Many people today know America as the most powerful country in the world.  Is the United States a great country?  Yes.  Does it have many freedoms and rights that its citizens should be thankful for?  Yes, but times are changing.  Other countries are rising up, and one of the major categories in which America is being surpassed in is education.

Many students currently believe that school is nothing more than a waste of time.

This negative outlook on education is contained in the many minds of our nation’s youth. Last year alone, there were more than 3,000,000 high school dropouts in the U.S.  That means there are 8,000 dropouts every day, 342 dropouts every hour, and almost 6 dropouts every second.  High school dropouts do almost nothing to benefit our economy, and on average, a person who finishes high school will make $260,000 more than someone who does not (“High School Dropout Statistics”).

Education is a very important aspect of life, and it is necessary in order for a country to thrive economically.  As Nelson Mandela once said, “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”  (“Nelson Mandela”).   However, because there is a lack of American bodies to fill the workforce, many large companies have started to hire people from other countries rather than their own.

One of the most popular outsourcing countries is India, with more than 1.6 million current workers in the U.S.  (“US in Focus”).  One of the major universities from which large companies hire from is IIT Delhi. It is the biggest university in India, and it is also one of the hardest to get into in the whole entire world.  Testing begins at age 12, and after their first tests, the children dedicate almost all of their time to studying because less than 2,000 are accepted into IIT every year.  In order to be one of those 2,000 one must be the best of the best when it comes to the level of education (“Indian Institute of Technology Delhi”).

Education comes down to the will to succeed.  There are many Americans who have this universal desire to succeed, but many have lost it.  More and more people believe that they should be handed things just because of their citizenship, and less and less actually have what it takes to become successful.

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Works cited

“High School Dropout Statistics.” Statistic Brain. N.p., 28 Apr 2013. Web. 13 Dec 2013. <http://www.statisticbrain.com/high-school-dropout-statistics/>.

“Indian Institute of Technology Delhi.” IIT Delhi. N.p.. Web. 19 Dec 2013. <http://www.iitd.ac.in/>.

“Nelson Mandela.” Brainy Quote. Xplore Inc., 13 Dec 2013. Web. 13 Dec 2013. <http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/n/nelsonmand157855.html>.

“US in Focus.” Migration Information Source. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec 2013. <http://www.migrationinformation.org/usfocus/display.cfm?ID=785>.