Assignment E-portfolio Heidi Kaibetoney Sociology Page 1 College enrollment is increasing and more and more students are realizing the need for higher education. Students also feel the pressures of society, that deems them as doomed without a college degree. College is an important family investment, even at such a high expense, a degree helps students and their families gain financial security, employment security as well as a healthier lifestyle. Does a College Education Benefit the Family?

Family and education Page 2 Table of Contents ReflectionPage 3 Return on investmentPage 4 Unemployment ratesPage 5 Healthy LifestylePage 6 ConclusionPage 7 Final ReflectionPage 8 SourcesPage 9

Assignment Reflection Page 3 I wanted to do my research on the educational effects on the family. I know from my experience that my family suffers while I am in school. My husband and my kids feel neglected as I pay more attention to academics and less attention to parenting. So what I really wanted to know is whether or not all this time and money that I am spending on my college education is worth it? Is all the time spent away from my family going to eventually pay off? I also wonder what the payoff is for getting a college education, I know that I will be paid more. However, is it enough to make the college degree worth it? I am excited to know the answers to these questions and what makes all my hard work worth it in the end.

Education LevelAverage Lifetime Earnings Professional Degree $4.4 million Doctoral degree$3.4 million Master's degree$2.5 million Bachelor's degree $2.1 million Associate's degree $1.6 million Some college$1.5 million High school graduate $1.2 million Non-high school graduate $1 million On average college graduates earn more money. According to the United States Census Bureau, college graduates earn more money over their working lifetime than non-college graduates. This chart shows that every bit of education increases the chances of being paid a better wage. Page 4 A college education does indeed have a return on investment for the family

7.0 % Associates Degree 5.4% Bachelor’s Degree 4.0% Master’s Degree Unemploym ent Rates by Degree The average unemployment Rate for 2010 was 8.2%, Even some college keeps families employed. We know from the data in the chart that college pays more, but also the more education you get the more likely it is that you will always have a job. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the average unemployment for 2010 was at 8.2% and with a bachelor's degree the unemployment rate is 5.4%. These statistics also offer job security as well as support showing that education pays with lower unemployment rates. The rates also decrease with more education. Page 5 Education Helps Families

In addition to the financial value of a college degree, there is a link that having a college education increases your health. The College Board Advocacy & Policy Center reports that smoking rates are lower among college graduates. Individuals that attend college also exercise more and are less likely to be overweight. Another finding also showed that educated women are less likely to have low-birth-weight babies and are more likely to breast-feed their infants. Goal: Healthy lifestyle College = A healthy Lifestyle Page 6 A College Degree increases the chance to have a healthy family

Higher education costs time and money for families, but the monetary gains don't lie. Those with higher degrees make more money, not to mention they have a lower unemployment rate. College graduates also have a healthier lifestyle. Mix together the monetary benefits, the employment security, and the healthier lifestyle and you have a recipe for success for many families. Page 7 Concl usion

Page 8 In my final reflection I Learned that while education comes at a price it is still a good investment not only for the individual but also for the individuals family. Having a college education helps families to remain employed, at a higher rate. College degrees also help maintain the health of the student and the student passes this healthy lifestyle on to their families. I know that education is important! However, I did not know just how much a college education helps my family and how much my education is worth. I am glad that all the hard work that I have done while in college will pay off in my future earnings. I know that my family will benefit from all my efforts even if getting my degree is time consuming and costly. I was also pleasantly surprised that college helps create healthier lifestyles. The education investment in myself is one that will benefit my family. Final Reflection

Page 9 Baum, Sandy, Jennifer Ma, and Kathleen Payea. Trends in Higher Education Series Education Pays 2010 The Benefits of Higher Education for Individuals and Society. Rep. College Board Advocacy & Policy Center. Web. 06 July Cheeseman Day, Jennifer, and Eric C. Newburger. The Big Payoff: Educational Attainment and Synthetic Estimates of Work-life Earnings. Publication. US Census Bureau, July Web. 06 July "Education Pays..." U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Web. 09 July "FinAid | Student Loans." FinAid! Financial Aid, College Scholarships and Student Loans. Web. 09 July Schumpeter. "The Higher-education Bubble: More on Peter Thiel | The Economist." The Economist - World News, Politics, Economics, Business & Finance. 13 Apr Web. 07 July Stephens, Dale. "Getting Started." UnCollege. Web. 09 July Sources