While there have been many and often valid reasons cited as to the benefits of

obtaining a college degree, there is one fact that remains to be stated: the
promises of higher education are not always what they are touted to be. In this
section we will discuss the less often discussed or considered facts that reveal the
negatives of pursuing a college degree.
The popular notion that obtaining a college degree will elevate ones overall skill set
and knowledge in general can be deceiving. A recent study conducted in 2011
concluded that half of all college students will not see any improvements in their
abilities to solve problems, write and reason throughout their first two years of
college and more than a third will see absolutely no improvement in these areas
their entire academic career.
[http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/01/18/106949_study-many-college-studentsnot.html?rh=1]
Although the academic environment can foster the awareness and refinement of
such skills, one must vigorously engage themselves in the knowledge and use of
these skills to actually develop them. However, the reality is that many students
and universities alike view higher education as a necessary commodity in todays
economy and therefore in exchange for dollars students who make the grade can
obtain a degree. This paradigm shift is at the heart of the problem cited in the
aforementioned study. Just because you subscribed to the notion of attending
college and obtaining a degree doesnt guarantee that youll obtain or develop
these critical real world skills.
Another negative aspect of the college experience is the process of professors being
rated and evaluated by their students. This practice has lead to a more student
driven mindset in a large majority of universities. Again, with the notion of higher
education being a commodity (remember, the college that you are attending is a
business and all businesses are seeking to make a profit) student evaluations may
be doing more harm than good when it comes to the quality of the education
received. Instead of providing challenging and academically expansive coursework
and experience that will stay with them throughout their life, many professors, even
if unintentionally seem to gravitate towards pleasing their students by watering
down requirements, avoiding comments like boring or too hard and receive
good evaluations.
Furthermore, there is the related issues of easing grading standards and grade
inflation; most likely fed by the greater influence on universities having a student
driven mindset. In a 2013 article written by Harvard Universitys own student news
periodical, it was reported that Dean of Undergraduate Jay Harris stated that the
median grade at Harvard University is an A minus and that the most frequently
awarded grade is an A. So just because you are getting decent grades, doesnt

mean that it is an accurate reflection on your mastery of the material. You may just
be getting by.

[http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2013/12/3/grade-inflation-mode-a/]

Another sobering fact is that college doesnt necessarily prepare you for the job
market. Many employers cite the lack of qualified people to fill positions not jobs as
a more accurate depiction of the problem in the current state of the economy. In a
recent survey commissioned by the Accrediting Council for Independent College and
Schools (ACICS); which asked whether job applicants have the knowledge and skills
required to be successful in the workplace, the 1,006 hiring professionals responses
were noted in an ACICS press release: 7% of hiring professionals believe that
colleges do an excellent job preparing students for the workplace, 54% say
colleges do a good job and 39% say only fair or poor.
[ http://www.acics.org/events/content.aspx?id=4718]

Another reality check concerning the college experience is that it doesnt

necessarily prepare students for the real world. Most college students live in a
womb like bubble with the cords of financial and personal responsibility still
attached to their parent or guardian. Sure, internships are a great way to learn
about what the real world is like but again, you are still buffered from the pure
reality that those who actually work and live in and with the environments you
intern at.
Think about it: many students live in a dorm room most with roommates, and have
an RA. No kitchen or bathroom to clean, most have just a bed, desk and maybe a
television. Most students have a meal plan and a fairly broad selection of cafeterias
to choose from. Most students can admit to skipping classes and received no real
negative effects on their academic career. Maybe it affected a grade or two, but
these actions had no significant impact on their overall life. Some college students
are financially responsible for their cell phone, gas and car insurance but many are
probably on their familys cell phone plan and parents car insurance. The overall
financial responsibility required of most college students is far less than that of their
soon to be future selves.
It is also becoming more apparent to those attending college that their return on
investment in a college degree isnt as good as it has been in the past. While many
agree that the rising cost of tuition is making college even more financially painful,
its value amid the glut of millions of other job seekers with degrees, is dropping.

Let me know if you have come across this popular statistic at some point in your
academic career: College graduates earn, on average, $1,000,000.00 more over the
course of their lifetime than those who dont earn college degrees. The 2013
College Education Return on Investment Rankings results of a study conducted by
Payscale.com discovered that only 72 out of 2,700 four year schools in America
where earning a degree can obtain this $1,000,000.00 return on investment versus
a high school graduate. According to their findings, the actual return on investment
given the effects of the recession and the current state of the economy is closer to
$500,000.00. This is roughly half of what was promised by the popular messages
in America regarding college education. And to add insult to injury, Douglas Belkin,
a columnist for the Wall Street Journal posted an article on September 4 th 2014
which s surmised roughly a quarter of college graduates [who are employed] are
barely earning more than their high school diploma holding counterparts.
[http://www.payscale.com/college-education-value-2013]
[http://online.wsj.com/articles/for-some-graduates-college-isnt-worth-the-debt1409803261]
While we are still of the overall consensus that obtaining a college degree is a
worthwhile and advantageous prospect, the aforementioned facts should certainly
give the audience much to reflect upon when discerning what the best decisions for
their life and career.

Belkin, Douglas. "For Some Graduates, College Isn't worth the Debt." The Wall Street Journal.
Dow Jones & Company, 4 Sept. 2014. Web. 22 Oct. 2014.
"PayScale 2013 College ROI Report." PayScale. Payscale.com, 2 May 2013. Web. 22 Oct. 2014.

"Panel Discussion: Workforce Skills Reality Check." ACICS. ACICS, 5 Dec. 2011. Web. 22 Oct.
2014.

Clarida, Matthew Q., and Nicholas P. Fandos. "Substantiating Fears of Grade Inflation,Dean
Says Median Grade at Harvard Is A -, Most Common Grade Is A."
Http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2013/12/3/grade-inflation-mode-a/. The Harvard Crimson, 3
Dec. 2013. Web.
Rimer, Sara. "McClatchy DC." Study: Many College Students Not Learning to Think Critically.
McClatchyDC, 18 Jan. 2011. Web. 22 Oct. 2014.