Introduction
Education is one of the most important aspects on human life. Nowadays, educated people are highly valued and the level of education is to be really high. The innovative technologies and the necessity to deal with highly complicated equipment, international partners, etc. make people strive for better education. It is essential to study at college, to get necessary knowledge and to develop them being aware of the latest news.
Education is the issue which opens new ways before people as getting knowledge people become aware of the information which is considered to be the main source of personal development. At the same time education is important for those who are interested in searching for the new information. There are a lot of different ways how education may be used.
The emergence of the Internet and the availability of much information put under question the very necessity of colleges. It is essential to make sure that colleges are necessary, otherwise, more attention should be paid to the processes which allow students study individually using the Internet and other resources. Dwelling about this issue, it is important to turn to the ideas which consider the opportunities people have.
First of all, the Internet gives much data which may be read just for widening personal scope. Second, the Internet offers different tests and other tasks aimed at practicing received knowledge. Finally, the Internet contains a lot of teachers who are ready to correct student’s knowledge and to point them to their mistakes. Therefore, it seems that colleges are not necessary.
Still, a college systemizes students’ knowledge making them study necessary information (which is to be remembered) and teaching them search for information in case they need something. It is impossible to know everything and colleges are necessary to filter the information which is to be remembered for sure and another one which is to be known and in case of necessity easily found.
Opportunities for Advancement and Success through the Internet
The Internet has offered too many opportunities for people. First of all, people can read books, journals, the results of research and other important sources online. Second, the Internet allows students to get the curriculum and study in accordance with the college programs that give them all the necessary knowledge, structured and systemized.
Third, there are much cheaper organizations online which are able to check students’ mistakes and to point to the fields where more search is to be conducted.
Finally, the Internet makes it possible to study without going to college as video lessons direct students at practicing their theoretical knowledge. Considering each of the opportunities mentioned above, we are going to dwell upon the advancement of the Internet in the spheres considered here contrary to their harm.
There are a lot of sources online which allow students study. Searching for the necessary information online, students can get good education without college. Books are offered either for delivery or with the opportunity of online reading. There are a lot of databases which offer various journals, etc. All this data may be the first step on the way to students’ success as the more people read the more they become educated.
Having a good choice, students should understand that they are to sort the data they are reading. Many online sources are irrelevant.
This factor must be considered while research. Students should understand that the Internet offers students many irrelevant sources which may harm their knowledge and spoil true understanding of the things. Studying online, a student is unable to differentiate between the relevant information and irrelevant one.
The Internet can systemize students’ knowledge as there are many programs and curriculum online. Using this data appropriately, students have an opportunity to structure their learning process and to study the information they need. Such studying allows students learn the information they consider appropriate and at the same time do not pay for college education.
However, curriculum and structured information presented in colleges is not the only distinguishing feature of college. It is impossible to refuse the fact of good Internet support and sometimes even absence of the necessity to go to college, still students should keep in mind that books and other sources of information are not the only activities used in colleges.
Students should remember that applying listening and writing is important. Of course, the Internet offers many tasks and activities aimed at assisting students in their education.
Third, online teachers can help students and check their written assignment, correct mistakes and make sure that students’ education is in a correct direction. It is very important for many people to know that their studying is correct.
Such an opportunity makes people closer to their dream to become educated people without attending colleges. The Internet offers all the necessary options, not just books and other sources. Therefore, this innovation makes it possible to learn something new individually.
Finally, video and audio lessons are available online. Most of them are free, others should be paid, however, it is important to make sure that all the necessary data may be not only read online, but also practical lessons may be taken.
Video classes are like teachers’ lections when students listen to the information and follow the actions. Such video lessons are really useful. On the one hand, students can have an experience of practical application of their knowledge, on the other hand, watching videos is the change of activity which is really important for education process.
Therefore, it may be concluded that the Internet offers a lot of opportunities according to which students may get good education and reach success. It is essential to make sure that while studying individually by means of the Internet students have correctly structure their education and consider only reliable source.
It is also essential to know that to achieve success people are to work hard and individual studying with the help of the Internet is a more complicated job as one has to organize not only the learning process, but also him/herself to make sure that he/she works effective.
