I've interviewed at too many places to count that refuse to even look at a portfolio if it doesn't have a degree attached. Sad that a slip of paper is required when a portfolio of work and a resume should suffice but that is the age we live in.
Poll: Is higher education worth it?
- Thread starter alik44
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It's because I rushed and said 'isn't' when I meant to say 'wasn't'. I have a career until I am 50, and a pension on top of that... The only reason I will need a degree now is if I choose to come out of the military, and want a similar paid job... alsthough my proffessional training is also highly sought after, so a degree in that case would just be as a tool to make myself more competative...Dags90 said:
If I complete the courses and the military give me a degree it is just a bonus... but will not enable me to further my career at this point... professional training and my track record will do that from now on.
Isn't that kind of system terrible for taxpayers?Matthew94 said:
It's basically the same as letting someone buy a third car and buy a condo but if they can't finish paying for them and/or they lose their job so they can't make payments period then they get to keep them anyways.
As a future taxpayer don't you find this kind of system unfair for whosever money their taking in order to form these loans?
Um... I want a degree in performing arts... I have no idea whether to go to a uni after college or a specific school or what, literally no one who I have ever asked, even actors in theatre have ever given me good advice other than the same cheesy shite about "follow your dream". Yes I will but in order to do that I could do with a few fucking POINTERS!
Damn. Studying in the UK seems like a swell deal. I wish I could have gone to study abroad. It's cool, though; I was able to pay for my own tuition so I don't have any debts to worry about.Matthew94 said:
OT: So yeah, I definitely believe that it is worth pursuing a higher education.
Why? Put simply, it will put you head and shoulder above others who are applying for a job. Even if you are unable to find a career at first, you could at least get a decent salary in the meantime at another job due to having your degree.
That's the funny thing about economics...Wolverine18 said:
Anyway, the stuff they teach you in the first semester is the economic equivalent of "Bones go inside the skin" to biology.
Because a lot of it is not intuitive, much of what you learn early on is something you can act on.
OT: The value of a higher education depends heavily on the degree you get. Unfortunately, the US gov has been pushing this kind of education for everyone, and as a result, there is a serious lack of interest in vocational schooling (which can often land you a job with better pay than a uni degree).
I think it's worth it if you actually want to go and put in the time. If you're one of the thousands of students who's only reason for going is because their parents said they had to then I'd recommend taking a few years off, doing some hard manual labour work (construction, kitchen, dock work, etc.) It's good for three things, you learn that you're not made of glass and that you can get use to waking up at 5 or 6 A.M. and spend 8 to 10 hours on your feet, you get a unique sense of satisfaction that I've not felt with white collar desk jobs or customer service based retail, and most importantly you'll realize that this is what your life will probably be if you don't go to college. Higher education doesn't exalt you above manual labour work, but it means you don't have to do it till the day you get too old to do it anymore.
If/ when you decide to go to college or University I'd say do your first two years at a community college and then transfer. I mean why pay more for your math and English classes? The material is still the same. You never know, your time doing these manual labour jobs that will never become redundant may actually make you realize you like construction, and perhaps you want to become an architect, or maybe a chef, or even a mechanic. If not then at least you'll know that you're not above such labours when you get out and are in between jobs as you try to find the career job that suits your major.
If/ when you decide to go to college or University I'd say do your first two years at a community college and then transfer. I mean why pay more for your math and English classes? The material is still the same. You never know, your time doing these manual labour jobs that will never become redundant may actually make you realize you like construction, and perhaps you want to become an architect, or maybe a chef, or even a mechanic. If not then at least you'll know that you're not above such labours when you get out and are in between jobs as you try to find the career job that suits your major.
Mate, that system DOES exist in the US. After a while, you're loans are forgiven if you have not defaulted on them. So if you make regular payments for the 30 or whatever years it is, and you haven't payed them off, you're forgiven. Of course, that's a crap place to be as you'll end up paying MUCH more than 8k. You're better off just paying it off.piinyouri said:
OT: YES. It's worth it. If you get a degree in something meaningful, then you'll make the tonnes of monnes. If you do some random humanities or arts degree, you'll have less chance. But the education you gain is worth more money (if you go to a good school) than you'll ever make.
I did my BA in Political Science because I really enjoyed it, then my MS in Public Health and Epidemiology then did an MD, PHD (Differed my PhD till after my residency; I'm working on it now) in Peds Oncology and Biomedical Informatics. The only debt I got was in undergrad, and I went to a public school in-state so it wasn't all THAT expensive. No-one should EVER pay for grad school, you find funding; and if you do an MD/PHD they'll pay for both.
I will say that it is absolutely not worth it if you aren't going to use your skills in the real world, or aren't focused enough for school. If you don't like learning, then you won't like college or any other postsecondary education.
Education is ALWAYS worth it, just don't get too hung up on the idea that the only path is nothing but school. School is good, but school + practical experience, even its just life experience, is worth more.
"Law firms like that degree" is not a skill gained from taking a degree. Also, please when have I ever said that having a second degree does not earn you extra credits? I have said this in all of my posts as far as I know. Both of you keep referring to what you have said, but you don't seem to have grasped one single point from my posts.Abandon4093 said:
Now try to understand what I am asking here. Does history teach you any important skills than no other study teaches which can't be gained by studying philosophy or sociology? Does the history degree grant people jobs without being a supplement to a more important degree? A history degree might be extra credits, can you tell me one other thing than that and don't give me the bullshit about contextualizing information since that's a major component of almost any higher education.