The Value of a College Degree Reading Answers

Dec 31, 2022

The Value of a College Degree Reading Answers 13 questions that have to be answered in 20 minutes. The Value of a College Degree Reading Answers comprises question types, namely-.True/False/Not Given, Complete the fact sheet and write the appropriate letters. This topic- The Value of a College Degree Reading Answers is taken from the book Cambridge IELTS 10 Student's Book with Answers. Candidates in this IELTS Section will be shown various question types with clear instructions. Candidates are required to write True/False/Not Given on the basis of the given cue and information provided in the IELTS Reading passage, complete the fact sheet using no more than three words for each answer and write the appropriate letter from options A-G. To gain proficiency in topics like- The Value of a College Degree Reading Answers and more, candidates can practice from the IELTS reading practice test

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

The Value of a College Degree Reading Answers

The Value Of A College Degree

The escalating cost of higher education is causing many to question the value of continuing education beyond high school. Many wonder whether the high cost of tuition, the opportunity cost of choosing college over full-time employment, and the accumulation of thousands of dollars of debt are, in the long run, worth the investment. The risk is especially large for low- income families who have a difficult time making ends meet without the additional burden of college tuition and fees.

In order to determine whether higher education is worth the investment, it is useful to examine what is known about the value of higher education and the rates of return on investment to both the individual and to society.

The Economic Value of Higher Education

There is considerable support for the notion that the rate of return on investment in higher education is high enough to warrant the financial burden associated with pursuing a college degree. Though the earnings differential between college and high school graduates varies over time, college graduates, on average, earn more than high school graduates. According to the Census Bureau, over an adult’s working life, high school graduates earn an average of $1.2 million; associate’s degree holders earn about $1.6 million; and bachelor’s degree holders earn about $2.1 million (Day and Newburger, 2002). These sizable differences in lifetime earnings put the costs of college study in a realistic perspective. Most students today—about 80% of all students—enrol either in public four- year colleges or in public two-year colleges. According to the U.S. Department of Education report, Think College Early, a full-time student at a public four-year college pays an average of $8,655 for in-state tuition, room, and board (U.S. Department of Education, 2002). A full-time student in a public two-year college pays an average of $1,359 per year in tuition (U.S. Department of Education, 2002).

These statistics support the contention that, though the cost of higher education is significant, given the earnings disparity that exists between those who earn a bachelor’s degree and those who do not, the individual rate of return on investment in higher education is sufficiently high to warrant the cost.

Other Benefits of Higher Education

College graduates also enjoy benefits beyond increased income. A 1998 report published by the Institute for Higher Education Policy reviews the individual benefits that college graduates enjoy, including higher levels of saving, increased personal/professional mobility, improved quality of life for their offspring, better consumer decision making, and more hobbies and leisure activities (Institute for Higher Education Policy, 1998). According to a report published by the Carnegie Foundation, non-monetary individual benefits of higher education include the tendency for postsecondary students to become more open-minded, more cultured, more rational, more consistent, and less authoritarian; these benefits are also passed along to succeeding generations (Rowley and Hurtado, 2002). Additionally, college attendance has been shown to “decrease prejudice, enhance knowledge of world affairs and enhance social status” while increasing economic and job security for those who earn bachelor’s degrees (Ibid.). Research has also consistently shown a positive correlation between completion of higher education and good health, not only for oneself but also for one’s children. In fact, “parental schooling levels (after controlling for differences in earnings) are positively correlated with the health status of their children” and Increased schooling (and higher relative income) are correlated with lower mortality rates for given age brackets” (Cohn and Gesbe, 1992).

The Social Value Of Higher Education

A number of studies have shown a high correlation between higher education and cultural and family values, and economic growth. According to Elchanan Cohn and Terry Geske (1992), there is the tendency for more highly educated women to spend more time with their children; these women tend to use this time to better prepare their children for the future. Cohn and Geske (1992) report that “college graduates appear to have a more optimistic view of their past and future personal progress.”

Public benefits of attending college include increased tax revenues, greater workplace productivity, increased consumption, increased workforce flexibility, and decreased reliance on government financial support (Institute for Higher Education Policy, 1998)…

Conclusion

While it is clear that investment in a college degree, especially for those students in the lowest income brackets, is a financial burden, the long-term benefits to individuals as well as to society at large, appear to far outweigh the costs.

