Overman 3

Joseph Overman

3-28-15

Digital Essay Draft 2

Draft 2

To me the point of an education is to do something for yourself and make a difference in the world around you by what you do and how you apply yourself. The goal of college is to get a degree and with that degree get a job to provide for yourself. Every university is different in its size, location, student demographics, and focus. Even with all of these differences, when it comes down to it there are two types of university, public and private. Each of these has its advantages and disadvantages but in the end the students get an education, or so it would seem. There are obvious differences between public and private universities such as price and size but could the type of university that you attend make a significant difference in the caliber of job that you get after graduation or the amount of money that you make in that job?

One thing is that is for sure is that having a college degree is extremely important when trying to get a job after graduation. For the first three months of 2013, the unemployment rate for consumers holding a bachelor's degree was between 3.7% and 4.1%. High school graduates saw unemployment rates twice as high. (Businessinsider) Going to college is one of the biggest things that you can do to help improve your chances of getting a job. The link between having a degree and getting a job is clear. That being said, the difference between getting a degree from a public versus private college when getting a job is so small that it doesn't even matter.

https://www.youtube.com/watchv=3bo58CRvXVk&index=1&list=PLCngG1dS_soQTIu8a7CC2rA9F048exneF

An education is an investment. The more you put in, the more you expect to get out. Since this is the case, where you choose to go to college is very important. Private universities are considerably more expensive than private ones. For the extra money that you spend for a private education, one would hope that there would be additional benefits and there are. At private universities there are smaller classes which means more one on one attention for students. In addition there are more opportunities for students. Also the benefits extend beyond graduation. On average public school graduates earn $40,000 to the $50,000 annually that private school grads earn. This is a huge gap in pay especially considering the huge gap in tuition that students have to pay.

Public universities are subsidized by the state through taxes that the state's residents pay and that is why they are less expensive for students who live instate. Although due to recent budget cuts, public schools have become more expensive. This is making public schools a slightly less attractive option because there is a smaller gap in price between public and private universities. This smaller gap in price makes the private universities seem more attractive because there are more benefits to be capitalized on by going to a private university.

I go to the University of North Carolina Charlotte which is a public university. I have many friends who attend private universities across the nation and when I talk to them I realize that there are many differences. One of the things that is is a huge difference is that the class sizes are much larger here than at private universities. I think that this has a great effect on how I learn. If I were in classes with less students I could ask my professors more questions and receive additional help when I need it. I have had many experiences where I have had a question I need to ask the professor but I can't ask them questions because they are too busy talking to other people. In general private schools tend to have more resources but it does all depend on the school. Private colleges may cost a bit more but you're more likely to get access to what you need, when you need it. (college.usatoday)

Among many college graduates there is a general consensus that what you do with an education is at least as important as the school you attend. (Forbes) This being said an education is not everything. Even if you graduate with a degree and excellent credentials there is still no guarantee that a graduate will find a job in the field that they have a degree in. This shows that the school that is chosen in very important. The difference between a public or private university can mean a world of difference when getting a job because some employers look at the type of education that the job applicant has.

There is always going to be a certain prestige associated with a private university. To start the classes are smaller, the admissions are more selective, and the courses are difficult enough to attract the best and brightest from around the world. Some of the top universities in the nation are private such as Harvard and Princeton. With that being said, there are some public universities such as UNC Chapel Hill which are very prestigious as well. Some public universities arguably boast an even higher roster of successful alumni based on the attractiveness of their ubiquity and low cost alone. (businessinsider) Overall a private university is more prestigious because of the reputation that they have.

When deciding what college to go to there are many factors that the student has to consider but the most important thing to think about is that each school has its own personality, traits, and characteristics just like the perspective student. In the end what matters is what the student thinks will be a good fit for them and if they think that they can succeed at that school regardless of whether or not it is a private or public university.