You hear the phrase “value of a good education” from those who would like us to believe the survival of our country hinges on everyone being college educated. Usually following that thought is the suggestion that we ought to be giving a free college education to everyone.

Here is the problem with that premise: Only 27% of college graduates work in a field related to their major. It’s a waste of time and money for the remaining 73% who can’t find work in their field of study. Many graduate and work in service industry jobs just barely enough to make their loan payments.

“See, we should make it free,” they say. No, we shouldn’t push our kids into college for jobs that don’t require a college education. Further, it hurts our economy by taking money that could be used for homes, goods, and services (all of which produce jobs) and uses it to pay off the loans for the unused college educations.

Using tax money to pay for college has the same result, it takes money from peoples pocket that could be used to keep the economy going or put away for retirement. Education has no value when it’s not used after it’s given.

Mike Kerstetter

Watsontown

Submitted by Virtual Newsroom