This personal essay explores why a college education is important to a working adult who spent seventeen years in law enforcement before making a major career change. Drawing on research from the College Board's "Education Pays 2004" report, the author explains how a college degree is necessary for career promotion, how it sets a positive example for three children — including one about to graduate high school — and how higher education is linked to lower unemployment and greater economic security. The essay reflects on the dual motivation of personal advancement and parental responsibility, arguing that pursuing a degree later in life can be uniquely impactful for both the individual and his family.
There is no doubt that a college or university education is extremely valuable to an individual who is striving to improve life for his family and advance his career. Statistics compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau and numerous independent organizations have verified the value of a college degree for many years. A college degree is also vitally important in situations like mine: after seventeen years serving as a law enforcement officer, I have made a major career change. I did not need a college diploma to be hired in my new position, but in order to be promoted — which I fully intend to work toward — I do need the college education.
For the betterment of my family's future and my own, I am proceeding toward that goal. I have known and understood the importance of a college education for my entire adult life, but due to my employment situation, the energy and time required to earn a degree did not mesh with my immediate realities — until now. This essay explains my motivations and dreams as I enter the second career phase of my life. I am motivated to take a new approach: less stressful now that I am out of police work, but challenging nonetheless.
The College Board has published a well-researched document titled Education Pays 2004: The Benefits of Higher Education for Individuals and Society by Sandy Baum and Kathleen Payea. In this 56-page report, many of the advantages of a college education are outlined in detail. Beyond the obvious career benefits, the research highlights other important positives. "The younger children of college graduates display higher levels of school readiness indicators than children of non-college graduates" (Baum, 2005). Moreover, the report notes that students whose parents attended college are "significantly more likely than those with similar incomes whose parents do not have a college education to go to college themselves" (Baum).
My goals and dreams — with respect to earning a college degree — are driven by more than personal career objectives. I am the proud father of three children, and one of them will be graduating from high school this coming spring. I want to set a positive example for all three of them, and especially for the upcoming graduate. It is easy for a father who did not complete college to tell his child, "Don't do what I did and settle for a high school diploma" — but it carries far more weight when that father actually enrolls in college courses with the firm goal of completing a degree. That is exactly what I intend to do.
Knowing that my pursuit of a college education at this point in my life will likely encourage my children to attend college themselves is part of what drives my ambitions right now. I am also sharing with them the practical realities of education and opportunity. Beyond the personal example I hope to set, higher education helps young people develop skills in reasoning, tolerance, reflection, and communication. I want my children to be able to solve problems and cope with unexpected challenges as they mature and enter the adult world.
Higher levels of education "correspond to lower levels of unemployment and poverty," as Baum explains. With the economic downturn and signs of another possible recession — and so many people out of work — I want my children to have the best possible options for their futures. Economic security is one of the most concrete and measurable benefits a college degree can provide, and this reality reinforces my determination to complete my own education.
In conclusion, I am very motivated not only to engage fully with the courses I will be taking in college, but also to set a strong example for my children. If they decide not to attend college, that will be their choice — but I do not want them to turn away from future educational opportunities simply because their father never earned his diploma. Every parent wants the best possible future for their children, and I am no different from millions of others in that regard. Because I spent seventeen years in law enforcement before returning to college, however, I am in a unique situation, and uniquely positioned to make a very positive impression on my children. That impression could help drive their own dreams of a better future.
"Education linked to lower unemployment and poverty"
"The Benefits of a College Education." 2008. Retrieved September 27, 2011.
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