Benefits and Drawbacks of Studying University Degree - Essay Example

? Benefits and Drawbacks of Studying for a Degree Introduction Higher education can be defined as education or training provided by universities, colleges and other graduate or post graduate levels. One of its core characteristics is that it is professionally oriented. The reasons that influence one into pursuing a university education are manifold, each of these being dependent on the said individual. These reasons can range from the need to acquire new experiences, career preparation and the need to increase knowledge. University education not only provides expert knowledge, but also it gives individuals the practical skills needed to handle situations in the world. Thus, each university scholar has the chance to widen their viewpoint and enrich their own knowledge. An additional factor that drives the inspiration for university education is that; there exists a direct correlation between the level of schooling and the sum of income to which one is entitled. The traditional roles of universities were that of teaching and researching. University research has aided in the development of theoretical knowledge and its subsequent application in the practical field. Positions in the traditional universities were only privy to a select few. These select few were largely the cream of the community. Thus, these elite of the community busied themselves with research, which was conducted by the best students and few professors. Thus, these individuals locked themselves in ivory towers and succumbed to the passions of knowledge. The net effect of this was the total loss of contact with the society. This meant that the overall performance of these traditional universities took a nose dive. Performance of universities is measured by the improvement of quality of lives of the people it serves. Thus, the needs of the society should be at the center of a university’s activities. The core issue of modern universities is to open up to masses of young people, adjust itself to modern democratic and pluralistic society while still maintaining the expected quality of teaching and research. Analysis University education is constantly receiving publicity over its importance in the life of any individual. This fact can be attested by the number of universities that are being created. Additionally, there is an increasing demand for university education. Costs for educating a person are steadily rising with universities struggling to keep up with increasing demand. Critiques cite the fact that anything taught at the university can also be self taught. They reason that it is not practical to spend copious amounts of money on universities so that one can gain knowledge, which is widely available from other sources (LOVETT et al, 2004, p. 18). Critiques also state that no one professor has the divine knowledge that is injected to students once they attend the various lessons. Each student is required to put in effort so as to increase their knowledge in the respective fields. This statement is true in some sense. However, I do disagree with this half baked thought. In all endeavors of life, one cannot be sure of succeeding without the advice and counsel of a mentor. The instructor’s job is to ensure that you do not make mistakes and explain concepts that are difficult to understand (MCMAHON 1999, p. 34). Without this vital input, a lot of time and energy is going to be spent at the said endeavor whose results cannot be guaranteed. It is with this fact in mind that a lot of individuals absorb this enormous financial cost for education. The role of the professors is to accelerate the duration of training thus saving on valuable time. Additionally, they ensure that each student has properly grasped the basic concepts lest ill-equipped individuals flood the job market (BINGLEY et al 2005, p. 71). An unfortunate scenario is when the training a person has sacrificed a lot for actually deems him or her ineligible of job position. This arises in cases of over qualification. This is when an individual is categorized as possessing more than the required skill set for a job assignment. Employers worry that the said person is worth much more than they are willing to give. This being a risk employers do not want to experience, the only other option left is to refuse his request. Apart from the issue of payment of services rendered, employers also have the concern that university graduates have the habit of leaving the job quickly or will fail to fit in the business environment (). However, the study conducted by Brooks and Everett indicates that these cases of dissatisfaction are limited (Brooks and Everett, 2009, p.35). Disappointments were found to be in those that had believed that there was an automatic progression from the university into the professional field. Critics of university education also cite the cases of alienation as a proof of the disadvantage of university education. In the confines of higher education, one is surrounded by likeminded people. Thus, no discrimination on the basis of education ever exists. Nonetheless, this is different when the individual embarks out into the world. During the day to day interactions, university scholars are expected to interact with less educated individuals. The problem now becomes how to interact or converse with these less educated persons. Though those opposing university educations constantly mention this as a major reason for not aiming for higher education, it is, in fact, a weak justification for their beliefs. University education teaches one to embrace the importance of diversity. All persons in the world cannot be the same otherwise the world would be a dull place. As such, elements that breed diversity must be appreciated within our midst. Thus, social interactions that bring out the diversity between individuals must be welcomed and appreciated. The fact of the matter is that a university can be a tremendously intimidating place. This is especially when you are the first in the family to attain such prestigious academic levels. One reason is that it is filled with middle class individuals. This means that if one is from a family in the