The Advantages of a College Education

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer notes that the increase in the availability of a college education over the past few decades has allowed more and more individuals to attend institutes of higher learning. This has been associated with the need for more individuals to give a great deal of thought to the decision of whether or not to attend college. The writer maintains that by attending college, individuals stand to gain financially by earning higher salaries, as well as by being flexible in their career choices. The writer discusses that on the social level, individuals with college educations gain larger social networks, are more resistant to social pressures, and are more adept critical thinkers than individuals who do not achieve college or university educations. The writer concludes that regardless of what an individual chooses to study at college, whether it be women's studies or engineering or biomedical sciences, the choice to attend college is a wise one, as it will promote higher levels of cognitive functioning and critical thinking.

Outline:
Introduction
The History of Education and College Accessibility
The Recent Increase in College Education Accessibility
Financial Benefits of a College Education
The Increase in Critical Thinking
Resistance to Social Pressure
Increased Size of Social Networks for College Students and Graduates
Conclusion

From the Paper:

" Obtaining a college education can result in significant financial benefits. While a large number of individuals in today's society will still choose not to attend an institution of higher learning, the advanced technological nature of our living environment has begun to necessitate higher learning to some extent. The advantages of a college education are numerous and range from financial benefits to social and cultural advantages. For many, it is the financial benefits of higher education that encourage their decision to obtain degrees at colleges and universities. Individuals who obtain an undergraduate degree generally earn between 20 and 30 percent more than individuals who do not. Furthermore, individuals who continue on to receive graduate degrees earn 35 to 50 percent more than individuals who only obtained a bachelor's level degree. Thus there are some immense financial incentives to obtaining a college education."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Abrams, D., Wetherell, M., Cochrane, S., Hogg, M.A., & Turner, J.C. (1990). Knowing what to think by knowing who you are: Self-categorization and the nature of norm formation, conformity and group polarization. British Journal of Social Psychology, 29(Pt.2), 97-119.
• Colman, A. (2003). Oxford Dictionary of Psychology. London: Oxford University Press.
• Goodwin, C. (1999). A History of Modern Psychology. New York: John Wiley and Sons.
• Kaplan. (2001). GRE Exam: 5th Edition. New York: Simon and Schuster.

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