Pursuingagraduatedegree,specificallyaPhD,isadecisionthatwasmadeonlyinthelastfew years.Thisnewdirectionwaslargelybasedonmyrecentexposuretohighereducationingeneral, buttominoritywomeninhighereducationspecificallyTohelpexplainhowthisexposurehelpedto propelmydesiretopursueagraduatedegreeatthispointinmylife,Ifeelit'simportanttoprovide youwithsomebackgroundinformationandcontextofmyupbringing.Myparentsareimmigrated fromMexicoshortlyaftergettingmarried.AlthoughmyfatherhadbeencomingtotheUnitedStates sincehewasateentowork,hedidthisseasonallyandwouldreturntoMexicowhentheagricultural seasonendedAftermyparentsmarriedtheysettledinasmallagriculturaltowninacoastaltownof California.Itisinthissmalltownthatmyparentsraisedtheir6children.Holdingontotheir traditionalvalueswewereraisedinatraditionalmanner;fromayoungagethegirlswereexpected tohelpoutinthehouseandcontributebydoinghouseworkwhiletheboyswereexpectedtohelp myfatherwhichincludedhelpingoutinthefields.Itwasinthiswaythatmyparentstriedtoinstill manyofthesamevalueswhichtheyhadacquiredintheiryouthgrowingupinMexico.Although theywantedustodowellinschoolitwasn'tsomethingthatwasstronglyemphasized.Perhapsit wasduetotheirlimitedexposuretoeducationandthelackofeducationalopportunitiesmyparent's hadgrowingup
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Goingbacktogetmymaster'sdegreewasatoughdecisionforme.IalwaysusedtosayIwasnot goingtogetmymaster'sdegreebecausetherewasnoreasontogetit,especiallyseeing,asIwanted tobeaflightnurseforalocalmedicalhelicopter.However,thinkingaboutitalittlemoreIrealized Imightwanttoteachlateroninmycareer.Ididnotwanttohavetogobacktoschoollateron.At thispointinmylife,itwasagoodtimetogobacktoschool,Idonothaveanykids,andmy scheduleisnotthatbusy.IdecidedtopursuethegeneralisttrackbecauseIamnotonehundred percentsurewhatIwanttodofurtheroninmycareer.IliketheideathatifIdodecidelateronthat IwanttoteachIcangobackandtakeafewclassesandgetmycertificateineducationBeingonthe generalisttrackkeepsmoreoptionsopenformelateroninmycareer.Atamaster'sdegreelevel "outcomegoals...includereadingthenursingandhealthcareliterature,criticallyappraising evidenceasabasisforpracticedecisions,andapplyingittopatientcaretomakecaredecisionswith thebestinformationavailable"(Kim&Hayat,2015,p.144).Beingamaster'spreparednursewill allowmetogivethepatientsIamtakingcareofbetterqualitycare
Examples
Therearemultipleexamplesofthecontributionthatnurseswithmaster'sdegreehaveinthehealth carefield.Therearenotmanynursesouttherethathavehisorhermaster'sdegreethathavestudied onthe
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GeneralEssay
Pursuingacollegedegreeisoneofthebiggestchallengesthatpeoplecanface.Thechallengesof obtainingacollegedegreeisnotlimitedattheleveloftoughnessoflearningthematerialthatis beingtaught.However,thechallengeofstudyingthematerialsthatisbeingtaughtdoesnotcompare tothefinicalaspectofobtainingthedegreeitselfReceivingadegreeinanymajorisexpensive, alongwithcollegeexpensesuchasbook,feeandtransportation.Thatiswhyitisveryimportantto methatIreceiveascholarship.Thefinicalpartofreceivingmydegreeiswhatpreventingmefrom gettingitInsteadofbeingafull–timestudentandreceivingmydegreeontime,Iambeingsetback andbeingapart–timestudentso...showmorecontent...
