RKMBs Forums .::Important::. Deep Topics Is going to college worth it?

Man, have times changed.

The life plan in high school was - graduate, go to college, finish college, get a job, live happily ever after. College was the answer to everything.

Blew that plan straight to hell. Finished 1 year of college and dropped out....

So here I am, 7 years later, about to go back, to a 2 year community college to finish what i started. I don't have a scholarship this time. It's me, and loans, and student aid. Not gonna ask my parents for help, this is something I want to do on my own.

Somebody told me today - that things are so competitive now -and that I ought to think again. That going back to college was only worth it if i went to a University, was a waste of time and that community college would be a joke to future employers. And that the loans and grants would eat me alive afterwards.

It was my belief that the first couple of years didn't matter, and i don't see it as a waste of time...any "bettering of thyself" is better than nothing, right?

I figured this person was just being negative, until i talked to some other folks....one woman with a business degree, waiting tables because her loans are horrific and she can't get a job. One guy, who just joined the army, because he can't find a job and needs the money. And my lawyer, who just left his firm to venture out on his own, because the money was just not there.

So now I'm a little discouraged.

Any advice, thoughts?

I've got a literature degree, which would have landed me in government. So I got a law degree, which paid pretty well. I then got a masters degree in law, and that enabled me to move here, where I get paid really well. All this study took me about 9 years (I worked while I did my masters). The economy is bad right now, but it won't be forever, and your qualifications have to last you for your life. Discipline is the key: if you can stick with it and get through, in the medium-to-long term it will pay off for you.

So yeah, I can't recommend it enough. You might get a decent job without a degree, but its easier to do it with a degree.

I went to college! I left soon after!

You didn't ace it...?

scholastically? unless you're going to be a doctor or a lawyer, yer not really going to get much out of college. certainly not $100,000 worth.

regardless, if you want a job, companies will want to see that degree. even if you graduated in an area having nothing to do with your potential job field. even if you had all the skills in the world before going to college. companies look for that school name and need the assurance you're a college grad. stupid or not, important or not, a good judge or not, they do it. and without it, your job field is limited, greatly.

in terms of life experience, though... its really unparalleled.

from learning to live on your own, to the thousands and thousands of hot girl pieces of ass, to parties, to laundry, to organizing, to 24 hour days, to cramming, to peer pressures, to life-long friends...

you'll never get a better opportunity than college.

Well, yeah I did, but I spent most
of my time occupying various, um,
administration buildings--

-smoking thai-stick, breaking into
the ROTC--

---and bowling. I'll tell you the
truth, Brandt, I don't remember most
of it.--Jeez!

[ 03-31-2003, 01:42 PM: Message edited by: britneyspearsatemyshorts ]

It depends on what you want out of life.

Pretty much, an average non-science or math based 4 year degree will get you a job that pays 30,000-40,000 per year (not counting large cities and inflated areas.).You can get that without a degree.

Alot of guys with 2 year computer IS type degress can get 40,000-50,000 easily. Now, if you go into science and math or almost anything and get a masters you will do well as long as you are even a decent worker. some more specialized 4 year degrees can get you started nicely if you are willing to move.

Life experience is priceless, as far as what Rob was talking about, and is very important.

If you want to make lots of cash there are many ways to do it. It depends on how driven you are and if you have the physical and mental abilities. If you want alot of money through college then you may want to debate on a common 4 year degree..

It may be more worth it to just work....really look at what college students are making in the field of your degree..and don't trust the college..get your own independent stats. It's a whole lotta cash to be throwing around without knowing what the end result will be or is supposed to gain you...

I forget you guys have to pay for tertiary education. That must suck.

i dont even know what a teritury education is i sure aint payin for it!

That's hard for me to say. I started out at a 4 year liberal arts college 12 years ago studying computer graphics, a degree that was non-existant back then. I left after a year and a half due to the fact that 99% of the tuition/fees/etc came out of my pocket and seeing as how tuition alone for the first year was $3,300 and went up every year didn't help. So I then spent another semester at one community college, then another at yet another before losing my then low paying retail job. I took a couple years off, then went back one I moved. I wasn't sure what I wanted to study at that point. At some point, I decided on an associates in LAN administration, until I realised that's a engineering degree (I'm not an engineer) and I discoverd/decided on web page design.

This was over the course of 8 years, when I finally dropped school because it was too taxing on me phsyically. After too many years of burning the candle at both ends and the middle I got really sick and decided I couldn't do it anymore. When I went back to school, I was taking night classes and worked during the day.

I don't have any kind of degree and have temped as an admin mostly over the past 7.5 years, but I have more office skills than any kid that were to graduate college. I may not make much money, but that's because I temp. I gained more computer experience/knowledge on the job then I did in school. In my spare time I've done graphic arts stuff and web design. A friend of mine recently hired me to design her company's website and to be her webmaster. We met at a dotcom we both worked at.

A degree doesn't neccesarily mean you have a clue. I've worked for several people that were college grads that were idiots. College isn't for everyone. I know more people that aren't working in the field that they have a degree in. A few examples, one of my brother's got a film(?) degree but is a cop, a friend of mine (from h.s. that I went to college with) has a film degree but works for herself making and selling clothes, and websites. My sister got a marketing degree, got married, then pregnant and stays home with her kids. She was a secretary/admin in her last job. A friend of mine at church has an engineering degree, worked as an engineer for a while and is now the senior pastor's admin. Her husband did the same thing she did, but is now teaching h.s. science.

I think it's good that you're asking around, but ultimatly, the decision should be up to you. You have to decide if college is for you.

On Amy's point, I didn't have a clue when I graduated. I spent my first day photocopying stuff. Same goes for my wife (she's an accountant). You still need to learn skills on the job. But part of my point is that having that piece of paper helps you get the job: the other half to my point is that that education will make you better at your job.

I know so many people who do MBAs because they want to get ahead, and have an edge over their colleagues. An undergraduate degree is even more fundamental.

Rob is right to an extent, too: it all depend upoin whether you want to have a career, or a job. A career means you keep advancing. A job means you don't advance, but advancement doesn't mean you'll be happy. Best fun part of my working life was being a bartender while I went through law school. No brainer job, but really good fun.

Sadly, college does a meager job of preparing students for real life.

It depends on your specialty.

I majored in Radio/Television production, where I learned stuff like videography, audio mixing, video editing, and stuff like that, and I learned how to do it on professional equipment. In the two internships I've had, I was not given an opportunity to learn how to do any of that. Also, most TV stations don't have training budgets these days to teach people how to use their equipment. They want us to already know how to do it.

There are some things it's simply easier to learn how to do in college, where you actually have access to the equipment you'll need to operate in your chosen occupation.

Besides, college is where you make your real friends. Not work buddies, or high school clicks.

I think it's worth it.

No.......all you do is pay alot of money to get a piece of paper...companies just wanna know if you have the degree, not what classes you took period!

Yes because I'm taking the courses I want to. No because they're raping my bank account.

Yes, there are a lot of great opportunities that I got to experience while in college. I got to be in leadership councils, student governments, and various other organizations and programs. And like Darknight said, I met my real friends in college, though a few high school friends are real friends too.