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Tim Chao

English Composition II

Dr. Cassel

25 November 2019

The Measure of Success: To College or Not to College

College. It is a term/topic that has been pondered upon by students throughout

their academic careers. Especially in the United States, starting from kindergarten

through senior year of high school, the academic curriculum is focused on setting

students up for the pursuit of a higher education, or simply, college. This brings up the

question of, how does obtaining or not obtaining a college degree affect one's

employability, or measure one’s success? Often times success after college is measured

by whether a college degree is obtained, or not obtained. However, some research

suggests otherwise, and thus, there are other paths, outside of college, that can lead to

success and employment opportunities. There is a common conception that the

obtainment of a college degree attributes directly to one’s success. However, there are

other factors/reasons that may also contribute to, or limit access to this success.

In the United States, primary/secondary schools (K-12) is the only

“governmentally required” education that citizens are to abide by, by law. Whether a

student chooses to pursue college or university studies following K-12, is based solely on

the individual’s personal choice. To keep in line with this research paper’s theme, it is

imperative to first discuss the topic of higher education availability (access), and the

affordability of said education as it pertains to the diverse socioeconomic demographic.

While it may be argued that a college degree IS in fact a valuable asset to an individual’s
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future success and job prospects, HOW the individual is actually able to attain said

achievements is directly impacted by said individual’s socioeconomic status.

United States students are afforded public school through State and Federally

funded stipends. Outside of public schools, private and charter schools exist that may

offer specialized teaching and or focus, that some public schools may not otherwise be

able to offer. A common misconception is that private schools tend to have a better

quality of education than that of their public-school counterparts. However, such claims

cannot be placed on every school in every school district across the nation. In an article

published by the National Education Association (NEA), it was stated that privatized

schools had a tendency to have higher standardized testing scores based on their

socioeconomic backgrounds, as opposed to the actual curriculum that the school

isteaching (NEA, 2005). In fact, throughout the country, many public schools are just as

reputable in quality of private schools if not better. This comparison, however, is mainly

seen in cities and state counties that usually have higher standards for education with

local political offices that prioritize education. Although, this is afforded by the affluence

of the local inhabitants of the cities, and reflective of the high earning income of said

inhabiting families.

With a clear disparity within the nation’s socioeconomically diverse communities.

The preparation for college poses a defined hurdle for some students to overcome even

before they reach college. Although circumstances don’t always justify a means, students

who come from “poorer” backgrounds, are not limited or restricted from seeking higher

quality education. Programs and policies like that of “The No Child Left Behind Act”

(NCLB), in essence were written into law to mandate Federal funding to help

disadvantaged children. Title I of the NCLB is a section of the policy that outlines federal
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funding to school districts to better educate children who are disadvantaged (Klein,

“Education Week”). Furthermore, there are many ways students are able to overcome

disparaging incomes, through studying harder and achieving perfect GPAs to ensure

opportunities for scholarships; which are plenty and varying. Scholarships enable

students across the different socioeconomic backgrounds to seek education from

prestigious colleges despite their “limited” income abilities. Many reputable colleges and

ivy league universities offer a limited acceptance space for students who fall into these

categories, in order to allow for a more diverse learning environment.

From the last century into today’s, there is no question that the scope of

education has had a drastic change; especially so in the realm of higher education. Not

only are students facing the decades old question of “what do I want to be when I grow

up, aside from declaring an area of study, students today are faced with selecting

“reputable” universities and the astronomically cost that are associated with said school.

Demonstrated in Fig 1, a college education in the 1970’s or 1980’s as compared today’s

educational costs are drastically different. While a student would have spent an

estimated of $7,000 in the 70’s/80’s, students today are expected to pay upwards of

140% increase in tuition for an equal degree or higher.

Fig. 1 Yearly Cost of College vs. Median Incomes 1971-2016

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This is further supported by author Matthew Mayhew, “Although most between-college

effects are associated with specific institutional attributes, state policies and resources

may also shape educational attainment, particularly for public institutions” (Mayhew et.

al., 377). Though, there is the exception to consider that degree costs may be relative to

the particular academic major it is associated with. “Public and independent nonprofit

colleges offer mixes of programs and courses, which sometimes vary widely in what it

costs to provide them. For example, it costs a lot more to offer a class in animal

husbandry than a class in English literature” (Featherman & Trachtenberg, 80).