Moreover,IamplanningonapplytoPhysicianassistantgraduateschool.GraduatingfromPA schoolwillgreatlyhelpmegivebacktothecommunityaftercompletingmyeducation.Obtaininga degreefromPAschoolwillgivemeknowledgeandtheopportunitytohelppeoplewhoneedhelp butcannotaffordtogotoanactualphysicianVolunteeringtoeducatethecommunityonhowto preventdiseaseamongthemselvesisawaytogivebackthecommunitythathelpedmetobecomea physicianassistant.Beingasoccerplayertaughtmehowtoworkwithotherpeopletobesuccessful. Italsotaughtmehowtocomminutewithpeopleandactunderpressure.Beingtheheadcoachofthe church'shighschoolsoccerteamhelpedmetogrowindividuallybecauseittaughtmehowtobe responsibleoftheyoungerkidsandbepatiencewiththemandbeabletocomminutetoeachand everychildintheirownway.Iamthefirstmemberfrommyfamilytoattendcollege.Manyreasons motivatedmetopursueacollegedegree.Themainreasonwasbeingabletohelppeopleineffective waynotjustgivethemmoneyWantingtomakeadifferenceintheworldandmakeitabetterplace formychildrenandthegenerationsafterme,isanotherreasonthatmotivatedmetopursueacollege degree.Lastlyweknowthatbehindeveryonethereisastoryandeveryonehas
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Afterhighschool,achoicethatmanystudentshavetomakeiswhethertogotocollegeornot. Therearemanyfactorsthatgointoone'sdecision.Thereareprosandconstogoingtocollegeand alsothereareprosandconsfornotgoingtocollege.Butthedecisionthatwillgivesomeonethe betteropportunitytohaveamoresuccessfullifeistogotocollege.Themoneythatonewillearn aftergettingacollegedegreewillbemorethanthemoneyapersonwillmakewithoutgettinga collegedegree.Asoursocietyhascontinuedtoevolve,educationhasbecometheoptimalrouteto professionalsuccess:pursuingadegreeisthebestwaytoreceivetraining,togainexpertiseina givenfield,andeventoguideyouandhelpyoumakechoicesshowmorecontent
Althoughapersonincollegecanhaveajob,thatpersoncannotworkasmuchassomeonewhois notincollege.Atfirstthisisapositivefornotgoingtocollegebecausethatwouldmeanmore moneyforthepeoplenotgoingtocollege.Thatistruebutoveryears;thepeoplewithacollege degreewillendupwithmoremoneybecauseofthehigherannualsalaries.Thebenefitsofacollege degreearenotjustformoney,butalsoacollegedegreewillalsogiveapersonmorecareeroptions Apersonwithacollegedegreewillhavemorecareeroptionsthansomeonewithoutacollegedegree becauseemployerswillseethatonehasacollegedegreeandthinkthatpersonknowswhattodo andcandothejobwell.Employerswantthebestpersonforthejobandacollegedegreelooks reallygoodonaperson'sresume(TenGreat...).Inasurveythatwascastedtoseewhatemployers lookfor,thoseemployerssaidthattheywantedpeoplethathavedependability,reliability,agood attitude,theabilitytoreadcomfortably,theabilitytothinkmoreconsciously,computerskills,and theabilitytocommunicateclearlywhetheritbespokenorinwriting(Knowledgeand...).Alongthe pathofgettingacollegedegree,onewillalsolearntheseskillsandattributesNotonlydoesa collegedegreeincreaseone'schancesofgettingajob,butitcanalsogetapersonemployer–paid healthinsuranceandpensionplans.Thatisgreatconsideringthatthe
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Inpresentday,itisexpectedthatafterhighschoolstudentscontinuetheireducationtocollege. Therefore,itisnosurprisetosaythatmoststudentsfollowthepedigree,makingabachelor'sdegree dilutetothevalueofahighschooldiploma.Yes,itisgreatthatyouobtainedabachelor'sdegree, butitdoesn'tdifferentiateyoufromtheotherhundredpeoplewhoapplyforthejobposition.Now, advanceddegreeslikemastersanddoctoratesarewhatcountNotonlydoesit[bachelor'sdegree] notgiveyouabetterchanceatanentry–leveljob,butalso,themajorityofcollegegraduatesare swimminginapoolofdebt.Sointheend,afterallthoseyearsofstudying,thedollarsindebtand thechanceofnotevengettingajobinshowmorecontent
Asforthemoneymaking,thefirst5yearsaren'tlookingsogreat,butafterthat,onaverage,acollege graduatewithabachelor'sdegreeearns$30,000moreperyearthanahighschoolgraduate,orabout $500,000moreoveralifetime.Actually,anytypeofeducationpasthighschoolwillhaveyou earningmore,whetherit'ssomecollege,anassociate'soranythinghigher.Furthermore,college graduateshaveabetterqualitylife"How?"youmayask,wellapartfromtheobviousfactthattheir incomeisgreater,studiesshowcollegegraduatesarehealthierandlivelonger,theirchildrenare morepreparedforschoolandaremoreproductivemembersofsociety.TheCollegeBoardreports only9%offour–yearcollegegraduatessmokeandonly6%ofadultswithadvanceddegrees smoked,comparedtothe27%ofhighschoolgraduatesreportedtosmoke,also,collegegraduates andadultswithadvanceddegreesaremorelikelytostopsmokingAdditionally,roughly81%of college–educatedadultsbetweentheagesof25and34exerciseatleastonceaweekcomparedto the54%highschooleducatedyoungadults.Olderadultsarelesslikelytoexercisethanyoung adultsbutthepatternremainsthesame:thehighertheeducation,themoreexercisetheperson partakesin,makinghim/heranoverallhealthierperson.Let'snotforgetthechildrennow,according tothestudydonebytheCollegeBoard,"childrenofparentswithhigherlevelsofeducational attainment
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DoesYourDegreeAffectYourFutureJob?
