“No great thing is created suddenly.”

Very recently I applied for a presidential transfer scholarship to attend a 4 year college and was required to write an essay on Why Seek an Education. I ended up getting the scholarship and they liked the essay so I’ve decided to post it here.

Why Seek an Education

Often times we hear people discussing the difficulties of their various classes, sometimes questioning what they hope to achieve with the time they spend at school. It is the qualities of these classes that will provide a foundation for our choice of careers. We could all be trained for a specific job and live our entire lives doing just that one thing. However, an education empowers us to go beyond just a job. It allows us to understand more of the world around us and to become a larger part of it. Education provides a means for reaching the goal each and every person seeks after: happiness in life. An education can provide this in three ways: by establishing a background for success in a career, by bettering ourselves as individuals in our society, and by fostering an appreciation of life itself.

An education provides the necessary skills for success in any career. It gives us the chance to seek a profession fitting to our desires. A young woman has the opportunity to develop her painting skills and become an artist. A young man who has been fascinated by computers since his youth has the opportunity to develop a career in computers. Without an education, what kind of job are these individuals qualified for: a minimum wage job at a local store, barely getting past the monthly bills? Their education provides a chance for them to follow their dreams, aspirations and a chance for happiness. An education also provides opportunities for higher paying jobs. The 2000 U.S. Census clearly shows a rise of median income at each level of education completed. Between a high school graduate and a four year college degree, the median income increased by approximately $15,000 from $27,351 to $42,877.

An education helps us to better ourselves as individuals in a civilized society. Proverbs 29:18 states, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” An education is a necessary part of life to maintain a civil society. We can have a better life as a benefit of an education and, therefore, pass on a better life to our children. Samuel Adams, one of our Founding Fathers, had this to say about an education, “If Virtue and Knowledge are diffused among the People, they will never be enslav’d. This will be their great Security.” An education also allows us to seek status and recognition amongst our friends. The respect of our friends can provide us with a deep sense of satisfaction.

Through our new understanding that an education provides, we are better able to appreciate the little things in life. A botany class can develop an appreciation of the marvelous complexity that is a part of every flower. I have enjoyed this class, particularly the field trips that provide an opportunity to see some of the flowers in this area. Botany has helped me to understand the marvelous complexity that grows in every single flower and tree. To see what makes every plant grow adds an even greater enjoyment of the beauty of a single flower. In addition, an education can develop a love of learning itself. This is one of the least appreciated aspects of an education. The thrill of expanding one’s horizons, to understand a part of history, to solve that final algebra problem can provide a sense of satisfaction that cannot be matched. Though we may rarely use some of the knowledge that we acquire, it helps to develop our minds into new ways of thinking. An education gives us an opportunity to be a well-rounded individual. The learning process never has to stop throughout our lifetime.

In conclusion, an education can provide many benefits that last a lifetime: a successful career, an improved standing in our society, and better appreciation of life and learning. While the initial cost of an education may be high, the ultimate benefits we derive cannot be matched. For these reasons, an education is a prize to be sought whose value cannot be measured.

Copyright 2004 by John Peterson