We All Benefit from Higher Education by Ahndiya

We All Benefit from Higher Education by Ahndiya - April 2020 Scholarship Essay

Attending college in the twenty-first century is more important than ever. College provides a necessary foundation to build communication and analytical skills, increases the likelihood for success, and opens the doors to networking. In addition, an individual who attends and graduates with a bachelor degree has a better chance of being hired in their desired field of work. College can often lead us down paths we had never imagined, helping to shape future goals and careers.
Attending college presents many financial benefits. Evidently, over the past decade higher education tuition has increased immensely, which shies many deserving people away from the opportunity of ever attending a public or private university. College graduates earn 66% more lifetime income than their high school graduate counterparts according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (Lucier par. 1). The likelihood of being unemployed also decreases for those with a bachelor’s degree. The unemployment rate of US college graduates in January of 2020 is roughly 2%, which is significantly lower than the unemployment rate of high school graduates at 3.8% (“TED: The Economic” par.1). Utilizing career centers and internship programs at a college increases a students chances of finding a job post-graduation. College is an investment worth taking as it can result in a happier, more successful life. The financial benefits of obtaining a higher education greatly outweigh the investment cost.
Many careers now require a bachelor's degree. According to a Pew study, the percentage of people getting a bachelor’s degree has gone up 21% since 1965 while the percentage of people with a high school diploma has only dropped 17% (“Benefits of Going to College” par. 6). This simply means that having a bachelor’s degree will increase an individual's value when seeking a job. It is also important to note that education builds confidence and critical thinking skills. We need, “ out of the box”, thinkers who are not afraid to come up with new ideas and contribute to our communities in innovative ways.
College presents great opportunities for an individual to network and create beneficial professional connections. An individual can obtain a career directly related to their college major or find other opportunities they would not have access to outside of college. This increases their chance of having a job that is fulfilling. In addition, the jobs for college graduates will most likely provide better benefits. As expressed by ThoughtCo.com, “there [is] more to any job than just the take-home pay” (Lucier par. 7). These benefits may include “retirement contribution matching, health insurance, health savings accounts, childcare stipends, tuition reimbursement and commuter benefits'' (Lucier par. 7). Health insurance and child care stipends not only benefit the college graduate, but also the families they support.
Obtaining a college level education also supports society as a whole. More college graduates provides the world with an increase of innovative technological advances, advances in the arts, and the betterment of living circumstances for peoples all over the world. As expressed before, higher levels of education correspond to lower levels of unemployment and evidently poverty. According to the College Board, “adults with higher levels of education are less likely to depend on social safety-net programs, generating a decreased demand on the public budget” (Baum and Payea 6). Higher education also has parallels of an increase in civil engagement: such as, volunteer work, voting, and blood donation. With a higher education comes a more advanced sense of consciousness of one’s impact on the world. If an individual understands the world around them, they will be more likely to create active positive change within society.
It is evident that attending college has immense value that is multidimensional. It benefits both individuals and society. There should be more established accessible pathways for those who want to attend college. I aspire to be a human rights attorney. I have grown in a community and a family that values education. As a young African American woman, higher education will allow me to achieve my goals. In addition, I plan to start a nonprofit with a mission to provide aid to women and children who have been subjected to unlawful sex tourism. College will fuel my motivation to learn, contribute to my community and change my life for the better.

Works Cited

Baum, Sandy and Payea. Kathleen Education Pays. College Board, 2004.
https://research.collegeboard.org/pdf/education-pays-2004-full-report.pdf. Accessed 4 April
2020
“Benefits of Going to College.” Cabrini.edu. 1 May 2027, https://www.cabrini.edu/blog/2017-18/benefits-
of-going-to-college. Accessed 6 April 2020.
Lucier, Kelsi. “Financial Benefits of a College Degree.” ThoughtCo.com. 21 March 2019,
https://www.thoughtco.com/financial-benefits-of-a-college-degree-793189. Accessed 3 April 2020.
“TED: The Economic.” U.S. Bureau of Labor of Statistics. 12 February 2019,
https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2020/unemployment-rate-2-percent-for-college-grads-3-8-percent-
for-high-school-grads-in-january-2020.htm. Accessed 6 April 2020.