Do The Benefits Of College Still Outweigh The Cost Essay

Great Essays
Do the Benefits of College Still Outweigh the Cost? There comes a time in every students’ life when they must decide whether or not to continue their education past high school. There are countless factors that contribute to this decision, such as career aspirations and college tuition costs. With increasing tuition costs and what seems to be declining educational values, possible college prospects are wondering if college is worth the money, and in most cases, the debt that accompanies it. While the value of a college education may be declining, research still shows that college graduates are more likely to be employed and earn additional funds than those without an undergraduate degree; however, college is not for everybody. Today, when students decide to go to college, they may only be required to need a few core classes, the rest of the class are left up to the student to decide. This results in students taking courses that “bear little relation to any [classes] they took the previous semester or any [classes] they will take the next” (Riley 42). It is no wonder numerous college students …show more content…
While student indebtedness is a major concern, this same study shows that educational attainment correlates directly with income (29). Therefore, those that go to college, and go into debt because of it, are more capable of paying off that debt because unfortunately in today’s society, the higher degree one has the highest amount of income he will earn (29). Although this study suggests that graduates have increased employment opportunities at higher rates of pay with a college degree, not every student can find a job with their degree upon graduating from college. This results in hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt with little no income to

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Michelle Adam writes in her piece Is College Worth It? “The public knows that the only thing more expensive than getting an education is not getting an education.”. While many will often question the necessity at times, most eventually understand that the need for higher education is absolute in the real world for success. There are many factors to consider when deciding if college is worth it, tuition is at record highs, enormous student loan debt can be with an individual for the majority of their life and the monetary cost of going to college alone will delay aspects of life like moving out, purchasing a home, or even purchasing a car. Statistics show that people with the dream of success in the business world will be extremely limited without the experiences, opportunities, and lessons that…

    • 840 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    “First, college students may embrace a greater sense of responsibility when they accrue debt. They may spend more time on academics, work, or other pursuits in order to earn gainful employment at graduation” (Quadlin, Natasha,and Daniel). These kids are the ones who want to make the most of their time, which is now lessened because of work or activities. On the other hand, “financial constraints associated with debt may limit students’ opportunities, acting as a stressor and excluding them from certain aspects of college life” ( qtd. in Quadlin, Natasha,and Daniel).…

    • 1607 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Many college students believe that they will end up making more money than their uneducated peers. There are many citizens who are unaware that they have the potential to live a world of debt after graduating. Robin Wilson, author of the article “A Lifetime of Student Debt Not Likely”, clearly concludes that student debt is unlikely in the title of the article itself. The real truth is student debt can be highly likely. Although it is easy to agree with Wilson’s conclusion it is easy to see debt in an entirety can also be prevented.…

    • 696 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    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…

    • 1036 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In David Leonhardt’s article “Is College Worth it? Clearly, New Data Say” and Chris Matthew’s article “Why College Isn’t for Everyone, Explained in a Single Chart”, they both expressed their opinions on college through specific evidence and statistics. Both authors discussed the pros and cons of the financial decision for college. I believe that college is a smart financial decision because having a four-year degree allows a person to do more with their life instead of those with a high school diploma. In Leonhart’s defense, he explains the statistical side of the argument.…

    • 934 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Is College Worth It Essay

    • 761 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Some believe that college is a good investment, while others disagree with the idea of college. The first article, is it worth it to go to college by Allison Linn. The article is based on the expenses of college and if paying the money is worth it. I too, agree with Linn college is expensive but worth it. In the second article, Next Time Someone Says ‘College Isn’t Worth It Anymore’ Show Them This by Kevin Short.…

    • 761 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    “Is college really worth it?” This is the question many students start to ask as the college costs increase and jobs are harder to get. Can you get ahead without college education? Higher education is overpriced, so is the debt really worth it? I believe it really is.…

