2014 Free-Response

2014 Free-Response (The next essay is soon to come)

As a Junior in High School, I feel the pressure of the upcoming doom of college and have often wished it to just not exist. However, I realize that this is unrealistic and that college, although expensive, if done right, will leave you with invaluable knowledge and a foot up in the career industry. A college education is beneficial because it helps you prepare for your future life by increasing your knowledge and job availability.

Upper level education is invigoratingly difficult. This challenge causes our young brains to grow and expand to compasses that high school could not bring us to. Michael Roth in The Huffington Post wrote, “Liberal Learning introduces them to books, and the music, the science, and the philosophy that form disciplined yet creative habits of mind that are not reducible to the material circumstances of one’s life” (Source B) Education is priceless. The experience and knowledge that we receive while at college level will “develop the ability to continue learning” (Source B). Thus benefiting our life throughout the future. In fact, among survey respondents who graduated from a four –year college, 74% say their college education was very useful in helping them grow intellectually. (Source F)

My mom, as an employer receives many resumes every year for potential employees. Those that have a college degree, not even necessarily in the field that they are being employed in, stand out compared to the other resumes. It shows that they are hard workers and willing to commit.  In “The Case for Working with your Hands” (Source A) Mathew B. Crawford argues that students should focus on vocational work such as electricity and plumbing because these are jobs that “cannot be sourced to India”. Crawford argues that colleges force you to waste your life to work in a cubicle instead of going into these secure vocational jobs. However, many of theses jobs such as a mechanic requires special certification in order to be competent and get a good paying career. Personally, I will be going to college to become a Nurse Practitioner, which is a job that could not be sourced out, however I must achieve a Masters degree before I can begin working “hands on” with people. Even in careers that do not require a degree college education is helpful. A study by Anthony Carnevale and Stephen J. Rose of Georgetown breaks down the college premium by occupations and shows that college has big benefits even in many fields where a degree is not crucial” (Source D) Among survey respondents who graduated from a four –year college, 55% say it was very useful in helping them prepare for a job or a career” (Source F)

While many people argue that the expense is not worth the education according to Source D many colleges are not very expensive, once financial aid is taken into account. Average net tuition and fees at public four-year colleges this past year were only about $2,000. Furthermore, “an overwhelming majority of college graduates -86%-say that college has been a good investment for them personally” (Source F) People are also panicked that by getting a college degree students’ chances will not improve on the labor market. However, Source D states “sending more young Americans to college is not a Panacea,” says David Autor, An M.I.T Economist who studies the labor market. “Not sending them to college would be a disaster.”’