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Argumentative Writing © Cult of Pedagogy

ESSAY 1 • DRAFT 1

Although opportunities to earn a good living without a college degree

seem to be growing, attending college is still a smart career move for students.

It opens up more opportunities for getting a job, it helps you figure out what

kind of job is right for you, and it will help you earn a lot more money over

your lifetime.

First, having a college degree increases your chances of getting a job. To

become a web designer, real estate agent, or chef, you don’t have to have any

type of college degree, but having a degree won’t prevent you from getting any

of those jobs. On the other hand, you can’t become a teacher, an accountant, a

doctor, or an engineer without a degree. The math is simple: The more

education you have, the more job options you have. And more options will

give you a more financially stable life.

Attending college is also a good career choice because it gives students

a safe place to figure out what kind of work they want to do, trying out

different things until they find a good fit. That was the case for University of

Maryland student Stacey Skulnik, who laughed when she heard that the

average college student changes their major twice. “I had always considered

myself to be decisive and positive of my future,” she said. Then she went on to

change her own major—first from business to communications, and then to

journalism. “Now, as a junior,” she says, “I am happier than ever. I am

stimulated by my academic work and enthusiastic about my growth as a

writer.” Many other college students like Stacey go through the same process:

thinking they want to do one thing, but realizing later it’s not right for them.

Within a college environment, you can explore interests easily, without

having to change jobs or move to a new location, and having experts available

to help you learn about different careers means you’re more likely to find just

the right path.

Yes, College Is Worth It

53

Argumentative Writing © Cult of Pedagogy

Essay 1 • Draft 1 (continued)

Finally, a college education is more likely to help you earn more money

over your lifetime. College graduates earn far more money than those who do

not get the degree. A 2014 study by the Economic Policy Institute estimated

that people with four-year college degrees earned 98 percent more per hour

than those who did not finish college. So even if it seems like you’d be able to

earn some good money right out of high school, take a look at the long term

and you’ll see that college definitely pays off over time.

54

55SAMPLE PLANNER, ESSAY 1, STAGE 3 —

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