Everyonesetsgoalsforthemselvesinordertoattainthemostimportantgoalofall:toget somewhereinsociety.Manypeoplebelievetheonlywaytogetanywhereistohaveagoodjoband toearnalotofmoneyfromit.Nowadays,highereducationisbecomingadesirablequality employersliketoseeontheirfutureemployees'applicationsHowmuchvaluedoesyourdegree holdintheeyesofyourfutureboss?Opinionsofthevalueofhighereducationvaryfrompersonto person.Personally,Ibelieveacollegedegreemeansmoretobusinessesthanjusthavingmadeit throughgeneraleducationMikeRosetellsusthat"for[Uncle]Joetheshopfloorprovidedwhat schooldidnot;itwaslike...showmorecontent...
ProfessorHegemanstates"Idobelievethatearningacollegedegreeinamajorthatrequires significanteffortdoesimproveanewgraduates'chancesofbeinghired,regardlessofthejob," (Hegeman)Mr.Purtleagreesbysaying"[Ahighereducation]showsemployersmotivationtodothe job,anditshowsyoureallywanttogetsomewhereintheworldItmeansthatyouwantedahigher educationenoughtoearnit,soyouwillearnyourplaceinthejobaswell,"(Purtle).
Mostmanagerswantsomeoneformostpositionswhohavesomesortofdegreebecauseitdoesn't justmeanthatyouknowyourbasicskills.Employeeswanttoknowyouhaveabroaderrangeof skillsthatyoucoulduseintheworkplace.WhileHegemanthinksthat"...thequalityofeducation (intermsofrigor)at4–yearinstitutionsissignificantlybetterthanthatprovidedbycommunity colleges,"(Hegeman).Shealsobelievesthatsomecollegeisbetterthannocollege.Sometimesa degreemeansabroaderrangeofknowledgeandsometimesitshowsthatyouaretrulyqualifiedfor thepositionbeingofferedtoyou
Sometimesifyourdegreeisnotforthefieldyouareapplyingfor,apersonstillhasabetterchance atgettingthatsecondinterviewthanthatpersoncarryingaroundonlytheirhighschooldiploma.For exampleastudentmayhaveadegreeinbiologyandarecompetingforajobagainstapersonwho hasbeenoutofhighschoolfornearlyayear.Whoisgoingtobemoreappealingeducationwisetoa
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Whenchoosingyourdegreepath,thereareafewthingstoconsider.Whatareyoulookingtodo withyoudegree.Areyoustartingfreshorcontinuinganeducationplan.Doyoucurrentlyhaveajob inacertainfield.Onceyoucometoafinalansweronwhatyouwantyoucanchooseadegree. TherearemanybenefitsofgainingadegreeinthefieldofPsychology.Thetopthreebenefitsof MajoringinPsychologyincludeimprovingyourcommunicationskills,achievingabetter understandingofyourselfandbecomingstrongerwithconflictresolutionskills.Inadditiontheyalso willbringmoremoneythansomeonewithaHighSchoolDiplomaoranAssociateArtsDegreeand alsoshowemployeesyouhaveuniversitylevelskillsYouwillautomaticallylookbetteronpaper thansomeonewithnoschoolingexperience.Theseareveryimportantskillsofacquisitiontokeep withyouthroughyourcareerandlife.
