Just a couple of months ago, Alaska governor decided to cut half of the funds from the University of Alaska operating system. One central contribute is the belief of the liberal art, and general college degree value is decreasing. Similar criticisms not only arise domestically but also at the international level. Especially in recent years, more and more people are questioning the quality and value of college degrees. In contrast, Western Michigan University has listed multiple skills that college will help you build on to prepare for a future career during the 4 years of studying. As the tension between the two sides are intensifying. Ordinary members of Society and scholars ask themselves “what are the most important things students should learn in college?”

Martha Nussbaum, a well-known American Philosopher, in her article “Education for Profit, Education for Democracy”, introduced that the American Liberal Arts college education model required students to take a wide range of courses that is outside of students’ essential subject. The purpose behind it is to form an “informed, independent, and sympathetic democratic” citizen. Further, she emphasized that in the U.S college tradition, students should not always passively receive knowledge from the system. Instead, they should engage with the topic, be proficient, and reasoning when it comes to criticism. In my view. I think it’s all about the mind. Always challenging your mind to engage with the topic, to be inspired and creative, and to be able to see the subject from different perspectives under different circumstances. Assist you in developing your mind is what college is known for. Coming from different culture background I found it interesting. Due to the different political system background, Liberal arts education system in China are slightly different than here. They do assist students to cultivate skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, professionalism, ethics and most others that are listed in career readiness (WMU). However, the whole idea is slightly towards socialism’s view. For instance, courses like Marxism principle, Mao Zedong theory and main concept, and introduction to socialism are compulsory course. However, they won’t indicate ideas such as socialism can benefit society the best. They will only introduce the history, ideas, and main concept of socialism to student. In my own opinion, the Chinese education model (liberal arts, high school, mid school, other college degree) slightly promoting the socialism ideology meanwhile demoting the capitalism ideology. They education system are just as complicated as the political system. People may think it’s a socialism and autarchy based social/political structure, but if you take a closer look the society practice many concepts that capitalism and democracy shares.

Many people assume that Liberal art degree isn’t as practical as STEM field major. You might have heard about the ridiculous amount of debt college offered you, and many colleges graduate with a liberal arts degree finding it harder to get a job while students with science mathematics or doctor degree are getting more popularity from employers. In response to previous criticisms. Sanford J. Ungar, American journalists, author, former president of Goucher College, directly opposed denouncement on liberal art education system through his paragraph “7 Major Misperceptions About the Liberal Arts.” He indicates like it’s hard to describe the advantage that Liberal Art and other college degrees can bring to us, but what it can bring to us are those subtle understanding of the complex may shape the world we live in.

Moreover, He advocates individual and Society not to put their priority on job filling. In fact, in recent years, industries can communicate with education institutions on their needs, and education institutions will send their favored type of student to fulfill the job position. He urges that “history is filled with examples of failed social experiments that treated people as work units rather than individuals capable of inspiration and ingenuity.” It is better for students to have the option than to search for a “single track,” which might potentially restrict his/her ability to do better things. His main concept, somehow, is similar to Nussbaum and perfectly fit my ideology, He indicates the importance of developing in mind and how college can not only benefit your career-wise but also helps individuals to develop modern citizenship.

On the other hand, “The ideas of higher education,” published by Ronald Barnett, presents another theory. She suggests that college is extremely difficult to complete, and it’s a place where you must step out of your comfort. Yet, it’s a place where you are being rewarded for your hard work. Unlike Ungar and Nussbaum, She promotes the process. She directly indicates that “No matter how much efforts are put in, or how much liberal research, there are no final answers. Indeed, the realization should come that there are all sorts of rival position, and that there is no absolute way of choosing between them.” At first, I found this sentence confusing, cause the lack of explanation on the story background, and she presented it in such an abstract way. Then I came to the realization that nothing is absolutely right or wrong, and it’s all about your perspective and your standing in view which is, I think, an essential skill to grasp and college can help you develop and master on that. I could inform you about my position on what is the best thing students should learn from college, but it doesn’t matter. Again, what is supreme to me may be meanness to you.

Furthermore, not saying that without the experience in college will lead to a limitation on your ability or potential. As a matter of fact, countless elites out there have made a tremendous contribution in a certain subject to the Society. They made a good living without the help of college degree, but they might not have the privilege to live a life with rich in value and character