Why should I go to college?

What a semester! If you are ever bored and need something to do, all you have to do is come to the BryanLGH College of Health Sciences and you'll find more to do that you could ever think of. Personally, I haven't even been in the college that much this semester. I am taking my Community class and all of our clinicals are out at different agencies within Lincoln and the surrounding area. Our community class has us focus on the health of a certain population rather than just the health of a certain individual. This is a very different approach than what I have been used to so far in school, but has been very eye opening to all of the different aspects that nursing is involved with. Most people think that nurses only work in the hospital or in a clinic. However, this is not true and there are starting to be more and more jobs for nurses outside of their traditional roles. For example, one of my clinicals had me shadow an occupational health nurse. The "hospital" that she worked in was one of Lincoln's local factories. Her job was to set up and implement different health programs, such as a weight loss program or nutrition seminar, for the company's employees. In addition, she would also try to look at the employee's work conditions from a health and injury perspective so that she could find ways to improve workers conditions and prevent work-related injuries so that the company was not loosing employees to injury. Kinda neat!
With clinicals like this, I feel that I learn so much every day. However, between all of my clinicals, classes, and homework I sometimes think to myself, "Why did I go to college in the first place? Wouldn't it have just be easier to go get a job and make some money?" Just when I start to think this, I found this article that Bryan's Financial Aid official posted, so I thought I would share it with you. Hope you find it motivating as well!
Ross

IS COLLEGE REALLY WORTH IT?

Considering the high cost of a college education and the drain that expense can have on one’s financial resources and future,
it may cause some college-bound students to wonder, “Is college really worth it?”
Here are my 10 reasons why you should pursue a college education:

1. Analytical thinking skills. Today’s world is complex and it requires making daily decisions about personal, economic,
health, political, professional and social matters. Learning how to approach a decision, gather relevant facts,
analyze contradictory data and draw conclusions are necessary skills for successful living. There is no better training
ground to develop these skills than college.
2. Career beginnings. Significant knowledge is required to understand the nature of most occupations. College is usually
the most effective way to acquire this knowledge. For many professions, a college education is a prerequisite for
entering the field.
3. Career advancement. Many employers base promotion decisions on an employee’s education. Employers need
ways to rank employees, and a college education is an easily identifiable standard.
4. Financial gain. While there are some exceptions, individuals with college degrees earn more over their careers than
people with little or no education. The difference in lifetime earnings can amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
5. Economic preparation. We all participate in a complex and continually changing economic environment, which
requires some understanding of our economy. Where better to practice budgeting and allocating precious financial
resources than college.
6. Friends and spouses. Colleges bring disparate people together in one place. When individuals find themselves sharing
similar experiences it’s not surprising that lifelong friendships – and even life partnerships – can develop. Networking
often begins here too.
7. Life awareness. The next time you’re in a group of people, step back and watch how they interact with each other.
Humans are social magnets – we bond with each other through conversation and other activities. College serves an
important role in preparing individuals for continued adult social interaction.
8. Lifelong source of advice and information. Graduation from college doesn’t mean you won’t be back. Just the
opposite. Today, colleges are eager to keep in touch with alumni and offer programs and events on both personal and
professional issues.
9. Purpose in life. At some point, most of us wonder about our purpose in life – why are we here and what should we
be doing? Colleges, by their nature, bring together people with different lifestyles, ideas and experiences. College
will give you an opportunity to mature your thinking, clarify your purpose and explore paths best suited to you.
10. Self-actualization. Psychologist Abraham Maslow theorized that humans have a need to be somebody, to feel important,
useful and of value to others and society. This self-actualizing behavior can mean developing and applying
knowledge over time to build expertise in a given subject. Becoming an expert in one’s chosen career field is one of
life’s greatest feelings of accomplishment. As we age and begin to satisfy the more basic needs in our lives, this need
for self-actualization becomes more important. Lifelong learning is a key element in developing a sense of accomplishment
and a college education is the foundation for lifelong learning.
I hope you find that your college education is worth more to you than you ever imagined.!!
Article adapted from James C. Gonyea contribution to Fastweb