Matney, Shelby: Credentialing

            Becoming credentialed is ultimately a matter of choice.  However, today’s actual situation almost eliminates the option, especially for those students who do well academically throughout their secondary education.  “Over the last thirty years, the university has replaced the labor union as the most important institution, after the corporation, in American political and economic life.” (Editors).  Students are not expected to go into the workforce upon receiving a high school diploma and when they do others are often skeptical and quick to assume that entering the workforce is not by choice, but that the student lacks the means to afford higher education.

            In past generations, men and women provided well for families solely through hard work.  Our society has become extremely focused on improving credentials. This has come to mean higher education that is more common, jobs have become more specialized, and, ultimately, higher earnings accrue to those who possess higher degrees.  Those desiring a career that requires vocational schooling, such as cosmetology and mechanics, are often placed in a lower social class although these are necessary services in our society.  The vocational school education is deemed less valuable and the careers they enable are generally viewed as lesser or risky options.

            Operating under the expectation of college to be my future after high school, I stressfully searched for options I could afford as well as a major that might interest me.  There are few other career options that have been appealing to me.  Thus, the only choice is to go to college and hope that something will attract my attention and ambition.  This is the only safe choice because our society now teaches and preaches that any other route, such as working for an hourly wage, is far too risky and degrading for an individual with any potential.  I would not argue that I am being forced to go to college by expectations of family or friends. However, the expectation of my peers is overwhelmingly.

            Many operate under this same feeling of obligation to go to college to ensure their own self-worth.  In turn, more and more people are earning undergraduate degrees, “…the bachelor’s degree becomes democratized, the master’s degree becomes mandatory for advancement.” (Editors).  Even the simplest jobs are now employing degree holders only and positions once respected are now viewed as mediocre. 

            Very simply, far too much value has been placed on holding a degree.  So much value has been bestowed upon these achievements that people are becoming indifferent to it.  Degrees have become what are expected and therefore less difficult to obtain.