Higher Education: The Key to Success
The benefits of a college education exceed that of a high school diploma in many facets and levels. Though it doesn’t guarantee the success most Americans desire, it provides many opportunities that high school doesn’t.
Years ago, the importance of education was to provide basic learning objectives such as reading, writing and math. As time has progressed, education has become much more than that. It is the basis for life. In 1937, only 15 % of the population went on to further their education past high school, and in 1970 only 26%, but today, over 60% of all jobs require some form of higher education (HANFORD).
High school lays the basis for general studies, but doesn’t offer any of the job skills or knowledge required for gainful employment in this day and age. Studies show that within the last five years, the majority of employers have raised educational requirements for employment by 27%, and most positions once filled by those with a high school diploma, are now occupied by college graduates (GIT, 2014). This does not only apply to a high school diploma verses a college degree, it also extends to jobs that once only occupied those with a bachelor’s degree are now required to be filled by those with a master’s degree. Fifty-six percent of those employers have experienced a higher level of work quality, better communication, and some even noticed higher revenue in their company with college graduates versus those with a high school diploma. It should be noted that the unemployment rate for adults without a high school diploma has risen from 11.1 to 11.6 in May of 2014 (Amos).
Unemployment leads to poverty, and costs the tax payer, as it creates more dependency on public assistance programs such as food stamps, Medicaid programs and housing assistance.
An article by Elizabeth Fuller states, “High school graduates are three times more likely to live in poverty than college graduates, and eight times more likely to...