Is College Worth It? By David Leonhart

I chose the essay, “College May Not Be Worth It Anymore” by Ellen Ruppel Shell. The purpose of the argument in this piece is whether going to college is worth it or not. The audience would be any person thinking about getting a college education. The question of the essay is if the money spent on college is rewarding and worth it. The essay revolves around whether a degree is beneficial and valuable or not.

In “Is College Worth It? Clearly, New Data Says,” David Leonhardt claims that because a four year degree benefits individuals both professionally and economically it is more than worth the investment. Throughout the entirety of Leonhardt’s article, he claims that education is the answer to all financial problems because it provides many financial benefits. He emphasizes that going to college is the path to living a bourgeois life because students will earn more money in the long run.

In the articles, “Is College Worth It” written by David Leonhardt and “Why College Isn’t for Everyone” written by Chris Matthews, both writers build an argument to persuade readers that attending college is for everyone and is a time to emphasize one’s thoughts for the future. In the article, “Is College Worth It”, Leonhardt begins his argument by using statistics. Leonhardt states that, “Americans with four-year college degrees made 98 percent more an hour on average in 2013 than people without a degree” (Leonhardt, par. 3). This implies that individuals who have earned a bachelor's degree or higher are more likely to earn more money per hour compared to those who do not have a degree.

Where this agreement usually ends, however, is on the question of is it quite necessary for college. Whereas some are convinced that going to college is more beneficial, others maintain on the idea that colleges isn't quite necessary. Most people would say that if you don’t go to college, then you’re basically considered a failure or a secondary class. “College is like your life.if you don’t go to college...you can’t live a successful life.” Schlock from “Not Going to College is a Viable Option” acknowledges that young kids are being told about college being the only way to live a better life.

For instance, the article cites a report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics which states that college graduates earn 80% more than those with only a high school diploma. Therefore, it is essential to attend college to gain the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in the workforce. In conclusion, attending college is a wise investment that can lead to a successful

In the world we live in today. Going to college is no longer a choice, or privilege, but rather a need for a brighter future . So the big question that happens to be going around is, “Is College really worth it?”According to Andrew J. Rotherham’s article “Actually, college is very much worth it.”, “5 Ways Ed Pays”produced by (The College board), and “Why College Isn't (And Shouldn’t have to be) For Everyone” written by Robert Reich. The answer to that question is yes.

These studies have proved that college is not worth it in the long run. College graduates are beginning to have high expectations on their wages earned. New college students are losing ground on wages by the time they graduate. Many are working hard to earn a degree, going into debt, making sacrifices financially. But, the lack of wage growth is affecting them after college.

In conclusion going to college is very much worth it. Getting a degree will not only improve the quality of a job’s pay substantially, but make the job search extensively easier. Knowing this students of all ages can make the right decision when deciding whether or not college is the right choice for them. So as a nation let's build ourselves to be better, richer and smarter people by making the right choice when it comes to our education;

For many people, college is an important key for their future. Some people go to college for the job opportunities and the new windows it can open. Others go just for the education and experience. A good education is beneficial from many different viewpoints; in truth, it is a possibility that one's adult life could be much harder than people care to think. One can have better wealth, is less likely to be unemployed, and a much higher chance of being closer to your family.

At (blog.uncollege.org) it says, “The cost of college has skyrocketed in recent years. Attending a decently ranked university can easily cost upwards of $100,000.” Some People thought of not spending money on college but to go skip and go straight forward into life. But what I’ve seen in the success of college, are things that you earn and get rewarded for and you live life way easier. There is more to it than just getting a great job and getting more money after you graduate from college.

If a person’s parent or guardian drilled the idea of college into your head, or if they told you ‘do what you want’ or ‘I don 't care’, or ‘You’re not going’. While college is great, there are other means of education. The value of college is a low because there are people who do not qualify for a college education, and also because there are other ways of post-secondary education other than college. College is not valuable because many people will not make it into a 2 or 4-year college, much less graduate from one. To support this, in the article Why College Isn 't For Everyone, it says, “As a general rule, I would use graduates in the top quarter of their class at a high-quality high school should go on to a four-year degree program, while those in the bottom quarter of their classes at a high school with a mediocre educational reputation should not.”

There is an ample amount of information that leads people to believe that college is a great choice. In Source F, it is shown that, “Adults who graduated from a four-year college believe that, on average, they are earning $20,000 more a year as a result of having gotten that degree. Adults who did not attend college believe that, on average they are earning $20,000 a year less as a result.” Also, provided in Source F, “...55% say it [college] was very useful in helping them prepare for a job or career.” While these statistics are true, the negatives still outweigh the positives.

However, having a college education will give you a much higher chance for you to have that job you have always wanted,(the car,etc.). Therefore, what I am saying is that college is a great tool to become successful and it is better with it than without it. 　　　 Although opponents believe that college is not needed because of the amount of money that is involved to pay for college. This idea is not valid because in the future,(if attending college) the amount of money you spend for college will be similar to a investment that can change you life.

Although college is stressful and time consuming , having your dream career, is a huge life achievement. Having a job isn’t the same as having a career “I've learned that making a 'living' is not the same thing as 'making a life”(Maya Angelou). If you sell yourself short by not going to college you’ll end up working just to make ends means not because it's what you enjoy doing, it's due to your family counting on it. Those who go to college will end up having a better future than those who don’t. I agree that going to college is more beneficial because my view on the topic states that in order to have a secure and clear future you must go to college.

(Procon.org). Learning and engaging in everything is a skill everyone should have, so like he said we should go to college to be able to do that. Additionally, education shows people to develop more intellectual skill and become more responsible (Pew Social and Demographic Trends). Thus said, being educated and smart is something everyone can do and college helps with that. Likewise, college can make someone more educated and happier.