Higher education improves an individual’s quality of life. As compared to high school graduates, college students have longer life spans, better access to healthcare, better dietary and health practices, greater economic stability and security, more prestigious employment and greater job satisfaction, less dependency on government assistance, greater knowledge of government, greater community service and leadership, more volunteer work, more self-confidence, and less criminal activity and incarceration. Higher education, theoretically, also enables an individual to expand their knowledge and skills, express their thoughts clearly in speech and writing, grasp abstract concepts and theories, and increase their understanding of world and community.
Higher education not only trains the students in their chosen field but also teaches them to understand complex subjects, think analytically, and communicate their ideas effectively. Students learn new skills such as planning, organising self- discipline, and how to see a task from finish to start. Higher education helps the students become more professional and learn various work- related skills. Many high school graduates who do not go to college end up working in the service field with jobs that pay low and don’t offer advancement opportunities. In a recent national survey, conducted for Northeastern University, higher education needs to focus on five key areas:
· Global study/ work opportunities
· Entrepreneurship
· Co-op, integrating professional work opportunities into higher education
· Hybrid courses combining online an in-person teaching
· No- frills, lower-cost education
Investing in high education is a huge commitment of time and money. It helps in the achievement of career and goals. Among the most vital benefits of the 21st century is the fact that it helps communities and societies operate smoothly and enhances personal lives. Higher education offers progress to a more efficient economy, improvement in people’s lives, and contributions to a more stable society. When a person is born in a lower economic atmosphere, he is likely to stay there without a college education.
Gurbani Gandhi