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The Value of Education

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Submitted By novaesperanca510
Words 1542
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Devani Rae Santos
English 110
17 February 2015
The Value of Education

In her essay “College is a Waste of Time and Money,” author Caroline Bird postulates monetary and social reasoning for why obtaining a college degree is a waste for many students. According to Bird, college has a miniscule value and effect on people and society, and is indeed a waste of time and money. She suggests many students are only in pursuit of a higher education because they lack societal value and purpose after graduating high school, resulting in them feeling obligated to go to college in hopes of obtaining structure and a high paying job. Unlike Bird, I believe a college degree holds a lifetime of abundant benefits. It is our duty as a society to push the value and credibility of higher education, as it can open many doors one couldn’t possibly achieve without some sort of earned credibility or degree.
In “College is a Waste of Time and Money,” Bird tells us while lecturing across US college campuses, she came to realize that many students aren’t in school because they want to learn, but more so because they felt obligated to attend since they are not highly valued in our society. She suggests young adults go to college for several different reasons; some may go with a genuine interest in learning, some may go in order to get away from home, yet still be supported by their parents and taxpayers, but most go because it’s the ‘normal’ thing to do. For the most part, I agree that young people go to college because it is what is expected of them. It is almost as if society gives them no other acceptable options, other than to head straight to college right after graduating high school. While some may go off the grid, take a gap year, travel, work, or do something else instead of going to college, it will still always be expected of them to eventually pursue a college degree; which

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