by Scott Selliers

Created on: January 19, 2007   Last Updated: May 02, 2007

The system of higher education we currently have is the new opiate of the masses. While education in and of itself is the single most important hallmark of an effective adulthood, the institution of academia has become a symbolic ticket to a better life. The mere possession of this ticket says nothing of the individual, except that the holder could merely afford to buy it.

In the past, a collegiate education was the norm for any wealthy member of the highest social echelon. This education was not intended to raise the student's social standing, nor was it intended to provide the necessary training to maintain his family's business, as the bourgeois system of inheritance already guaranteed his position, regardless of his experience or training. Our modern misconception of academia as a means of raising one's social status or becoming mentally capable of performing more demanding mental work here does not apply; in short, the wealthy were merely expected to complete a college education as indicative of their upbringing.

However, with the modern economical situation in America being what it is, in which the "average" American can again access to most levels of academia through the use of their own credit or the credit of their parents, a much higher percentage of the population now continues their education beyond high school. However accessible this higher learning may be, it is my opinion that very few people view a college education as anything other than a means of acquiring wealth and prestige for themselves. In short, a college education has absolutely nothing to do with education, learning, or a desire to learn. In defense/explanation of this statement, I ask the following questions:

In what esteem does someone hold a person who possesses an Associate's Degree? A Bachelor's Degree? A Master's Degree? A Doctorate?

How much does a degree program cost?

What benefits does one receive for possessing a degree?

What is the common perception/stereotype of a college student?

What, exactly, is someone receiving in exchange for the price of tuition?

Is it possible to acquire the information provided within academia outside of academia?

I currently hold an Associate's Degree in Science, as does my wife. Can I say that this level of education has made better our lives? Yes. Do I think advancing this level of degree would further better our lives? It is my inability to answer this last question that has driven me to examine exactly what a college degree has to offer.

I

• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next Page >>