The Necessity of College Education
Even though the Internet is useful in education, it must be a part of student college studying. Having considered all the advantages of the Internet education and how it leads people to success without college, it is possible to make some specific rejections. First of all, studying online sources, students have to differentiate between differentiate between relevant information and irrelevant one.
It is very difficult to do it personally, as students’ knowledge are not enough for it. College professors have already studies most of the popular sources, therefore it would be easier for them to find faults wit students’ sources and recommend appropriate ones.
When students search curriculums online, they do not pay attention that some of the may be a part of another curriculum, or before that program another one may should be taken. College studying is a system which has been working for years.
Successful education online is impossible without strict directions. Studying in accordance with one curriculum students may lose something important as the Internet cannot guarantee that students usually follow one and the same program, they may shift from one curriculum to losing important information.
Of course, students may gain success studying with teachers online, however, such lessons are irregular. Moreover, such teachers in most cases have one degree and their knowledge is limited. College has a lot of PhD teachers who have degrees in different spheres, therefore, going to college students have an opportunity to deal with many various professions and try to consume their knowledge in various spheres. It is also possible to reject audio and video advantages of online education.
Of course, such courses are useful, however, they cannot be used as the basic lessons for studying. Students do not have an opportunity to ask questions, students do not have a chance to specify something if the do not understand it. Online education may be just a part of college studying.
Students may have to use the Internet as a part of their college education. It is impossible to reject the importance of college education, however, it is also impossible to say that the Internet studying may lead people to success without structured systemized college curriculum.
One more proof that college education is necessary is statistics. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2011, the rate of employment depends on the level of education. The table below shows that the higher rates of education people have the more salaries they get and the less rate of unemployment among this category of people.
Table 1: Salary and unemployment rates, people aged 25 years and older with different levels of education (“Current Population Survey”).
Therefore, college education is important, if to consider the issue from the statistical point of view. There are also other reasons why colleges are important and why they should be attended.
Holly Epstein Ojalvo states five central reasons in favor of going to colleges, these are “learning in a rigorous, supported educational environment”, “socializing and developing a network of friends and contacts”, “status”, “self-discovery”, and “attaining a marketable degree and developing earning potential” (Ojalvo).
“Learning in a rigorous, supported educational environment” (Ojalvo) does not only mean to study books, write papers, and do practical assignments. Attending college students learn to work in a group of different people, to cope with directions and instructions, to meet deadlines, to remember great scope of information and to study how to search for necessary information.
College is unable to give students all the knowledge they need, however, colleges are responsible for giving students the instructions about what they are to do in order to complete their work. Moreover, studying in college, students are surrounded by a special environment which gives them the power to study more.
Different discussions and disputes during lessons make students know more or become interested in other spheres. College studying helps students consider one particular problem from different angles as studying in supportive educational environment helps students enlarge their scope of knowledge faster at the expense of communication with other students.
“Socializing and developing a network of friends and contacts” (Ojalvo) is anther reason to go to college. Studying at colleges, students usually write various scientific and research papers. Those students who work hard may have some progress in such writing and their works may be interesting to others. It is essential to pay attention to the specific contacts and acquaintances such interest may bring.
Depending on the college and its contracts, students may be offered a good position after graduating from a college. Moreover, many students start working long before their graduation in the spheres whether their knowledge are enough and with the opportunity for career development after graduation from college. Many students create specific contacts and connections for future professional development being at college.
Speaking about socialization, people as social being need communication, live contact communication. The Internet offers great many opportunities, however, live speaking with other people eye to eye is something different than even video communication.
“Status” (Ojalvo) is another reason why students should go to colleges. Moderns system of employment is based on the consideration that good employees are those ones who managed to get a degree. No matter where a person goes for a work, the first question he/she is asked is about degree. A status of college graduator is important as this is the first step on the way to higher degree, on the way to a better potion, etc.
Those who believe that college is an unimportant stage and they are able to study all the necessary information themselves do not understand that college gives people status they are unable to buy online. Moreover, a college brand may play an important role in the future of a student.
“Self-discovery” (Ojalvo) is an important argument in favor of going to college. Being in high school many students are not sure what way to choose. Going to college, students will have an opportunity to try several courses they will be given a try to study something, to get an incredible experience and to understand what he/she wants in reality.
Many people are sure that there is no need to graduate from a college if one understands that this is not what they really need, however, each one has to make a try. Self-discovery is a very complicated and lengthy process as to understand what people are for themselves they are to try something. College is one of the variants.
