It may for some, but not for others. It all depends on the individual. Imo, I am going to college, but I have learned that experience matters most in order to get the full package out of a career.

I would have to say yes. I remember reading an article that stated that a college graduate earns significantly more than a non-graduate, so if more money is considered an improvement in your life, the answer is yes. The sense of accomplishment one may feel after getting a degree is certainly good. One learns skills in college (hopefully) that are life lessons aside from the education you are getting. There are many possible answers to this question. It really depends on what the individual gets out of college and then what they make of it out in the real world. A pessimistic person may say that college was a waste of time and money and never choose to look upon a degree as something they did to improve their life. Others may think it is the best thing they ever did. It just depends.

What do you really want to know? ....Do you need a college education to succeed? If we go by the scientific method of "evidence", the answer to this question would be "No". You'll find MANY successful people who have no more than a high school education and many who didn't even make it to high school. They just happen to have common sense, street smarts and the deep-gutted "know how" to apply it. But also, you'll find MANY successful people who do have a college education. This is the prevailing generally-accepted belief we have in this society. On the flip side of the same coin, you'll find BOTH college educated and non-college educated people who are continually swimming in failure. This evidence suggests that the biggest determining factor of success would be the INDIVIDUAL. 1. How clear of a vision the individual sees of his goals. [What he wants...Focus] 2. How well the individual filters-out and absorbs information related to his goals. [His options to get it] 3. How well the individual applies this information to achieve his goals. [His chosen path] 4. How disciplined is he to direct his daily actions toward his goals. [Can he stay the path?] A college education falls somewhere between # 1 and 2.

I agree with JamiLee's response. It depends on the individual. When considering college each person has to look at what they want out of life, what they want to do to earn a living. You don't need a college education to make a good living. I had a roommate once that was a pipe fitter. This is one of the skilled trades. He enjoyed the work and never went to college. He could also find work just about anywhere in the county that would pay enough to support a family. Will he get rich do this. Probably not, but that was not a priority for him. Another example is Dave Thomas, founder of the Wendy's restaurant chain. He was a high school drop out. He didn't get his high school diploma until late in life. Yet he founded and led a nationwide fast-food chain. On the other hand, there are many jobs that you can't do without a college education. Also, a college education can make getting many jobs easier. Most business executives are college educated. It is very hard for a potential businessperson to get their foot in the door if they don't have a degree. If it weren't for the fact that Dave Thomas founded his own company, he probably would not have been anywhere near as successful as he was. Later in life had he chosen to sell Wendy's and tried to get a job with some other company, he probably wouldn't have had a problem because he had a proven track record to which he could point. Had he tried to get a job in business before founding Wendy's, he probably would have not even gotten to the point of getting an interview because he had nothing to show for himself. So, will a college education improve your life? It depends on who you are. Many people do quite well without one. You have to decide what you want to do and what you want.

Granted that college is not for everyone and going to college does not guarantee anything but overall I would say that a college education- meaning the full college experience of leaving home, living in a dorm, etc.. does indeed improve your life. One thing that I got out of college was the experience that gave me life long skills and a degree of street smarts that I would not have had if I had stayed at home and took a couple of classes at the local community college. When you go away to a school hundreds of miles away you learn to become less dependant on your parents and you begin to call your own shots. You go to bed when you want to- You eat what you want to- You go and come as you please and you have to answer to NOBODY. Over time you learn how to manage the freedom with disipline. When you go to college you meet people from different cultures and all walks of life from the rich to the poor and everyone inbetween. The things that you thought you knew about certiain people change when you begin to meet them first hand. Many of these people become friends and acquaintances that you will have for the rest of your life. Being in college also gives you exposure to certain social circles that might help you get a job or a promotion or some other opportunity that may not be afforded to the average person on the street. Although the perks and advantages aren't necessarily reasons for going to college, there are advantages that improve the quality of your life. Can you have all of this without college? Certainly you can but in college its all there for you in one place.

The importance of education can't be denied in a world which is more knowledge oriented as compared to an resource based on in the past. College education not only gives the academic tools, but also other personality traits. It forms the foundation of life. Success in life can't be backed by academic execellence alone as there are other more important skills like interpersonal skills. It is these skills which matter more in life. Education can't be written off because of the simple fact that it is the most structured way to inculcate these traits in young people, if they fail to pick these up from their environment during their growing years.

There have been a number of excellent answers already posted to this. However, there are a couple of ways in which a college education can improve your life that haven't been mentioned yet. First, getting a college education will require you to learn the skills and self-discipline that are necessary for acheiving long terms goals.And you'll learn how to get through things you don't especially want to do so you can eventually do the things you do want to do. The other thing you'll hopefully get from a college education is the ability to think critically and reason logically and rationally. While I understand that there are some high schools that actually start that kind of training for their students, most of us either acquired or mastered these skills in college. While college really isn't for everyone, I highly recommend it for anyone who doesn't have something specific in mind to do instead. The "I need to spend a couple of years in the world first" or "I can't see going to college unless I know what I want to study" and "I just don't feel like it now" are BAD reasons not to go to college. "I want to serve a term in the military first" or "I have a job lined up with a touring theater company" would be specific plans and acceptable reasons for delaying college. But unless you have some other specific and concrete goals or plans, go to college if you have the chance. Education is never wasted. While many people never see the value in learning history and literature and other subjects they feel they'll never "use," both the act of learning them and the exposure to the new ideas always pays off in the long run.

If anyone who made it through a traditional Baccalaureate program and didn't improve their live in someway; I'd have to say was probably going for the wrong reasons. Society conditions us at an early age to be goal oriented: College degree = $. So the main goal is getting the paper. I've known cohort members who had this end in sight (and I wouldn't want them as my subordinates) and I know of schools that are degree mills. These ends are a disservice to the learner and institution. College can be an incredible environment for attaining knowledge, acquiring critical thinking skills, understanding diversity, and synthesizing different and contrasting theories. When I find out about a persons post secondary education background I'm more interested in the experience--not what paper they acquired.

Yes,you'll get a better job but you can make money with just a high school education.

Yes, it: 1) Opens doors to opportunities otherwise closed to you without one (including jobs that pay a higher salary) and 2) Provides opportunities to forge professional contacts and friendships

I believe that college is stepping stone to figuring out what you want to do with your life. After you find something you love to do( which hopefully you have an idea of) getting that degree can make you feel more accomplished. Earning more money then a high school graduate is also nice

My college education has served me well indeed. I cannot complain.