career choices increasing in attractiveness, college may not seem necessary (Crawford). However, even those steady careers provide significantly more income for workers with a college degree than for those without (Leonhardt). According to Leonhardt at Yale University, the gap between full time workers with a bachelor’s degree and those with only a high school diploma is now 83% and a college tuition offers an annual return of 15%, significantly more than stocks and real estate combined. Young adults who hear this think, “I’d like to go to college, but I don’t have the money.” Their argument is reasonable, yet invalid. If those same young adults only knew that once financial aid is taken into account the average net tuition at a public four year college is only around $2,000 (Leonhardt). If that tuition can help someone learn enough to make 83% more than their lesser-educated peers, isn’t that investment worth it? Of course, college has many logical reasons, but how about personal growth? College is an important step in a person’s life because it teaches us to function in society. 69% of these young adults testified college helped them mature as people, not only intellectually (Pew). The best way to mature as a person is to take liberal arts courses in college. Liberal arts teaches students a
Matthew Crawford, writing for The New York Times says manual labor, which cannot be outsourced and is one of the steadiest career choices increasing in attractiveness, college may not seem necessary (Crawford). However, even those steady careers provide significantly more income for workers with a college degree than for those without (Leonhardt). According to Leonhardt at Yale University, the gap between full time workers with a bachelor’s degree and those with only a high school diploma is now 83% and a college tuition offers an annual return of 15%, significantly more than stocks and real estate combined. Young adults who hear this think, “I’d like to go to college, but I don’t have the money.” Their argument is reasonable, yet invalid. If those same young adults only knew that once financial aid is taken into account the average net tuition at a public four year college is only around $2,000 (Leonhardt). If that tuition can help someone learn enough to make 83% more than their lesser-educated peers, isn’t that investment worth it? Of course, college has many logical reasons, but how about personal growth? College is an important step in a person’s life because it teaches us to function in society. 69% of these young adults testified college helped them mature as people, not only intellectually (Pew). The best way to mature as a person is to take liberal arts courses in college. Liberal arts teaches students a