Poll: Is higher education worth it?

[balanovich]

In this day in age with tuition cost on the rise would you consider the cost of obtaining a degree worth it.

I would always say yes, without a doubt! But, the tuition fees in the US are so high....
The fact that you are asking yourself that question shows how unbalanced and degraded the american system is.

Where that question is asked, there is a problem. The United States suck.....

But I would obtain a diploma no matter the cost.... as long as it'S truly what you want. Higher education should only be about passion, or ambition or at lease an interest.

 

[JeffBergGold]

Educational credentials are just a roadblock to the job market. The only reason to invest in one is so people can take you seriously.

College is somewhat of a joke because it doesn't make people smart or more intelligent it just makes them entry level literate on a subject.

If higher education actually proved intellectual capacity rather than sticktoitiveness I believe it would have more value. "Education" has become a meme that is thrown around blindly tossed around to attribute validity to sitting in a classroom and listening to a professor for hours.


The problem is a lot of people confuse being well read with being intelligent.

 

[Thaliur]

In this day in age with tuition cost on the rise would you consider the cost of obtaining a degree worth it.

That really depends on the degree.

Engineering: definitely.
Liberal Arts: you basically declare bankrupt when you sign up.
Languages: might really help to distinguish between words like "in"/"and" and knowing how to end a question.

 

[Pinkamena]

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.

That depends a lot on what you're taking your degree in. In science, good contacts doesn't mean shit if you do not have at least a masters degree.

 

[DugMachine]

If you go into degrees in Science and Math then you can bet your ass they're worth it. Go for the english/philosophy degrees and you'll probably be out of a job. Computer Science here and it's worth it.

 

[bl4ckh4wk64]

I better damned well hope so. I just started my freshman year of college.

 

[JochemHippie]

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.

That depends a lot on what you're taking your degree in. In science, good contacts doesn't mean shit if you do not have at least a masters degree.

Yup.
But there's generally a larger pool that does not end up doing "science" then the pool that does.
So I dun assumed =3

 

[scw55]

Yes if it's the right subject for you, go to the University that's right for you and try.

2/3 were right for me. Sadly my University didn't know how to help me so they repeatedly almost kicked me off the course for cbaing actually helping me. Eventually they left me alone and I got a 2:2. A year later I am very bitter and angry at the University. I used to care for it, now I don't give a shit. The University is dying and I am not surprised.

You need the right support. Any "one-size fits all" support is absolute bullshit.

 

[MrFalconfly]

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.

Exactly what he said.

Higher education is definitely worth it.

 

[Yopaz]

Literature, history, sociology and art are perfect examples of what wont get you a job.

More CEO's have degrees in the humanities rather than business because the skills that the degree provides. Additionally, the majority of History students go onto degrees in Law or work in Politics.

..../defending my degree.

Sure it is possible to build on your degree and get a job because you got a degree, but do you actually use the degree? Humanitarian studies work for positions in management because they provide relevant skills. However history can't get you a degree in law or a job in politics. You can use the degree as a stepping stone, but the degree itself isn't worth much if you don't know what you plan to use it for.

 

[RustlessPotato]

In Belgium it's pretty much required if you want to make above average money. The things is, loads of people study Languages or Economics or Psychology. So that market is a bit over saturated. I'm studying Biomedical Sciences, which we don't have enough of, so I'm pretty sure I have higher chances of finding a Job than some one who studied History etc...

 

[geK0]

It depends what course you're going into and why you're taking it. There are tons of employers that wont even look at an applicant without some sort of higher education (sometimes even having education which isn't relevant to the job is helpful), but then again, getting even the most 'safe' degrees (such as business related ones) doesn't guarantee that you will get a job out of it.

I'd say that, in general, it's best to get higher education, but you have to keep in mind that it's not a free pass to a career.

I think more people should think about job demand when going into a course. I find that the dental, support worker and game design fields are extremely over-saturated where I'm from; there is no way that there is enough work for the amount of people applying to those courses. Then there's courses like anthropology, philosophy and fine arts; good luck finding work in that.

 

[Lethos]

Literature, history, sociology and art are perfect examples of what wont get you a job.

More CEO's have degrees in the humanities rather than business because the skills that the degree provides. Additionally, the majority of History students go onto degrees in Law or work in Politics.

..../defending my degree.

Sure it is possible to build on your degree and get a job because you got a degree, but do you actually use the degree? Humanitarian studies work for positions in management because they provide relevant skills. However history can't get you a degree in law or a job in politics. You can use the degree as a stepping stone, but the degree itself isn't worth much if you don't know what you plan to use it for.

Stepping stone is right. Getting a job in law is goddamn hard because you pretty much need to get apprenticeships once you have done your degree. A joint honors degree or a conversion provides a more attractive candidate for a law firm as they have both the skills to analyse and put forward convincing arguments that a humanities degree necessitates, and the qualifications and training that a law degree provides.

Article is a little out of date but it's still relevant.