The next point to be discussed is in regard to higher education in that, with

higher education comes higher affluence. As Charles Dorn states in his book, “Many

students enrolled in colleges and universities, not to acquire “useful knowledge” or even

practical skills, but solely because of “the possibilities for personal gains” (Dorn, 178).

Comparatively, in “How College Affects Students,” the authors find the following,

“recent evidence suggests that institutional quality contributes to greater degree

completion” (Mayhew et. al., 536). There is evidence to suggest that there is a disparity

in degree quality based on the “reputation” of an institution. Because of this

“reputation,” many prospective students are seemingly seeking out “prestige” rather

than the quality of education. Even though obtaining a college level degree is already

difficult, more stress is added when a student has to weigh the differences of a college

assumed “prestige.” Because of this, it appears that students are seeking colleges for its

affluence and not necessarily the its educational quality.

To further the discussion of the value bachelor’s levels degrees bring, in the

journal article “The Community College Effect Revisited,” there is an argument made on

whether associates levels degree detract from the higher degree value.
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From the reading the authors commented on the controversialities that community

college posed to higher education in that, although community college degrees

broadened the opportunities for a college education, at the same time, said level of

education would affect later pursuits for baccalaureate level degrees (Brand et. al., 448-

465). While there is a visible expansion and use for further education, associate’s

programs are being rolled out to capture students in an attempt to ensure students

continue their academic careers past high school. Understandably, in a society where

college degree obtainment has been the center of discussions, is it not then, also vitally

important to weigh the benefits of a degree, even if it is just an associate degree?

An alternative that has been around just as long as undergraduate bachelor’s

degrees are associate level degrees. Traditional associate degrees are equivocal to

“entry” level jobs that aim to educate/train students for a specific field or craft.

Historically, associate degrees have been seen as either a steppingstone for further

upper level degree studies, or simply a lower division level preparation for “certificate”

only type jobs, similar to that of “vocational schooling, which will be covered shortly.

Dependent on an individual’s endeavors and goals, Community Colleges offer a more

cost-effective method to obtaining a bachelor’s degree. The general studies requirements

for a baccalaureate’s equivalent degree can be accomplished through a local community

college, and later be transferred to a more “prestigious” school if so sought. As the

tuition prices for reputable universities increase, many students HAVE turned to

community college as a way to lessen the cost of their higher education pursuits.

Although a higher level of education is undoubtedly proven to be vital in setting

oneself up for future success, a college degree is not the only path to said success.
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In “The Value of Educational Degrees,” there is said that there is value to be seen in a

vocational degree/education. It was found that pre-recession periods allowed for

vocational degree holding individuals to more easily find employment, as opposed to

hard-hitting recessions which lessened the job market pool and further complicated job

obtainability subsequently (Vuolo, 233–252). This argument highlights a very

interesting perspective that supports the middle ground answer to the main question. In

a perfect world, students who already have a bachelor’s degree have jobs waiting at after

graduation of their academic programs. While vocational and non-degree holding

students have a more difficult time finding said careers. However, this ideal may be

made complicated in the instance of an economic recession or depression, in that the job

availability pool may be limited.

As mentioned previously, vocational schools are also a route to consider when

seeking “professional” education/training. Although some vocational schools do not

offer degrees, most offer “certificate” programs, which in essence, teaches students the

core knowledge of a certain job or field, which allows students an expedited path to

employment. In a journal published by Karen Levesque, the following was found

regarding employers seeking out workers. It was discovered that employers, while

searching for prospective employees, were essentially more concerned with an

applicant’s overall attitude and communication skills, rather than their actual obtained

degree (Levesque et. al., “Education Statistics Quarterly”). However, depending on the

economy of a particular time period, bachelor’s degrees or even associates degrees, may

help to bolster a “graduates” portfolio when seeking out competitive jobs. Vocational

schools are born from an age once passed that centralized around the concept of

“apprenticeships.” Where students “shadow” a professional in a desired trade to gain

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knowledge and learn the skills required of said profession. Although recent decades

have shown a decrease in apprenticeship type of training, as the nation matures,

seasoned professionals are retiring, and trade jobs are seeing a decline in positions

being field. Simply, as students are groomed to obtain college degrees, certain trade jobs

become less “appealing” to students who are conditioned to think that a bachelor’s

degree means more money and more “corporate type setting job. This kind of thinking

has led to the decline of skilled trade laborers, who in comparison, may not appear

“appealing” at first glance, but with a little research, have proven to be just as rewarding

salary wise as their degree counterparts.

