College is Not Good for Every Student - Coursework Example

Kaiwen Du Senn Suzanne ENG 110 03/06 College is Not Good for Every The majority of individuals support the idea that education plays animportant role in people’s life and provides more opportunities for their future career development and professional success in the community. However, Caroline Bird in the essay “College is a Waste of Time and Money” tried to convince people that education was not so important in their life. Thus, those who plan to get the college education should simply evaluate various options properly in order to avoid future problems and concerns arising in this field. People studying in various educational establishments should feel confident and secure, as well as satisfied with the received information and knowledge. The given paper will discuss numerous reasons provided by the author, which make people escape colleges in their life saving time for other important activities and processes, in order to prove that colleges are not necessary for all the people in the modern world. There is an opinoin in the socielty that "Most successful and happy people seem to have gone to college" (Bird 64).The college life is full of interesting things and courses providing valuable knowledge and information for students not depending on their major. Education prepares people for the future life and activity in the community providing the greater number of opportunities in the modern society, as well as the new opportunities to become a well-educated and professional individual ready to resolve various tasks and problems arising in the community. The author of the article emphasizes the importance of the experience people get in different settings, such as in the workplace, in social settings, while communicating with different people. I agree with the author that students are not taught to build families, to choose a profession, to become leaders, and other important skills needed for their successful life and activity in the modern setting. Students are adult enough to make certain decisions themselves not being forced to go to college or some other educational establishment. People should decide what is good and important for them at this moment making effective and productive decisions and choices in their life. Certainly, people can meet many interesting people and make friends in colleges, but these educational establishments can still be considered to be the waste of time and money. For many students college is simply the way to get away from home: "College is a graceful way to get away from home. It is also a graceful way for a parent to push an overly depemdent young one out of nest" (Bird 61). The questions is if this deserves paying such a big money while there is a best way to make children indepedent by bringing them up in a right way. Many parents are sorry of spending so much money for a study of a child who still was not able to manage the chosen specialization. Bird states that in the majority of cases, students feel like being in the jail while spending time in the educational establishment, as they cannot simply fully express themselves choosing the subjects they want and are interested in. Students are controlled and guided by their educators and head-masters on a regular basis not having enough time to get involved into the subjects and disciplines they really want or need. Modern young people start understanding the idea that education is a waste of time and money for them. People can earn money during this period of time, as well as the valuable professional experience and skills. Blerkom stated that a college education was “people’s key to the future, being also one of the most expensive investments students and their parents will ever make” (Blerkom 20). That is why the majority of students cannot simply afford going to the college choosing to start working straight after school helping their families. People go to work, either after the school or after the college, and not all people want to spend time in colleges replacing their diplomas with working experience. On the other hand, in case students specialize in law, medicine, and other specific fields, education helps people become professional and qualified in these fields. Professional skills acquired in colleges help people resolve various problems and conflicts arising in the professional setting. However, those who study more general, non-specified professions may consider such studies to be a real waste of time and money, as they can get much experience and knowledge in the professional setting. However, another important problem arises in this field, such as the lack of the needed education and experience needed in certain companies and organizations. Student loan debts usually accompany people’s education forcing people to pay off these debts for a long period of time, and the most plausible detail arising in this field is when students do not even work in the chosen field acquiring the new profession. There are certain career fields in the community, which do not even require a college degree on the part of the students, such as insurance, real estate business, etc. People will be able to earn money working in these fields not spending much time on the college education simply paying some symbolic price for the needed training that helps get the needed skills and abilities to implement their work properly. The great numbers of people going to various colleges do not even understand what they want in their life and why they have chosen this particular profession. In fact, if people decide paying much money for the college, they should at least like and understand the chosen profession being able to practice their theoretical skills and knowledge received in the educational establishment. I agree with the author that adults influence people’s decisions regularly, as “parents, employers, high school counselors push, shove and cajole youngsters to “get an education” (Bird 1). Thus, young individuals simply believe that going to college is the only possible option and choice they can get after their graduation from school. However, older individuals should understand that the world is changing, and education is not so important in the modern society in comparison with the previous decades. Vocational education and training are now more important and productive in contrast to with the traditional form of education when students are simply taught the basis and theory of the chosen profession. Сollege investment becomes useless and unimportant, if people start working in the industrial field, which requires the practice, not the theory. The rising costs for education in the modern society stop many individuals from pursuing a degree in the chosen major starting to work after school earning enough money to lead a sustainable and productive living in the community. The majority of people associate college education with the future success in the workplace, as well as with the higher income and compensations for people. Bird states that not college education lead people to the future professional success, as well as “higher IQs, better family backgrounds, a more enterprising temperament” (Bird 4). Young people should simply evaluate various options existing in the community before applying to college. It is not easy to enter the chosen college, to pay for this college, as well as to find the successful job after graduation. That is why the majority of young individuals do not take risks not to waste their parents’ money, especially, if they are not sure that this is the profession they want to be a part of during the lifetime. Many young individuals do not simply express much interest in the chosen major following their parents’ desires, choices and recommendations. Personally I do not think that they will receive much satisfaction from their future professional activity not being interested in the work they will perform on a daily basis. Young adults should know which career path to choose in life and then choose the college and the major. Another important aspect to consider while choosing whether to enter the college is associated with the future choice of the employment, as the diploma may not be helpful in this field. The representatives of technical professions may lack the needed experience and skills needed for their success in the workplace. Chambers stated that “highly technical people prefer to keep learning techniques of their specialty rather than balance these out with the skills of business” (Chambers 66). So, people entering some colleges may simply want to focus on their professional skills not wasting time on the subjects and disciplines they do not need in their future profession. Some employers demand specific experience and skills from job applicants, and the diploma may not help students get the job if they cannot perform it well. Young people should simply try to become productive citizens of their country, to respect adults and follow the laws and regulations in various fields. People may either choose entering the college or not, but they should evaluate various options arising in the community not being forced to choose the profession they do not like or are not interested in. Parents and educators should guide and motivate youngsters in their career choices, but they should not prevent people from making productive career choices, which can affect their future success and efficacy in the community. Works Cited Bird, Caroline. College is a Waste of Time and Money. Web. 6 Mar. 2014. . Blerkom, Dianna. College Study Skills: Becoming a Strategic Learner. New York: Cengage Learning, 2008. Print. Chambers, Don. Money Basics for Young Adults. New York: Chambers Publishing, 2011. Print. Read More