Living in a world where rules, necessities and expectations are constantly changing, students must now look to transfer to a four year institution as associates degrees no longer hold the same value.
With community college acting as an alternative route after high school, students attending Pierce College are presented with the option of pursuing an associates degree and heading into the workforce or transferring to a four year school after receiving an AA Degree. The best option is to transfer to a four year and get a bachelor’s degree.
Students have the ability to make those early college years worth the most by focusing on a four year university. Transferring to a four year means that students are already half way to getting their bachelor’s degree. It is a waste of time if a student is capable of achieving their bachelor’s degree and choose not to. The benefits are too great to pass up especially when students who choose to continue can complete their degree in two years.
In many instances, a bachelor’s degree is linked to a higher earning potential with employers often opting to hire the person with a better education. According to the LA Times, in 2012 people with a bachelor’s degree made about $17,500 more than peers with a high school diploma. Studying for your bachelor’s degree not only provides an opportunity at a better financial situation but gives students a better opportunity to decide what to do in the future. College is a place where students are able to take classes they feel will benefit them in their career choices and change majors if they so choose.
The ultimate goal of students attending Pierce College should be to transfer to a four year institution. Earning an associates degree is something to be proud of but if given the opportunity, students should earn their bachelor’s degree. Not doing so, or trying to, is a disservice to an educational career.