Education Essay Sample: Two Years Are Better than Four

Liz Addison examines the importance of college education before enrolling in four-year university programs. Many high school students have to go through colleges before joining various university programs. The two-year community college education acts as an eye opener to many students and helps them choose the correct career path in life. Many students in America do not have the opportunity to get admission to universities. She opposes the position held by Rick Pearlstein that college education is just a rite of passage. Mr. Pearlstein advocates for the elimination of community college education to avoid time wastage. He argues that college education provides an opportunity for the young people to enjoy their youth away from the watchful eyes of their parents but does not have much impact on the lives of the learners.

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In college, the youths enjoy a significant amount of freedom to indulge in various activities. It is a period when the youth can make decisions that shape their lives. Many people indulge in alcoholism and the use of drugs in this period. However, these experiences help in their development into adults. Young people learn to exercise their freedom in a responsible manner in preparation for the responsibilities they have ahead in life. Most Americans will have their first job while in college. The working culture helps the students gain some qualities that they require in their life. The elimination of college education would deny the learners opportunities to develop their skills and improve their lives. Unlike in universities where the student is mostly preoccupied with educational activities, colleges offer enough time to involve in lucrative jobs and activities. In a job market that requires working experience and technical skills, college graduates have an advantage in getting good jobs.

Community colleges help in reducing the gap between the poor and the rich. Many poor people in the country cannot afford to pay for the four-year university programs. The college education offers a stepping-stone for people to venture into various professions without having to pay lots of money for them. For instance, if a learner wanted to become an engineer, he can enroll in a college and get a college degree, then get a job and sponsor his university degree. Such opportunities help in reducing the gap between the rich and the poor as more learners from poor backgrounds acquire quality education. Such learners will have the opportunity to develop and give back to their communities. In America, only three out of ten people above the age of 25 years have a university education. The rest depend on college education to help them become useful in the country. Therefore, college education helps develop the country more than university education.

Pearlsteins argument that college education should be abolished fails to put into consideration its importance in promoting the quality of life of many Americans. College education offers many Americans the opportunity to pursue their dream careers regardless of their social status academic abilities and economic status. It also offers the youth an opportunity to express their maturity and make proper decisions about their future. It offers a transition period for many young people to acquire various skills away from their parents. Colleges provide an opportunity for the young people to explore various opportunities before deciding what career to venture. Colleges play an important role in the development of all the youth giving them the ability to make proper decisions in life.

Works Cited

Arum, Richard, and Josipa Roksa. Academically Adrift: Limited Learning on College Campuses. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 2011. Print.