To all young men: why you need to go to college. (And how to choose the right one)

It is a known fact that college is rapidly becoming the educational standard. The jobs that once appealed to high school graduates as quick ways to enter the work force now require a college degree as a minimal qualification. In many cases, it does not even matter what your degree is, so long as you have one. The Washington post coined this phenomenon as “degree inflation.” (See link here) Thus, it clearly seems a sound, strategic move to get some sort of degree in order to make you a more valuable asset in the work force. But the reasons for higher education soar well above the economical advantages that a degree would give you. Deeper than the world of business, the advantages of a college degree will inevitably make a difference in your family life, and will have an even deeper impact on your own soul. It is always a smart move to try and maximize the benefits that come with your package, so trying to find an education that will help your personal life as well as your public figure is key, and I have a few suggestions in mind that hopefully will make your job easier. To start out, I want to name just a couple general benefits that go along with a college education. Take into account that how well you actually use these benefits will vary greatly depending on the type of degree you choose.

You will have an ethos with your friends and family. Why do employers require college degrees of their employees? To them, it is a sign that the person is intelligent and mature. The same holds true in a family. When the father has “done got learned,” he holds an ethos with his family as the one who holds the answers, who can be trusted. Although this won’t make huge difference to your young kids right away, it definitely will be appreciated by your wife, because in the back of her mind she knows that you have been tested by fire and have fought the fight into the business world. To her, you will be a veteran of sorts. By the time your little kids are in rebellious teenage years, sometimes the only thing that keeps you one step above them is the fact they haven’t finished high school yet. You are much further than down the educational road than they are, and only time and maturity can decrease that distance.

It is not just the looks either. You WILL be able to give a better answer to your kids, because you have the experience and the maturity that only a college environment can give you. And if you don’t know the answer, you know who does. In any case, there will be a time when you are in a crowd of people amidst a crisis, and you will be the only one who knows the answer. College Keeps doors open.

This is where it comes down to particulars. Different degrees are going to have different advantages. For example, a specialized degree, such as in law, is going to give specific advantages: competition in government jobs, private firms, and a superior knowledge of the law. This degree could be less beneficial in your private life, however. Those really awkward morality questions that tend to be asked by curious children can’t be answered in a law book. Conflicts in your marriage can’t be resolved by law, unless you call divorce a resolution. Whether you are becoming an electrician, mechanic, or a doctor, there are going to be some pros and cons that will affect your public figure and your own household.

Now, if you decide to attend college strictly as an investment and to maximize your benefits, there is one degree that absolutely stands out: the liberal arts. This is the education that not only benefits your own personal life, but equally benefits your employers. In fact, there is more than enough evidence showing that the most sought after degree by employers is the liberal arts. Why is this degree such a big deal? Rather than being an expert in one specialty, a liberal arts grad has the power to be master of anything his employer throws at him—including on-the-job training. That is about as deep as I am going with this right now, but I highly recommend looking into the arts amid your strategics. What makes a competitive applicant?

An applicant that has a lot of benefits for his employer in his back pocket.

Choosing an education is an investment. In the process of choosing, you are building a plan for your entire future. The thing to keep in mind is that a plan is only circumstantially fool proof, and is always subject to change. The best investment is the one that takes changes and pitfalls into account. If you are a gambler, you might go one way. If you are a strategist, you might go another. The choice is yours.