Brittany Tainsh

Mr. Winters
English 102
17 November 2015
The True Worth of College
For a long time in American history, a high school diploma was all a person needed to be
successful in life. Now, times are changing and high school diplomas are losing their value in the
work place. They simply are not enough for the growing complexity of society. As technology
and knowledge advances, so must the education of Americas youth. For middle-class students,
college has become a rite of passage (Bennett). Just as people once argued the worth of a high
school education, they are now questioning the true worth of a college education. A large part of
the controversy surrounding college education is the exponentially increasing tuition. However,
the benefits of attending college, both educationally and emotionally, far outweigh the costs that
are associated with it.
The decision not to attend college for fear that it is a bad deal is among the most
economically irrational decisions anybody could make in 2014, (Leonhardt). According to
researchers, it costs substantially more money over a lifetime to skip college. Over the long run
not going to college will cost you about $500,000, (Kadlec). This amount of money could buy
someone a decent sized house, car, and boat. In a shorter time span, the wage gap is just as
significant. According to a study done on average annual earnings by occupation, the difference
between the salary of an individual with a high school education and the salary of an individual
with a college education in STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields is

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about $20,000. This rises to a difference of $25,000 between the two in management positions
(Oreopoulos). With these figures, it is clear how economically valuable a college education truly
is.
A genuine concern for many students is the rising cost of attending college. A moderate
college budget for an in-state public college for the 20152016 academic year averaged $24,061.
A moderate budget at a private college averaged $47,831 (Whats the Price). These are some
pretty steep numbers however, in most cases the student and his or her family does not end up
having to pay the full list price. The office of Federal Student Aid provides a free application
for grants, loans, and work-study funds that make affording college easier. They are able to offer
more than $150 billion each year to help millions of students pay for higher education (Who
We Are). This help is strictly need based, but there are many merit based scholarships available
to students through other platforms as well. There are billions - literally, billions - of dollars in
scholarships out there (How to Make). Scholarships are awarded for wacky things, such as
being left handed, as well as for astounding things, such as coming up with groundbreaking ideas
and experiments. Students that put in the time and effort to find and apply to scholarships that are
relevant to their strengths and interests are bound to be awarded at least a small sum of money in
return. If a student is able to apply to and receive ten $1,000 scholarships, they have paid off
almost half of the average cost of attending a public university. By taking advantage of these two
tools, almost any student will be able to afford college without having to take out large loans.
A new, cheaper alternative to the traditional college experience may also prove to lessen
the controversy surrounding ever increasing tuition and fees. More and more online colleges are

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popping up. They often offer a similar tuition as many other colleges, however there are far
fewer mandatory fees associated with attending school online, making the overall cost much
more affordable. These colleges offer courses comparable to those in a face-to-face institution
and often have recorded lectures and simulations. William J. Bennett claims that, the present
system is dying and from it may emerge one that captures the spirit of the past with the
technology of the future (Bennett). However, there are many experiences that a student
encounters in a traditional college that are impossible to simulate in an online environment.
For most students, college is the first experience that they have living away from home. It
gives them an excellent bridge into adulthood and offers more responsibility, while also
providing a safety net for students to fall back on. For liberal arts, the claim is different [than
community colleges] and seems more accurate, that it will enrich your life and provide lessons
that extend beyond any individual job (Cassidy). These lessons come from a variety of sources.
Whether it is learning how to live with other people in dorms or learning to manage time wisely
and build motivation to complete work, the experiences of college life are imperative to
adulthood. Students that handle these challenges well are the ones that gain the most benefit from
higher education. The investment of a college education is generally better for those who
graduate - and on time - from a school with healthier resources (Paquette). By graduating on
time, students get the most for their money and often find themselves in less debt than those that
are unable to. Students are also able to receive access to many valuable resources during their
time at college. According to a popular college preparation magazine, one must Use the career
services office. . . Go to on campus lectures. . . [and/or] Join a club in order to really make

