The crucial role of obtaining higher education in the changing and ever-challenging environment of the 21st century cannot be underestimated. "Higher education institutions bear a profound, moral responsibility to increase the awareness, knowledge, skills, and values needed to create a just and sustainable future" (Cortese 17). However, the majority of high school graduates are at a loss when it comes to making the fundamental decision of whether to go to college or not. In order to make the wise and rational choice, the above-mentioned options should considered from the three major perspectives: functionalist, conflict, and interactionist.
In conformity with the principles of functionalism, society is regarded as "a system of interconnected parts that work together in harmony to maintain a state of balance and social equilibrium for the whole" (Mooney, Knox, and Schacht 8). According to functionalists, "education offers a way to transmit a society’s skills, knowledge, and culture to its youth" (Mooney, Knox, and Schacht 8). Therefore, speaking from the functionalist perspective, my decision to go to college was based on the assertion that this educational establishment could help me acquire necessary skills and qualifications, which can later be transmitted into professional practice.
It also should be noted that "the functionalist perspective emphasizes the interconnectedness of society by focusing on how each part influences and is influenced by other parts" (Mooney, Knox, and Schacht 8). Speaking from the viewpoint of functionalist perspective, the primary function of higher education consists in its functional objective, which is the application of acquired skills and knowledge to practice for the benefit of oneself and society in general. In my opinion, in order to become a person of reputation and a valuable member of the community we live in, one should obtain higher education and ultimately get a worthy profession. In other words, my decision was driven by a desire to fit in and contribute to the society.
Having due regard to the challenges associated with finding an occupation under fierce and ever-increasing competition in the challenging world of modern business, I drew a conclusion that I would definitely benefit from going to college for several reasons. In the first place, statistical data from numerous researches proves that individuals with a college degree are more likely to find their first job faster as opposed to high school graduates and individuals who did not obtain higher education. Moreover, according to the report produced by the U.S. Department of Education (2008), "full-time workers ages 25–34 with bachelor’s degrees earn 60 percent more, on average, than their counterparts who were high school graduates" (Choy, Bradburn, and Carroll 1). What is more, individuals with a bachelor's or master's degree are more likely to occupy top managerial and senior positions in large companies and multinational corporation.
All in all, a college education should be determined as a major investment that helps individuals "build their skills and prepare for high-skilled jobs. Historically, those who have made this investment have received a substantial economic benefit that lasts over their lifetime" (Abel, Deitz, and Su 1). Consequently, my decision to go to college was driven be the assertion that college degree increases chances of finding a prestigious and good-paying job as well as offers better economic and career prospects in general.
The third perspective, which is to be taken into consideration when making a decision of whether or not to go to college, is the interactionist perspective. According to the interactionists, "the foundation of interactionism is the manner in which the individual is connected to the social structure and the possible interplay between the individual and others" (Dong 14). In other words, my decision was to a certain degree influenced by particular individuals and other agents of socialization. In the first place, both of my parents got into higher education, which enabled them to find prestigious and highly-paid jobs. I have to admit that their example set the pattern for me and was one of the primary factors that encouraged me to go to college. Moreover, speaking from the interactionist perspective, my decision was also driven by the examples of individuals occupying senior positions in business corporations and government structures as well as by the prominent opinion leaders of the 21st century. All of these individuals, including Barack Obama, Tony Blair, Warren Buffett, John Watson and other prominent figures, obtained higher education, which enabled them to pursue careers they wanted. Therefore, I should admit that I was motivated to go to college by other individuals, including my parents and prominent figures of the 21st century.
Work Cited
Abel, Jaison R., Richard Deitz, and Yaqin Su. "Are Recent College Graduates Finding Good Jobs?" Current Issues in Economics and Finance 20.1 (2014): 1-8. Web. 16 Mar. 2016. <https://www.newyorkfed.org/research/current_issues>.
Choy, Susan P., Ellen M. Bradburn, and Dennis C. Carroll. Ten Years After College: Comparing the Employment Experiences of 1992–93 Bachelor’s Degree Recipients With Academic and Career-Oriented Majors. Rep. no. NCES 2008-155. Jessup, MD: U.S. Department of Education, 2008. Print.
Cortese, Anthony D. "The Critical Role of Higher Education in Creating a Sustainable Future." Planning for Higher Education Spring 2003: 15-22. Print.
Dong, Xuan. "Symbolic Interactionism in Sociology of Education Textbooks in Mainland China: Coverage, Perspective and Implications." International Education Studies IES 1.3 (2008): 14-20. Web.
Mooney, Linda A., David Knox, and Caroline Schacht. "Thinking About Social Problems." Understanding Social Problems. 8th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2012. 1-26. Print.