“Attaining a marketable degree and developing earning potential” (Ojalvo) is one more reason in favor of attending a college. It is not a secret that college is the first step on the way to career development. Sometimes, a college brand means much for people as having attended a specific college, students usually create a particular opinion about them.
Many employers select candidates for a position on the basis of a college students have graduated from. In this case a candidate with the better college degree is sure to get a more paid job. Of course, professional skills are checked, however, this is usually provided after the decisions to accept a person. College degree plays an important role in this case.
There are also a lot of other reasons why students should go to college in contrast to the individual Internet education. Some of these reasons are universal like, college education makes the life of the people different (Payne 20) and it is impossible to reject this fact. Other reasons are purely individual as some people may think that going to college they will make their dream come true (Shi).
Nevertheless, the reasons are in favor of going to college. All the enumerated reasons for going to college do not guarantee people careless future with a great position as there are a lot of people who have similar skills and who also want to get a good job, however, modern society still lives in accordance with the specific norms and rules where college education is valued.
It is impossible to attend a college and get a good paid job without an attempt, however, college education is a good start. Students with a degree can faster get a good job, however, they may also appear at risk of unemployment and discharge. College education is like a chance and it depends from students whether they use it or not.
Contradicting Opinion
Dwelling against colleges, Daley speaks about the reasons why many entrepreneurs suffer from bankruptcy. One and the main reason is the absence of knowledge. Being at college, students failed to read all the necessary books as well as they failed to consume some important information. Daley is sure that colleges are no necessary as they give too much useless information and take students’ time form nothing important.
NaBeela Washington also supports the idea of college useless as going to college students waste their time on subjects which are not necessary. Practical skills are more important than theory, therefore, working and getting practical skills in the profession students want to deal with and studying necessary information on the Internet, students have an opportunity to gain success. Colleges are the remnants of the past.
Nowadays, college education is too expensive and in many cases is not better than the Internet one. Moreover, today it is difficult to cover the expenses spent on college education too fast, therefore, those who go to college do not get expected reward, they just have to work more not because they want to be successful in the future, but because they live under pressure of debt.
Erika Andersen still tries to convince people that to achieve success they do not necessarily go to college which requires too much time but teaches useless information. Therefore, studying with the help of the Internet, people may get more useful information. So, college is more about status nowadays not about quality education.
The Internet has offered many opportunities for people, and education is one of them. There are a lot of people who can easily organize themselves and their studying. The information learnt purposefully and individually may be more valued than the data considered with professions in college as there students study different subjects most of which are not going to be useful to them in the future.
Conclusion
To sum it up, it should be stated that there are two claims in relation to college education. Some people are sure that college is a starting point each person should come though, others believe that attending colleges they just waste their time. Having conducted a research, it is possible to say that both points of view deserve attention, however, college education must be.
There is no need to study in college up to the end, however students are to start their education to understand whether their choice to study individually with the help of the Internet is a good idea. There are a lot of different reasons in favor of attending a college. Students get necessary knowledge there, filtered, structured and systemized.
Going to college students do not only study books, they also consider the information which is really important for them such as the possibility to search for the necessary information as it is impossible to know everything. Important contacts and friendship may be got at college. Moreover, those who have good grades and who managed to express themselves have an opportunity to get a good job right after graduation.
Even though there are a lot of educated people who do not have a degree, when applying to job people with degrees have more chances to get a position than those who do not have degrees. It does not mean that people without college degree know less, but their status is lower than the status of college graduators.
Works Cited
Andersen, Erika. “Do You Really Need To Go To College?” Forbes, 2012. Web.
“Current Population Survey.” Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2011. Web.
Daley, Jason. “Is an MBA Still Necessary?” Entrepreneurs, 2012. Web.
Ojalvo, Holly Epstein. “Why Go to College at All?” The New York Times, 2012. Web.
Payne, Tara. “Despite the headlines, college is still necessary.” New Hampshire Business Review, 34.10 (2012): 18-25. Print.
Shi, Kelvin. “Is College Still Necessary?” Kelvin’s PLA Blog, 2012. Web.
Washington, NaBeela. “Is college still necessary for a successful career?” Kaleidoscope/Opinion, 2012. Web.