Importance of College Education

Students begin questioning the importance of a college education from high school itself. Some feel that being able to earn immediately after school is a more attractive proposition and they convince themselves that a college education is not that imperative in the long run. Others may find the costs of a higher education prohibitive and have other responsibilities to take care of. But, more than ever, students need to understand that attending a college provides opportunities and advantages that others might find lacking later on in life. Today, the global economy is becoming more and more competitive and in order to improve the chances for a well-paying job, a college education is extremely important.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 90 percent of the fastest-growing jobs of the future will require some post-secondary education or training. College graduates also earn nearly twice as much as high school diploma holders. The U.S. economy has shifted from being a manufacturing-based one to knowledge-based. Unlike with past generations, high school graduates are unable to qualify for the high-paying jobs that are now available. A college education undeniably serves as a gateway to better options and more opportunities.

There are a number of other reasons as to why it is important to go to college. Attending lectures from experts in the field, reading and researching encourages students to think, to ask questions and to explore new ideas. All this adds to student's development and growth and provides college graduates with an edge over those who have only graduated from high school. College life also provides one with valuable connections and resources adding to the number of options available after completing graduation. Long after college is over, the people you have met may prove useful.

Top Trends in Education

There have been a lot of changes in the education world over the past few years. The government has been cracking down on for-profit schools and their enrollment practices. Large Universities have started to launch more online degree programs and competition is fiercer than ever before. There have also been budget cuts in state schools leading to layoffs in multiple departments. Most schools are doing more with less. In many schools enrollments have increased so it is weird to see the budget cuts taking place. For schools that have not developed online courses they are hurting the most. The education industry is counter-cyclical; meaning when the economy is doing well and people have jobs enrollments in schools actually decrease. On the other hand, when the economy is in a slump or recession more students go back to school. They feel they have to get a degree to be more competitive when searching for a job or impress their boss to keep their job.

Even though online education has increased over the years, there were a couple of schools doing business unethically, according to the United States Government. The government felt Kaplan University and University of Phoenix were enrolling students that were not necessarily qualified for their online degree programs. They would admit the students and help them with all of their financial aid paperwork. Unfortunately, the students were not passing the courses which led to them defaulting on their student loans. So the students were incurring debt, late fees, and not receiving their degrees. This was a big issue according to the government and their investigations. They went in and cleaned house so to say. Both schools had to lay off employees due to the government's findings.

Online degree programs have had their share of criticism over the years, but that hasn't slowed them down. Now that state Universities are launching online programs the public view an online degree as equivalent to a campus program the majority of the time. Because schools like Boston University, Penn State, and University of Cincinnati offer online classes and degree programs employers are starting to accept more and more degrees completed online.