Why college education is important to me - Essay Example

WHY COLLEGE EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT TO ME Submitted by: Ashworth College One drops out of school every nine seconds in theUnited States of America! School dropouts not only earn much less than the other students during their life span, but also contribute negatively to the American economy in shape of relatively low paid jobs and low taxes (AYPF, 2005). Well, guilty as charged: I’m one such dropout! My ex-class fellows, who managed to complete their degrees, are now on better positions than I am, are earning more than what I make and are paying higher taxes to the government than I am.

I dropped out of school back in the 70’s, when I was in the eighth grade. Today, almost three decades after quitting school, when I reflect upon my reasons of dropping out, strangely enough, I do not find many. I guess it was just my ignorance regarding the importance of education. I wasn’t interested in being educated and was eager to work and ‘get myself a life’; which I did by starting working at the age of fourteen.I work hard and make a living. Both my children are keen in education and are studying.

I am a satisfied man living a happy life. However, over the last few years I have realized what I missed by not completing my education. I feel that I could have done much better in life, had I completed my education. According to a Canadian writer, ‘We should regret our mistakes and learn from them, but never carry them with us into the future’ (Montgomery, 1874 - 1942). This is exactly what I am trying to do. Although it has been more than three decades since I’ve been to school, I have not completely been out-of-touch with education either.

I kept learning whenever I could; and back in 2009, by dint of hard work and determination, I completed my online high school diploma. I am now pursuing an associate’s degree in the field of health-care and administration with a higher aim to attain a bachelor’s degree in the same field one day.I wish to pursue college education to stabilize myself and my family financially and eventually to be able to contribute to the American society and economy in a better way. I dream of a life wherein my wife and I are free of financial worries and where I am in a better position to understand the events happening around me and to act wise accordingly.

After all, “A well informed mind is the best security against the contagion of folly and of vice” (Radcliffe, 1764-1823). I intend to make myself a better person, with better opportunities to make a better living, with more awareness and greater wisdom to deal with everyday life situations; and I strongly believe that a college education in my preferred field will help me in fulfilling this dream. There is one more reason as to why college education is important to me. As I mentioned before, both my kids are studying at the moment and they do look up to me a lot.

They are sensitive and caring kids and I want myself to be a better role model for them, than I already am. I can’t help feeling that, had I been inspired by some educated and wise man in my childhood, maybe, I would have continued my education in the first place. I want to be that role model for my children, which I never had. I want to motivate them to learn; I want to inspire them. I want them to understand how important education is and I never want them to make this mistake I made in my life.

I believe education is a treasure; which no one can steal. As the famous psychologist Skinner once said: “Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten” (Skinner, 1964). I know its value now and I have finally realized how important it is. There are no age boundaries in attaining education. I frankly admit that studying once again is not going to be an easy task for me, but I am ready to accept the challenge and I’m proud because of the fact that I am trying whole-heartedly and with full determination and devotion.

My online high school diploma has given me more confidence and I now believe that, although becoming a graduate will be a difficult task, but it is not an impossible one. College education is like ‘coming home’ to me and I feel that by pursuing it I am actually coming back to the path from which I derailed thirty two years ago. I am fully prepared to take this plunge and I’m convinced that, though late, it is the right decision for me. Better late than never!REFERENCESAYPF. (2005). The dropout problem in numbers.

Retrieved December 18th, 2011 from: http://www.aypf.org/publications/WhateverItTakes/WIT_nineseconds.pdf Capital community college foundation. (2004). The five paragraph essay. Retrieved December 18th, 2011 from: http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/intros.htm Montgomery, L.M. (1874 - 1942). Regret quotes. Retrieved December 18th, 2011 from: http://thinkexist.com/quotations/regret/ Radcliffe, A. (1764-1823). Education quotes. Retrieved December 18th, 2011 from: http://www.quotationspage.com/subjects/education/ Skinner, B.F. (1964).

Education quotes. Retrieved December 18th, 2011 from: http://www.quotationspage.com/subjects/education/