Recently questions have been coming, asking whether having a degree is worth it. A friend of mine in physics class told me, “I guess what we are doing here is damn crazy. It’s not worth it at all.”

I told him that for anything one is doing in life there is always an advantage attached to it, and the higher your education level, the higher the salary and job opportunities. A lot of people have this myopic view that not all people benefit from four years in college, nor do they need a college degree in order to succeed in work or in life. Going to college for four years can be an enriching, eye-opening experience. Truly speaking, to get a degree is the highest asset you can get if you want to make it in America.

Robert Longley, in the About.com Guide to U.S. Government Info, reports on new U.S. Census Bureau data that shows that "Americans age 18 and older with a bachelor’s degree earned an average of $51,554, while those with a high school diploma earned $28,645."

With this report, I don’t see why people should not care to earn a degree. The following shows the importance of having a degree.

• An individual with a degree tends to earn fifty percent more than someone who is doing the same job without a degree.

• Having a degree opens the door to more job opportunities or helps you land the dream job you wanted. For example, if an employer has a choice of two candidates with equal experience and skills, the employer will most likely hire the candidate with a degree.

• Another benefit is having promotions and rises in pay. The more knowledge and experience you have, management will be more willing to give you better positions in the company and better pay raises or bonuses.

• A degree creates personal satisfaction. By getting a college degree, you will have the pleasure of knowing that you took the steps that were necessary to better educate yourself and better your future.

Harrison Ohiri
NVC Ambassador