For everyone out there wondering if attending college is worth it, or if going back to school to finish a degree is really a viable option, I am writing this article for you. There is certainly enough commentary on the negatives of higher education. And for many it’s a valid argument. Let me give you the alternative side of that coin now. The one that isn’t extolled all that often, unless you are a telemarketer working for a private for-profit degree (mill) granting institution. I’d like to talk about why I think getting a degree is valuable, even if it’s that mythical bongo drumming degree.

Let me make the case using a humanities degree in bongo drumming, still not sure it exists but let’s do this. My Dad is not only an accomplished musician but also a retired music teacher. So, yes, music was a focal point in my house growing up. I heard all the reasons studying music was beneficial. Number one, studying music and learning to read music increases math abilities in young children. The reason you can pass that grievous Euclidean Geometry course is because you started taking drum lessons when you were eight! Then let’s discuss discourse. The opportunity to learn to communicate and debate effectively. I had many opportunities to listen to other people’s ideas and values that I would not heard since in another setting. College is a draw for many individuals coming from various locations. Even at a small college, you will meet people outside of your immediate, local community. We are living in a global society that is becoming increasingly smaller. Understanding cultural differences is the important soft skill du jour. What better place to practice these skills than within the brick and mortar walls (or cyberspace chat rooms) of academia? Then there is writing. You will have the opportunity to write. A lot. A whole lot. You will enhance your creative writing skill set when you need to write something original about Kierkegaard for Philosophy or the Han dynasty for Western Civics. And you can also factor in drumming with how it relates to multiculturalism. You will probably study where drums originated and why. You are therefore learning about other cultures and how they developed. Were drums used to signal the monthly town hall meeting, imminent danger warnings, or was it to have a good time? (I would be delighted to think my generation (X) invented the mosh pit, but not likely!) So, you learn about different cultures and how they handle politics, communications, and recreation. You then begin to realize, hey, these people who have exotic customs, rituals, and norms aren’t really all that different than myself. And that my friends, is the beginning of what’s called critical thinking. Yet another skill earmarked as an indicator of one’s future success in the workforce. Let’s recap the skill set a degree in bongos potentially has a chance in developing. It can develop math, communication, debate, and writing skills. You can potentially learn history and political science. It also can assist in developing multicultural skills and gives one opportunity to begin using critical and integrated thinking. It’s also a great place to meet friends who are about doing something positive.

If you are passionate about learning, there is opportunity potential any facet of academia. I heard a statistic of the likelihood of one being more than twice as likely to experience a fulfilling career with a B.A. than no degree. It goes up with advancing degree level. PhD grads are three times more likely to experience job satisfaction. You are also more likely to be employed and will, more often than not, make significantly more money than a high school graduate. There are numerous statistics to validate either side of the debate. And if you went to college, in all probability, you know how to do that.