Why Go to College?

By Brian Fairbanks

While a college degree isn’t required for every job, there are many occupations that typically require some education beyond a high school diploma or GED. In fact, a Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 2020 report on education level and project openings stated that occupations that require a bachelors degree projected to have the most job openings from 2019–2029.

On the other hand, there is also no shortage of stories out there celebrating the successes of entrepreneurs and other famous people who have “made it” without going to college. It’s easy to look at those anecdotes and wonder, “Why go to college at all?” But despite how universal these stories seem, they do not actually reflect reality.

Let’s explore the impact of college and why you should consider getting a degree.

Why is it important to go to college?

In general, college offers opportunities to students that they might not otherwise find. A degree can provide graduates with more skills, better prepare them for the workforce and signify to employers that they possess the ability to succeed in a role. While there are some trade or skill-based labor jobs where a college degree is not required (think construction and automotive work), The BLS report illustrated that many fields, from education to business, simply require college degrees of their employees.

The career and salary impact of going to college

There are many benefits of going to college, namely career opportunities and improved salary potential. One of the main reasons to go to college is to be able to find a job. But having a college degree can also be crucial when you’re trying to enhance your career. It can not only increase earning potential but provide the skills require in a competitive workforce.

The median salary for a person with a bachelor’s degree is about $1,300 per week, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). But when you look at the figures for adults with only a high school diploma, the median salary drops dramatically to $781 per week.

That’s a difference of more than $25,000 annually. BLS also notes that these figures, “do not take into account completion of training programs in the form of apprenticeships and other on-the-job training, which may also influence earnings and unemployment rates.” As BLS also notes elsewhere, “the higher the level of education, the lower the unemployment rate” in general.

In addition to the career and salary impacts of earning a college degree, there are a number of additional impacts an education can have on a person’s life. Some of these include:

People often develop lifelong friendships with their fellow college students, all of whom know people who know people. College offers an opportunity, in other words, to meet a wide range of people from all sorts of backgrounds, and that network that can help shape the future of your career.

Your school’s alumni — people who graduated from your school in a different year or class — offer yet another opportunity to expand your network.

Workers without a bachelor’s degree often have fewer options for employment. They may also be unable to get a job in a field that interests them, such as environmental science or arts education, and instead be stuck in a job that does not tap into their passion, inherent knowledge or even prior experience.

Many graduates would say graduating from college is one of their proudest achievements. That’s because having a college diploma is a distinctive experience. A bachelor’s degree can boost your self-esteem and confidence because it speaks to your determination, skills and future potential.

Gaining skills and a lifelong learning mindset

You’ll learn more than just history, math, science and career-specific skills in college. College graduates also learn:

• Problem solving. There will be bumps along the way, including projects that go over budget, coworkers who don’t do the work and employees who leave your company in the middle of a stressful, already-understaffed time. People successfully navigate these tricky situations with problem-solving skills they’ve learned in college, where they have ample experience working with lab partners, teams and professors.
• Critical thinking. This goes hand-in-hand with problem-solving. Critical thinking, however, can help not just in crises. You can use critical thinking skills to observe, analyze and interpret a variety of real-world situations. It is an essential life skill that you may use in countless ways your entire life and career.

For example, you might use critical thinking to assess the subtleties of what clients and others are trying to tell you through constructive criticism or outright complaints. You can use it when digesting news stories about current events, interpreting focus group reports at work and many other situations that require you to process information.

Not all stress is bad stress, however. Some stress, such as adjusting to life as a college student and managing multiple responsibilities and deadlines, can be constructive. This can serve as a great example of “trial by fire,” in which a person can develop experience and important skills while learning how to manage their time and deal with unpredictable situations. Successfully doing so also builds the necessary confidence to remain or reclaim calm amid uncertainty and stay on track.

• Money management. Managing money can be difficult, particularly if you’ve never had to keep a balance on a student dining card, pay for school expenses, budget for the next semester and so on. College students learn many of these skills simply by doing them. they have, in other words, two to four years of experience in a consequential environment, which in turn helps teach them the skills they need to manage their own money in the real world.
• Creative writing and communication. Emails and phone calls are integral to many types of businesses, especially in sales departments, marketing/advertising, public relations and the private sector. The many communication opportunities that crop up in college can enhance your communication skills.

These experiences and skills come in many forms, from interacting with professors to get clarification on an assignment to working with fellow students on a group project. You also learn to self-edit as you write and to proofread properly, all of which can come in handy later in your career.

Public speaking in college may also help you down the road. Giving presentations to a roomful of strangers can be scary without experience. Better to get that experience in school rather than at work when your job is on the line.

College is also an experience that may help you learn to draw the line between colleagues and friends, foster a lot of memorable adventures and know the importance of practicing enough self-care.

How to earn a college degree

College is important and can be much more attainable that many may think. By attending an online university, like University of Phoenix (UOPX), you don’t have to move to a major city or commute long distances to attend college. University of Phoenix offers 24/7 class access, one-at-a-time course loads and a range of advantages designed to accommodate adult schedules. This means students don’t have to interrupt their work schedule to attend three to five days of classes each week and manage the immense course load that may go with it.

Now more than ever, a college degree can be a prerequisite for either getting a job or advancing in a career. But it has also never been easier to sign up for classes that fit your schedule and lifestyle so you can meet your professional goals. Visit phoenix.edu to learn more about our bachelor degree programs in high-growth fields as well as our single professional development courses.

Originally published at https://www.phoenix.edu on June 15, 2021.