Is College Important? by manasseh

Is College Important? by manasseh - April 2020 Scholarship Essay

When people hear that I’m from Brooklyn, New York, they think of someone with endless drive. After all, if one can make it there, he or she can make it anywhere – that’s the popular motto. From the outside looking in, they couldn’t see a young girl who was her mother’s caregiver while her father worked up to sixteen hours a day to provide for his family. That little girl in the crammed apartment had dreams. She dreamt to become something more than what Flatbush Avenue could give her.
Upon completing my education at CUNY New York City College of Technology, I became a paralegal and worked for the New York City Transit Authority’s legal department. I also cooked, clean, and took my mother to her doctor’s appointments. I was always intrigued by her condition. Why did she have chronic headaches? In those moments, I felt helpless. Doing for her what’s required of me was not enough; I wanted to do more. I want to become a nurse to help her and others. So I set out for a change in career. After a few years as a paralegal, my parents decided Florida would be a better living environment for us all. Not only did I have to acclimate to the new environment, I had to give up my career and learn Florida law. I was unprepared for this experience, but I eventually adjusted and continue to prepare for the nursing field.
While working in an unrelated legal field, I’m aware that I would have to completely devote myself to my job in order to climb the corporate ladder which means sacrificing my educational goal. I also see a number of people lose their jobs due to reduction in force, relocation, and mergers. Is this what I have to look forward to? The instability in the corporate world is quite daunting.
Although not an easy feat, college built my character, my sense of drive, and my desire to compete with my peers. Some may argue that college is not absolutely necessary. However, it is important. School’s important for those that want an education, a desire to gain knowledge, and it develops one’s fortitude. Most importantly, attending college provides one with stable employment and higher pay opportunities.
For some, a college education is neither desired nor necessary. For example, careers in entrepreneurship, management, transportation, or a power plant operator are just a few of them. Some of these careers pay pretty well; the money allotted these individuals allow them to financially provide for themselves and their families. Furthermore, there are a plethora of individuals who don’t have an education and are very financially successful.
On the contrary, college does not guarantee financial success. People lose their jobs everyday whether they have an education or not. However, having an education sets one apart from those without one. College allows individuals to collaborate and learn in a multicultural and cross-cultural environment.
My parents are immigrants who later became citizens of the United States. They’re living the American dream with just a high school education. Now it’s my time to take the torch and set the bar even higher. One day I will have children of my own and I must demonstrate to them what it means to invest in myself and become a productive member in society. Making an easy living with no education is not productive or fulfilling to me. That is why college is so very important.