Breaking The Binaries

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Before diving into the argument on higher education, I’d like to first address the binary views society has towards many important topics. We have grown towards the idea that topics must be viewed as black and white or left wing and right wing. We apply this style of thinking to politics, religion, and especially gender. One gender issue that I believe can be best used as a lens for viewing the higher education argument is that of gender roles in same sex relationships. With gender roles we typically believe that there must be a man and a woman in a relationship so people apply this to same sex relationships as well. Society then defines who’s the man and the woman in the relationship based on the masculine or feminine traits being displayed. Stephen Mays goes further in the argument in an article: “What about gender roles in same sex relationships?” This is a way of thinking that must end so that it is not used in other areas.

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So What’s The Deal With College

I started with gender to explain how the same style of thinking is used in higher education. If one attends college, he/she is intelligent and understanding of the benefits college provides. Whereas if one doesn’t attend college he/she is assumed to be unintelligent and ignorant of the “importance” to attending a four-year university. Just as with behaviors in gay relationships, one can behave against the social norm with college and still be intelligent or successful.

College may not be for everyone and while the average salary for those with a bachelor degree is higher, there are circumstances where going to college for some may not be beneficial. A student’s major, career intention, and happiness all play factors into whether college will profit a student. Stephanie Owen and Isabel Sawhill would agree with this and make their claims in their piece titled “Should Everyone Go to College?” 

 Source: Conway

Another problem developed now with college is that the bachelor’s degree isn’t as important as society makes it seem. Kids are now going to college simply for the degree and not the knowledge and skills that can be acquired from it. Therefore students can spend loads of money just to get a degree when their four years is up, only to come out with same level of intelligence as the average high school graduate who has been working for the last four years. Charles Murray makes his case for this idea in his work titled “Are Too Many People Going To College?” (Hint: the answer is yes).

 Source: Conway

Other Alternatives

The grey area tends to be deemed small for higher education, but in reality there are many other options besides attending a four-year university or not. Perfecting a skill or profession that does not require a college degree is a great idea for those who have no clue what  they want to major in and end up finding a job in a field where the degree isn’t necessary. The junior college route is also a smart alternative to save some money and knock out introductory courses that are very similar to those of a university. Online educations could even be pursued and could provide the same information that can be acquired through college. One would also be able to explore their interests in ways that aren’t possible in college and learn on their own time whenever he/she pleases.

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Making This Magic Happen

Everyone is different, has different needs, and is in different situations. Therefore making higher education decisions should be based on what’s best for the individual but they must know that there are more than two routes and their is nothing wrong with whatever route they choose. Just as we develop our gender based on our own identity and not personality traits, we develop our intelligence based on what we see as valuable, not what society believes is. Eckert and McConnell-Ginet explan this concept as well in “Learning to Be Gendered.”

It’s time to make a change and we as a society must collectively open our eyes and accept what’s not “typical” so that we can change the way we think. Thanks for reading!