Back

5 Benefits of the College Experience

By Editorial Staff
  |  
  4 Min Read
5 Benefits of the College Experience

If the secret to success at a post-secondary level could be summed up in one sentence, it could be: Get involved and apply yourself. 

That’s the conclusion from several studies looking at the cumulative effects of attending college. Although individuals can succeed without higher learning, a college education does contribute to competence and cognitive development, personal growth and identity, and quality of life improvements. This is only the case, though, if you immerse yourself in your studies and get involved as much as possible in the college experience.

Consider five key benefits of applying yourself while attending college:

1) Cognitive Skills

Data from one study claims that “students make statistically significant gains during the college years on a number of dimensions of general cognitive capabilities and skills.” These gains include the areas of oral and written communication, critical thinking, and abstract reasoning.

The entire structure of college fosters a learning environment, so it’s no surprise that when you invest time and effort, you’ll become competent in your subject.

In general, college graduates end up with a more substantial factual knowledge base than high school graduates and are more likely to continue adding to their knowledge base in the future because of developing the habit of learning.

2) Identity

Character development and moral growth are both benefits of attending college. Studies show that college students have the heightened ability to use principled reasoning to judge moral issues, usually due to the amount of student-peer interaction.

Attitudes and values are also affected through the college experience, with students showing a tendency towards open-mindedness and a willingness to adopt new and different ideas. Tolerance for other people and their views is usually a by-product of immersing yourself in college life.

As well, self-esteem, social self-confidence, and leadership abilities tend to increase as students interact with faculty and peers.

3) Enhanced Skills

One of the most useful parts of attending college is the skill set you end up acquiring. When you study for post-secondary education, you get the chance to develop two kinds of skills – soft skills and hard skills. 

Soft skills are intangible skills that can help you in almost every aspect of life such as improved communication, problem-solving, multi-tasking, teamwork, etc. These skills can even take you places in the course of your career. 

Hard skills, on the other hand, can be very technical as well as job-oriented, thus having a direct bearing on your career. Think of skills such as developing code or practicing surgeries or designing a landscape etc. 

When you study at college, you get to explore and expand both of these skills to a great degree.

4) Wider Social Network

If there’s one thing that can help you climb the ladders of success as well as have a thriving life and career (among other things, of course), it is your social network. When you study in college, you get the chance to meet people from all over the world, which can broaden your horizons, and open you to new ideas and thoughts. What’s more, college is also a great place to meet prospective employers and interview for your dream job as most of them host recruitment drives for students in their final year. 

5) Quality Of Life Improvements 

Although the effects on quality of life from attending college are usually indirect, evidence suggests that economic benefits generally arise. According to one study, earning a bachelor’s degree “provides somewhere between a 20 and 40 percent advantage in earnings over a high school diploma” with an estimated financial return “somewhere between 9.3 and 10.9 percent.” Higher earnings and more equal treatment can result for women and minority groups when they have a degree.

Because of recognized accreditation from an institution, advantages are clearly seen in the types of jobs graduates obtain. A college education often leads to better-positioned or more satisfactory employment, especially when it comes to women choosing a career in male-dominated fields.

Factors such as interaction with faculty, peer group involvement, and time devoted to learning are all directly related to a student’s advancement in these three areas. The decisions of what you study and where you study are not the sole deciding factors determining your success at college. Just as important is what you do as a student during your college enrollment. In short, the greater your involvement, the greater your gain. However, if college seems too expensive an idea, you can always try other avenues to complete your education and reap the same benefits as listed above.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Popular Stories

Study Magazine - 3 Ways to Prepare for Back to School
Student Loans and Grants
In Canada there are a plethora of student aid programs to help students across all walks of life in pursuing post-secondary education. These programs provide the necessary financial assistance to go back to school and excel in your career.
Student Loans and Grants
In Canada there are a plethora of student aid programs to help students across all walks of life in pursuing post-secondary education. These programs provide the necessary financial assistance to go back to school and excel in your career.
BECOME A CONTRIBUTER

Are you a Writer with a Story to Share?

We are looking for contributers for the website. Want to get your work published and give back to the industry? We can help.