Main Aspects of College Education - Coursework Example

College Education Introduction College education is medium that transforms dreams to reality by offering a diverse field for careers. In the modern economy, higher education offers individuals a gateway to additional opportunities and job options. In the recent past, college education was not as instrumental because the economy was at the time a manufacturing one. Changing trends demand for advancement in skills. The young generation are the leaders of the future thus, it is only right that the youth acquires higher education in order to be able to solve future challenges. Individuals at all levels have come to appreciate knowledge as a driving force of economic growth. There exists economic intellect to attend college as the benefits of attaining college education and graduating outweigh the costs and stress involved. The Choice of going to College Applying for college is one of the first things that high school students on completion of high school education. The motive relating to the situation is that the students want to get into various career fields and eventually end into the job market (Fink, 16). Evidently, students who attain college education have better chances of succeeding than the ones that do not. Individuals without college graduation cannot compete against individuals with college education for jobs (Keller 123). As earlier mentioned, the high school graduates have dreams to become part of a given career field. Such students understand that college serves as the first step to a fulfilling life. The choice to get into college is due to the desire to learn more. Judging by the new aspects of technology the world is inevitable to change. To be relevant, students need to learn about the emerging trends of the desired field. This is critical as it offers strategies of how to solve upcoming challenges in the specific job markets. Other factors that influence the choice to undertake a college degree include the desire to get a feeling of self-satisfaction. Many students get inspiration from role models who have achieved a certain level of qualification and endeavour to accomplish a similar level of professionalism (Kerrigan 95). Cases of pressure from the family exist. Parents at times push children to college so as to attain a degree that the parents themselves want. This is mostly prominent where parents have businesses and desire the children to take over (Fink 26). Ideally, such parents push the children to attain a business management degree that validate the ability to run the business successfully. Individuals also want to improve on personal growth by getting the experience that college education offers. In addition, the youth choose to attend college to improve on critical skills by engaging with experts of specific fields. The Economic Sense of attending College Employers within economic sectors have adapted the use of college degrees as factor for hiring. Moreover, competition in the job market has gone to another level. As a long-term strategy, individuals want to add credentials to their resumes for better marketability in the working environment (Hartman, Kathleen, and Thomas 68). The continued growth of the economy calls for additional managers, directors, doctors and people from other professions to handle upcoming sectors established by the government and the private sector. For qualification, the individuals should have a graduate degree as it guarantees relevant knowledge in the scope of the career field (Keller 116). Normally, college education provides learners with working experience through internship programs. Employers are comfortable with graduates due to the ability to solve problems encountered in the relevant profession that facilitates achievement of objectives. With the increasing cost of living, earning a higher salary is essential to better living standards. The level of professionalism determines the salary of an individual. College relates to this particular aspect because the human resource managers prefer graduates who attain a 3.0 Gpa. An economy with more graduates is likely to develop at a higher rate than one with less graduates (Hartman, Kathleen, and Thomas 44). Research and analytical skills attained in college are detrimental to economic growth. Some challenges are prevalent in the economy from time to time for instance inflation and outbreak of diseases. The capability of graduates in the field of economics and medicine, as in the example above, to research on the causes would impact positively to a nation (Keller 51). Analysis of the situation would determine the appropriate recommendations that the government can take to prevent the economy from falling in the long-run. Importance of going to College Students choose to remain in college until graduation because of the wide range of benefits attained from college life, which go beyond education. Many students realise and build on various characters while in college. Leadership is an example of a trait born in college where individuals vie for different positions in the student department. The vocal students learn both the value of personal organisation and the duties of being responsible and delivering on a given mandate (Forman 45) Strategizing coupled with problem solving skills become core at a personal level. Looking at history, most of the people who have been in significant leadership positions began that journey in college. Activities carried out through group work enhance communication skills of students in terms of arguing out points on a given perspective. College life offers students an opportunity to create friendly relations that are useful in the future. Networking is more so important when the student begin internship programs. Connections created at an organisation under internship may lead to the absorption of the student after graduation. Socialising with different people in college brings about ideas and creates exposure, which in turn leads to research and inventions (Pillay 67). Many students start the entrepreneurial culture in college through small businesses or clubs. The determination to see such projects succeed makes the businesses and clubs ultimately grow into medium firms in the economy (Forman 72). In the event that the economy offers fewer jobs, unemployed graduates have more opportunities of establishing self-employed initiatives, due to the wide skill set, than individuals who never went to college. College education is an investment with the good returns. The life skills that graduates get from college experience and education are immeasurable. Individuals who did not attend college are poor at making decisions. Unlike the high school graduates, college graduates take into consideration the long-term repercussions of a given move thus facilitating well-informed decisions (Forman 52). In the pursuit of a better life, college graduates influence the lives of their children and the society at large. Chances are that if parents have been through college, the child will get the inspiration to go to college. Some people in the society still underestimate the significance of college education (Keller 74). An increase in the number of college graduates in the community will make people to change the negative attitude and aspire to acquire a college degree. Challenges Encountered in Acquiring College Education The biggest challenge of acquiring college education is the cost involved. The cost of tuition keeps on rising thereby discouraging most individuals to get into college. Scholarship opportunities and grants are few and cannot meet the demand of the students willing to attend college. Many students resort to loans in order to venture into a given degree program. Payment of interest on the loans is challenging and may put the students in large debts (Kerrigan 91). Uncertainty reigns on whether the degree program will offer a well paying job required to settle the debt. Medical students, for instance, do not suffer from the debt problem as medical jobs pay well and are always available. On the other hand, job scarcity affects some fields such as the legal profession thereby making students who want to join the profession think twice on the funding. Available Options for Funding Organisations are fully aware of the cost involved in acquiring college education. This explains why associations such as the Rotary Club, American Legion as well as the Jaycees offer potential college students financial aid. The organisations operate at a local level and have less competition as compared national awards. The federal government is also in the front row concerning providing financial aid (Kerrigan 85). All students require is to fill in an application of the federal student aid. The other category of financial support is on grounds of merit. The merit based option operates on the intellectual and athletic ability of an individual. Other considerations include club membership, religious affiliation, interests and ethnicity. Corporations like Coca-Cola and target are part of the initiative that promotes college education (Pillay 80). Consequently, the companies provide financial aid for college looking to get into college as well as the children of employees in either grants or scholarships. Conclusion College education serves as the foundation for professionalism. The knowledge and the experience acquired in college are instrumental especially in the current century, where the world is facing technological change in all the sectors. It makes economic sense to attend college because the benefits derived from college life are greater than the costs associated with college studies. College education transforms dreams to professionalism with a wide range of skills that are essential for survival in the job market. Employers in the modern day economy understand that knowledge is fundamental to success and therefore prefer college graduates for job opportunities. Evidently, college graduates stand better chances in all spheres of life, given the skill set, than individuals who do not attend college. Works Cited Fink, L D. Creating Significant Learning Experiences: An Integrated Approach to Designing College Courses. , 2013. Print. Forman, Jonathan B. Making America Work. Washington, DC: Urban Inst. Press, 2006. Print. Hartman, Kathleen, and Thomas Stewart. Investing in Your College Education: Learning Strategies with Readings. Boston: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2010. Print. Keller, George. Higher Education and the New Society. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008. Print. Kerrigan, Snyder B. The Unemployed College Graduates Survival Guide: How to Get Your Life Together, Deal with Debt, and Find a Job After College. Avon, Mass: Adams Media, 2013. Print. Pillay, P N. Linking Higher Education and Economic Development: Implications for Africa from Three Successful Systems. Wynberg [Cape Town: CHET, Centre for Higher Edication Transformation, 2010. Print. Read More