| Aside from the one obvious benefit of earning a | | | | comes the ability to afford better preventative health |
| college degree - making more money - there are a | | | | care. Those with higher education tend to have more |
| myriad of other advantages to furthering your | | | | hobbies as well. But one important thing to note: those |
| education past the high school level. By devoting the | | | | that have a college degree are often able to provide |
| time and commitment to the improvement of personal | | | | an improved quality of life for their offspring. As a |
| knowledge and intellectual fortification, you provide | | | | result, college-educated parents often breed |
| yourself with the tools to be a better employee, a | | | | college-educated children. |
| better citizen, and a better all-around individual. There | | | | The benefits of a college education extend far into the |
| are several economic and social factors (both individual | | | | workforce as well. With the ownership of a college |
| and civic in nature) that you might not even consider to | | | | degree usually comes the increased ability and the |
| be the potential outcomes of you, an individual, earning | | | | willingness to use and continue to learn technology. |
| a college degree. The benefit of earning a college | | | | Also, from doing the work that is involved in earning a |
| degree does not just have an individual impact, but it | | | | diploma often comes the experience with peers that |
| has a societal impact as well. | | | | will help you succeed in a competitive business world. |
| Among the many personal benefits of earning a | | | | College is probably the best place for networking that |
| college degree is, of course, higher personal earnings. | | | | exists. During your four or five years as an |
| A person with at least a bachelor's degree tends to | | | | undergraduate, you have the chance to meet literally |
| earn at least two times more money annually than a | | | | thousands of people who can be potential business |
| person with a high school diploma alone. This personal | | | | contacts down the road. Not only can it be an |
| plus has the potential to influence the public sector in | | | | opportunity to make allies in the workplace for the |
| turn. The greater number of people with college | | | | future, but it is also simply good practice in the art of |
| educations leads to lower unemployment rates, which | | | | exchanging ideas with your peers. |
| in turn leads to decreased reliance on publicly-funded | | | | In the past, employers usually required only a high |
| programs such as welfare. This concept of personal | | | | school diploma for employment. Today, however, a |
| improvement for the greater good can be further | | | | bachelor's degree is often the minimum level of |
| demonstrated. | | | | education that a potential employer will even consider. |
| By achieving a strong educational foundation, a person | | | | While it is possible to still succeed in the business world |
| tends to continue to educate themselves throughout | | | | without the benefit of a college degree, it is highly |
| their lifetime. Whether this is by earning further college | | | | unlikely, given today's vastly competitive and |
| degrees or by simply being more civically minded and | | | | technology-driven workforce. And while layoffs do |
| socially conscious, the benefit of a college degree has | | | | affect those in the workforce with college degrees, it |
| been shown to increase a person's sense of civic | | | | is usually easier for them to find a new job for those |
| responsibilities and awareness. Those with higher | | | | who are not. |
| educations show increased participation in voting, | | | | A college degree is considered enduring. Its impact |
| increased altruism, and a greater appreciation of social | | | | does not change or lessen, despite its age. It is |
| diversity. This in turn can lead to a decrease in crime | | | | considered a scale by which you have measured and |
| and poverty rates. | | | | proven your competency in both general and specific |
| There are many more personal benefits of having a | | | | areas of academia. By earning a college degree, you |
| college degree other than making more money. Often, | | | | not only take steps toward enriching yourself over the |
| those who have attained a higher education enjoy | | | | course of your entire lifetime, but you also serve to |
| better long-term health and thus an increased life | | | | enrich the society you live in. The benefit of a college |
| expectancy, which could be related to higher personal | | | | degree far outweighs the financial gains you stand to |
| income. With the benefit of earning more money | | | | make. |