According to statistics given at the 2007 Glendale Community College Graduation Ceremony, only 30% of Americans ever receive a college degree. Considering the unlimited opportunities and endless advantages of having a college degree, this number is astonishingly low.
There are many reasons why I am going to attend college. Not only is a college degree the ticket to a higher paying job, but it is also a requirement for many. College graduates are preferred by professional employers for many reasons. Among these reasons, college graduates have superior methods of thought, problem solving, decision making, and communication. College increases a person's understanding of the world around them by giving students the opportunity to discover new interests and areas of knowledge while they work towards their lifelong ambitions and learn to be responsible citizens.
People with college degrees are not limited to a particular working field. With a degree it is easy to transition into others fields. Above that, once you have the degree you can always go back and obtain higher degrees without having to start all over again. Those without degrees often run into barriers preventing career advancement. More often than not, higher positions (even within the same company) require college degrees.
Perhaps the most obvious reason for attending college is the promise of an increase in income. According to statistics from monet.com, high school graduates make an average of $1.2million during their work lifetime. People with a master's degree make an average of $2.5 million.
Although all of these reasons are important, and a definite influence on my choice to pursue a college education, the most important reason for me is the sense of pride and accomplishment I'll receive along with my degree; as well as the security it will provide to me as an independent individual.
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