    • 609 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    In “Should Everyone Go to College,” Owen and Sawhill states that college allows students who graduate to earn a higher rate of income; however, various factors should be considered before choosing a degree. Moreover, the authors clarify that while the value of college outweighs the costs associated with earning a degree, just any college degree is not the best investment one could make to ensure the completion and success of their education. The authors also explain that the value of college can outweigh the costs associated with completing a degree. Owen and Sawhill emphasized that college improves certain values, such as job satisfaction and overall well-being, while also improving equally-as-important more monetary values such as graduates’…

    • 1232 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    College And Debt Essay

    • 1564 Words
    • 7 Pages

    College is a source where students get the golden ticket of their dreams. A lot of high schoolers might have a dream to attend college one day to gain more knowledge but to get higher degree one might need a lot of money, and colleges will give chances where people can take loans but when it leads to debt it can be worrisome. According to the Journal of Financial Counseling and Planning (Volume 27) , “Going to college without enduring student loans is impossible and most students do not know much of what they will be repaying”. Attending college is profitable but the debt makes it very tough. An article by Joel Elvery, an economist in the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland indicates that “Americans owe nearly $1.3 trillion in student loan debt, spread out among about 44 million borrowers”.…

    • 1564 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Anaisha Murray Mr. King ENGL 101-029 February 3rd, 2014 Is College Worth the Cost? Many people argue that college is not worth the cost. Some individuals say that college is too expensive and when they graduate they are not able to find a job with their degrees. People also say that college is not worth the amount of money they have to pay back in loans after they graduate. Those are all points stated in Rodney K. Smith’s essay…

    • 668 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Is college really worth the debt, the hard work and the headaches you’ll receive? With jobs getting harder to get into and standards being raised, attending college can be a big advantage when applying for a job or starting a business. With all studies and statistics taken, it can be proven that college can be a big step in someone’s life. Numbers and percentages can speak for themselves there is a great difference between those who have attended college and those who haven’t. Workers with a bachelor degree made 40 percent more than those who just have a diploma from high school but that percentage has increased to 80 percent jobs and businesses nowadays are looking for people who have the motivation to work hard and passion.…

    • 1075 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Student Debt In America

    • 1168 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The United States of America is facing an immense problem that could potentially devastate the economy. Around forty million people in the United States have it because they wanted to have a higher chance at having a better standard of living; they decided the only way to do so was to go to university (Dickinson). However, with the extremely high prices of tuition the only way they could pay for university was by getting into lots of debt. They graduate, only to realize they do not have the money or the job to repay the student loan that they got when entering university. Since the year 2003, student debt has increased by an astonishing 300% (“Sad for Grads”).…

    • 1168 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Is College Worth It

    • 1161 Words
    • 5 Pages

    One statistic is seventy five percent of high school seniors get accepted to their first-choice schools, but only fifty seven percent have the money to afford it. In looking at the issue of is college worth it, by weighing the pros and cons, one can conclude that college is most definitely worth it. College is a necessity for job opportunities, increasing net worth, and bringing…

    • 1161 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Essay On Student Debt

    • 1075 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Though student loan debt is very real the risk and debt that comes along with pursuing a degree is ultimately the better option because “Those with professional degrees had a median income of $87,356, more than three times that for high school grads” (Matthews “Part II”). This realization forces students to take out loans despite its consequences because racking up debt is the only way to have any chance at a good paying job. The fact is, “because of the poor job market, young people may have less of a chance than ever to actually get a good job commensurate with their education” (Taibbi). For those who choose to pursue a 4 year degree and deal with the debt, still struggle afterwards for many years trying the manage the debt they accumulated, diminishing their purchasing power long after starting their career causing them to postpone all investment…

    • 1075 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The more an individual has to compensate to attend a school, then the lower the net benefit will be of attending. The Hamilton Project calculates a four-year degree to cost approximately $54,000. In addition, other recent studies Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has exemplified that repaying college tuition can last up to ten years or more. “After attempting to account for in-state vs. out-of-state tuition, financial aid, graduation rates, years taken to graduate, wage inflation, and selection, nearly to hundred schools on the 2012 list have negative ROIs” (Owen and Sawhill 214). With the rising cost of tuition and indefinite job market, individual’s should consider whether obtaining a bachelor’s degree is essential in today’s…

    • 1115 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays