The Real Dilemma: Is College Worth It?

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other possibilities. For example, part time employment or consider borrowing from a relative first (Mellander, 2013, p.37).

Students believe that employers are looking for higher educated employees. David Blake interviews some employer about what the look for in their employees. The majority of employers have expressed that they are looking for people that have the skills they are looking for to complete the job (p.2). The degree may or may not be a factor to being hired (p. 1). Technology changes demand skilled workers which lessens the supply of college educated workers. This means employers raise the wages of college graduates raising earning premium (Oreopulos and Petronijevic, 2013, p.48). It is believed that college helps develop working skills but in reality students don’t develop new skills. Students use a college degree to signal their natural ability to the labor market (Oreopulos and Petronijevic, 2013, p.48).

Another question that may be concerning is if the education system is doing its job. Adams reviews a recent survey, where four out of ten people express concerns that the education system is going the wrong direction. (p.11) Fifty seven percent of Americans claim that higher education in the U.S. fails to provide students with good value for their money. Sixty percent of Americans believe that high school education is getting worse. High schools are not preparing their students for the college life. This can be shocking to students that go right to college after graduating high school. It may make their education difficult. College graduates claim that college has been a good investment. Eighty six percent of college graduates agree with that statement. (Adam, 2011, p.12)

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College is supposed to help you grow intellectually or so it’s believed. Thirty nine percent of the public agree with this claim. Yet, fifty two percent of college graduates believe it’s more for personal growth rather than intellectual. Thirty five percent claim that college prepares them for their future career. Forty seven percent of the public believes that college should teach work related skills and knowledge (Adam, 2011, p.12).

Ultimately the decision is based on individual matters. There is no one better to answer this question but you. The way you look at it will help you make a decision. Don’t waste your time researching an answer that you’ll never find. The answer is within you.

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Work cited

Adam, Michelle. (2011, October 3) retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/905916714?accountid=10364

Blake, David. (2012, June 6) retrieved from

Gilroy, Marilyn. (2014, Jan. 3) retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1491386326?accountid=10364

Herbert, I. London. (2013 July 24) retrieved from http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12129-013-9366-3/fulltext.html

Mellander, Gustavo A. (2013 Feb. 2) retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1326333523?accountid=10364

Oreopoulos, Phillip and Petronijevic, Uro. (2013) retrieved from http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/foc/summary/v023/23.1.oreopoulos.html