Dale Stephens’ general argument in his work, “The Case Against College,” is that a college education is practically useless in modern day society and people should not go. More specifically, Stephens argues that college kills creativity and it creates a large amount of debt. He writes, “Our education system cultivates a mind-set where students are rewarded for following directions.” Through this, Stephens is insinuating that students are being told what to do and there is no space for their own thought. In conclusion, Stephens believes that college is now overrated because of the loss in value of a college degree, the cost of a college education, and the creativity that is killed in order to get there.
In my view, Stephens’ argument is valid in some points. I believe that in today’s society, the creativity of students is being undermined. Standardized testing and lessons being based on the tests, creativity of both the teachers and the students are diminishing slowly. However, I believe that college is a place for students, and teachers alike, to allow their creativity to blossom. It creates many opportunities for their creativity to flourish. Therefore, I conclude that college is an important, innovative, and major part of life that should not be prevented, no matter the cost.
Many would argue that the college degree has lost much of its worth. They don’t believe a college degree is worth the price. In today’s society, there are many jobs that don’t require a degree. Basically, if you are going to school to get a degree for a career that is going to easily pay back the money you lost from tuition, it is worth it, especially if the chances of getting a job right out of college are high. But, if you are going to school for a degree that many people are going after as well, you will more l ikely be stuck in debt for a long time, as well as not getting that job right after graduation. Stephens says that after college, students are forced to find a job to pay off the debt instead of being allowed to “take time to start companies, projects, causes, or initiatives.” I believe that if a person with a degree in the specialty that they are best in, and enjoy, that they will pay off the debt sooner than everyone else thought. The average debt is closely proportional to the salary of the career from their degree. It is all about what you chose to do.
Creativity throughout mostly middle and high school has been thought of as less important. Schools have bunched all the students together in a group and started teaching them the ways of the past. They teach them history, math, English, and many other subjects. Students have been learning the same things for the last 30 years. The students don’t get much of a choice of what they learn. Even if they get to pick their classes, it’s a mostly limited amount of information that is given to them. Stephens understands this fact. His test of kindergartners only helps to prove the point. Killing creativity is like having no brain. Without the brain the body would be lifeless, and without creativity in our lives, all of us would be the same. Leaving us without our own ideas or beliefs. As a student leaves high school and embarks on the journey through college, they realize their creative freedom. Yes, they can make their classes just like they can in high school, but the classes are less restricting. The teachers teach at their own pace, and even if that isn’t the right pace for the student, there are many more resources for them to get the information or help that they need to succeed. For example, as “Bobby” gets to his sophomore or junior year, he declares his major. He is able to go wherever he wants in life. His creativity has flourished beyond anything he ever thought before. This has happened to many collegestudents all over the world. By doing this, they are expanding the world’s imaginative and creative side. Think of all modern inventions, even ancient ones, that you use in your everyday life. If the creators of these technological developments hadn’t went to college and expanded their creativity and knowledge, where would we all be right now?
(Bill Gates on Investing in Education)
Though my college experience has just
begun, I already have faced some creative freedom. I have expanded my knowledge
of many new subjects I never even thought would be taught in a school. The
occurrence is almost shocking when it is first endured but when you are coming
from a high school that doesn’t offer a lot of educational freedom, it is a
liberating adventure. Your creative, imaginative, original, inventive identity
is expressed and you will never want to be cooped up in your mind again.
Ultimately, I believe college to be worth
the cost and the years of creative repression. Grade schools should stop the
repression but the feeling of freedom, throughout college, is worth it. College
creates opportunities that would never be accomplished without knowledge,
creativity, or ambition. College formulates that same knowledge, creativity,
and ambition. The argument Stephens makes is valid in some cases, but if you
have the drive, the ambition, the determination, to succeed, you will. If you
have all that, no debt can hold you back. College debt is just a “Jedi Mind
Trick”, a “Force fear”. It is trying to force that creativity back into your
brain. You shouldn’t let it. Helen Keller once said, “College isn’t the place
to go for ideas.” She was right. College is the place to express yourself. A
college education is your doorway to independence.
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