Education in this country can be slightly depressing to consider. It gets repeated cuts in the government nationally, although Rhode Island gets better marks than most states on that subject, but the same people who vote for the politicians that cut education are often also parents that spend a considerable amount of time fretting about whether their child is receiving a quality education. High school graduates will go directly into employment without attending college because they have either been conditioned to dislike school in general by a lackluster experience thus far, or the cost is simply too prohibitive. Sadly, this decision to forego further education is a mistake. Here are some reasons to take the decision about whether to pursue higher education very seriously.
- Income LevelIn 2013, people with a 4 year degree averaged 98% more an hour than those that did not. This is not an anomaly, it has been established that not going to college has a price tag that averaged out to half a million dollars, which takes into account the wage difference. Rhode Island alone has 13 institutions of higher learning, such as Rhode Island College, where individuals could pursue adult education. Yet far too many do not.
- HealthA Four-year degree lowers a person’s risk of heart disease and diabetes, among others. There are many reasons for this effect, such as a better understanding of how lifestyle choices affect the internal workings of the human body. Also, more education leads to less stress in life, which has a direct effect on health. Simply put, if a person earns an undergraduate degree, at Rhode Island college perhaps, or Rhode Island university, they are shown to be healthier and live longer than those who do not pursue secondary education.
Not attending University will not make your life automatically bad, now will a degree gift you with never ending happiness. However, given the evidence of research, it is easy to see that the more education you have, the better your chances of success. So, maybe reconsider getting that bachelor’s degree?