 

[spaceraiderz]

Yes, it is a good idea to go into Higher Education. My step-dad and I discuss this topic often, seeing as he's had me writing applications for college and university from the age of eleven onwards. He puts it so that, even though it costs £9,000 per year and £27,000 overall for your average three-year undergraduate course in Great Britain, it'll put you higher in the work line than someone who has no qualifications and open up a whole bunch of career opportunities for you. Of course, other things can help your CV, such as work experience, volunteering and extra things such as Chief Scout's Gold and Duke of Edinburgh awards. As I've briefly mentioned, Qualifications will open up a wider [[and higher paying]] variety of jobs, and if you're earning top money, then £27,000 isn't really that much, especially if you can pay it in drip payments. [[a small sum of money is paid out at the end of every week until the whole thing is paid off]]
Of course, there's an alternative side to the coin. If you're studying higher education, then you need to make sure that the course you're following is right for you. I, myself, am very gifted with words and philosophy, but hold no interest in technical work such as engineering. So if I took engineering in University [[God knows why I would do such a thing]] it would be pointless, and a waste of money seeing as it would open up a pathway that I had no intention of following. Also, don't pick a major because it seems easy. Art may seem an easy choice at the moment, but just you wait until you have to write an entire eight pages on why Da Vinci coloured Jesus' right eyebrow in a very specific shade of brown.
Hope this was helpful in some way,
-- spaceraiderz;

 

[Yopaz]

Literature, history, sociology and art are perfect examples of what wont get you a job.

More CEO's have degrees in the humanities rather than business because the skills that the degree provides. Additionally, the majority of History students go onto degrees in Law or work in Politics.

..../defending my degree.

Sure it is possible to build on your degree and get a job because you got a degree, but do you actually use the degree? Humanitarian studies work for positions in management because they provide relevant skills. However history can't get you a degree in law or a job in politics. You can use the degree as a stepping stone, but the degree itself isn't worth much if you don't know what you plan to use it for.

Stepping stone is right. Getting a job in law is goddamn hard because you pretty much need to get apprenticeships once you have done your degree. A joint honors degree or a conversion provides a more attractive candidate for a law firm as they have both the skills to analyse and put forward convincing arguments that a humanities degree necessitates, and the qualifications and training that a law degree provides.

Article is a little out of date but it's still relevant.

Sure, but even considering that the degree in history provides a little extra the degree in history is not what gets you a job. The fact that you got a joint degree is. The law degree is a necessity to practice law, the degree in history could just as well be a degree in philosophy (which would actually make sense since that provides a lot of useful things that is needed while practicing law) or a degree in psychology or something else which actually is relevant. The fact that you have a degree is worth more than the degree itself. If you disagree provide one example of when you actually need history while practicing law.

 

[Kurenaino]

I got an undergraduate degree and did two years of graduate school. Now I have a heap of debt I'll never be able to pay and a minimum wage job I am seriously overqualified for. My degree is 100% useless.

 

[micahrp]

Yes! But it helps alot to work with your college. Get your first internship doing something in the field by your junior year. Get on a first name basis with your student placement department and your teachers. Learn to be the person who speaks up in class and fully interacts with your teacher because thats one of the big skills for later.

Loans were the only way I could pay for the education and I worked part-time through college to earn extra for my living expenses. Finished my CS degree and got into the company I interned at. Four years later I am free and clear on my loans.

For all the European people who keep pointing out their education was free, can you explain that to me in more detail? How does the system function when the teachers and administration are not paid? How are the grounds and equiptment maintained without money? If it not truly free then please acknowledge that and state how much more in taxes you and your other countries residents (including the non-degreed) will pay in taxes over the course of a lifetime so that the students will not pay? Also, when is government more efficient and more market driven to adjust to the needs of the students and the job market than a private institution? When the finances of the college is dependant on the students doesn't it incentivize the college to provide the best education versus a guaranteed incomestream of tax money that is not tied to performance? Won't the student demand a better education if they are paying for it in the same way I demand a better level of sandwich when I am paying for it than I would for a free sandwich.

For full disclosure I did go to a state college where I was an in-state resident so I did receive a discounted tax-subsidized education, but still ended up with $45k to pay off.

 

[tautologico]

It depends on many factors, including the field where you want to work (and if you even know what this is), where you live (determines the quality of higher education available cheaply), etc. I'd say it's an important decision that shouldn't be answered automatically, but carefully considered in each case.

 

[willsham45]

Depends what you are going and what you want to end up doing.

I am going to go out and say I think there are 3 different types of cause.

The first being the degrees that ARE required for a specific job, Median, Engineering etc. There are other ways to get the job but really this is the way to go.

The second are causes that teach the tools of a trade and then help you develop your skills and portfolio. Usually more arty causes like design, or programming. Now you can do all these things on your own but the help from a professional is helpful and is a good way to get your foot in the door.

The third are the causes that teach a topic but are open enough you can go into a lot of different jobs, these range in usefulness but for the most part I think they are a bit of a waste of money.



I think a better alternative is to try and get an apprenticeship where you get paid to learn and it leads to the full job.

Or go for the cheaper college cause instead of uni, they are usually more specific to a particular job.

 

[eimatshya]

*snip*

In most European countries the government funds education far more than in the US. The reason US public universities charge so much is that their budgets have been cut repeatedly over the years. When my parents went to the University of California (one of California's two public universities), they paid practically nothing in tuition, just like students at European universities. Forty years later, California's higher education budget had been cut so much that I paid around 10,000 dollars a year in tuition alone.

As for whether the greater investment American students make in their education affects their expectations quality wise, I don't know. I've seen some small protests about issues such as tuition at the American universities I've gone to, but I've seen an equally large protest at a European university, so it's hard to say.