Education is considered the pillar of development by all nations in the world. For this reason, significant investments have been made in the educational sector with many governments encouraging their citizens to pursue education to the highest level. In the United States, investments in education have grown, and the number of students enrolled in institutes of higher education has grown significantly over the decades.
However, the number of jobs available in the market has experienced some decrease, which has led to questions being raised about the need for higher education.
In his article “Is College a Lousy Investment?”, Author McArdle Megan suggests that college education might not be the most prudent investment that a person can make. I strongly disagree with this position. In this essay, I will argue that college is the most prudent investment that one can make for their growth and prosperity and that of society.
A college education offers a person with a firm theoretical and practical base in the subject, therefore, increasing his competence. By attending college, a person is equipped with relevant information to enable him to carefully analyze issues and come up with the best solutions. My experiences in offering assistance to others through volunteer work best demonstrated the need for a theoretical basis.
While working with disabled children just after high school, I often felt inadequate to cope with their needs. Even with patience and compassion for them, I still got stuck and did not know what to do.
I, therefore, came to appreciate that while raw skills and good intentions are useful, these values will not enable a person to fully apply himself in any field. A strong educational background is the only way through which one can gain theoretical and practical skills and therefore increase his competence.
College increases the worth of a professional in their job. From my personal experiences, I have seen the value that an education that instills good skills and competency can have in one’s professional life.
As a young Child in a Russian orphanage, I distinctively remember the lack of professionalism among the social workers who attended to us. While these workers tried their best to help me deal with my issues, they could only do as much since they lacked the necessary theoretical background.
In contrast to this, the social workers I encountered after adoption demonstrated great skill. My involvement with them helped me to adjust favorably to life in the US and lead a productive life.
College education exposes the student to vast experiences through interaction with people of different socio-cultural backgrounds, expands minds through various academic endeavors, and increases the social capital of students. McArdle points to the fact that 50% of recent graduates are unemployed or are engaged in jobs that do not require a college degree to support his thesis that college is a lousy investment.
This argument assumes that the recent graduates who lack employment will remain in their state of unemployment for long. The argument that people are employed in jobs that do not require degrees fails to consider that the graduate may be better at the job due to his degree. A college education adds value to the person by increasing their analytical abilities and general problem-solving skills.
Credentials matter since they demonstrate that an individual has mastered certain subject matter that is necessary for his occupation. These papers also reveal that a person is well versed with the practices and professional requirements of his work.
In spite of my passion for Clinical Social work, I cannot hope to be employed as a professional since I do not have the credentials for it. College is therefore of integral importance to me since it will instill me with the skills necessary to practice in the profession that I love and give me credentials to attest to this.
College is of great importance if our country is to increase the level of services provided by clinical social workers. Without college, social workers would be forced to rely on their own experiences to do the job. While experience plays a major role in increasing the competence of a worker, it is not enough if quality assurance is to be achieved. College emphasizes on the adherence to best knowledge in the industry and a reliance on evidence-based practices.
A person who has gone to college will, therefore, be able to make use of the latest research in his practice leading to better outcomes for the clients. College also provides a platform from which further research can be made therefore improving the methods used in Clinical Social Work.
Considering the benefits of college highlighted in this essay, I think that college is not a lousy investment. It is true that the cost of education has in the country has increased significantly over the years, and most students are forced to take loans and make some sacrifices to get through college. However, this great cost is justifiable considering the enormous benefits that college education bestows on the individual and the society as a whole.