Solution with Explanation
Questions 1-4:
Do the following statements agree with the information in Reading Passage? In boxes 1-4 on your Answer Sheet, write

TRUE if the statement is true according to the passage.
FALSE if the statement contradicts the passage.
NOT GIVEN if there is no information about this in the passage.

The cost of a college education has remained steady for several years.

Answer: False
Supporting Sentence: The escalating cost of higher education is causing many to question the value of continuing education beyond high school.
Keywords: higher education, question, value, escalating, high school
Keywords Location: Paragraph A, line 1
Explanation: The escalating expense of higher education is driving many to doubt the purpose of continuing education beyond high school is mentioned in the first sentence of paragraph A. Higher education is teaching provided at a college or university, and the word "escalating" alludes to a rapid increase. Given that the cost of higher education is supposedly growing rapidly, we may presume that it has not been consistent for some time.

Some people have to borrow large amounts of money to pay for college.

Answer: True
Supporting Sentence: Many wonder whether the high cost of tuition, the opportunity cost of choosing college over full-time employment, and the accumulation of thousands of dollars of debt are, in the long run, worth the investment.
Keywords: tuition, college, dollars, investment, debt
Keywords Location: Paragraph A, 2nd line
Explanation: Many debates if the high cost of tuition, the opportunity cost of choosing school over a full-time job, and the accumulation of thousands of dollars of debt are, in the long run, worth the investment mentioned in the second sentence of paragraph A. Given that higher education costs thousands of dollars, it is obvious that people borrow a lot of money to pay for college, causing them to incur debt.

About 80% of college students study at public colleges.

Answer: True
Supporting Sentence: Most students today—about 80% of all students—enrol either in public four- year colleges or in public two-year colleges.
Keywords: students, public, four year, two year, college
Keywords Location: Paragraph - The Economic Value of Higher Education, 5th line
Explanation: According to the fifth statement of the preceding paragraph, nearly 80% of all students currently attend either public four-year universities or public two-year colleges. This validates the notion that around 80% of students attend public universities.

Public colleges cost less than private colleges.

Answer: Not Given
Explanation: No such relevant information has been found in the reading passage.

Questions 5-9:

Complete the fact sheet below.
Choose no more than three words from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 5-9 on your Answer Sheet

Financial Costs and Benefits of Higher Education
The average high school graduate makes a little more than one million dollars in (5)___________

Answer: A lifetime/adult’s working life
Supporting Sentence: According to the Census Bureau, over an adult’s working life, high school graduates earn an average of $1.2 million
Keywords: Census Bureau, adult’s working life, earn
Keywords Location: Paragraph- The economic value of higher education, line 3
Explanation: According to the Census Bureau, during the length of an adult's working life, graduates of high school earn an average of $1.2 million; associates degree degree holders earn around $1.6 million; and bachelor's people with degrees earn approximately $2.1 million. The author states in this essay that the average adult earns more than a million dollars ($1.2 million) over his working life.

The average person with an associate’s degree earns (6)____________

Answer: $1.6 million
Supporting Sentence: According to the Census Bureau, over an adult’s working life, high school graduates earn an average of $1.2 million
Keywords: Census Bureau, adult’s working life, earn, associate degree, bachelor degree
Keywords Location: Paragraph- The economic value of higher education, line 3
Explanation: According to the third line of the provided paragraph it states that during an adult's working life, high school graduates earn an average of $1.2 million. The associate's degree holders make around $1.6 million. Additionally, bachelor's degree holders earn approximately $2.1 million (Day and Newburger, 2002). According to the data supplied, an associate's degree holder earns roughly $1.6 million per year.

The average (7)____________ makes over two million dollars.

Answer: Bachelor’s degree holder
Supporting Sentence: associate’s degree holders earn about $1.6 million; and bachelor’s degree holders earn about $2.1 million (Day and Newburger, 2002).
Keywords: Census Bureau, adult’s working life, earn, associate degree, bachelor degree
Keywords Location: Paragraph- The economic value of higher education, line 3
Explanation: According to the third line of the provided paragraph mentions the bachelor's degree holders earn approximately $2.1 million (Day and Newburger, 2002). According to the data supplied, an associate's degree holder earns roughly $1.6 million per year. Hence bachelor's degree holder is the correct answer.

