Three Handshakes by Julia

Three Handshakes by Julia - October 2024 Scholarship Essay

You walk half timidly, half excitedly through the door, ready for the first class of your college experience. You’re early - only two other students have already taken their seats at the tables, arranged in a u-shape for discussion. The professor turns from the whiteboard where she is writing and smiles when she sees you. She walks over and greets you with a handshake, welcoming you to class by name. You’re nervous, but glad to be noticed by your professor. After introductions, you take your seat, ready to learn.
Perhaps the most significant benefit of a college degree is the intellectual exploration you do along the way. College is the place to ask and answer life’s biggest questions - not only about the world around you, but about yourself. Studying these questions and answers alongside peers allows you to challenge yourself academically and develop soft skills - problem solving, critical thinking, leadership, and more - that will be invaluable in life after graduation.
This time, your walk is a more confident one. You’ve done it: completed your coursework, handed in your finals, and donned your cap and gown. You walk across the commencement stage and shake hands with your college president. You breathe a sigh of relief.
This handshake vaults you into the top 6.7% of the world who holds a bachelor’s degree. As a college graduate, your annual income is likely to be significantly higher than that of a high school graduate. According to a 2021 Pew Research Center study, the median annual earnings gap between high school and college graduates has grown from $13,000 in 1990 to $22,000 in 2021. While a college degree isn’t necessary for financial security, college graduates consistently earn more than high school graduates, and that gap is only widening. Greater financial security is another of the many benefits of earning a college degree.
Countless handshakes later, you step into the bustling office that has been the end goal since your first day on your college campus. As you watch the activity, your new employer steps forward. You hold out your hand first this time, and she shakes it. She tells you how excited the team is to have you on board. You smile.
In addition to your college degree itself, the connections and network that you build at school can open the door to job opportunities that wouldn’t otherwise have come to light. Not only is your earning potential higher, but so is your potential for career advancement. Rather than working the same job for decades, a college degree gives you the chance to climb the corporate ladder and make a greater impact on the world around you. You meet other talented, driven people striving to make a difference, and your college degree gives you the confidence to shake their hand.