College and university platforms are centers where students can meet and learn at a higher level. To delve into the topic as to whether college is a scam or not, it is worth noting that everything has a cost and benefit. The decision that shall emanate from this paper shall be based upon the discovery of whether the benefits outweigh the costs or not. Some of the costs of being in college include the financial fees as well as other non-financial costs such as opportunity cost of choosing to do other things, being in other places and the stress involved.
College has always been a place where likeminded individuals can meet and share ideas. This adds to the common knowledge obtained through the official training at the facilities. Students challenge each other in opinions about innovation and other opportunities; especially in business. These engagements usually result in constructive discussions that further open the minds of the individuals and this is a powerful tool that can spur changes in society. For instance, without college, Mark Zuckerberg would probably not have met his colleagues. Today Facebook is celebrated as one of the giant operators in the digital space with over 2 billion subscribers globally (Mezrich, 2009).
This is just an example of an innovative idea that was conceived and tested right inside a training institution. Many types of research today are being conducted in colleges of specializations such as medical and agricultural institutions. These are critical sectors that positively contribute to human life. Breakthrough in agriculture, for instance, has created the generation of drought resistance crops which can withstand adverse weather conditions in many parts of the world. Vaccines on the other side have been developed thanks to the great commitment of stakeholders involved in various colleges in collaboration with various government and non-governmental institutions. These advancements would have been made impossible or difficult were it not for the presence of colleges.
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Additionally, colleges help learners to become integrated members of society. They help individuals to appreciate diversity from a realistic point of view. Pupils make friends with people from different backgrounds, races, religions and as a result, they end up appreciating the differences in beliefs and norms in that small society. Looking at the historical background, there were issues of racism for instance, whose effects were highly pronounced. Schooling has been one of the greatest ways to make societies come closer to a mutual understanding based on trust, tolerance, and respect.
For instance, in America, there was a time when African American students would not be admitted to schools with white children. In the case where a black student was lucky enough to get admission, they would be discriminated against. However, this has slowly changed, and the perceptions of negativity have slowly been neutralized by the college factor (Harper, 2009). This is to means that colleges play a critical role in developing a society in which love can prevail amongst all members regardless of their differences.
Through education and socialization, the students become friends. Relationships were built and each party had a role at play to keep them working. These elements grow each day and they enable society to deal with the issue of racial, gender and other forms of discrimination by learning the important role each individual play for the prosperity of everyone. The students come to appreciate the importance of diversity. This unity is necessary to foster economic growth as well as the general welfare of any society.
Colleges equip learners with all sorts of beneficial skills which are important for career growth and development. Students are molded into professionals in various fields such as leadership, finance, agriculture, and many other fields. This point of view has been criticized by some of the stakeholders who go against it. There is a school of thought which holds dear the ideology that people need not go to school to have good lives.
Indeed, some of the greatest businessmen/women have never had the chance to go to school yet they’ve built great businesses. However, while this can be true at some point, critics forget the simple fact that learning goes beyond the need to acquire a job. While the primary purpose of education is to enable a learner to gain knowledge and be a professional somehow, that is not the only reason to seek higher education.
Some of the benefits achieved through colleges such as personal morale, self-esteem and leadership skills cannot be matched with any sort of argument otherwise (Grubb, 2013). Perhaps, even the greatest of all businesses can collapse without the appropriate professionals to support the business. Everyone can become a successful entrepreneur, with or without going to college. However, a successful entrepreneur needs the skills of experts who have been sharpened through the education system for the right attitude and skills to spur business growth and profitability.
Another benefit of colleges is the fact that learners get the opportunity to network with various individuals and stakeholders. These include but are not limited to employers, businessmen/women, mentors, spiritual organizations and so on. Through these networks, the learners get the opportunity to achieve and to experience unlimited growth in all perspectives of life such as physically, mentally, spiritually and professionally (Ghaderi, 2016). These networks form a web into the individuals’ lives, and they can prove to be very influential.
Great ideas that are conceived in colleges might be advanced later by the same groups who met in college. These ideas might end up forming great innovations and technological disruptions necessary for globalization. If a professional is asked for a referral for a given opportunity, that person would most likely look within his network. Considering the time people spend in colleges to acquire technical and professional skills, the challenges which they undergo help build close relationships. Therefore, they would be inclined to recommend someone they went to college with.
College keeps the mind of young people at work; a busy mind at school has less time to focus on negativity and has more time to relentlessly innovate to solve challenges (Penfield, Wilder, 2015). This means that college enables young people to be occupied. Therefore, issues such as insecurity, theft, violence are minimized in society. Colleges also acquit their students with astounding levels of self-discipline. This fact also plays a critical role in ensuring that society is building the right caliber of people. In the wake of technological advancements and changes in parenting lifestyles, parents usually have less time to spend with their children by default. It means that in some way, colleges are playing a critical role in sealing that gap, although not perfectly, but the efforts are tremendous.
Although there are costs, whether direct or indirect as far as education is concerned, there are also benefits on the other side. From the foregoing, the benefits outweigh the costs and therefore, colleges are not a scam. Colleges play critical roles not only for an individual but for the whole world. Colleges are taking a direct role pertinent to discoveries and important researches all over the world. All these activities are meant to benefit society and improve livelihoods.
