I was speaking last month with the inspirational Kevin Rolle Alabama University Chairman and an educational expert who has spent his life trying to improve education in the state of Alabama. During the conversation we spoke at great length about the relevance of a college education, and how many students are choosing to instead go straight into the world of work, or educate themselves in different ways.
Much of this change has come about because of the power of the internet as a resource and the amount of educational material which one can find on there, as well as the spiraling costs of a college education. Many students are leaving college almost $100,000 in debt, before they have even started working. Even though they will have the ability to refinance these student loans once they’re out of college, the idea of being that much in debt is terrifying for today’s potential students. Whilst I do understand the financial burden of a college education, here is why I believe that going to university is still as important as it has ever been.
The Experience
A college education is not only about getting an education in the subjects which you have chosen, it is also about getting an education in life. The experience of going to college, meeting people from all over the country, learning to fend for yourself in terms of living and ultimately learning more about who you really are, is absolutely invaluable and cannot be replaced. This is one of the most important reasons for going to college and the life skills that you learn here will stay with you forever.
Future Prospects
It is a widely known fact that those with a college education are far more likely to go on to get a good job than someone without, and this shows no signs of changing any time soon. On top of this it is worth considering that many businesses have relationships with universities around the country, and they look at the graduates from these colleges when selecting their next crop of talent. In terms of finding yourself a great career and putting yourself in the best position for the top jobs, a college degree is vitally important. Whilst you may be able to replace the way in which you get knowledge about a particular subject, there are a great many benefits which you can get from a college education, which can not be replaced.
Standard of Education
As someone who has worked in education all of my life, I can honestly say that there is no possible substitute for a college education. It is not just about the knowledge which is being taught in college, it is the way that it is taught, the support and guidance which comes with it and ultimately the level of discipline which is instilled in the students when it comes to learning. You may be able to find out all of the information in the world on the internet, but having somebody teach it to you is the single best way for you to learn.