Is a College Degree Necessary?

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Is a College Degree Necessary?
Education needs to be affordable to all, but the notion that everyone should go to college in order to get a good job ignores reality. Education is an important pillar that facilitates economic well being of a person and improves the human resources in a country across various industries. However, there is an increasing number of Americans enrolling for college degree programs, but there is a mismatch of market requirements and what most people attain. Attaining a college degree is seen as the main avenue through which to attain Middle Class status in America, and this view ignores the fact that degrees do not have similar job prospects as well as the potential of oversupply in college degrees. This paper focuses on reasons as to why not all students should get the four years bachelor’s degree and offers alternatives to these programs.
Having a college degree increases one’s job prospects, but with increased number of graduates there is no guarantee that money spent is worth it. In essence, having university education for all simply seeks to churn out more graduates without focusing on the economic fundamentals and cost implications of college education. Mounting debt burdens on graduates is a cause of concern because this impacts negatively on their financial stability. The promise of a well paying job is not guaranteed meaning that for some students it would be better to engage in vocational areas. In any case, colleges try to get as much money as possible from students meaning that it is becoming increasingly costly to study in colleges, and government subsidies simply increases the quest for more university education.
The college degree does not necessarily lead to success in life, even in the modern world where there is too much emphasis on education there is no guarantee of success. The notion that having an education shows the level of ambition is wrong as not all people are intellectually prepared for college life. Motivation and ambition in life are important factors that determine success in school and beyond education. Having a trade or entrepreneurial spirit might actually be fulfilling than being employed in a white collar job. School nurtures people, and by getting college education one is more likely to work for another person.
According to (Steinberg), less than half of all college enrolled students get their degree, and for those in the bottom, 80% have little hope of finishing an associate or bachelor’s degree. Thus, there have been increased calls for some students to skip college at all, given that some enroll without completing their studies and hence waste money. In essence, supporters of this view seek to look for alternative ways for students unlikely to pursue college education. There is no doubt that there is need for specialized work force especially on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics)related subjects, but there is also need for technical support and aides to people working in these fields. For instance, nanosurgeons to fill the gap in the medical field, but so are nursing aides (Steinberg). Some professionals do require rigorous training and study, but overreliance on college e...