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Part IÂ
Forge Forward
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Chapter 1
The Intensifying Struggle
âIf there is no struggle, there is no progress.â
âFrederick Douglass
Eighty years ago, a college degree was seen as nothing more than a nice educational accessory for upper-class members of society.2 It wasnât necessary for career advancement, nor was it necessary for obtaining wealth. However, things are different in the twenty-first century. College is no longer just a nice to have; it has become a need to have. And even when you have it, most people feel the path to secure career-related employment is still an uphill battle. Unfortunately, employers have the upper hand in demanding what they require of their employees to work for their organization and we, college students and graduates, are having a difficult time adjusting to such demands. For one, they require an abundance of experience or simply try to pay you next to nothing, despite your having an $80,000 degree. Many of us are stuck between: (1) whatâs the point of college if you graduate with so much debt, and (2) why donât I just start my own business instead of going to college?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 20 percent of new businesses fail within the first two years, 45 percent during the first five, and 65 percent during the first ten years.3 Twenty-five percent of new businesses manage to make it past fifteen years,3 and during that time, you can bet there were obstacles. The debt you acquire as a college student can equate to the same debt some businesses experience. No matter which path you embark on, it will be accompanied by its own set of stressors and difficulties. Deciding which path to take as an eighteen-year-old high school graduate is difficult. Often, students who decide not to go to college straight out of high school rarely go back to complete all four years. As students spend time deciding which struggle makes the most sense, unanswered questions begin to fill their heads.
Whatâs the Purpose of College?
The purpose of college has changed over the years. Today, college feels like a culmination of historical purposes. Harvard University was the first college to be founded in the United States in 1636.4 When Harvard first opened its doors, its main purpose was to train clergymen.5 As more colleges began to follow in Harvardâs footsteps, the pool of college students transitioned from clergymen to include Americaâs elite.2 Considering inflation, college wasnât nearly as expensive then as it is now, so why couldnât everyday Americans better their lives by getting a college degree? Middle to poor working-class families simply couldnât afford to trade a labor salary for an education. For over 180 years, the college system continued to signify prestige and remained true to its purpose of helping churches until 1819.
The University of Virginia was founded in 1819 by former US President Thomas Jefferson.6 He was determined to make college more affordable and applicable to the public.6 Rather than restricting college to aspiring clergymen, Jefferson aspired to have a public institution that would encourage average Americans to build upon their general knowledge. Jeffersonâs founding efforts at the University of Virginia kickstarted the public college education system. Similar to modern times, the government managed to have its hands in collegiate education. In 1862, Vermont Congressman Justin Morrill proposed the Morrill Land Grant Act, which would donate public land to selected states and territories to build colleges.7 The colleges were expected to promote agricultural and mechanical arts, thus ensuring a plentiful educated workforce within these specific fields. So far, from 1636 through the 1860s, we can acknowledge the purpose of college shifting from solely an education rooted in religion to an education in practical knowledge.
In the early 1900s, another shift took place. Many people still did not feel college was necessary, so colleges and universities took a different approach to drive up enrollment. College soon became about the experience. The emphasis on many of our experiences in collegeâGreek life, parties, sports, and the overall appeal of how a campus looksâramped up in the 1900s. Why do you think campus tours have become so instrumental in studentâs commitment decisions? It is not by coincidence; itâs by design. While students should never base their college attendance decisions on turf football fields and keg parties, some students opt to attend coll...
