The first question I am asked as an international student from India is: how did I hear about Trinity College? The question is amusing to me because a countless number of my friends and myself were determined to study in the U.S. after high school. The INR (Indian Rupee) is weaker than the dollar, which makes the six-digit tuition fees more expensive for me than domestic students in monetary terms. Therefore, I had to ensure that my parent’s investment was worth each dollar. Society believes that a college education serves as a ticket to a respectable job. But I traveled 7,694.63 miles for reasons beyond economical.
India primarily produces the best engineers, doctors, mathematicians, and businessmen in the world. These are career paths that have been chosen by our ancestors to be financially rewarding. Unlike many other Indians, mathematics and sciences do not come naturally to me, but I am fortunate to have open-minded parents who support my decisions. I find myself engrossed in the world of theatre. However, as the only child of my parents, they preferred that I opted for a different career path. I understood their viewpoint and concern because they grew up in harsh conditions. Fortunately, economics and international ethics evoked within me enthusiasm and zest that was similar to dance. I found myself fascinated and tangled in theories and cases. Moreover, colleges in India are still understanding and exploring the concept of liberal arts. Consequently, the sole way for me to develop a career in either economics or international ethics along with devoting time to dance was to study in the United States. Hence, the purpose of a college education for me is to explore different academic fields and gain experiences that make me open-minded, cultured, rational, and democratic.
One of the key benefits of enrolling into college is the opportunity to try new things. Students learn to respect all subjects and gain knowledge in a variety of academic fields. College feeds one’s curiosity rather than killing it. I took a film class in my first semester because I was fascinated with the process of filmmaking. I admire the effort that goes into filmmaking, but I do not wish to pursue it as a career or a hobby. I would have never known this, were it not for college. Therefore, college makes individuals open-minded.
The desire of parents to make their children broad-minded is responsible for the increasing percentage of international students on college campuses year after year. Colleges now comprise of students from Bulgaria, Jaipur, Syria, and so forth. Students become cultured because of diversity within colleges. Domestic students, who do not get the opportunity to travel internationally, get the invaluable opportunity to learn about different cultures. A great proportion of Americans are fascinated with my fluency in English. Their amusement allows me shatter their viewpoint of India being a third world country. I get the chance to highlight India’s growth, heritage, and culture. As a result, students become more cultured and knowledgeable about other ethnicities.
Students from India, Africa, and Middle East come to the United States, so they could return to their homeland and help their country develop further. Political theorists believe that the lack of education is one of the prime reasons for stagnant growth in nations. Andrew Delbanco, the director of American Studies at Columbia University highlights the importance of a college education for political motives in ‘Three Reasons College Still Matters.’ He firmly believes that “If the new republic was to flourish and ensure, it required, above all, an educated citizenry” (Delbanco, 111). The upper class members of the Indian society hold the lower and middle class individuals responsible for the poor governance of the nation. During elections, the Indian society is bombarded with “pleadings and persuasions-advertisements, political appeals, punditry of all sorts-designed to capture our loyalty, money, or, more narrowly, our vote” (Delbanco 111). Consequently, an ineffective government is put in power and prevents the nation from prospering. Thus, a college education is crucial in creating democratic and rational individuals.
Countless students attend college mainly for economic reasons. For many, success is having a respectable and well-paid job. So, it is no surprise that college graduates make 83% more than high school graduates (Caplan). I wonder whether the knowledge gained or the degree is more important? Students fail to recall the content of their final examinations because they are only concerned about their GPA. Besides, it is ironic that parents invest a great proportion of their income to provide their child with a college education and students rejoice when classes are cancelled (Caplan). How could students be happy when they are not gaining full benefit from the tuition fees? Students can avoid paying tuition fees by sneaking into classes because usually professors do not take attendance (Caplan). The student will not receive the Bachelor's Degree, which is the grand reward of attending college. Hence, it is the degree that matters because that piece of paper assures you most probably a seat in the job market. So for many the purpose of a college education is purely economical.
I will not deny that one of the reasons that I enrolled into college is to get the opportunity to be hired by a renowned company in the future. A respectable job would give me financial security. Although many countless college dropout students are the most successful individuals today. Mark Zuckerburg, the co-founder of Facebook, John Mackey, the CEO of Whole Foods Market, and David Neeleman, the founder of JetBlue Airways, are examples of successful college dropouts. Therefore, a college education is about opening one’s senses and mind to experiences rather than employment.
Individuals like me leave their home and come to a foreign country to make the inside of their head an interesting place to spend the rest of their life. We want to feed our hungry minds, so we can become open-minded, cultured, rational, and democratic. We want to gain experiences that will allow us to develop our country and people. We want to grow into passionate individuals that our parents are proud of. A college education is about enlightenment rather than employment.
References
Delbanco, Andrew. “A College Education: What Is Its Purpose.” Contemporary & Classic Arguments, 2nd Ed. Eds. Sylvan Barnet and Hugo Bedau. Boston: Bedford 1st Martin’s, 2005. Print.
Caplan, Bryan. "Is College Worth It." Interview. Audio blog post. CATO Institute. N.p., 17 May 2014. Web. 17 Feb. 2015.
