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this is my research paper, read the instruction paper very carefully. please do not plagiarize at all; make sure you use a lot of thought and intelligence to avoid plagiarism. proper MLA format and citation should be used without forgetting the works cited page. use sources on the mini bibliography attached below with an addition of 6 more sources (must include at least one scholarly journal, one general interest magazine, and one newspaper article) and make sure you DO NOT USE .COM and WIKIPEDIA. 2500-2800 word count.
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The Value of Higher Education
Universally, many recognize the value of and pursue basic education. A majority,
however, fails to proceed on to the tertiary level of education. Higher education, also known as
post-secondary or the tertiary level of education is the last stage of formal education after the
successful completion of high school or secondary school education. Higher education is
delivered at colleges, universities and other institutions of higher learning. The most common
reason given by students pursuing higher education is the value of higher education, which
fulfills their need to improve their lives professionally, financially, and socially, a benefit seen to
accrue to people with college and university qualifications. However, not all perceive higher
education as having value and recognize its capacity to add value to their lives, a premise many
suggest as the reason for their failure to pursue education beyond the secondary level. These
conflicting opinions raise the question of the value, if any, of higher education. This research
paper seeks to answer this question, complete with an overview of the higher education system,
and arguments supporting each school of thought on the benefits and value of higher education.
Statistics
According to the US Department of education through the National Center for
Educational Statistics, more than four in every five students enrolled in high school graduate and
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got their diplomas within the stipulated time. Despite the high number of those who graduate
from high school, only about 40% of the population aged between 18 and 24 attend institutes of
higher education, with a tiny percentage enrolling after the age of twenty-five. Of those who
enroll in institutions of higher education, only about 59% graduate for those enrolled in 4-year
programs, against 88% for those pursuing 6-year courses (US Department of Education). An
article published in the Time magazine puts the percentage of people with tertiary level
education for both under and postgraduate qualifications at fifty-one, up from 40% a couple of
years back. Further, the post identifies Ireland, Israel, Australia, United Kingdom, United States,
Canada, Finland, New Zealand, Japan, and South Korea as the countries with the highest number
of people with higher education degrees (Grossman).
The Higher Education System
A system of higher education consists of institutions, curriculums, legislation, faculties,
students, research, and funding options available to aspiring students. The field of higher
education has seen an influx of institutes set up to take advantage of the increased demand for
tertiary level qualifications (Ramirez & Berger). Each country has a distinct system developed to
suit the country’s specific education needs, with some having more technical than professional
skills and vice versa, and others aspiring to create a balance between the two. The one thing all
these countries have in common is their insistence on quality control and assurance in the system
to ensure and maintain educational standards through accreditation of the institutes of higher
education to ensure that learners get the value for their money and derive their desired benefits
from the process (Doherty, 78).
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Measures of the Value of Higher Education
Determination of Value
Several quantitative and qualitative determinants are proposed to determine the value of
tertiary education. The three most commonly used quantitative measures according to Cunha and
Miller are post-college income and wages paid, the percentage of students who enroll and
successfully graduate from institutions of higher learning, and persistence rates (65). Other
measures, some which are qualitative, include specific and general knowledge tests, a better
quality of life, and higher education’s impact on the economy. Precisely, the value addition
accrued to higher education is determined by comparin...