Why College Is Important to Me

484 Words2 Pages
From the beginning of my school career, my elders always stressed the importance of education. Throughout high school, I never understood why an education was so important, I often would goof off or not take my studies seriously. While most high school graduates are deciding where to go to college and what to study, I decided to focus on raising a family. When my youngest child turned three, I finally entered the workforce. This is when I realized how important a college education really was. Just a few generations ago, a High school diploma was all that was desired from applicants as far as education was concerned. Most folks didn’t even finish high school and quit to work on the family farm or join the military. The United States has been transformed from a manufacturing country, to a county whose economy is based on technology and knowledge. Education and higher learning are necessary to create and maintain technology. In today’s society it is virtually impossible to find employment, especially without a college education. Applicants without degrees are often overlooked for positions, even ones they may have experience in. Some employers would prefer to hire an employee with an education than someone who has had experience in the field. In 2011 the Bureau of Labor statistics reported that there were significantly higher unemployment rates for individuals without a college education. The percentage of individuals that are unemployed decreased by five times the amount for those who held a doctoral degree. They also reported that individuals with degrees earned more money than those who did not attend college. (U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2012) In October 2008, US news and world reports stated that if you subtract the expense of a college degree and the money a student could have earned instead of going to college
Open Document