The Impact of a Single Choice by Jack

The Impact of a Single Choice by Jack - April 2020 Scholarship Essay

The expectations of future employers as well as the spedfast growth of knowledge through independence dictate the severity of importance in attending a university. Employers look for college degrees from applicants often as a qualification. Seeing a college degree on a resume confirms to the employer that the applicant is serious, responsible, and well informed. Not only does a college degree depict a well rounded image of the applicant but also delivers on that image. Going to college is often a lot of young adults first time with total independence. This allows them to truly find themselves and therefore rise up to challenges with their motivator no longer being parental influence but themselves. Attending college in our modern society is no longer an aspiration but rather a necessity.

My mother is a secretary at a Presbyterian Church. The job when applied for had no requirements for a college degree. In fact, my mother was the only applicant who applied that had a college degree. Having been only a stay at home mom up to this point, she had no previous secretarial experience. However, she was selected and offered the job over others with experience. Image is a very powerful tool. Her college degree gave my mother a leg up on the rest of the applicants. The confidence a college graduate has when entering interviews no matter the job is second to none to non college graduates. My mother’s employer knew from seeing college degree on her resume that she would be trustworthy, hardworking, and capable. She is technically overqualified for her position, however, this has been towards her benefit over the years when asking for raises. She has the confidence and the degree to back her up to ask for a raise as well as provide an argument as to why she deserves it. Thanks to her college degree, she was effortlessly able to help her family when she needed to pick up work to sustain her household.

Although the image helps, there are other factors to consider. Every schoolchild has heard the same question from their parents: “Have you got all your homework done?”. Parents are just looking out for their children to make sure they will succeed later on in life. Once that child enters college, they are on their own. It’s up to them to show up to class on time, finish homework, study, and get extra help. Most young adults thrive from this throw into cold water. Their new found independence strengthens them to find their own motivations. This sets them up to start building foundations that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. They institute permanent habits that lead them to successful relationships and opportunities. The freedom that college provides means that young adults find themselves and will be that much more likely to lead profitable, happy lives.

The importance of having a college degree is seen by the huge impact it has on determining the outcome of your life. Certainly there are people that are very successful without college degrees. However the knowledge you gain, the image you obtain, the habits you install, are all more than worth the amount you pay. All four of my grandparents and my parents attended and graduated colleges and universities. Their lives have been sculpted based on choices they made from the knowledge they gained during their college years. I look forward to the same and new experiences in my university years to come.