The average student at a four year college spends (8) $______________ a year on classes, housing, and food.

Answer: 8655
Supporting Sentence: Think College Early, a full-time student at a public four-year college pays an average of $8,655 for in-state tuition, room, and board.
Keywords: Think College Early, Department of Education, college, average, tuition
Keywords Location: Paragraph- The economic value of higher education, line 6
Explanation: According to the sixth line of the provided paragraph, a full-time student at a public four-year college spends an average of $8,655 for in-state tuition, housing, and board (U.S. Department of Education, 2002). According to the author's study, the average college student spends $8,655 over four years for tuition (classes), room (housing), and board (food).

The average student at a two-year college spends $1,359 on (9)____

Answer: Tution
Supporting Sentence: A full-time student in a public two-year college pays an average of $1,359 per year in tuition (U.S. Department of Education, 2002).
Keywords: student, public, two year college, average, tuition
Keywords Location: Paragraph- The economic value of higher education, line 7
Explanation: According to the seventh line of the preceding paragraph, a full-time student at a public two-year university pays an annual tuition of $1,359 on average. Based on this information, we can conclude that the average student attending a two-year college pays $1,359 in tuition.

Questions 10-13:
The list below shows some benefits which college graduates may enjoy more as compared to non-college graduates.
Which four of these benefits are mentioned in the article? Write the appropriate letters in boxes 10-13 on your Answer Sheet

They own bigger houses.
They are more optimistic about their lives.
They save more money.
They enjoy more recreational activities.
They have healthier children.
They travel more frequently.
They make more purchases.

Question 10:

Answer: C
Supporting Sentence: A 1998 report published by the Institute for Higher Education Policy reviews the individual benefits that college graduates enjoy, including higher levels of saving
Keywords: higher education, college graduate, decision making, saving, quality, hobbies, consumer decision, leisure activities
Keywords Location: Paragraph - Other benefits of higher education, line 2
Explanation: According to the second line of the sentence mentions that a 1998 report published by the Institute for Higher Education Policy reviews the individual benefits. It adds that college graduates enjoy, higher levels of savings, increased personal/professional mobility, improved quality of life for their children, better consumer decision-making, and more hobbies and leisure activities. The benefits listed here include the fact that new grads tend to save more money (save more money).

Question 11:

Answer: D
Supporting Sentence: A 1998 report published by the Institute for Higher Education Policy reviews the individual benefits that college graduates enjoy, including higher levels of saving, increased personal/professional mobility
Keywords: higher education, college graduate, decision making, saving, quality, hobbies, consumer decision, leisure activities
Keywords Location: Paragraph - Other benefits of higher education, line 2
Explanation: The second line of the above-mentioned sentence reads, "A 1998 report published by the Institute for Higher Education Policy reviews... decision-making, and more hobbies and leisure activities." This line also tells us that persons who obtain a college degree engage in more hobbies and leisure pursuits, which are also referred to as recreational pursuits.

Question 12:

Answer: E
Supporting Sentence: A 1998 report published by the Institute for Higher Education Policy reviews the individual benefits that college graduates enjoy
Keywords: higher education, college graduate, decision making, saving, quality, hobbies, consumer decision, leisure activities
Keywords Location: Paragraph - Other benefits of higher education, line 2
Explanation: The second line of the stated paragraph reads, "A 1998 report published by the Institute for Higher Education Policy reviews the individual benefits that college graduates ... are healthier. Hence option E is the appropriate answer.

Question 13:

Answer: G
Supporting Sentence: A 1998 report published by the Institute for Higher Education Policy reviews the individual benefits that college graduates enjoy, including higher levels of saving
Keywords: higher education, college graduate, decision making, saving, quality, hobbies, consumer decision, leisure activities
Keywords Location: Paragraph - Other benefits of higher education, line 2
Explanation: The second line of the mentioned paragraph reads, "A 1998 report published by the Institute for Higher Education Policy reviews the individual benefits... leisure activities." Here, students learn how to make better purchasing decisions.

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