Is Higher Education Worth The Price?

  On the internet, this topic has many bipolar opinions. Just like my brain, I couldn’t figure out what to write about this topic until I peeped into what was going on in my life. I am in the process of transferring and this is probably what makes my mind so confused about this topic. I’ll hold on to my opinion for now and I’d like to share some public opinion about this topic that I found on Reddit.

Opinion 1: “Higher education is no longer about learning; it is a perceived means to climb the economic latter that has, by this point, been debunked relatively (college graduates still earn on average more than non-college graduates but the loan-to-income ratio no longer suffices).”

Opinion 2: “As long as there are financial burdens attached, people will always seek income instead of learning for themselves, which is a vast, vast majority of people, even many “smart” people choose a major that can bring in the most income instead of what they are truly interested in.”

Opinion 3: “Definitely worth it, education allows the wage-living to have equal opportunities and if not, at least, the possibility of thinking for themselves.”

Opinion 1 was the exact thing I used to think before I started college. I had no interest in learning. But interests are not built in a person, they are developed. Once I regained interest in learning about computers, college was easy for me. Easy in terms of understanding. It explains statistics that are unsure but does give out the fact that people go to college for income. Which is kind of carried by Opinion 2. Finance drives people to college, and I say that in a negative manner because I see people paying off their tuition loans till their kids go to college. Education shouldn't be expensive just because it’s important. Especially for people with low financial stability getting out of college with about $100k owed. That figure is without the interest accumulated after college by the way. But even though I said many controversial words about colleges, I agree with Opinion 3 the most. 

“Why is Higher Education Worth It?”

I think that people survive without studying. In my personal opinion, you shouldn't even think of going to college if you know you can't do it. Get a job, make money, make investments early, and keep getting better jobs all your life. You can manage a regular living just based on jobs, investments, and side hustles. But if you want something more than a cut-to-cut financial life, a career is what you should go for rather than just work. A career makes more money than one imagines. I didn't have any interest in college or studies, but I knew I wasn't a business mind either. So, followed by my parents’ insistence, I went to college and chose to pursue a computer-related degree because I’ve been interested in computers since I was a kid. Once I began learning about Binary and Python, my interest developed more and more. Now that I am so much into the field and I know about the upcoming challenges and stages, I know what this field has for me in the future and I have a way planned to carry that out.

“Why do people face challenges?”

In the procedure of transferring, I applied to many colleges and I found out what was wrong with so many people facing loan issues for their lives. A college doesn't guarantee you a job. Many stay unemployed for years even with a degree. What affects their loan situation the most is what kind of college they come out of. I will be studying with a loan for the next two years as well and I knew that. That is why I didn't risk it and decided not to apply to Stevens because it is a great college and the best. But do I get a guaranteed job after I graduate with a $160k loan? No. Not praising myself but such wise decisions of choosing the right college for yourself can be beneficial.