Onceyouhavechosentomajorinpsychologyyouthenneedtofindoutwhatyouwouldliketo specializein.Youcanspecializeinavarietyofdifferentpsychologycareers.Twoofthepossible choicesareClinicalandEducationalPsychologistAClinicalPsychologististhebranchof psychologyconcernedwiththeassessmentandtreatmentofmentalillnessanddisability.An educationalpsychologistisabranchofpsychologythatstudieschildreninaneducationalsetting andisconcernedwithteachingandlearningmethods,cognitivedevelopment,andaptitude assessment.Bothhave
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"Acollegedegreeisnotnecessarytobesuccessful."Thissentenceissomethingmyfamilylivesby, neitherofmyparentsgraduatedfromcollege.Eventhoughtheydidnotgraduatefromcollege,they arestillsuccessfulandprovidemewithwhateverIwant.Mybrotherwenttocollegeandnever endedupfinishinggettinghisassociates.Thetrendinmyfamilyistonotgetacollegedegreebut stillendupsuccessfulIamgoingtobreakthattrendbygettingacollegedegreeandbecoming moresuccessfulthanthem.Theyareright,youdonotneedacollegedegreetobesuccessful,but gettingonecanaidyouinyoursuccess.Collegedegreeswillputyouinfrontofsomeoneelsethat doesnothaveonewhiletryingtogetajobIamchallengingtheirideaofcollegeandamgoingtobe moresuccessfulthanthem.
Mymotherdidnotgotocollegeatallbecauseshewashavingababy,butshenowworksasthe manageratPontiacElectricSupplyCompanyandshealsoworksatBernardis2andPontiacElks CountryClub.Beingthatshedidnotgotocollege,shehastoworkthreejobsjustsomybrotherand IcanhaveagreatlifeMydadattendedParklandCommunityCollegeforaboutayearandahalf WhilehewasatParklandhewasplayingbasketballandthendroppedoutbecausehewasgoingto haveababy.HedoesnothaveadegreebuthenowworksforH&JEppleConstruction.Mybrother is21andhasbeengoingtoschoolatHeartlandCommunityCollegefor4years.Heworksfull
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Tryingtostartadegreeplanmaybedifficultforanystudentsthatareundecidedonwhattomajorin hisfutureeducation.Atsomepoint,itcanbecomeveryconfusingknowingthevariouspathsone cantakeandthatareavailabletous.AnAssociatesofScienceinGeneralStudieswillassistany studentinmakingtherightchoiceinselectinganymajortheychoose.Thisdegreeisrelativelyeasy, anditcanbetransferabletovariousmajorsthatastudentmaychooseThedegreeplantakesthe studentthruthecoursesthatwillgivehimorhertheneededknowledgetomaketherightchoices whenselectingthedesiredmajor.IbelievethatanAssociatesofSciencesinGeneralStudiesisgood fortheundecidedstudentandthatarelookingfortherightmajorsforthemshowmorecontent IchosethisdegreeprogramsinceIhaveconfidenceinthatithastheabilitiestoopenmeupto differentmajorsthatwillbewell–suitedwiththeknowledgeImaygainwiththecoursesIam currentlytaking.Ialsochosethisdegreebecause,Ihavenotdoneanyschoolinalongtime,soby mestartingthisDegreeplan,whichisrelativelyeasy,itwillhelpmetogetintoastudyroutinethat willaidmetofocusonwhatIamdoingorwritingWhenIamready,Iwouldliketomaketheright decisioninselectingtheMajorthatIbelievewillgowithmyneedsanddesiresandnotonethatI mighthateornotuseinmyfuture.Iamstillundecidedonwhatmajortogointo,butIdoknowthat uponcompletingthisAssociatesdegreeIwillhaveabetterunderstandingofthecoursethatmaybe requiredforanymajorIdecidetochoose.Ibelievethatthisdegreeisthestartpointorfirststepfor anystudentthatisstillundecidedonwhatexactlytopursue,justlike
