[dropcap]S[/dropcap]tudents often find themselves lost amid papers, midterms and due dates. As a result, college life becomes this never-ending cycle that holds a promise. This promise, however, is suggestive of the fact that there is light at the end of the tunnel for every student.
After all, nothing compares to the completion of all four years and, finally, receiving one’s bachelor’s degree after what feels like decades of studies. While obtaining a bachelor’s degree has been the expected Plan B following high school, has its worth become valueless since a master’s degree seems the new Plan B?
The future of the bachelor’s degree is not promising, according to recent reports. “Bachelor’s degrees have become more common over the years. With about one-third of the population having a bachelor’s degree, having the degree alone does not guarantee employment,” Campus Explorers writes.
“There will still be competition for tops jobs in well-paying or popular fields. Some are predicting that the master’s degree may become the “new bachelor’s” – the degree that gives its holder value and leverage in the job market.”
LifeHack.org poses a few valid reasons for the depreciation of bachelor’s degrees:
Academic Inflation
“Today, almost 60% of all jobs in the US require a higher education. Your new bachelor’s degree is becoming increasingly worthless as more and more people graduate from college, as jobs that used to need only a bachelor’s degree now prefer master’s degrees. It’s only a matter of time until you’ll need a bachelor’s degree and a certification to mow lawns — there go all the summer jobs for kids.”
The Illusion of Safety
“What used to be a guarantee of safety and stability has recently turned into an exercise in musical chairs. There aren’t enough jobs for everyone, and you find yourself scrambling to not be the odd man out. According to a CNN article, less than half of college graduates under the age of 25 are working at a job that requires a college degree.
The same article mentions a 2012 study from Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce titled “Hard Times: Not All College Majors Are Created Equal,” showing that bachelor degree grads have an unemployment rate of 8.9%.”
However, fear not students as all your hard work, late nights, and coffee runs will not be in vain. Despite what research and various numbers impose, you ultimately stand a better chance with a bachelor’s degree than without. Although getting a degree isn’t the golden ticket to success anymore, it’s still a rite of passage in America.
If you do need to get a job, having a degree can be of tremendous assistance as it will provide more options to choose from, while also increasing your pay as “it’s estimated that a degree is worth $1.3 million in additional lifetime earnings” according to LifeHack.org.
The amount of intellectual stimulation received as a student is also beyond compare. It’s not until after college that you realize how mentally stimulated you were every single day. Although a degree does not guarantee security currently, it is important to keep pushing to get the most out of the four years.