Redefining Success: Is a College Degree Necessary?

Many people doubt the value of a decent higher education. School leavers spend sleepless nights and sacrifice their personal well-being just to become students at prestigious colleges and universities.

Many profitable companies seek employees with the required higher education and disregard those who don’t have it, fortunately college is more accessible than ever and there are many reputable colleges with open admissions meaning students can start any time.

Is a college degree so important that students spend thousands of dollars to obtain it? Is there any other way to become successful? Is a College Degree Necessary, for Redefining Success?

The Traditional Path: College as a Stepping Stone to Success

Students from all over the world dream of universities like Oxford and Cambridge, it’s hard to find a career-oriented teen who hasn’t read stories of success written by ex-students of Yale or Princeton and it is so easy to find universities like Stanford in the wish list of most high school children who have big plans for their future. Choosing a reputed university is a kind of investment for parents as well – they can feel safe about the perspectives of their kids and be sure that they will get the ability to work in prestigious companies. Some even hire a diligent dissertation writing service to prevent failures and low grades.

Such education promises well-paid job opportunities with indisputable economic benefits. According to traditional opinions, career success is a combination of a decent college degree and hard work. That’s why almost all school leavers do their best to enter a college and obtain the desired higher education.

The Economic Argument: Analyzing the Return on Investment in Education

When a country invests in education, it usually experiences economic growth and improvement in a country’s well-being. That’s how a return on investment works. Skillful and knowledgeable students become diligent and top-rated experts. Their college degree allows them to get a well-paid job and compete within a developing country that usually has several candidates for one job position. Eventually, investment in adult education is also rewarding because it helps countries become compatible and conquer their rivals.

Beyond the Classroom: Skills and Experiences that Matter

Except for various economic benefits, a college degree gives much more than better job opportunities. Besides career success, higher education gives people an opportunity to volunteer, get access to better healthcare services, keep fit, and afford a convenient living environment because personal well-being matters. A college degree lets you feel more engaged in different life areas and acquire valuable professional networks.

The Success Stories: Thriving Without a Degree

Even though a decent college degree is significant for career success, some celebrities succeed without higher education. Below, you can see a list of some celebrities who have got numerous job opportunities and life benefits without a college degree:

• Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Radcliffe, Brad Pitt, and Ryan Gosling (actors)
• Steve Jobs and Bill Gates (businessmen)
• Rihanna (singer)
• Jay-Z (rapper)
• Walt Disney (innovator, entertainment, storyteller)
• Oprah Winfrey (TV host)
• John Mackey (whole food founder)
• Matt Mullenweg and Mark Zuckeberg (programmers)

Their career success is the result of numerous risks, professional networks, and, of course, talents. Their adult education usually included some courses or mentorship of people who knew that taking risks would be rewarded with economic benefits and general personal well-being. They could lose everything but decided to invest a lot in their dreams, including both time and money. Now, their return on investment is insanely crucial.

The Future of Education: Evolving Perspectives on Success

So, higher education and a college degree are the best ways to witness success in your life. A career is a long way with ups and downs, pitfalls, and benefits. Let’s speak about other alternative ways to achieve success without higher education.

Measuring Success: Income, Happiness, or Fulfillment?

Many people have higher education, a degree, and a variety of job opportunities but they aren’t happy. Success is a combination of a worthy salary, happiness from the performed duties, and the absence of emptiness in one’s heart and soul. Pretty often, a higher education and a degree don’t guarantee that. At the same time, personal well-being can be achieved through other ways

The Role of Mentorship and Support in Personal Development

Except for a traditional college degree, a person can get an adult education in other ways. Instead of entering a college after school, a person can do the following things.

1. Find an online alternative to a college degree. Such investment can reward you with a diploma and certificates. Such a return on investment brings lots of benefits.
2. Mentorship in college is another way to get the required professional skills. Find a mentor who can teach you like Brad Pitt did when he gave up college for the sake of an actor’s career.
3. Deal with part-time jobs and provide your investment in securities, business, and some winning offers like Steve Jobs and Marc Zuckerberg did.

The College Premium: Is It Worth the Cost?

Economic benefits depend on the higher education and the degree you have. If your college degree and the chosen career path match, you will surely get a win-win job position and the promised return on investment.

Lifelong Learning: Alternatives to Formal Education

A great alternative to choose for career success is lifelong learning. As been said, many celebrities were college dropouts, so they either dealt with mentorship in college or got their adult education through lifelong experiences. For example, Michael Dell got a real return on investment after he decided to invest in computer upgrading instead of graduating and getting a college degree. Now he owns Dell company, so his talent and $1000 risk were adjusted.

FAQ:

Is a college degree a prerequisite for success in the modern job market?

No, talent and unique ideas, in combination with persistence and goal-oriented workaholics, may be better alternatives to a higher education and a college degree.

How does the return on investment of a college degree compare to other forms of investment?

Higher education is a unit of knowledge, professional skills, self-respect, and economic benefits that a country and a college graduate experience over time. Such return on investment is usually justified because erudite individuals are competitive and skillful.

Can mentorship and professional networks replace formal education?

Professional networks and mentorship in college can upskill organizations, but they cannot replace formal higher education, which is required by most organizations. However, career success is possible due to hard work and the inborn gift of employees.