Article Analysis Essay on College a Waste of Time and Money: Caroline Bird's Argument

Introduction

In the article, College is a Waste of Time and Money, the author; Caroline Bird argues that college education has become a non-essential endeavor that is forced on students not for its benefits but rather as a more of a rite of passage. As stated in the article, current students do not have the enthusiasm and motivation for a college education. Furthermore, she argues that college education does not prepare students for future jobs, a situation worsened by the fact that jobs relevant to the areas of study in college are nonexistent. On the other hand, the author does recognize that there are students who attain great success as a result of a college education. However, for such students, there are usually other factors that contribute significantly to their success more than a college education, such as family background and intelligence. Consequently, although the author's arguments hold some truths, it is an exaggeration to deem college education as a waste of time and money. College education, as is true for all formal education, is essential for students to acquire nonmonetary benefits, improve their opportunities of getting into good careers, and facilitates the acquisition of lifelong learning skills.

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The need for a college education in America is rooted in the focus of higher education from the nineteen fifties. Presently, this focus has swollen into a huge industry involving huge investments in both money and time. According to the article, after the post-war generations, enrollment for a college education has been on the decline resulting in a decrease in demand leading to the commercialization and hard-selling of university and college programs (Bird 1). However, the commercialization of educational institutions and the promotion of programs to students were inevitable and a reality that one has to accept. The current student population has become increasingly diverse thus admissions offices have to develop new and better strategies to reach out to the various diverse students such as older students returning for further education and minorities. Thus commercialization of college education is necessary and inevitable. Furthermore, consumer publications have been ranking colleges resulting in increased commercialization of educational institutions. Students are also perceiving universities as a consumer purchase by choosing between colleges with the recognizable brand name and thinking about which university will give them the best deals and opportunities (Eisgruber).

Subsequently, the author argues that nowadays students do not join college out of interest to study; rather, they join because it is expected, and a college education is viewed as mandatory as a result of parental pressure. According to Bird, only a small percentage of students enter college intending to further their knowledge, with the majority viewing college as a social center or a prison (Bird 2). Furthermore, students express their displeasure in individualistic means through isolation and withdrawal with some dropping out without voicing their discontent for a college education. The article goes further to state that students are sent to college as a means of getting them out of the way as young people are not serving any purpose in society; thus, most students view college as serving a prison sentence (Bird 2).

However, the author's claim of young people's negative perception of college as a prison and lacking interest in college education are not plausible. The generation of interest in college education by students is subject to various factors. Various best practices are practiced in college education to generate interest. Such practices emphasize that universities and colleges should generate interest in the student population ensuring high-quality interactions between teachers, students, and peers improving the quality of teaching, ensuring students' involvement in the college experience and maintaining academic program intensity (Eisgruber). Consequently, learners are more motivated in their life in college when the learning environment is favorable to the students' needs, is hospitable and safe. Additionally, college programs that include field experiences, active learning, and hands-on applications are more conducive to learning.

Furthermore, students' interest in college education is not only based on external environmental factors. Students through their own goals, behaviors, and attitudes can make determine whether their college experience will be negative or positive. Equally, it is the responsibility of the student to generate interest in college education through their involvement in appropriate activities that can aid in improving their social and leadership skills. General participation by college students in various activities has positive effects on the college experience. College seniors compared to first-year students, have been observed to be more knowledgeable, intelligent and possess improved problem solving and critical thinking skills that enable them to tackle abstract thinking, conceptual complexity, and critical thinking. Furthermore, learners develop a moral identity, self-identity and positive self-concept in their college years (Brooks). Also, college education leads to more independent, internally focused and self-reliant individuals that attain more positive results on personal and social levels.

Moreover, college students should realize that college is not a fatal learning experience; rather, a college education is a means of preparing students to be constant learners who can independently engage in continued self-learning. Conversely, colleges should strive for a learner-centered environment that incorporates strategies that strengthen how the brain learns. Additionally, college is the best learning environment for learners as they acquire indispensable lifelong skills such as analytical reading and writing as well as working as a team, accepting and providing constructive criticism, locating reliable information, defending a premise, attentive listening skill, punctuality, and clear and concise expression of ideas (Eisgruber).

Additionally, the author claims that college education does not help students make more money in the future. Bird argues that if the objective of a college education is to make money; it is not the best investment to make. She argues that there is no evidence to support the notion that people with a college education make more money than their counterparts without a college education. Although the article does recognize that a college education opens more doors in professions such as doctors and lawyers, such opportunities are decreasing with an increase in graduate students with each day from these disciplines. Additionally, the author asserts that the majority of people are working in jobs that are unrelated to their college education; thus, proving college education does not prepare people for their future careers (Bird 3).

However, contrary to the author's claims, college graduates have been observed to have less erratic job histories compared to individuals without a college degree. College graduates are likely t earn more promotions in the workplace, and have a higher rate of job satisfaction. On the other hand, in a healthy economy, the rate of unemployment is higher in people with less than a high school education and lowest with people with higher education, be it undergraduate, graduate or doctorate. Furthermore, a person with a college education has a higher chance of increasing their earning potential over their lifetime as a college education enables one to increase their professional and personal mobility (Eisgruber). Additionally, a college education facilitates a higher quality of life, improved consumer decision making, and increased leisure activities and hobbies. Moreover, college-educated individuals are more rational, cultured, open-minded, and less authoritarian and prejudiced, qualities that are often passed down to their children; thus, improving the overall quality of the society.

Ultimately, the author's claims cannot be dismissed as lacking any credibility. To some degree, college education has become too commercialized, and more students are becoming disillusioned about the need for a college education. However, a college education does have various benefits. College life provides nonmonetary benefits by shaping the students' values, attitudes and culture, it provides opportunities for getting into good careers and enhances social and leadership skills, and facilitates the acquisition of lifelong learning skills. College education, in the appropriate learning environment, is a transformative experience for students with positive attitudes.

Works cited

Bird, Caroline. "College is a Waste of Time and Money." Known Stalkers, http://knownstalkers.com/info%20pages/CollegeWaste.pdf. Accessed 15 March 2020.

Brooks, Ashley. "How to Be Successful in College: The Recipe for Future Students." 3 June 2019. Rasmussen College, https://www.rasmussen.edu/student-experience/college-life/what-it-takes-to-be-successful-college-student. Accessed 15 March 2020.

Eisgruber, Christopher L. "Commencement 2018: The Value of a College Degree." 11 July 2018. The Princeton Alumni Weekly, https://paw.princeton.edu/article/commencement-2018-value-college-degree. Accessed 15 March 2020.