One of the main benefits of pursing a college degree is the financial benefits that come with obtaining a degree. College graduates tend to …show more content…
“Between 2003 and 2012 the number of 25-year-olds with student debt increased from 25% to 43%, and their average loan balance was $20,326 in 2012--a 91% increase since 2003. 10% of students graduate with over $40,000 in debt and about 1% have $100,000 in debt” (“College Education – ProCon.org”). The 2014 college graduate accrued an average amount of debt of $33,000. The highest amount of college debt accrued in the United States per state is in New Hampshire with $34,170 while Utah accrued the least amount with $18,065 (Mangukiya). Although this debt may seem startling, the amount of payback that one can receive in employment from their college degree outweighs the fear of …show more content…
Delbanco shares the story of a conversation he had with Columbia alum who said that college had taught him how to enjoy life. Delbanco explains “What he meant was that college had opened his sense as well as his mind to experiences that would otherwise be foreclosed to him” (Delbanco 112). At college, students are exposed to diverse people and ideas that they might not have been exposed to otherwise. This exposure can help students make business connection, learn from experienced professionals, and even create the potential for finding a future spouse. Earning a college degree can also fulfill a major life achievement as earning a college degree represents the hard work and dedication of the graduates and the support of their families. This achievement is often associated with the American Dream, a goal that many Americans share (“College Education –