Education allows a person to function better in our increasingly complex world. It gives you the ability to

- Think logically and critically about events, beliefs, values, and experiences, to ask relevant questions and make well-thought-out decisions, to understand the importance of context (physical, biological, social, historical) in evaluating information and ideas;

- Write well, which is necessary for communicating by e-mail, preparing written proposals, expressing opinions etc;

- Communicate orally, which is necessary for maintaining good interpersonal relations;

- Use computers effectively and efficiently;

- Work well with others, since education tends to show you how others live and think and make it easier for you to see things through their eyes;

- Locate information on any given topic;

- Understand the limits and significance of your knowledge;

- Examine problems and develop creative solutions to them; and

- Manage time efficiently.

Taken together, these all increase your sense of personal worth and accomplishment which makes you easier for others to deal with and, in turn, makes it more likely you’ll have successful personal and professional relationships.

Source: http://www.uscg.mil/hq/capemay/education/whymore01.asp