Bachelors Degree or BMW? Hmmm, tricky one. Then again, students of Business (or graduates from the school of common sense) would tell you that since the average lifetime earning potential of Bachelor Degree holders can be up to a whopping 50% more then high-school degree holders, the chance of owning a BMW in the first place is considerably higher if you possess a Bachelors Degree and subsequently have the finances to afford it. The BMW may fulfill any immediate materialistic hankerings for style and class, however a degree will be the long-term investment that puts your career in the fast-lane.
It’s easy to see why the BMW may be seen as a more viable purchase in the short-term; the sleek and sexy contours of it’s chassis have been almost by-words for style and elegance for years, and the high price-tag ensures that you’ll be effectively driving a mobile status symbol. Oh, and there’s the small matter of the vehicle handling the road beautifully and being a dream to drive.. Place this in comparison to three or four years of exams, revision and all the other stresses’ associated with investing thousands in a bachelors degree and it’s suddenly a bit easier to understand the appeal of the former.
It’s not even as if a Bachelors degree is always worth the pay off; college leavers may find their career opportunities limited in areas where there is a surplus of qualified graduates, for example computing. Some graduates find their subject carries limited earning potential in the workplace. There are some that find that although their career proves to be worthwhile in terms of financial recompense, job satisfaction proves limited.
In terms of an investment though, a bachelors degree will always hold it’s value. Aside from the direct qualification, it can be seen by future employees as a demonstration of the organizational, planning, research and inter-personal skills that are required in the modern workplace. Over the course of an average working lifetime, the vast majority of Bachelor degree holders increased average earnings will justify the initial financial outlay of the degree. There is also the social and personal aspect of college life, which many see as an investment in itself in terms of maturing and reaching adulthood.
Ultimately a BMW or any other vehicular purchase will depreciate over time in terms of monetary worth, rendering a financial investment largely pointless if one was expecting a return of some sort. This is not to say one cannot invest for personal or pleasure reasons. What is clear though, is that a Bachelors degree offers more of a long-term and secure investment, and is more likely to have a positive impact on your career and life.