On the topic of college applications, it is important to first discuss the

requirements essential for college admissions and future job employment thereafter

following degree completion. Certain colleges will have slightly differing prerequisites

depending on the degree major as well as the potential for the university’s core academic

focus (i.e. Business School, College of Medicine…etc.). While the basic lower division

courses may remain the same. Thus, simply choosing a college of choice is not as black

and white as a perfect world would elude. The higher perceived prestige a college is

deemed, the higher their entry requirements and sometimes, tuition is. With this is

mind, it is pertinent that students who choose to pursue higher education, need to be

aware of not only the upfront cost (in time and money), but as well as the prospective of

their futures and potential debt incurred for their studies.

Diving deeper into the question of what defines “success” after college degree

obtainment, is the debt that some students carry on into the start of their prospective

employment. The following chart (Fig. 2) displays the average cumulative loans ever

taken by students for three different degree types.

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Fig. 2 The following graph demonstrates the loan amounts taken by individuals for the

illustrated years with their prospective educational types/levels.

The chart reflects the amount of loans per YEAR that students required in a given

academic program. As illustrated, it is apparent that cost of education is much lower at a

certificate level, and as degree type is increased, the cost comparably increased, with the

cost of private “for profit” institution loans presenting the highest cost/price. As it was

discussed earlier, although the cost of education varies between a public and private

institution, the price does not necessarily reflect a greater or “better” education than

that of the public and non-profit schools. With that being stated, in a Congressional

Committee hearing, Chairman Tom Harkin made statements on how reproachful it was

that college students were quicker to be in debt than they were to be finishing their

degrees. In his statement, "Behind each student loan default is a person who has an

unpayable debt hanging around his or her neck, too often with no degree to show for it”

(Harkin, “Washington: Federal Information & News Dispatch”), Chairman Harkin

makes an eye opening statement that rings true to a lot of unassuming high school
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graduates who advanced onto higher education academics, often times taking up loans

with astronomical interest rates.

There are many common misconceptions surrounding the validity of degree

obtainment. In an article published by the New York Times titled “Bill Gates, College

Dropout: Don’t Be Like Me,” speaks to prominent public figures who have achieved

“success” in life without a college degree, raising the misconception of, “If they didn’t

need a college degree, the skeptics suggest, maybe you don’t need one, either”

(Leonhardt, “Bill Gates”). As the article title reflects, Bill gates weighs in on why he

believes that college degrees are important, despite his own successes without one.

Further, like inflation, if everyone is obtaining a college degree, at what point does a job

market peak? If everyone holds a qualifying degree, is there enough qualifying jobs to

match? In an article by ChangHwan Kim, and fellow authors discovered the following,

As the amount of population complete higher education and obtain degrees, the

question of whether the equivocal employment of said degree will be available or

ultimately equally as satisfying as obtaining the degree (Kim et. al., 2-15). Simply, as

more and more of the population obtain higher education degrees, the job market will

plateau, rendering future employment difficult, even for those with upper level

education.

Contrary to Mr. Gates’ take on the importance of a college education. Yasmine

Mian, a writer for The State Press, Arizona State University in Tempe AZ, writes about

the why “College is Not for Everyone.” With sound reason, Yasmine discusses the why

college can be a bad investment as opposed to a good investment. While reading

through the article, although the author fails to provide citations for her argument, the

content in which she writes her position on college pursuit, is valid in complementing
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Mr. Gates’ argument. While Mr. Gates himself is an international icon for a “self-

starting” successful businessman, he humbly proclaims that students should consider

attending higher education, if not only to better prepare oneself for a professional career

following, but to also garner the life skills, such as the dedication/application of oneself

in obtaining the degree. While this thought is admirable, Ms. Mian points out the many

struggles most college students face when attending college under the obligation of a

loan. While many students will spend hours in their academic studies, “Many students

have to work during their time in college to pay bills and other expenses, so that leaves

very little room for internships or job experience.” (Mian, “University Wire”). With

piling debt, part-time/full-time work, college students must remain steadfast and

manage their time wisely in order to succeed in such a demanding environment.

