What+is+the+value+of+life+without+a+college+education?


 * Research Question: What is the value of life financially without obtaining a four-year college degree? **
 * Author: Emma Meyer **

Individual Article Summaries and Reactions

 * Opinion Essay ** (Points of View Reference Center - EBSCOhost)

// Summary: // "The College Bubble" is an opinion essay suggesting that college is not in fact worth the investment. The Author, McArdle, presents the case that college does not ensure financial stability to it's graduates, and may conversely leave them in and overwhelming amount of debt without the means to repay it. Student debt, McArdle states, has nearly quintupled since 1999, while more than half of all college graduates are unemployed or are working in a profession that does not require a college degree. This rapid increase in price and lack of a positive tangible outcome is therefore decreasing the potential of return from a four-year college degree. McArdle argues that many students who attend college would rather be better suited to participate instead in apprentice-style programs.

// Reaction: // I agree with McArdle to a certain extent. I do not think college is well suited for everyone, and if one is ill prepared for it, then the return on investment will be lacking. These people would appear to have a better opportunity pursuing apprentice-style programs, which seemed to be undermined by the college-for-all notion. It is a scary statistic that more than half of all college grads are unemployed, or are working in a profession that does not require a college degree, for it makes one question whether or not this massive investment that is college will pay-off financially as well as intellectually. It makes me worry that much like the housing bubble, the college bubble will inevitably pop as well.

McArdle, M. (2012, September 17). The College Bubble. // Newsweek //, // 160  //, 22-26. Retrieved November 24, 2012, from []


 * Analysis Article ** (Time)

// Summary: // "Here We Go Again: Is College Really Worth It?" analyzes the true financial value of a college education. It presents estimations of a college diploma's life-time worth over a high school diploma's from varying sources over the past four years ranging from a mere $200,000 to a whopping one million dollars. The most recent calculation by The College Board sets it's value at $570,000, a promising figure so long as the debt accrued while earning said diploma is not devastating. The article then goes on to talk about the employability opportunities afforded by both a college and high school diploma, stating that currently 62% of jobs require a degree beyond high school, while that figure is anticipated to grow to 75% by 2020. Additionally, 90% of college graduates in 2008-10 were employed compared to a 64% employment rate of their counterpart of peers who had not attended college.

// Reaction: // This analysis seems to reassure the importance of a college education by putting an objective life-time value of a college education, and the high employment rates among college grads. It however fails to discern the varying values of a college degree depending on major, and the type of employment college grads were attaining. Nonetheless, the 46% unemployment rate among people who did not attend college is an astonishing figure, and would make it appear that the debt accrued earning a bachelor's degree would b worth it in terms of finances and employability.

Kadlec, D. (2012, April 17). Here We Go Again: Is College Worth It?. //Ti// // me. //Retrieved November 24, 2012, from []


 * Scholarly Journal ** (Educational Leadership)

// Summary: // Goodwin's "Don't Overlook Middle-Skill Jobs" examines the benefits of an associate's degree careers in comparison to bachelor's degrees. Goodwin submits that prospects for a mere high school graduate are bleak, despite the fact that the 75th percentile of earners with a high school degree earn more than the bottom-quartile of earners with a college degree. He instead argues that a two-year vocational degree could lead to equivalent, or even better prospects when paralleled with someone with a bachelor's degree. Goodwin presents this claim by presenting statistics suggesting that 22% of workers with associate's degree earn more than a worker with a bachelor's degree, and 14% earn more than a worker with a graduate's degree. Furthermore, workers with a two-year degree in STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and math) generally have greater lifetime earnings than college graduates in most career fields. The college-for-all notion presented by the US has also been associated to increased high-school drop out rates, lack of adequate preparation for college and have left many of these vocational positions in demand and unfilled.

// Reaction: // Of all the articles I read, I found this to be the most interesting. I had never considered the possibility of attaining a two-year degree, nor the successful career it could entail. It was very surprising to me that associate's degrees in STEM subjects generally earned more than those holding a bachelor's degree. This does not even take into account the fact that those attaining a four-year degree will presumably have much more debt to repay than those attaining a two-year degree. This journal made a very persuasive case for the alternatives to simply a high school degree or a bachelor's degree, and did a very effective job presenting the benefits of a career-oriented post-secondary schooling.

Goodwin, B. (2012, April). Don't Overlook Middle-Skill Jobs. // Educational Leadership //, // 69  //, 86-87. Retrieved November 24, 2012, from[]


 * Summary Article ** (CQ Researcher)

// Summary: // "The Value of a College Education" article summarizes the alternatives to a four-year college degree, as many people are not suited, or uninterested in pursuing such a degree. The other viable option other than a bachelor's degree is found within middle-skill jobs, that require some post-secondary career-training programs. This article discusses whether or not the same emphasis of importance should be placed upon career and technical education within high school and community college as is placed upon attaining a four-year college degree. As more people see the opportunities within middle-skill jobs, community colleges are finding themselves at a loss for resources in this difficult economic crisis, suggesting that attention should be turned to aiding those pursuing a vocational education.

// Reaction: // This article, much like the previous journal, emphasized the importance of people pursuing middle-skill jobs. Although, the problem with this as more people do so is that the colleges provided the education necessary to pursue such a career are at a loss of resources. I believe that these middle-skilled jobs should be proclaimed as much as college, because people are very diverse and need a multitude of options in order to lead a fulfilling life. In order to do so, the college-for-all notion must be eliminated, because it is a unrealistic and counterproductive goal, leaving many feeling inadequate if they want to pursue something different. The stigma associated with those attempting an ulterior to a four-year degree is a major setback of the United States, whereas other countries cultivate such an aspiration. If this notion was eliminated, more funding could be put forward to aiding those participating in a vocational education.

Billitteri, T. (2009, November 20). The Value of a College Education. // CQ Researcher //<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #4d4d4d; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">, // <span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">19  //<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #4d4d4d; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">. Retrieved November 24, 2012, from <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #4d4d4d; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">[]

Overall Reaction to Your Research
After completing my research I have determined that the value of life financially without a four-year college degree can still be promising when one is to attend some type of post-secondary career-oriented schooling. It is clear that the chances of being secure occupationally and financially are severely diminished when only attaining a high school diploma. Instead, if one is considering an alternative to a traditional bachelor's degree, a two-year vocational program would be a viable option to attain the same value of life as the former. With this type of associate's degree one will be left with less student debt, with an income likely to be close to those with a bachelor's degree, especially if it is a STEM related career.

Relevance in Rhode Island Schools
From this information one can determine that the reformation of Rhode Island schools should concentrate less on the traditional college-for-all notion and include a greater diversity of possible career attaining programs to their students. While college is a great option for some, other students may have struggled with high school itself, leaving them ill prepared for the rigors of the process of receiving a bachelor's degree. For these students, among others, a vocational oriented program may best suite their needs within high school. A more diverse curriculum will engage students more, decrease drop-out rates, and assure a better future for a greater number of people.

Relevance to Charter Schools
The charter school movement is so diverse in their ultimate goals for students that they both encourage and discourage alternatives to a four-year college degree depending on the individual goals of the schools. Many charter schools emphasize the college-for-all notion more than public schools, limiting the alternative options for their students if they so choose. Conversely, some charter schools are extremely vocationally oriented and encourage career-training programs. Such a variance in charter schools would entail that this movement both explores and suppresses the value of life financially without a four-year degree.