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Matthew Johnson

Professor Lohmeyer

English 101: Composition

26 November 2017

Making the Right Choice for Your Career

Today, the common belief is that getting a bachelor's degree is a requirement to

be successful in life. There is a stereotype that the only people who go to two-year technical

schools "aren't smart enough to get a four-year degree." There is an even worse stereotype for

people who don't attend any type of college at all. Here in rural South Dakota, when someone

doesn't go to college, you hear people say that "they won't accomplish anything with their life."

While I believe that there is no disadvantage to having a bachelors degree, in many instances

an associates degree may be a better choice. Although on average four year degrees will yield

higher lifetime pay, two year degrees and technical trades may be the better choice for a large

number of people. Many two year degrees still yield high pay, while allowing the student to be

put in the workforce two years sooner with less student debt.

There has been much debate about whether or not bachelors degrees are necessary for

success in life. There has been skepticism towards bachelors degrees because some believe

that students will incur too much debt and struggle to find a job with their degree. Proponents

of bachelors degrees state that lifetime earnings will be higher than those with less education.

Supporters of associates degrees cite that the faster education will result in less debt and a

place in the workforce sooner. Each side has compelling arguments. Sanford Ungar, the

president of Goucher College, believes that liberal arts degrees are superior to career
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education. He believes that a student should have a well-rounded education that will help them

succeed in a wide variety of careers. According to Ungar, students who study liberal arts will

not only be able to make a living, but also learn to live a life rich in values and character (Ungar

232) Leah Dearborn believes that associates degrees are a better choice in many cases because

they lead to lucrative careers for a low cost of education. The right choice for education

depends mainly on career choice and financial situation before college.

Those in favor of bachelor degrees state they that these degrees are superior because

they make a person more employable. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics with each

level of education achieved, unemployment rate goes down. Those with less than a high

school diploma are unemployed at a rate of 7.4 percent, while people with a doctorate degree

are unemployed at 1.6 percent. Bachelor degree holders have an unemployment rate of 2.7

percent, while associate degree holders are unemployed at 3.6 percent. (Source: U.S Bureau of

Labor Statistics) This employment factor is impossible to ignore and proves that education will

raise your ability to be hired.

Career opportunities are another factor used to promote bachelors degrees. "Fields like

accounting, finance, and business management often require a minimum of a bachelor's

degree" (cappella.edu). Often these fields allow a person to rise up the ranks through

promotion. While it is usually true that these careers will result in higher lifetime pay, these are

not the careers that people who seek two-year degrees want.

Two-year degrees are promoted for their lower cost and straight forward education.

Leah Dearborn is a freelance writer and proponent of two-year trade schools. In her article The

Benefits of Trade School, she states several benefits that two-year technical programs have
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over traditional four-year degrees. She starts her article by stating how many students do not

even consider trade schools as an option after high school and parents have hesitations

because of the stereotypes about who goes to trade school. Dearborn informs readers of the

benefits of trade schools by bringing up the shorter programs, a wide array of options, and

lucrative careers. The shorter programs result in a cheaper price, which allows students to

enter the workforce sooner and with less debt. She states that the lower price tag doesnt

mean that graduates of trade schools always earn less than their peers who attend four-year

institutions. Entry-level salaries may also be higher for in-demand fields that require vocational

training. She also touts the wide array of options that trade school offer. Students can choose

from degrees in marketing, health, culinary arts, technical education, agriculture, and industry.

Her main point was that two-year trade schools are a better fit for students who only need

training for their specific occupation, just as bachelor degrees are the best route for students

who need a wide array of knowledge. She supports my point that associates degrees offer

many opportunities for students at an affordable price.

Those in favor of bachelors degrees believe that college provides more benefits than

just an education. Stephanie Owen and Isabel Sawhill wrote an essay pertaining to the issue of

whether college is the right choice for everyone. In their essay Should Everyone Go to

College? Owen and Sawhill bring up many factors and variables for whether or not college is

the best option for everyone. Their final conclusion was that the average return for going to

college is highly positive, there is a considerable spread in the value of going to college (222).

However, they also concluded that a bachelors degree is not a smart investment for every

student in every circumstance (222). The authors also bring up benefits of college that are not
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monetary. Owen and Sawhill state that additional education improves overall wellbeing by

affecting things like job satisfaction, health, marriage, parenting, and social interaction (210).

While these non-monetary benefits of college are important, it cannot be justified to go to

college for solely these benefits.

There are many points that I disagree with Sawhill and Owen. While it may be true that

on average bachelors degrees yield more pay than careers requiring less education, many

people are not suited for these jobs. For these people, trade school careers are usually a better

choice. Careers in welding, electrical trades, mechanics, and carpentry are all example of

careers that require a specific set of training. A bachelors degree would do little to none in

preparing students for these hands on careers. I also agree that there are non-monetary

benefits in going away to college. College allows a person to move away from their parents

views, form their own opinions, and learn to be more self-reliant. The social interactions and

the people you meet at college is of priceless value. Even though I find major benefits to

attending college, it cannot be justified to attend college solely for these purposes. It would be

financially irresponsible to attend college for any other reason than to set yourself up for your

future career.

There are many people who are staunch supporters of bachelors degrees and the

liberal arts. Sanford Ungar is one of these people. In his essay The New Liberal Arts he

describes why he feels that they are important and argues eight misperceptions about them.

Ungar believes that career education is not the best choice for students. He states that

education should not leave out the frills like learning how to write and speak well, how to

understand the nuances of literary texts and scientific concepts, and how to collaborate with
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other on research (Ungar 227). He also states that it is far wiser for students to be prepared

for change (227). Another misperception that Ungar debated is that graduates with liberal arts

degrees struggle to find good jobs. His counterpoint was that many corporations are headed by

people with liberal arts degrees. Plenty of philosophy and physics majors work on Wall Street,

and the ability to analyze and compare literature across cultures is a skill linked to many other

fields.(228) In his conclusion Ungar states that one can only hope that each institution will

find ways to cut costs and develop distinguishing characteristics that help it survive (232).

I agree that a liberal arts degree will provide greater knowledge on different subjects

and improve a persons ability to write and understand more complex works, but I dont believe

it provides necessary knowledge to succeed in many careers. Plumbers, welders, and

electricians have no need to study literature or philosophy. For these occupations, the career

education is the best choice. A career education will provide the students all the knowledge

necessary perform their job. The career education will provide the most cost effective

approach to a job.

In order to succeed in life, a person must set themselves in the path that is right for their

career. For people who want to be electricians or welders two-year trade schools are a great

choice. If someone wants to become an accountant, teacher, doctor, or lawyer more education

is a must. The key is doing what is right for each persons individual situation. There is no need

for broad beliefs that everyone should attend college and get a bachelors degree.
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Works Cited:

Dearborn, Leah, The Benefits of Trade Schools. Stem Jobs, 27 APR 2016

http://edu.stemjobs.com/benefits-trade-schools/

Owen, Stephanie and Sawhill, Elizabeth. Should Everyone Go to College? They Say I Say,

edited by Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst, W.W Norton & Company,

pp. 208-223

Ungar, Sanford J. The New Liberal Arts They Say I Say, edited by Gerald Graff, Cathy

Birkenstein, and Russel Durst, W.W Norton & Company, 2014, pp. 226-232

United States. Dept. of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Unemployment Rates and Earnings by

Education Attainment, 2016. Mar. 2017. Web. 24 Oct 2017

https://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_table_001.htm

5 Differences Between an Associates and Bachelors Degree Capella N.p APR 17 2017

https://www.capella.edu/blogs/cublog/5-differences-of-associates-vs-bachelors-degree/
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