Compose a $250-$word summary with paraphrasing as well as two direct quotations. One of the quotations should be a long quotation using block style. Provide any necessary parenthetical references on the following article: DOES COLLEGE STILL MATTER IN $2018?$ The world seems to be changing faster than ever, doesn$$t it$?$

So understandably, people everywhere are questioning whether the educational trajectories of our parents$$ generation are still relevant for today$$s fast$-$moving job market and global society.

We like this type of debate and encourage you to ask questions instead of taking things for granted, so we thought we$$d walk our talk and break down one of the biggest questions facing today$$s young adults: Does college still matter in $2018?$

$1)$ The Financial Investment

College can be expensive. In some cases, crazy expensive. In $2016,$ Business Insider reported that the University of Cambridge is developing a PhD business program, that$$s set to cost $$332,000.$

Yes, that$$s a PhD program, but bachelor$$s degrees aren$$t cheap either. Business Insider reported that the bachelor$$s degree of music at Bard College might be one of the most expensive BAs around, costing $$253,520.$

If these were the only options, college might be out of reach for many students, but with degrees available in other top quality universities for as little as $$4,060$ for the entire degree, it$$s something that can be in reach for all. Still, the question remains$$does it still matter in $2018?$

$2)$ Finding a Job and Remaining Employed

Let$$s face it$,$ a college degree holds a higher prestige than a high school diploma, and many people seem to appreciate those who$$ve made the effort and graduated.

According to a $2016$ study by Georgetown University, the majority of the jobs still go to bachelor$$s degree graduates. Reporting on the study, CNN Money noted that $$of the $11\mathrm{.}6$ million jobs created after the Great Recession, $8\mathrm{.}4$ million went to those with at least a bachelor$$s degree.$$ This is a substantial difference in proportional terms: Only $36$ percent of Americans earned a bachelor$$s degree or higher, compared to $30$ percent of Americans holding an associate degree and $34$ percent holding a high school diploma or less.

If you still have doubts on whether a college degree is worth the investment, check out this $2016$ report from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics about $2015$s employment rates by educational attainment:

While the median unemployment rate in the country was $4\mathrm{.}3$ percent of the population, those with a bachelor$$s degree were only $2\mathrm{.}8$ percent of the unemployed population, and those with only a high school diploma were $5\mathrm{.}4$ percent of the unemployed population.

In other words, those who graduated from high school but did not go on to college were twice as likely to become unemployed than those with a college degree.

And according to Forbes, the demands for higher education is steadily increasing in the job market.

$86$ percent of companies planned to hire recent MBA graduates in $2017$ compared with $79$ percent in $2016,$ according to the GMAC report $...41$ percent of employers are now hiring college grads for jobs that high school grads formerly held. $...$ Companies are increasingly hiring candidates with master$$s degrees for jobs that previously required bachelor$$s degrees,$$ reported Forbes.

$3)$ Meeting People & Networking

Today$$s fellow students will become tomorrow$$s colleagues, so making friends in college is an easy way to build your professional network early on$.$ You$$ll also be able to connect with professors, who might then be able to connect you with their connections in the industry, which could make it easier to find a great first professional job.

$4)$ Developing Skills You Can Use in the Workplace

One of the main arguments of those who are not in favor of going to college is that it doesn$$t train you to work in the $$real world,$$ but according to Entrepreneur, $$academic assignments develop skills that are in high demand among top employers,$$ including general communication skills, writing skills, research skills, and collaboration skills.

In the $2016$ University of the People Students Satisfaction Survey, many of our students shared that they already use the knowledge and skills they gained in courses in their workplaces.

$5)$ Starting Your Own Business

$$These success stories happen to the minority of the population$$and often seem a lot easier said than done.$$

To be honest, there$$s more information online now than ever before, not to mention a wealth of books on practically every topic. If you$$re the kind of person who can study for years on end without any external motivation$$then you can become an entrepreneur with no extra costs.

However, this is more relevant if you$$re looking to start your own business rather than getting a traditional job. We$$ve all heard about successful entrepreneurs who never graduated from college$$and about teenagers who built successful businesses on YouTube