http://www.economist.com/world/britain/displayStory.cfm?source=hptextfeature&story_id=12270990
The main question that this article from Economist.com is asking is whether or not a university degree is really worth the time and money. The point of the article is unclear in the first half, but is more direct later on. It goes on to say that the main reason for students moving on to higher education to obtain a degree is to improve their careers and salary. Far less students wanted a degree because they enjoyed a particular area of interest. There has been a 30% increase for students entering university compared to the 1990s. Aside from students wanting to get a degree, the name of the university matters as well.
One of the introductory concepts of economics is opportunity cost, which is what someone gives up when they make a decision. In this article, the opportunity cost for a student going towards getting a degree would be giving up time that could be spent earning money. However, a student deciding to work right away and not going for a degree would be giving up the chance to further his or her education and landing a job with better pay. Along with that, students would have to consider their field of study and whether or not they would pursue a career in something they enjoy for less money or something they dislike for more money.
Considering I myself am nearing the end of my high school career and I need to start thinking about my future. I have a pretty general idea of what I'd like to do. In my personal opinion, I would go on to post-secondary in hopes of going into a career with a good pay because in the long run, I would probably end up making more money than if I choose not to go with the post-secondary route and work during those 4 years. I may be in it partially for the money, but I would definitely study something I love and going to post-secondary can only increase my knowledge of it.
