Write an essay “Is college worth the cost?” is commonly debated in public forums like US News’ Is a College Degree Still Worth It? Even college graduates are saying “no,” or at least, “it depends.” As many professors and business leaders point out, the worth of a college degree goes beyond a graduate’s starting salary, which indicates neither the long-term earning power of the degree nor its intangible benefits, such as self-awareness, civic-mindedness, and an appreciation for learning. Moreover, the value of a college education is intergenerational. Studies show strong correlations between a mother’s level of educational attainment and her children’s likelihood of going to college. Still, the general higher-education landscape causes some concern. Tuition costs have risen faster than the rate of inflation for decades, making college more expensive and less likely to yield a good financial return on investment. Simultaneously, student borrowing has increased. The consequence has been a steady decline in the worth of the typical college degree, with many students—particularly those who fail to graduate—getting a negative return on their investments of time and money. For too many students, college isn’t worth it. A key objective for all college students is to make their educational experiences more valuable and less expensive.
Scenario
Imagine that your friend, Mindy, is trying to decide whether or not to go to college. In high school, Mindy earned a dental assisting certificate. Since graduating last year, she has made $15 an hour working for a dentist in her ward. She lives at home with her parents and is still on their health insurance, so her paycheck goes a long way. Until last month, she asked her parents for rides to work or, in good weather, she rode her bike. But now she has a car of her own, a good, used vehicle that only cost $15,000. Mindy has a friend who has been attending an out-of-state university. This friend talks about how much fun college is and how much she’s learning. Mindy thinks it would be exciting to attend the university with her friend. But Mindy’s parents can’t afford to send her there. She’d have to take out student loans, though she’s not sure how many. Also, she’s not sure she really wants a college degree. Mindy likes working in the dental office environment; she’s good at what she does, and she likes serving patients. She also likes the job’s flexibility, which would allow her to work part-time if she had young children at home. Mindy is also considering enrolling in a dental hygiene program at a private dental school near where she lives. An associate’s degree there would cost just $30,000, only about half of what she would pay in tuition and housing for a bachelor’s degree at the out-of-state university. Keep in mind: Dental hygienists make twice what she does as an assistant. Practice the conversation you might have with Mindy, taking care to help her distinguish statistical averages and individual anecdotes from the experiences she is likely to have in one place or another.
Instructions:
1. Write a letter of counsel to Mindy to help her with her decision
2. In your letter, do the following:
2.1 Describe what you think the main problems are (don’t just regurgitate what is in the description; look at the case study to find other issues).
2.2 Ask clarifying questions that will help you gather more information. (At least 3 questions)
2.3 Give a detailed description of your solutions and recommendations for handling the situation. Prove that you understand the complexity of the case.
2.4 Provide at least one additional authoritative source to support your ideas and opinions. Sources can be scripture references, quotes from experts in the topic, quotes, etc. Include a reference for your sources (references don’t have to follow a specific format. Just say where your sources come from).
2.5 Write professionally and without errors in grammar or spelling.
