A college degree is one step closer to success. A college degree is like progress when it comes to quality of life today. Maria Dimera, a student journalist at Santa Monica College, thinks, “Many think that a degree is more than just a piece of paper” (260). Having a college degree is valuable and shows that a person has obtained permission to practice in the field in which they have a college degree. A college degree is required for certain high-paying jobs. Having a college degree may push a person further in life than others, but it does not guarantee a person a job or a comfortable life nowadays. Going to college is essential when it comes to being an expert in a certain subject. Many high paying jobs offered now are college degree related and if a person does not have a college degree, they are left out of the loop. When a person grows up around people who earn little, it encourages him to go to school and do better than what the people around him did. Living paycheck to paycheck is not exactly the ideal lifestyle a person would want to live. It's stressful ew...