lower social scale then he or she may not know how to relate with the rest of the students. Additionally, pursuing university education entails leaving of home meaning one will have to break family ties. This may impact the effectiveness of studying as a result of the lonesome status. In my opinion the reasons and benefits of a university education far outweigh the drawbacks. However, it is not appropriate to claim without strong evidence or explanation as to why I choose this stance. The reasons that back my stance are well and fully thought. Unlike the limited drawbacks that aim to dissuade students from aiming to reach the skies of excellence, the benefits of university education are manifold. Hence the reason as to why there exists many universities and colleges which are filled with eager students. Between the years, 1995 and 2005, the number of students who enrolled in university education experienced a fifty one percent (51%) rise (Brooks and Everett 20009, p.1). The promise of a better and brighter future is more than most students, parents and guardians can ignore. However, this area is not for the unmotivated, lazy and misguided lot of the population. Those that do, in fact, qualify for university education have had to undergo numerous test and examinations, all in the aim of proving that they posses what it takes to cope with the tasking higher education arena. In the end, I am of the opinion that all the toils and struggles are of worth. One chief motivation for pursuing university education is that it raises the earning potential for an individual (BEHRMAN and Stacey 1997, p. 31). Once one has gained the skill set sourced from a degree, the demand for this skill sets result into raised probability of finding gainful employment. The average earnings entitled to bachelor degree holders in the year 2008 was found to be $ 55, 700 while that of a high school diploma holder was found to be at a mere $ 33,800 (Brooks and Everett 2009, p. 33). This means that degree holders have the potential of earning $ 21, 900 more than high school diploma holders. Gaining a degree also has health benefits. High level education has been found to have a correlation with a lower blood pressure. A study conducted by the psychology department of Carnegie Mellon University, in the year 2006, found that university degree holders have significantly low levels of cortisol which is a stress hormone (MALI 2010, p. 34). This is when these levels are compared with those individuals with lesser or lower education levels. Apart from this stress hormone, degree holders have a reduced probability of developing any form of cancer: these include colorectal cancer, prostate cancer together with lung and breast cancer. These observations area according to those found and published in the National Cancer Institute journal. While still on the subject of health, it has been found that there is a straight correlation linking the education level of a woman and the health of her children (KING and Hill 1998, p. 61). Child mortality rates have reduced considerably with the advancement of level of schooling accomplished by the female populace. Additionally, parents who have pursued higher education are more likely to motivate their children into pursuing the same (MCMAHON 2009, p. 121). Human beings spend a larger portion of their lifetime working. As such it is of, vital importance to develop positive attitudes towards one’s job. What an individual feels about their work can significantly affect them. In this regard, individuals possessing university degrees tend to be more contented with their occupations as opposed to those possessing only high school diplomas. Job stability is a significant factor when searching for a job. However, a majority of the working population do not have this luxury. They have the constant worry that, at any one time, they are going to be laid off. Careers with higher levels of stability are those sourced from university degrees. This can best be exemplified by analyzing the market situations during the economic recession. Unemployment rate among graduates was considerably lower as compared to the unemployment rate of high school diploma holders. Aside from the academic aspect of university education, there are also personal benefits that may come as a result of pursuing university education. University education provides an avenue via which an individual is exposed to a rich social and cultural environment. Through various interactions, made possible by the university, an individual comes in contact with other individuals from different social, cultural and financial backgrounds. It is because of these multiple interactions that a student learns new things that would have otherwise remained unknown were it, not for the university. Self control and discipline is a valuable lesson taught in the university. Students are required to be their own authorities since no one will be watching over them. Students learn to make maximum out of this precious opportunity given to them. At the top of the lessons taught at the university, is social education. It teaches how to live and work with others in complete harmony. This is in line with the famous quote by Albert Einstein. He stated that education is what still exists in the mind when one is not able to recall what was learnt in school. Thus, education is what aids in making a living, not only in the financial context, but also in regards to a better living. Higher education also aids individuals in gaining a competitive advantage over the fellow competitors. Those who have MBAs and PHDs are considered more academically fit as compared to the ones with only one degree or, worse still, have a high school diploma. In the race towards financial prowess, this competitive advantage can be highly valuable (TRUNK 2011, p. 126). However, there are certain individuals who use the opportunity to advance their education to compensate for poor performance in the past (Brook and Everett 2009, p.35). The chance to correct wrongs previously committed and opportunities wasted can be a significant motivation for a scholar. On this juncture, it is self evident that the benefits of a university degree far outweigh its