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college worth it (How to Make). For a motivated student, there is no doubt that college is the
right path to take in career development.
For the few students that still feel as though college is not the right fit for them, there are
viable alternatives. In a project by Peter Thiel, a co-founder of PayPal, 24 high school graduates
were offered $100,000 in exchange for taking an alternate route to higher education. Five of
these students went back to college while, 19 are either working at their own business or have
sold it and gone to work for someone else in a related area. A handful sold for seven figures,
[Thiel] says. These kids have more money than me. (Kadlec). Unfortunately, most students that
would like to skip college do not have someone walking up to them with $100,000 to pursue
other interests. Therefore, this option would require a substantial amount of work on the students
part. He or she would need to either save up enough money through work that one can get
without a college diploma, such as fast food or retail, or find and apply for a small business loan.
In the case of a small business loan, the individual would end up in a substantial amount of debt,
equal to or even greater than that of the students that chose to attend a four year university. There
are a few more realistic alternatives to college as well. Students may choose to attend a
vocational school for trades such as automotive and cosmetics. These fields do not require a
traditional college education and are taught through hands on training and internships. Another
great alternative is joining the military. While the military does not require college, it will often
pay a students way through education. This provides an excellent option for the students that
would like to obtain a Bachelors or Associates Degree, but are unable to afford it after financial
aid and scholarships as well. The aforementioned careers will support a person and his or her
family. However, mechanics make an average of $36,710 per year, while the starting salary of

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college graduates in the class of 2015 was $50,651 (Average Starting Auto Mechanic). It is
clear that college is not the only option for students, however it still remains true that for the
majority it is the wisest financial move to make.
College is an essential step in the path to adulthood. It provides students with many
important life lessons, while teaching them the information necessary to succeed in many of
todays careers. As the economy and technology advance, many jobs continue to become much
more specialized, requiring the workforce to have more than a simple high school education.
Despite the drastic prices of attending college, in the long run spending this money will allow
individuals to obtain and succeed at advanced, often high paying jobs. There are a few common
alternatives to college, such as trade school and military service that provide a good living
however, college graduates still make a substantial amount more than most of the individuals that
choose one of these alternate routes. There are many ways for students with a tight budget to be
able to afford college. These include scholarships and financial aid, as well as taking courses
online. Overall, the benefits of attending college are endless and will always prove to be worth
the investment.

Works Cited
"Auto Mechanic: Salary." U.S. News & World Report. U.S. News & World Report LP., 2015.
Web. 15 Nov. 2015.
"Average Starting Salary for Class of 2015 Climbs 5.2 Percent." National Association of
Colleges and Employers. 17 Nov. 2015. Web. 17 Nov. 2015.
Bennett, William, and David Wilezol. "Is College Worth It? A Former United Staes Secretary of
Education and a Liberal Arts Graduate Expose the Broken Promise of Higher
Education."

Springer Science Business Media New York, 24 July 2013. Web. 8 Nov. 2015.

Carlson, Scott. "Is College Worth It? 2 New Reports Say Yes (Mostly)." Chronicle of Higher
Education 60.11 (2013). Print.
Cassidy, John. "College Calculus." The New Yorker. Cond Nast, 7 Sept. 2015. Web. 8 Nov.
2015.
"How to Make College Worth The Cost." CollegeXpress 1 Sept. 2013. Print.
Kadlec, Dan. "Here We Go Again: Is College Worth It?" Time. Time Inc., 9 June 2014. Web. 8
Nov. 2015.
Leonhardt, David. "Is College Worth It? Clearly, New Data Say." The New York Times. The
New York Times Company, 27 May 2014. Web. 8 Nov. 2015.
Oreopoulos, Philip, and Uros Petronijevic. "Making College Worth It: A Review of the Returns
to Higher Education." The Future of Children 23.1 (2013): 41-65. Print.
Paquette, Danielle. Why College isnt Always Worth it. Washington Post, 30 Jan. 2015.
Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 8 Nov. 2015.
"What's the Price Tag For a College Education?" COLLEGEdata. 1st Financial Bank, 2015. Web.
15 Nov. 2015.

"Who We Are." Federal Student Aid. The U.S. Department of Education. Web. 15 Nov. 2015.