After graduating from high school many young people have the option to directly enter the work force. Most students who have the opportunity, however, decide to go to college before finding jobs. They attend college to obtain more choices, higher salaries, and more opportunities for advancement in an increasingly competitive job market.
Before attending college, students have a limited opportunity to specialize. After obtaining a specific college degree a job applicant can be competitive for previously unavailable jobs. For instance, applicants with Computer Science degrees would not only be qualified for jobs in high-tech companies, they would also be well prepared for any job with computer skills as a prerequisite. With a larger range of potential jobs to choose from, degree holders are more likely to find a job that suits their particular needs and interests.
Additionally, employers are willing to pay a premium for highly qualified applicants. For example, many companies desire employees who are competent in more than one language and offer higher salaries to attract them. Even if a job applicant without a college degree has high standardized test scores, employers may still place a higher value on an applicant with similar test scores who also possesses credentials from a well-known university. Because of the extent to which a college degree is accepted by employers as proof of competence in a given field, college graduates are not only more likely to receive more job offers, they can also command higher salaries than applicants who lack college diplomas.
Finally, in addition to offering more choices and higher salaries, a college degree offers access to jobs with a clear path towards professional advancement. A B.S. in biology, for example, could allow a student to find a job in a lab after graduation, a first step on the road towards a career in scientific research. The same major could also be used to apply to medical school, and a career as a doctor. Both of these avenues would be unavailable without taking the first step of an undergraduate degree in biology.
译文
- 人们为什么要上大学?
高中毕业后，很多年轻人选择了直接参加工作。可是大多数有择业机会的学生还是决定在找工作前上大学。他们上大学是为了在竞争日趋激烈的劳动力市场上获得更多的选择、更高的工资和更多晋升的机会。
上大学前，学生们很少有机会专攻某一科目。获得了大学的某个学位之后，求职者就在先前不可能得到的工作上有了竞争力。例如，拥有计算机科学学位的求职者不仅适合高科技公司的职位，而且可以胜任任何以计算机技能为先决条件的职位。学位持有者由于拥有更多的潜在职位可供选择，所以就更容易找到适合自己需要和兴趣的工作。
另外，雇主们也愿意为高素质的求职者多支付费用。例如，很多公司想要那些精通不止一门语言的雇员，所以就出高薪来吸引他们。即使一位没有学位的求职者标准化考试的分数很高，雇主们也会认为那些持有名牌大学证书且考得相同成绩者更有价值。正因为大学学位被雇主看成是在某一领域内能力很高的证明，那些大学毕业生不仅比缺乏大学文凭的人拥有更多的求职机会，而且还可以要求更高的薪水。
最后，除了能获得更多的机会和更高的薪水，大学毕业文凭还能使人得到前途光明的职位。例如，一个生物学的学位可以让一个学生毕业后找到一份实验室的工作，为以后的科学研究之路迈出第一步。同样的专业也可以申请上医学院，以后成为医生。如果第一步没有获得生物学的本科学位，这两种途径都将是不可能的。
Word List
competitive ［kəmˈpetitiv］ adj. 竞争的
standardized ［ˈstændəˌdaizd］ adj. 标准的
specialize ［ˈspeʃəˌlaiz］ vi. 专攻，专门研究
credential ［kriˈdenʃəl］ n. 证明书
unavailable ［ˌʌnəˈveiləbl］ adj. 难以获得的
diploma ［diˈpləumə］ n. 文凭，毕业证书
high-tech ［ˌhaiˈ'tek］ n. 高科技
competence ［ˈkɔmpətəns］ n. 能力
prerequisite ［pri:ˈrekwizit］ n. 先决条件
access to 取得，获得
premium ［ˈprimjəm］ n. 额外费用
career ［kəˈriə］ n. 事业，生涯
applicant ［ˈæplikənt］ n. 申请者
B.S. n. 学士学位 (Bachelor of Science)
