Benefits of higher education for Oklahoma students
Why is college for me?

From Staff Reports Comments 0
Published: November 8, 2009

It’s a good question, and research and experience can find good answers.

Here are top reasons, from "Preparing Your Child For College” experts.

A college degree can provide your child with many opportunities in life. A college education can mean:

Greater knowledge

→A college education will increase your child’s ability to understand developments in science and in society, to think abstractly and critically, to express thoughts clearly in speech and in writing, and to make wise decisions.

More money

→A person who attends college generally earns more than a person who does not. For example, in 1997, a person with a college degree from a four-year college earned about $18,000 more in that year than a person who did not. Someone with a two-year college associate’s degree also tends to earn more than a high school graduate.

Greater potential

→A college education can help increase your child’s understanding of the community, the nation and the world — as he or she explores varying interests, discovers new areas of knowledge, considers goals, and becomes a responsible citizen.

More job opportunities

→The world is changing rapidly. Many jobs rely on new technology and require more brain power than muscle power. In your child’s working life, more jobs will require education beyond high school. With a college education, your child will have more job opportunities.

Help with the decision

→Some of these benefits of college may not be obvious to your child. Even though he or she has to make the final decision to attend college, you can help in the decision-making process by learning about aspects of college and sharing what you learn.