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ValueOfACollegeEducationAccordingtoLundberg(2003),"adultstudentsareoneofthemost rapidlygrowingsegmentsoftoday'scollegestudentpopulation,makingupapproximately40%of allcollegestudents"(665).Havingacollegeeducationisanimportanttoolthatcontributesto severalaspectsofaperson'slife.Theareasthatareimpactedthemostwouldbetheprofessionaland personalareasItisimportanttolearnthevalueofacollegeeducationinordertotakeadvantageof whatyoulearnandhowtoproductivelyapplyitinyourpersonalandprofessionallife.Havinga collegeeducationissomethingthatcanalwaysbelookedatasapositiveachievementthatfeels goodandlooksgoodonaresumeEarningacollegedegreeshowmorecontent
Theeducationalexperiencehelpsinthisdevelopmentbypresentingstudentswithmanychallenges, choices,andobstaclesalongtheway.Acollegedegreeisahugeaccomplishmentandmost companiesknowthatintenseworkanddedicationwasputintoearningthatdegree.Employersalso knowthatcollegegraduatesaretaughttoexpresstheirthoughtsclearlyinspeechandinwritingand tomakeinformeddecisionsThatiswhymostcollegegraduatesareviewedasprofessionalsupon enteringanorganization.PersonalAspectsThevalueofacollegeeducationalsoshowsinthe personalaspectsofanindividual'slife.Someveryimportantvaluesaredevelopedwhileattending college.Someofthesevaluesincludematurity,individuality,workethics,time–managementskills, andasenseofpersonalaccomplishment.Havingthesevaluesinstilledwillhelptomoldthetypeof personyouwillbeinyourprofessionallifeandinyourpersonallifewithfriends,family,andmost importantly,withyourself.Importance Ibelievethatacollege educationhelpstodevelopmaturity.Althoughthiscanreallydependontheindividualandatwhat pointintheirlifetheyareattendingcollegeIrealizethatIwillneedtoworkhardandprioritizein collegeinordertogainthemostoutofmytimeandthemoneyinvested.Ihavebeeninthebusiness worldforsometimenowandhaverealizedthatinordertomoveahead
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Formanyfamilies,theideathathighereducationforthemselvesortheirchildrenwillautomatically improvetheirsocialoreconomicstatusisacommonone.Inmanysituationsthiscanbethecase, howeveritisnotuniversal.Additionally,manyfactorscomeintoplaywhenanalyzinghow intergenerationalmobilitydoesordoesnotoccur.Someofthesefactorsincludeexistingsocial class,fieldofstudy,undergraduatevsadvanceddegrees,raceorgender,selectionofinstitution,and parentalresources.Thegeneralhypothesisofthisstudyis"IsaCollegeDegreeStilltheGreat Equalizer?"
ThisissuewasthesourceofstudybyFlorenciaTorcheatNewYorkUniversityUsingdifferent cohortgroupsandconductingvarioussurveymethods,...showmorecontent...
However,thisintergenerationalstatusassociationisweakeramongwomen.Inthecaseofearnings mobility,asimilarU–shapedpatternemerges.Incasesofearningsdistribution,thoseattheextreme endsofeducationaldistributionshowthestrongestassociation(i.e.individualswithlessthana collegedegreeandadvanceddegreeholders)indicating,"acollegedegreeappearstostillbeagreat equalizeramongBAholdersbutnotamongadvanced–degreeholders"(Torche,2011).Sofar,the analysisofintergenerationalmobilityasitrelatestoclass,occupationalstatus,andearningshas beenrestrictedtolabormarketforces.
Whenfamilyincomemobilityisstudied,otherfactorsaretakenintoaccountsuchasnon–occupationalresourcesandfamily–levelprocessesSpecificexamplesthatweretakenintoaccount includedparentaltransfersofwealthandintergenerationalreproductionasitrelatestooccupational mobility.Whiletheresultsofthisareaofstudycloselyresemblepreviouslydiscussedresults,one interestingpointemerges"Theinfluenceofparentalincomeonsons'incomelevelissubstantial amongthosewithoutacollegedegree,itdeclinestoinsignificanceamongcollegegraduates,and thenitregainsstrengthamongadvanceddegreeholders..."(Torche,2011).Thisbringstolightthe issueofhorizontal
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