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The Powerful Degree

Four hundred fifty-one degrees Fahrenheit is the temperature at which paper burns. It is also the title of a novel by Ray Bradbury. Or is it the degree that represents the angle of a certain arc measurement?

Whatever it is used for, degree is such a word that gives great impact on things. You know why? Because it serves many functions and many definitions.

In the typical study of linguistics or grammar usage, this powerful word is defined as a situation on a range of strength or quantity. For example, you may use it in a sentence like, " a higher degree of tolerance."

It may also represent the intellectual or educational capacity of an individual. Usually, the word degree is used to represent the honor that a person was able to finished during his or her pursue for a certain curriculum.

In mathematics, it refers to the size of the angle, usually reflecting a full 360º revolution. It made wonders in the field of astronomy, earth's measurements, and even in aviation and other trigonometric functions.

In health, it is the measurement of temperature. It signifies the amount of heat or coldness of the environment or the state of a certain matter.

But the most essential concept of the word is its association to an individual's ability to pursue his or her dreams because of the educational attainment that he or she has achieved.

I can still remember my grandmother who used to remind me of how important it is to earn a degree in college. She used to tell me how she worked hard so as to be able to provide her children with a good quality of education.

In a small town where most people were content with a secondary education, her dogged pursuit of a college degree for all her children was scorned and laughed at by her neighbors.

They incessantly asked, "Why would anyone go to the trouble of sending her kids to school when she barely has the money for food? She is just showing off by trying to do what is out of her reach."

It is true that nowadays, earning a degree in college is no longer a right but a privilege especially to those who can afford it. With the high tuition fees, sending your child to college can be a financial burden, indeed.

But the fact remains the same. A college degree holder can earn more than a high school graduate. So, whether it is too expensive to go to college, a lot of people are still striving hard to earn a degree. This just goes to show that there are still many people who value education.

In fact, in a report made by the Carnegie Foundation in the U.S., having a college degree initiates people to be more cultured, more rational, more open-minded, more consistent, and less authoritarian.

Hence, with this kind of attitude and characteristics in our people we can be assured of a more stabilized economy, increased tariffs and revenues, increased labor force, and a more independent nation detached from any financial obligations in other countries or financial institutions.

So, whether the word has a great impact in the society, in science, or in mathematics, still, the word degree is such a powerful word that can create great changes in the human history.