draw backs. However, the article by Brooks and Everett cites other factors that may contribute job outcomes aside from a university degree (Brook and Everett 2009, p.34). The authors cite factors such as parental income, being form an Asian origin and being male as contributing to prestige of the job outcome. At the start of my studies, many of my previous notions about university education turned out to be false. The freedom that exists in the university is something I never thought was possible. However, everything concerning the quality of knowledge that was to be gained exceeded my expectations. There is a lot of knowledge out there that I do not know. It is perplexing to think that if it were not for this opportunity, which has been handed to me; I would have remained ignorant for a greater part of my life. The amount of hard work and perseverance that is required for one, to achieve excellence is somewhat underestimated. In fact, higher education demands a lot out of an individual. The picture that is painted of the university does not depict the facts on the ground. Nonetheless, I plan to maintain my motivation so as to achieve excellence in my professional field. Speaking from personal opinion, education entails the learning of ways of analyzing different problems and finding the appropriate solutions to these problems. My entry into the university makes it possible for me to gain general information and experiences so as to have clear thought and the power of critical thinking. When this is coupled with my professional ambitions, then what results is a compound of a body of motivation that propels my desire for academic excellence. It is only via these means that I can be able to achieve my dreams of getting my dream job. Without studying for my course, any hope of working in my industry of choice is as good as dead. Aside from occupational reasons, I am pursuing this degree so as to absorb and be at one with my culture and hopefully help in keeping it alive. It is a known fact that in order for cultures to survive, then they have to be passed along from the current generation to another. By plunging into the study of history, I can be aware of mistakes made in the past and consequently source from them vital lessons. With this tool in hand, I can be assured of being in a better position of achieving my life’s goals. Another factor that motivated me into choosing my degree of choice is the power and respect it solicits from people. Though this is a selfish reason, it is nonetheless one of my prime motivations for this degree. It would be flawed if I failed to mention the reservations and anxieties I have concerning my university education. It has not gone unnoticed to me that; an increasing number of graduates are becoming disillusioned and disappointed on what has offered to them after completion of their studies. However, all graduates cannot be absorbed into the job market at once. There has to be a portion that has to wait or revert to other avenues of bettering their life. This is further backed by Brooks and Everett in their article. They note that the sampled population was of the opinion that though holding a degree does not guarantee a well paying job; it does, however, increase the number jobs open to them (Brook and Everett 2009, p.37). As such, I am not assured of gaining entry into my dream profession, but I am better off with this degree in hand. The risk of failure is another anxiety that follows me everywhere I go. To this I have found a solution. It is better to be unsuccessful at a feat rather than never have had the courage of tried it in the first place. Conclusion University education should not be forced on a person. It has to be self motivated. Contrary to popular belief, university schooling is not a petite feat to accomplish. The determination required is not a small feat. A new notion has been adopted by those seeking university degrees and those who already have a degree. This notion is that a degree is a minimum requirement in the job market. Though having a degree is not a surety of getting a well paying job, it, however, raises the chance of having one. Critics of university degrees cite the probability that some graduates end up being disappointed by their degrees. The high expectations they had on the completion of their studies end up in smoke. Though these cases do happen, they are less than the critics want to disclose. Brooks and Everett found out, in their research that the cases of disappointment are extremely rare (Brook and Everett 2009, 35). References BEHRMAN, J. R., & STACEY, N. 1997. The social benefits of education. Ann Arbor, University of Michigan Press. BINGLEY, P., WALKER, I., & ZHU, Y. 2005. Education, Work and Wages in the UK. Education, Work and Wages in the UK. BOK, D. C. 2003. Universities in the marketplace: the commercialization of higher education. Princeton, N.J., Princeton University Press. Brooks, R, and Everett, G 2009 ''Post-graduate reflections on the value of a degree''. British Educational Research Journal.35(33),pp.333-349. KING, E. M., & HILL, M. A. 1998. Women's education in developing countries barriers, benefits, and policies. Baltimore, Published for the World Bank [by] the Johns Hopkins University Press.http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=site&db=nlebk&db=nlabk&AN=33281. LOVETT, E. O., JOURDAIN, P. E. B., & RAMSAY, W. 2004. Aspects of university education. Rice Institute Pamphlet. V. MALI, F. 2010. The changing role of university education and research in modern societies. The School Field. 33-43. MCMAHON, W. W. 2009. Higher learning, greater good: the private and social benefits of higher education. Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University Press. MCMAHON, W. W. 1999. Education and development: measuring the social benefits. Oxford, Oxford University Press. O'BRIEN, D. 1998. All the essential half-truths about higher education. Chicago, University of Chicago Press. ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT. 2012. What Are the Returns on Higher Education for Individuals and Countries? TRUNK S?IRCA, N. 2011. Mutual benefits and institutional needs in higher education. EuroMed-2010. 115-132. Read More