Vanesa's Literacies: Is Higher Education Worth The Price?

There is no right or wrong way to answer this question. Ultimately, it depends on the individual being asked. One person may believe that higher education is much needed, despite the price, to become successful. Others may think other paths can make them successful without spending thousands of dollars. Every person will have a different experience whether they decide higher education is or isn’t worth the price. Some may believe that higher education is something they know they need and want but still find the price ridiculously expensive but feel as if they have no other choice but to continue attending college.

The video The Ivory Tower (2014) mentions how college tuition has continuously increased over the years. This was my most immense stress when I applied for college. It continues to weigh heavy on me and influences me on whether I want to continue for a master’s degree. Decades ago, students could pay off their debts by working summer jobs, but based on my own experience, I’ve been working a full-time job throughout my five years in school, and I still won’t be able to pay them off right away. The future is unknown, and no one can promise a person with degrees a job. Therefore, people can be reluctant to attend college if they won’t be able to work their “dream job.”

Some people graduate and do not find jobs for what they studied, or others do not make enough to pay their regular bills and pay back their loans. Many are left with a massive debt to pay. Tuitions increase, and part of the problem of students having huge debts is that they are forced to take more general education classes. They may find them irrelevant for the real world or have already learned about it during primary and secondary school.

According to The Ivory Tower (2014), another factor that may lead towards higher education not being worth the price is because the class sizes are too big and the teachers’ attention is limited, making it hard for individualized learning. The documentary video also discussed how people had found alternatives to becoming successful without spending thousands of dollars on tuition. Millionaires and billionaires have shared their stories about dropping out of college to become entrepreneurs. The skeptical part of that is not knowing whether or not you will become that successful. Other people find alternative programs to teach essential life skills useful for different job opportunities.

Despite the costly tuition fee for higher education, many feel it is a safe option for them and, regardless, want to attend college. People believe that that is the only way to make more money. Many employers only seek employees with degrees, usually at least a bachelor’s degree. According to a 2009 survey for the Association of American Colleges and University, employers emphasized skills such as “the ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing, better development of critical thinking and analytical reasoning skills, and the ability to innovate and be creative” (Ungar, p.192). David Foster Wallace highlights the importance of the awareness and perceptiveness of others. A critical factor in learning how to think is constructing meaning from our own experiences (Wallace, n.d). Many of these skills are what colleges focus on regardless of what a person’s major is. According to Andrew Hacker and Claudia Dreifus, college should be “a cultural journey, an intellectual expedition, a voyage confronting new ideas and information” (p.188). and liberal arts education, regardless of where it is being taught, offers that (p.188). Attending higher education has its cons, but it is also up to the student to make sure they are taking full advantage of everything their school offers to create the best experience for themselves and to ensure they can be successful adults after graduating.

Based on my experience in college, I believe higher education is worth the price. I plan to work in a field where a bachelor’s degree is a minimum requirement. I do not think teachers make a lot of money and I am prepared to spend the next few years paying back my debt. However, I also know that I will love waking up every day and doing what I love to do and that makes me feel better about my decision to attend college despite the high tuition cost.