I think that it depends on what you would like to do, whether a college degree is really worth it. I know for my future career goal of becoming a nurse, it is definitely necessary. But, if you chose to be a restaurant manager or become a police officer/fire fighter a college degree may not be the most cost effective path to becoming successful. When I went to college, I thought that as long as I graduated and got that piece of paper everything else would be cake, but in truth it wasn’t very easy to find a job immediately after I graduated. So I think it’s important to understand that some fields of study are not very high in demand or have many job openings. I know the ultimate importance is doing something you love regardless of what it is, but also understand that if you get a degree in fashion merchandising or ethics it is going to be increasing more difficult to get a job than if you had a medical degree or business degree. But through it all at least in my case, college has definitely been worth it. Not only because of the material I learned that can be applied to my jobs, but it has opened my eyes to the world around me and has taught me discipline, the ability to multitask, and delay gratification. While at school, I had many life experiences that have no monetary value but are ones that I would never trade for anything, and I feel have contributed to the person I am today. In short, a degree for most people is a “safety net” something that makes you the better option for employers over non degreed applicants and gives you more options in general as to what career you choose. According to an article in the New York Times, “The 2009 unemployment rate of college graduates 25 and older was 4.6 percent, compared with 9.7 percent for high school graduates.” And, “ the pay premium for those with bachelor’s degrees has grown substantially in…
