University of Oregon Clark Honors College Essay
There are two ways to view college: vocational training to expand career possibilities or mind training, to expand cognitive possibilities. A plethora of valid arguments support both ideas, and ultimately, the student determines what he or she will take from the experience. However, in today’s economy, the former view has taken the forefront, and so have the benefits of a liberal arts education.
Those who treat their courses as prerequisites to their career need much more than a related associates or bachelors to expect employment in today’s workforce. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a startling 10.5% Oregon unemployment rate in November of 2010. Though the nation is beginning to slowly recover from the devastating recession, competition remains extreme. Americans can no longer expect to choose their profession and must prepare to take what they can get. To narrow one’s training to a single job or a specific area would be financial suicide. A broader education allows students to explore and discover other interests, reducing internally imposed pressure to land their dream job. Showing flexibility early in their career will increase their chance of ending up exactly where they want to be.
The competition has forced employers to look beyond specific training to the character of potential employees by evaluating experience as well as education. An applicant with a firm general education base is more likely to think outside the box and possess complex problem solving abilities than one who followed a narrow career pathway in school. Well-rounded students also relate to a wider variety of customers, a very valuable trait in the psychological areas of business.
In addition to occupational competition, the recession has forced today’s youth to expect to work well into their senior years because retirement funds do not look good. Already, the average US worker changes careers three to five times during their lifetime according to the US Department of Labor, but as the number of years in employment increases, this number will inevitably increase as well. With life expectancy approaching a century, and job satisfaction such a hot topic in media directed toward middle-aged citizens, desires to switch it up come as no surprise. Most lack the time and money, and often motivation, to return to school for a complete second education relating to a new career choice. However, those who explored several options in college usually qualify for a new profession with little additional schooling. The support net of a firm liberal arts education may make the difference between ramen and steak for dinner.
Today, American students who can afford to pursue a post-secondary education need to take full advantage of the opportunity. It is no longer a convenience, but rather a misfortune to know exactly how they want to pursue their career. Now more than ever, students must spread their education as thinly as possible to prepare for the wave pool of a workforce that lies ahead. A liberal arts education is extremely important for any twenty-first century student.
