Looking at the cost of obtaining a college education makes one wonder whether it's really worth it. Having read the first line, some are probably already up in arms that I would even begin to question the value of a college degree but I hope you'll hear me out.

I'm not speaking against education but am questioning the cost and the delivery system. I went to college and, because I was unsure at first what I wanted to do, earned a bachelor's degree in five years rather than four. As I recall, my parents helped me out with one quarter's tuition and I worked andpaid for the rest. Anyway, I didn't take out student loans and didn't graduate in debt.

I also worked through graduate school to support myself and my family, and, yes, I did receive some assistance because I was preparing for the ministry but did not take out student loans and graduate with a bunch of school debt. I waited to have kids to do that.

As I recall, tuition and books in college only ran about $1,500 a year. Seminary training was a little higher but not that much. I realize inflation has increased the dollaramounts, but can it really have inflated things that much? Now, I hear of students graduating with enough student loan debt to cover the cost of a house or two and wonder how they can ever repay what they've borrowed. And, of course, with the federal government now holding the note, there's really no getting out of paying even if you can't. Even Social Security can be taken away if student loans are not paid in full by retirement age.

And having a college education, or even an advanced degree, is no guarantee of employment in our times. I've met numerous people with advanced degrees driving a truck and thankful to have a job. I didthe same for quite a few years.

So what's my point? I'm certainly not against obtaining a good education, but I am wondering whether the education provided by colleges and universities today is worth the price tag and huge debt? Especially with the widespread availability of Internet access, isn't there a far less costly way to provide instruction and critical knowledge? And, perhaps an even more important question is whether or not current education institutions are teaching students to think, do research and critically analyze ideas, information and theories.

With the number of people with college degrees increasing, many employers look more at work history, job skills and the ability to think and solve problems than at letters behind a name. Many timesan individual who takes the initiative to learn new skills and shows incentive to work hard and get a job done is in better stead to obtain employment thanthe college graduate with little or no experience in the real world.

What I'm really saying is that a good education doesn't have to culminate in a degree to hang on the wall or store away in a cedar chest, and a good education shouldn't have to cost thousands and thousands of dollars. While work in some fields requires a degree, there is nothing shameful about not having the luxury of obtaining one if one learns the skills and knowledge necessary to do well in a chosen occupation. The motivated can study in almost any field with the click of a mouse or a trip to a good library and many of the most brilliant leaders and businessmen in our nation were self taught rather than college educated.

Don't sell yourself short. Get a good education. But consider the cost too. Evenif attending a college or university is unaffordable and you don't wish to be saddled with debt until doomsday, you don't have to settle for uneducated. Take time to learn and never stop. Read, study, research, explore. Learn to think critically and search out the truth. The opportunities are endless.

If you can go to college, great! But if not, the lack of a college diploma doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be less educated.

Having a college diploma to hang on the wall is no guarantee of a good education. Self-motivated study and perseverance are, and you’ll need them both whether you are able to go to college or not!

Randy Moll is the managing editor of the Westside Eagle Observer. He may be reached by e-mail at [email protected].

Opinion, Pages 6 on 06/08/2011