Dylan Anderson

10/2/15
FYS 156
Prof. Narayanan

FYS DEBATE

To start this essay off and to answer these questions, we have to understand what
higher education means. Higher education is any occupation to further learning after high
school. Including: Community college, non-profit courses, trade school, online education, 4-year
universities (for-profit and non-profit), and graduate school. Whenever you pursue any form of
education after high school, you can say that its higher learning. In the popular opinion for
higher education, there are two sides: those who believe that its worth it and those that believe
that its not worth the hype. There are many reasons to support either side, both have very good
arguments. Its so hard to decide which one to cover, so well just talk about both!
With the continuous growth of technology, higher education is becoming more and more
valuable. Technology has revolutionized the field of higher education, and there has never been
a better time to attend. Higher education is any occupation to further learning after high school.
Including: Community college, non-profit courses, trade school, online education, 4-year
universities, for-profit and non-profit, and graduate school. Pursuing a higher education not only
furthers your knowledge but also makes finding a job easier, and develops better social skills.
College graduates are in a higher demand than those without a degree in higher education, and
tend to find a stable workplace easier, which is still a struggle, however, it is easier having a
degree than to not have one. Higher education not only benefits you academically, but also
makes it easier to meet new people, and allows for diversity. The most common fear of pursuing
higher education is the cost. However, there are many ways to avoid scary student loans and
the angry stares from the rich grandparents you used to never talk to; there are scholarships
and financial aid to help with the costs. Debt as a result of student loans has been an increasing
problem in the US. Its an unfortunate result of high tuition rates and high interest rates. Its
important to understand that student debt is not the fault of the student. Other countries college
graduates have student debt, but it is in no way as detrimental as in the United States. Also, it
isnt necessary to pursue an actual four year college. Higher education can be achieved through
online courses where you can master a subject for free and pay for the degree whenever
possible. Even if you have no access to internet or a computer in the home, there are local
libraries which offer the use of computers. Of course you still have to pay, but you can complete
the degree but choose to buy it later after taking a refreshment test. The problem with taking
online courses is that the social aspect of taking these classes in a classroom setting is missing
the development of team skills, increased diversity, and experience with presenting and
speaking. College is much more than extended high school. College gives students more
experience, skills, and knowledge, which enables them to get into many careers available in
society. College can help students get and keep a job, and it also them to make more money.
Statistics from New York University show that citizens with college degrees make 50% more

than those with high school diplomas do. College work is designed to challenge and inspire
students. In college, they can dive deeper into subjects that theyre interested in, they are able
to choose their own courses and schedule their time on their own. It teaches students time
management, where they need to decide how much time they want to give each of their
activities. College gives students the opportunity to explore their options and get outside of the
classroom. There are so many new ideas being thrown around campus every day. Listening to
these ideas allows you to broaden your horizons and learn about others areas of expertise.
As far as being against higher education, it all starts with the idea that higher education
is a reciprocal of what students put into it. If the students are engaged and active learners,
college may yield a much greater output. The opposite side of that is when students are not
actively engaging with their education, are unmotivated, and are unwilling to dedicate
themselves to the task. Subsequently, rising costs and difficulty of financial aid application and
distribution are turning more and more students off of higher education. New York Times states
that according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the total student loans outstanding are
at an all-time high of $1.1 trillion, compared to $300 billion a decade ago. These students may
be led to believe they cannot acquire the aid to enroll and pay for the various costs associated
with being a student, thusly keeping them from pursuing any higher education. To further
elaborate on these two broad points; student motivation is a personal factor, the root of the
problem lies in the environment students are immersed in. Secondly, students attending most
forms of higher education may seem intimidated by high costs associated with going to school.
While there are scholarships and financial aid, the processes for applying and receiving
scholarships or aid may be confusing and frustrating to those who are first generation higher
education students, or families with little to no experience applying for aid. It is also difficult for
those who are not rich enough for their parents to help them but not poor enough for financial
aid to go through college because of it. If you dont have the money, then you have to get loans
and pay them off later. Furthermore, the implementation of a more and more technology
focused education may also be root cause of some problems facing undergraduates and
graduates in any field. An education, either vocational or liberal, all integrate technology such as
new computers, an emphasis on learning certain computer skills (i.e. Photoshop, Adobe
Premiere), and an overall introduction to the field of technology in almost any discipline that
students choose to enter. This means that no matter where students choose to go or what to
study, they will always be exposed to technology in some way, shape or form. Eventually this
leads to a reliance on technology and begins to break down the foundations of teamwork, social
skills and even possibly the ability to perform efficiently without the use of said technology. Also,
a bachelor's degree isnt worth nearly as much as it used to be. Considering that so many
people have bachelors degrees now having any bachelors degree isnt as valuable as it was
15-20 years ago MOOC courses are becoming more and more reliable compared to attending a
university. MOOCs are cheap or free and can be completed much faster than the time it takes
to complete a 4 year degree. Education is relevant to today, the problem is that by the time you
get a degree theres already multiple new things to learn, somehow curriculum needs to stay up
to date with the current technology or whatever applies to the given field. With the worth of a
bachelor's degree now, it could end up being more worth it to pursue a job right after highschool
rather than attending a university.

There are many things that you can do to improve your learning experience. Sometimes
talking to your professor can feel like an overwhelming chore. But one of the best ways to
succeed in college is to not have anxiety when it comes to talking with your professor. Some
professors are happy to take drop-ins during their office hours, but you can also email them to
make an appointment. Its to your advantage to get to know your professors and to utilize their
office hours. Your classes are important, even though you might not be interested in all of them.
Be positive and remember that the class isnt going to last forever. The information in these
classes may not seem relevant today, but it may come in handy down the road. Your professor
will remember you favorably when it counts (like when you need a reference), if you do seem
interested in the material. Try sitting in the front of the class to avoid losing focus. Dont miss
class just because you don't want to be there. You have paid a lot to go to class, just go. Yes,
walking to class when its raining or snowing is not how everyone wants to start their morning,
but remember why you came to college in the first place. Most classes can be really interesting
with the right mindset. Be excited to learn. And finally, one of the most important things to do is
to read the syllabus. The syllabus is basically a contract that your professor made for you. Your
professor will expect you to read and understand the material on the syllabus. Reading the
syllabus could be the difference between passing and failing. The syllabus is the roadmap of a
course and your guide to succeeding in that class. It is your responsibility to read it and
understand the requirements outlined. If you arent sure about something in the syllabus, clarify
it with your professor. Its a great opportunity to make the first visit to your professor during office
hours.
My plan for making university worthwhile is to work hard and study hard. Focusing on my
classes is going to be one of the most important things to do here. Im going here to learn and I
want to take these classes. This, right now, is literally my job. I am a full-time student here and I
want to be able to obtain and compile as much information as I can. I want to better myself, both
academically and socially. Speaking of improving my social skills, I want to also make new
friends here because I have a pretty hard time doing so. Its always been a challenge for me to
do that for some reason. I dont know what it is, it may be social anxiety or something. College is
also about having fun while youre there. Not like parties all the time and everything, but just
having fun hanging out and all of that. This is one of the most hectic times in anyones life.
Things just pass by so quickly that if you spend too much time thinking about it, it will already be
over. This is the most important time in my life. And I will make this count as much as I can.