Poll: Is higher education worth it?
- Thread starter alik44
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I know a guy that majored in an economics course, and half way through the semester he used what he had learned to figure out it's no longer economically viable to stay there.
Going into debt for the sake of maybe getting a job in your field? Well, If you're a gambling man.
Depends on the degree, and what you expect to get out of it.
I'm almost finished with my degree, and have not taken any student loans (even though it's taken me longer, I only took classes when I knew I could afford it), so I have high incentive to finish. I will then hang my certificate on the wall, admire it for a moment, and go back to the want ads.
I have no illusions about how much difference it'll make.
Depends on the degree, and what you expect to get out of it.
I'm almost finished with my degree, and have not taken any student loans (even though it's taken me longer, I only took classes when I knew I could afford it), so I have high incentive to finish. I will then hang my certificate on the wall, admire it for a moment, and go back to the want ads.
I have no illusions about how much difference it'll make.
Higher education, in a world where big brains could be dwindling in numbers fast, is definitely worth it. To seek, to know, to understand and comprehend the world around you is all. Without it, we are NOTHING.
If most good (in terms of pay) jobs require college degrees just to take the job (and this is without mentioning how your education itself factors into performance of said job), then yes, yes it is worth it. The answer I want to see is if medical school is worth it.
It probably depends on where you live and what you decide to study. In the US, my Master's Degree in TESOL certainly hasn't helped me find a job and has actually hurt me since most unskilled jobs consider me overqualified, and won't hire me as a result, and there are way more teachers than there are teaching positions, so I can't get hired in my field either. As such, I'll probably have to teach abroad, at least until I have more experience to put on my resume.
Likewise, my friends from college who majored in equally unmarketable degrees haven't had much success finding work either.
Given the ridiculous cost of higher education in the US, I would only advise college to someone who is planning to major in a field that is actually hiring (such as certain types of engineering). Otherwise you will probably be losing money since you will pay tens of thousands of dollars for a degree that is worthless from a financial standpoint and end up working as a barista or something, which you could have done without spending far more money than you will ever make in such a career.
Likewise, my friends from college who majored in equally unmarketable degrees haven't had much success finding work either.
Given the ridiculous cost of higher education in the US, I would only advise college to someone who is planning to major in a field that is actually hiring (such as certain types of engineering). Otherwise you will probably be losing money since you will pay tens of thousands of dollars for a degree that is worthless from a financial standpoint and end up working as a barista or something, which you could have done without spending far more money than you will ever make in such a career.
Living in Germany, where students get a lot of support from the state. If the income of your parents isn't too high, the state will pay you after finishing university 50-75% of the money you spent on education.
So yeah, it's pretty much worth it. In USA though? I have got not the foggiest clue.
So yeah, it's pretty much worth it. In USA though? I have got not the foggiest clue.
As with the last 80 identical threads it depends on what you do with your degree and what sort of expenses you incur when getting it. If someone is reading all of these and remains in doubt then I would not recommend higher education. >_>
If it turns out to be a profit and that you will be happier doing what the degree unlocks then yay. If it turns out to be a life-wrecking drain on your economy then nay. If you hate the idea of doing what the degree lets you then pick something else or don't bother.
If it turns out to be a profit and that you will be happier doing what the degree unlocks then yay. If it turns out to be a life-wrecking drain on your economy then nay. If you hate the idea of doing what the degree lets you then pick something else or don't bother.
There arn't many jobs in teaching English as a foreign or secondary language in native English speaking countries, unless you can make a niche for yourself perhaps as a private tutor to Mexican immigrants. The expectation really is that you go abroad and teach English there, if you have a proper masters degree in it and not just a qualification you should expect to find employment quite easily. Once you've acquired plenty of teaching experience then it's more viable to find a teaching job back in the US.eimatshya said:
I went for maybe because I think it depends on the country, or more importantly, the actual qualification you're going to be getting.
In the UK, it's only if you start earning greater than like £21,000 or £26,000 (something like that, and I'm too lazy to just look it up) that you have to start paying it back, and even then it's not a huge amount per month. I'm not sure how other countries do it, but the system in the UK seems like a lot of degrees would be worth it.
If you're doing a course in Photography at a not-so-good university, don't expect to land yourself a decent job, whereas subjects like electrical and chemical engineering are highly valued in the job world, so in that case you're probably going to see your efforts rewarded.
In the UK, it's only if you start earning greater than like £21,000 or £26,000 (something like that, and I'm too lazy to just look it up) that you have to start paying it back, and even then it's not a huge amount per month. I'm not sure how other countries do it, but the system in the UK seems like a lot of degrees would be worth it.
If you're doing a course in Photography at a not-so-good university, don't expect to land yourself a decent job, whereas subjects like electrical and chemical engineering are highly valued in the job world, so in that case you're probably going to see your efforts rewarded.
Personally I'd say having a good network is much more important then a degree, but yeah it helps.
And depending on where you live most def worth it.
And depending on where you live most def worth it.
Cause then they wouldn't get your 8000.piinyouri said:
It's worth it.
...If you're smart enough for it to be worthwhile.
For the average person? Honestly? I don't think that it is, when most people (in the US at least) just turn around and reject their knowledge in favor of mysticism and pseudo-science. If they won't even educate themselves, they shouldn't bother with higher education.
...If you're smart enough for it to be worthwhile.
For the average person? Honestly? I don't think that it is, when most people (in the US at least) just turn around and reject their knowledge in favor of mysticism and pseudo-science. If they won't even educate themselves, they shouldn't bother with higher education.
It bloody better be worth it, I start in 3 weeks...
Still no tuition fees where I live (Scotland) so I'm pretty fortunate. I'm getting a small student loan to cover buying books and some of the cost of living. I'd definitely say it's worth it here, provided you're doing something that has a strong chance of helping you get a good job. And it helps if you're at a good university.
Still no tuition fees where I live (Scotland) so I'm pretty fortunate. I'm getting a small student loan to cover buying books and some of the cost of living. I'd definitely say it's worth it here, provided you're doing something that has a strong chance of helping you get a good job. And it helps if you're at a good university.
I think the people who have trouble getting jobs just got degrees in the wrong fields. Sure you might love to be a teacher but if there is not going to be jobs available in the field why would you get a degree to teach. If you want a college/university level job make sure that at the time of graduation there will be jobs in the field and make sure it is something you can only do if you have that degree. That way there will be jobs in it for you.
Also, try an apprenticeship. You can get paid along the way and in a few years there will be a huge lack of people in the field in many countries.
Also, try an apprenticeship. You can get paid along the way and in a few years there will be a huge lack of people in the field in many countries.
Because more bad loans is exactly what the American Economy needs right now. And your comparison of the US to Nazi Germany completely false.piinyouri said:
Depends what you want to do. If you want to become a plumber, then spending 3 years of your life studying the fall of the Mayan Empire is unlikely to be worth it. If you want to become a doctor, you NEED higher education, so of course its worth it in such a case.
