The Credibility of a College Degree by Samantha

The Credibility of a College Degree by Samantha - October 2024 Scholarship Essay

When I think of why I am pursuing a college degree I think about what a future employer thinks when they see me. What do they think when they see me? What do they think of the college degree I hold, and what does it give me in my future? It’s safe to assume that holding that degree means a person has gone through years of work to obtain knowledge on a subject. This, to me, means a college degree is credible. It’s important when entering a position that you are ready. Having a college degree means that and a little more. You have learned not just the subject of the field you hope to pursue, but other life skills like organization and in-depth dives into school subjects. Plus, college is a wonderful way to meet future friends with similar interests. This ‘ticket’ of credibility also equips someone with basic skills and can even provide access to contacts.
Many people say they know things. It’s easy for some people to perk up and go, “Hey I’m good at that!” Later on, as they demonstrate their skill, it comes to light that they don’t know what they are doing. Usually, this situation is more funny than serious, but an employer might not find it as comedic. For example, math isn’t my strong suit. I read, write, and draw more proficiently than when I’m working with fractions and equations. If I walk into a building and say I want a job as a research analyst an employer isn’t going to be aware of my lack of math skill. If I somehow ended up hired they would quickly realize I was not fit for the job. A college degree represents the years a person has spent learning about a subject to apply it elsewhere in life. Not to mention with a specific major there are still other basic subject classes you have to take with it. Everything on a degree is the official stamp that someone is prepared for the job they are applying for. Being prepared runs deeper than a simple credible print.
So now someone has a college degree. It’ll be easy running into the job interview offices. However, someone can have a stamp and not have the proper knowledge of the field they are going into. It can be easy to claim mastery and suddenly have no idea about what’s going on. With a college degree selecting a major prepares a person for a specific career pathway. Nothing can compare to years of experience in a job but knowing the basic inner workings of your desired field can help excel someone amongst a group of potential hires. Having this basic knowledge will make a huge difference in entering the workforce too, perhaps more so than for the job interview itself. It gives an understanding of the tools to work with, potential projects, and the potential future of the job. A college degree provides a jump-start for employees in their work. Some careers are more opportunity-based though, and as such, it’s good to have people to reach out to.
Not every career has it, but in some cases, having a social network attached to a career might come in handy. Establishing a strong network is tricky. A good contact is someone who can be reached out to for a variety of information regarding working. Examples could include getting a good word out, being updated on potential job opportunities, and possible collaborations. Later in life, it can be helpful to already have these connections established. How? Colleges allow people with similar or the same career ideas to meet, establishing friendships between potential coworkers and other important figures within a career field. Even better, some colleges have projects where a student is connected to a current professional in their field. Assuming all goes well this can provide a powerful future ally time comes for the student is apply for a job of their own. All of this combined helps to make for the future.
Being ready for a future in the job world is important. There are many ways to do this, however, a college degree is a huge help in this endeavor. It’s an important degree to pursue that will aid the future. I have thought about this for a while and finally concluded. Whether it’s from providing a piece of credibility as a worker, showing someone has the know-how, to providing useful future contacts, a college degree is one of the most important things you can have.