Is college important? by Vista

Is college important? by Vista - April 2020 Scholarship Essay

Currently, we live in a world full of entrepreneurs, ambitious to create new and novel ideas to improve everything from entertainment to space exploration. This new attitude of “build a company from scratch” brings about the question of whether someone should go to college or not. Personally, college is one of the best decisions that I have ever made because it has shaped my perspective on the world. In basic terms, college is like opening a door to another world where each step hands you new tools, opportunities, and knowledge.

One important aspect of college is developing the ability to critically think about the world around you. We live in a world that continually bombards us with tons of information. A large amount of which is strongly biased or, in some cases, unfactual. It is easy to fall into the trap of believing everything that is presented to us, which can cause us to make poor decisions or more generally prevent us from properly understanding the world. Luckily, a university education can provide students with the tools they need to identify accurate sources of information and think critically about the information presented to them. College does this by facilitating discussions among students about a range of topics and by having students deeply research topics for papers and presentations. This work not only requires students to think deeply about the subjects they study, but to also consider where they are getting their information, how accurate it is, and what underlying biases it might have. The skills students develop during this process translate into all facets of their lives and allow them to better understand the background on any information they may receive, thereby making those who attend college better informed and more thoughtful members of our global community.

Another significant aspect of college is the ability to have social mobility. Unfortunately, it is still very difficult to get ahead and there is still inequity in the opportunities that each individual has. College provides a path to a better future for many people, thus giving them the opportunity to improve their lives and the lives of their families. It allows people to climb the social ladder, gain access to new, higher-paying and more enjoyable jobs, and by broadening their horizons in terms of possible employment opportunities and social connections. However, it is often the case that those who need college the most are the least able to afford it. Scholarships however, provide an opportunity for these individuals to access the benefits of higher education and a better life. This is something that I have personally experienced. I grew up with parents that were heavily addicted to drugs and alcohol; continually, leaving us to move from house to house. This instability in my early life meant that I didn’t receive a quality education and by the time I graduated from college, I could barely write comprehensible sentences. As a result, I never thought I would be able to attend college because I didn’t think I would be able to pass the classes. And even if I could do well, how was I going to come up with money for tuition? Luckily, in high school my counselor helped me fill out my college application and a few scholarships. When I was awarded a scholarship that would cover my first full year of college, the trajectory of my life changed completely. Since then, scholarships like that one have allowed me to attend college and improve my life along the way. As well as my writing skills.

The final meaningful benefit of college is the ability to explore and discover new knowledge. There are two ways that college allows students to do this. The first, is that all the students who attend college take courses that provide endless possibilities to learn more about a variety of topics. Many professors who lecture at colleges and universities tend to incorporate their own and others’ research into their presentations. As a result, students are often learning new information that is being discovered today. The second, is research. I have personally had the opportunity to participate in research; studying a topic that I never knew existed: flight behaviors of nocturnal insects in relation to varying environmental conditions. There is no better way for students to expand their knowledge than being the one that discovers it. Most students get research positions in the degree that they are majoring in and as a result, those students learn the basic information from their courses, and then apply that information in real world situations through research. This combination allows students to solidify the information that they are learning. Not to mention that students will also have the opportunity to deepen their understanding of the concepts that they have learned because they will be working and learning alongside an expert in that field of knowledge.

College offers a lot of wonderful opportunities, tools, and knowledge for those who are attending college. Yet, students only gain these benefits if they are willing to work hard and engage with their studies to take advantage of the opportunities that college provides. Therefore, I highly recommend that everyone attend college because of the great opportunities that it has to offer. And I would recommend that they be willing to spend the time required to learn, discover, and enjoy everything that college has to offer.