Week 11: Post 1

The section that really caught my eye from this week’s readings was “The Effects of College.” As a current college student, it was not surprising that this particular section both interested and informed me. While I chose to attend college to further my education, another important reason that helped me make this decision is the drive to reach my goal of becoming a high school math teacher. Another reassuring fact that I made the right decision is that in 2009, full-time workers with only a high school degree had an average salary of $36,000, whereas those with a bachelor’s degree had an average salary of $73,000 (Berger 2011). Since I want to have kids someday, having the money to provide for them is something that is very important to me. Another point that I found really interesting was the correlation between attending college and better health. Those who graduate from college smoke less, eat better, exercise more, and live longer (Berger 2011). Students pick up all types of habits – both good and bad – during college, so by the time they graduate, they have the maturity and intellectual ability to make healthier lifestyle choices than those who did not attend college.

References

Berger, K. S. (2011) The Developing Person Through the Life Span. New York: Worth Publishers.