Essay Outline
Proposed Title: _College A Necessary Evil__________________________________________
Proposed Thesis: In this globalized world of advanced technology, it is crucial to obtain a college education to solidify success in the workplace.
Reason 1: Staying relevant in a competitive job market.
Evidence 1:
Too many unemployed, yet not enough jobs available to secure employment.
Evidence 2:
A large number of low skilled jobs no longer available in the United States.
Evidence 3:
Marketing your skills to companies.
Reason 2: Establishing your value to potential employers.
Evidence 1:
Competing with too many skilled and well trained job seekers.
Evidence 2:
Proficiency in computer skills such as Microsoft Office.
Evidence 3:
A bachelor’s degree is no longer enough.
Reason 3: No college education results in remaining in a lower socio-economic class.
Evidence 1:
Income equality gap is growing larger.
Evidence 2:
Direct correlation in evidence of income based on level of education that cannot be ignored.
Evidence 3:
As student loan debts skyrocket, young Americans hoping to establish a decent standard of living are forced to take on this insurmountable debt in order to pursue a higher education. Therefore, college is a necessary evil in today’s fast paced, highly skilled and competitive global market. No longer are entities like large labor unions a feasible option for the working class individuals who stop their educational pursuit after receiving a high school diploma. Instead, in the current age there is a need, almost a requirement for a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree, and ideally up to a graduate degree in order to increase one’s chances at fulfilling “the American Dream.” There are three main aspects that will be examined as proof of why college is a necessary evil for the people of the United States, which include- staying relevant to employers, establishing one’s value to employers, and finally the ability to move up in the socio-economic class that only a college education can likely ensure.
Staying Relevant
In this highly competitive job market, where many college graduates complain of not securing a stable job, it is more critical than ever to stay relevant to potential employers. One of the most valuable aspects of how this can be accomplished is through the knowledge and education that college offers. According to the College View website (n.d), “The U.S. has been transformed from a manufacturing-based economy to an economy based on knowledge, and the importance of a college education today can be compared to that of a high school education forty years ago” (McGuire). Therefore, the lower skilled jobs no longer exist as they once did, making it mandatory to be as highly educated and skilled as possible in order to properly market oneself to a potential employer. Those who do not pursue higher education tend to be left by the wayside struggling to make ends meet.
Establish Value to Employers
A key factor in being a college-educated individual makes one automatically establish a higher degree of value to an employer than the individuals with only a high school diploma. Although a basic degree is not the only way to prove oneself valuable to the employers. There are often skills and aptitude test that companies are including in the hiring process to see how valuable the individual will be to the company. For example, “grad-school programs have long used the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) and its companion tests in math, the sciences and literature to rate students. But now employers are using those scores to assess job applicants, according to the Wall Street Journal ” (Kiplinger, 2013). The reality of this confirms that certain skills necessary to establish the job-seeker as one that can be an asset to a company, there have to be factors learned in the college atmosphere of analytical thinking that will be a necessity to stand out among the large quantity of fellow applicants. Additionally, it is also wise to utilize computer literacy in programs like Microsoft Office while one is completing his or her college degree, which will be incredibly beneficial in establishing value to an employer.
Socio-Economic Class Struggle
In the final portion of the paper it is with great conviction that one could state that in order to move up or have any mobility in the socio-economic class, college is an absolute necessity. For those individuals who do not attend college and complete their higher education, the likelihood of remaining in the bottom rung of the social class is the reality that one will likely face. As the income inequality gap grows, the only chance for those on the bottom to find any hope towards a better future for themselves and future generation of their family will be through pursuit of higher education. For example, here are some figures to consider in the income difference in those who have college degrees versus their high school diploma wielding counterparts. “Among millennials ages 25 to 32, median annual earnings for full-time working college-degree holders are $17,500 greater than for those with high school diplomas only” (Kurtzleben, 2014). Another shocking bit of information on the critical importance of pursuing a college education is further reinforced when considering that between 1965-2013 median income for college educated young adults grew by $6,700 to $45,500 while is dropped by $3,400 to $28,000 for those who stopped after high school (Kurtzleben, 2013). Therefore, if families on the lower socio-economic classes do not encourage their youth to make college a part of their educational reality, then there will be no hope for t seeing a climb in the social ladder for these families, potentially for generations to come. After all, those people who consider a college degree a part of their education tend to pass that tradition and value onto their children as well.
Conclusion
References
Kiplinger, K. (2013). A College Degree isn't Enough. Retrieved from
http://www.kiplinger.com/article/college/T012-C014-S002-why-a-college-degree-is-not-
enough.html
Kurtzleben, D. (2014, February 11). Study: Income Gap Between Young College and High
http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2014/02/11/study-income-gap-between-young-
McGuire, J. (n.d.). Importance of College Education Why it is important to go to college Share.
Retrieved from http://www.collegeview.com/articles/article/importance-of-college-
education