After spending some time researching through many literary sources, there is

clearly a lot of information that can be attributed to answering the many questions that

were raised while attempting to answer the initial question. The measure of success

following the completion of a college degree begins at the early stages of elementary

school and continues throughout a student’s academic career. It has been shown that

there are socioeconomic disparities that separate the opportunities for certain social

working classes. However, it is within/ an individual’s control, to an extent, on how one

can set oneself up for success. As spoken earlier, author Yasmine Mian, spoke to one of

her professors, Stan Zucker, who summed up the common thought regarding college

today that, college is getting ever expensive, so it is important for students to educate

themselves of their options after high school/university, and draw conclusions for

themselves on whether college is necessary or not (Mian, “University Wire”). This helps

summarize the necessity for prospective college students to better prepare themselves
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and ensure that they arm themselves with the knowledge that will enable them to make

a sound decision on whether or not attending college will help them achieve their

ultimate goals.

Additionally, there are many variables that need to be considered when

attempting to prove whether college degrees do or do not provide value and/or make

future employment more obtainable. While it is no secret that higher education brings

value to students whom pursue it, it is also worthwhile to note that a measure of success

does not always solely befall on earning a degree solely. Although, college degrees serve

not only the purpose of employment opportunities, but it is also a way to instill the

values of hard work and dedication in the time that is required to achieve such

endeavors. Thusly, whether one pursues higher education or simply take to the working

force. The measure of one’s success is not only measure in a college degree, but also

measured in the efforts one puts forth in how one pursues one’s ultimate success.
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Works Cited

Brand, Jennie E., Fabian T. Pfeffer, and Sara Goldrick-Rab. "The Community College

Effect Revisited: The Importance of Attending to Heterogeneity and Complex

Counterfactuals." Sociological Science, vol. 1, no. 25, 2014, pp. 448-465.

Dorn, Charles. For the Common Good a New History of Higher Education in America.

1st ed., Cornell University Press, 2017.

Featherman, Sandra, and Stephen Joel. Trachtenberg. Higher Education at Risk:

Strategies to Improve Outcomes, Reduce Tuition, and Stay Competitive in a

Disruptive Environment. Stylus Publishing, 2015, https://ebookcentral-

proquest.com.ezproxy.trident.edu/lib/trident/reader.action?docID=3037641.

Fig. 1. Procon.org “Median Incomes v. Average College Tuition Rates – College

Education” College Education, 20 Apr. 2017, https://college-

education.procon.org/median-incomes-v-average-college-tuition-rates/.

Fig. 2. The Condition of Education - Postsecondary Education - Finances and Resources

- Loans for Undergraduate Students - Indicator May (2019). National Center for

Education Statistics, May 2019.

https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator_cub.asp.

Harkin Statement at HELP Committee Hearing: "Drowning in Debt: Financial

Outcomes of Students at for-Profit Colleges". Washington: Federal Information &

News Dispatch, Inc, 2011. ProQuest.

Kim, Changhwan, et al. “Field of Study in College and Lifetime Earnings in the United

States.” Sociology of Education, vol. 88, no. 4, Apr. 2015, pp. 320–339.,

doi:10.1177/0038040715602132.
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Klein, Alyson. “No Child Left Behind Overview: Definitions, Requirements, Criticisms,

and More.” Education Week, October 25, 2018.

https://www.edweek.org/ew/section/multimedia/no-child-left-behind-

overview-definition-summary.html.

Leonhardt, David. “Bill Gates, College Dropout: Don’t Be Like Me.” The New York

Times, 3 June 2015, https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/04/upshot/bill-gates-

college-dropout-dont-be-like-me.html.

Levesque, Karen, et al. "Vocational Education in the United States: Toward the Year

2000." Education Statistics Quarterly, vol. 2, no. 1, 2000.

Mayhew, Matthew J. How College Affects Students 21st Century Evidence That Higher

Education Works. Vol. 3, Jossey-Bass, 2016.

Mian, Yasmine. "College is Not for Everyone." University Wire, Apr 21 2017, ProQuest.

“Study Suggests Public Schools Outperform Private.” NEA, Apr. 2005,

http://www.nea.org/home/17824.htm.

Vuolo, Mike, et al. “The Value of Educational Degrees in Turbulent Economic Times:

Evidence from the Youth Development Study.” Social Science Research, vol. 57,

2016, pp. 233–252., doi:10.1016/j.ssresearch.2015.12.014.