Higher Education and Society Attending public schools as a child, I remember learning the basic skills of how to add and subtract, read and write . These basic skills are necessary to function in our society and in our U.S. job market. As we all know, every child learns differently, some learn faster than others and some slower than others. Our public schools have become overcrowded and we don't have enough teachers to meet the needs of every student. Some students are left behind and do not learn the skills needed to advance to the next level. What these students don't learn, they can learn in higher education like a college or university. In this report, I would like to express the importance of higher education. I will use the works of John Henry Newman, Jon Spayde and Mike Rose, all three believe in the need for an educated society. The needs of our students are changing, there are a growing number of immigrants with children coming to the United States from around the world. They bring with them the language and culture of their country. The age at which they arrive in the United States determines how well they learn English and what skills they will need to acquire to become productive in our society. The task of teaching our children basic skills becomes more difficult every day, making it harder for our education system to achieve its goals. A large number of students graduating from high school do not have the skills necessary to meet the needs of our society's workforce. A higher level of learning is necessary to make our society literate. Relations between college and university have an influence on our society. Having an educated society in the United States brings a safe and peaceful environment in which to live. Society is defined as “a group of people with a common culture or way of life. A group of people who come together to share a common interest.” (Holt, Rinehart and Winston 678). An educated society also avoids social problems such as poverty, gangs, drugs and health-related diseases. Above all, having an educated society contributes to the economy of our country. For example, a citizen who obtains a college degree gains respect and can get a good, well-paying job..