Paper for Paper

   The unending debate over the value of a degree has been deliberated for years. Some compare the benefits of one degree over others as if they are golden passes that open gates to various occupations. Others compare the worth of the knowledge that can be acquired in the pursuit of a degree or the experiences encountered along the way. The true value most likely can be best ascertained by analyzing the career paths and general success that graduates obtain after acquiring their degrees. To further examine this point of discourse, the works of Sanford J. Ungar depicted in “The New Liberal Arts,” a speech from David Foster Wallace, “The Ivory Tower'' documentary, and an analysis from Andrew Hacker and Claudia Dreifus were perused and utilized to create a visual representation which further inspired this reflection piece.

  

     Some vital contentions that were risen included the lofty debt and cost of tuition that have become synonymous with college education, as well as the pertinence of various majors such as Liberal Arts. Likewise, the soaring financial burden of college education has forced students to focus on the tangible impact that it will have on their life. Meaning individuals are more focused on what path will best lead to a high paying job as opposed to appreciating the college experience and knowledge acquired on a first level basis. After all, they will most likely spend years paying for said education, as further supported by the “The Ivory Tower'' documentary. While there is plenty of truth to these concerns, as with most topics of contention, people tend to overreach in their claims. For instance, as elucidated by Sanford J. Ungar in “The New Liberal Arts,” there are many misperceptions spread in regard to some majors such as the liberal arts which are exacerbated or simply untrue. Ungar's response to these misperceptions was as follows. “It is often the people who are the newest to certain ideas and approaches who are the most original and inventive in the discussion and application of those ideas." Essentially, stating that individuals educated in subjects such as liberal arts serve the unique position of linking diverse ideas and central themes across and between various professions.

    As mentioned prior, looking at the success rate of graduates with various degrees from various institutions could paint a picture of what processes work. By doing this, political scientist and journalist such as Andrew Hacker and Claudia Dreifus are able to backtrack and find which colleges in which locations have the best practices that best help their students. Utilizing the same method, the practices and factors which serve the greatest detriment to the students can also be highlighted. In Hacker and Dreifus's analysis, they stated that the individual greed and overextension of resources in an attempt to be more inclusive are two of the greatest issues present across institutions globally. Since the value of attending an in person college is becoming harder and harder to ascertain and many colleges are lacking the structure they are inherently meant to possess which makes them preferable to other forms of education, a shift towards online colleges has been growing.