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Is college education worth it? Is college education worth it?
Yes, college education is worth it Yes, college education is worth it
Whether college education is worth it depends Whether college education is worth it depends
No, college education isn't worth it No, college education isn't worth it
Over a lifetime, college education makes financial sense Over a lifetime, college education makes financial sense
College helps you get a job College helps you get a job
Higher education means a better life Higher education means a better life
College teaches you how to learn College teaches you how to learn
College teaches interpersonal skills College teaches interpersonal skills
College makes you a better parent College makes you a better parent
The value of college education depends on the institution The value of college education depends on the institution
Whether college education is worth it depends on the discipline Whether college education is worth it depends on the discipline
Whether college is worth it depends on available financial assistance Whether college is worth it depends on available financial assistance
College forces graduates to put off major rites of passage College forces graduates to put off major rites of passage
Student loan debt is crippling Student loan debt is crippling
College doesn't prepare students for the modern job market College doesn't prepare students for the modern job market
You don’t need a degree to get to the top You don’t need a degree to get to the top
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Is college education worth it?
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Whether college education is worth it depends

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Whether college education is worth it depends on the discipline

Not all areas of study unlock the same employment and financial opportunities.
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Context

Different fields of study provide different returns on investment. Therefore, the value of a college education depends on the field of study.

The Argument

Assessing the value of university depends on both the end goal and the field of study. If someone wants to work in a hotel or become a tour guide and goes to university to study tourism, the costs may outweigh the benefits. The field of study is not transferrable to many other careers, and the degree is not necessary to get a job in the hotel or tourism sector. However, if someone goes to university to study a STEM (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics) subject, they can expect to earn around three times more in their lifetime than their non-STEM graduate peers. Therefore, some fields of study are worth the cost of university education, while others may not be.[1]

Counter arguments

Premises

[P1] Different fields of study provide different returns on investment. [P2] Therefore, the value of a college degree depends on the field of study of the degree.

Rejecting the premises

References

  1. https://cew.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/The-Economic-Value-of-College-Majors-Exec-Summ-Web.pdf
This page was last edited on Friday, 17 Apr 2020 at 11:06 UTC

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