Why college? Why Bother?

[sneakypenguin]

There's the chance you'll get lucky and acquire the qualifications to work in an area that interests you.
Unless you're doing Arts. >,>

Yeah, us poor liberal art students(poli sci for me) only avg 30-36k a year out of school . Some of the business guys at my school are graduating with 70k+ jobs lined up, maybe my business minor will help, maybe.

That said without a degree your basically putting a cap on what you can do, most mgmt lvl jobs require a 4-6 year degree BA/MBA, if your fine topping out at 60-80 thousand a year then your option is fine though.

 

[Amoreyna]

If you actually get into the career field that you studied for, you may start off making less money but you also have a lot of opportunities to continually move up and improve your income if you so choose.

You really need to take into account people's ambition also. A lot of people go to college because that's what they are supposed to do, then don't do anything once they get out. Others use their education to actually go into their career of choice. You can get very high paying jobs without a college degree, but it takes a lot of work. My father now makes 6 figures a year but it took him 30 years to get to this point, and he had to take classes at night for training. So now, all education is not a waste.

Also employeers are more prone to hire people with college degrees over those who don't when everything else evens out experience wise. I've won out on jobs before because of college experience, made more money when hired then others and got to advance faster.

It all depends.

 

[werekitsune]

Although its true that some can barely graduate high school and become millionaires, they are the sharp minority, and the reason why college is a great thing is because it will eventually offer you opportunities way above people w/o a degree, and you get to learn more and suspend being a real adult for awhile. You're right for saying that colleges should be based on past interests, b/c so many people become doctors for the money and they become really shitty assholes.

 

[rainman2203]

I have to think that you lucked out somehow. Not everyone can up and just get a job with no ceiling without some form of advanced education. That said, more power to you.

On the whole college thing, I'm in a Rock n' Roll though the 70's and 80's class as I write this post. Needless to say, a lot of college is a waste. I guess you get those couple inches on the resume once all's said and done.

Oh, that and college kicks ass. I'm gonna see more slutty vampires, nurses, and maids this weekend than you likely will in your life.

 

[Baby Tea]

Bottom line: Go to school for what you want to learn, not What pays more.

Anyone who pursues education for the sake of wealth over the dreams of doing what they love is an idiot.
Flat out, straight up.
It's just a waste.

I went to school for Radio Broadcasting. I'm making far far less then most people with full time jobs. My wife and I barely make ends meet, with every dollar of every paycheque accounted for.
But I love my job, and wouldn't trade it for any other position. I love what I do! I love going to work! Even on the worst of days, where I get frustrated and angry, I wouldn't even dream of quitting.

I couldn't imagine doing something I hated day in and day out. I spend 8 hours a day at work!

If you're happy with a job that others might think 'low class', then good on you and stuff the rest of 'em.

 

[high_castle]

Listen, you're very lucky, because a lot of people without advanced degrees are in the opposite situation. I dropped out of college early and followed my dream of riding professionally. If it had worked out, sure, I could have done very well. But I got injured last year. And guess what, with no other job skills besides the horses thing and no advanced education, I have to go back to school if I want to work for more than hourly wage. Or if I want to do something meaningful with my life. I cannot stress enough how important an education is. It gives you options. Just wait until you're injured or sick or for some reason can't do that job. Then what will you do? Have something to fall back on. Take it from someone who learned the hard way.

 

[teutonicman]

I don't know what kind of a job you do and thus i don't know how much of a strain it puts on your body. Also more and more blue collar jobs are being upgraded either requiring more education or being filled by robots.

 

[Trilby]

Err, because you can (or could a few months ago) step out of a good uni with a humanities degree (which required nothing more than three years of getting pissed and having copious amounts of sex) and get a job in the city which will pay more than a blue-collar job ever could. Already the job situation in finance is steadying; I don't imagine it will be all that long before the pay rates for fresh uni-leavers goes right up again.

Or you could take your engineering degree and go into the oil industry, with a starting salary at around £45k ($73k) at the age of 21. To me, that sounds pretty good.

Because while there are exceptions, as a general rule a better degree = better pay. I'm not trying to be a dick over money here, just stating the obvious.

 

[chronobreak]

to do what you want to of course

but hey, my dads rich, so I'll just inherit my fortune.

Same here brother, but I'm still thinking about going to school, just for something to do at least, maybe leran some new things. I should have went right after high school, now I'm 24 and afraid I'll look weird on a campus as a freshman when the rest of the class will be like 18.

 

[rokkolpo]

i,m going for a job i like not that pays a little more then the other one.

and i definitly need a degree for that.

 

[TheFacelessOne]

Well, I see your point, but I don't enjoy the type of jobs you talk about. I don't like manual labor. I would much rather prefer sitting in a cubicule and typing in things to the computer.

(Which is why, in the future, I hope to get a degree is the arts, and maybe some computer programming.)

And I also intend to get into a job I like, for example, one that has a lot of creative freedom and a non-repetive work agendas.

 

[rokkolpo]

ummmmmm......

"you could have convinced an Urgal to become a farmer tonight."?

success!

exactly

Now cookies to those get the reference.....

Eragon

/thread

has this cookie been eaten before?

 

[DazZ.]

I like this thread.

I went to college for a year and it was shite, stupidly fun for social things but pants for anything that wasn't.

 

[firedfns13]

Bottom line: Go to school for what you want to learn, not What pays more.

Anyone who pursues education for the sake of wealth over the dreams of doing what they love is an idiot.
Flat out, straight up.
It's just a waste.

I went to school for Radio Broadcasting. I'm making far far less then most people with full time jobs. My wife and I barely make ends meet, with every dollar of every paycheque accounted for.
But I love my job, and wouldn't trade it for any other position. I love what I do! I love going to work! Even on the worst of days, where I get frustrated and angry, I wouldn't even dream of quitting.

I couldn't imagine doing something I hated day in and day out. I spend 8 hours a day at work!

If you're happy with a job that others might think 'low class', then good on you and stuff the rest of 'em.

My cousin recently decided to join the Navy because he could not get a job with a history major. (he didnt want to be a teacher). Two or 3 years out of Uni too.

 

[CoziestPigeon]

Now I work in a warehouse finding out this job pays me more than anyone else in my family and most of them have Bacholar degrees!

This is why. Also, most people get the education to get a career they love, not just one they make money at. Money isn't all that some people care about.

 

[Danpascooch]

OK, so I've been working at blue collar jobs since I was 16. And the job I'm at now, come to find out, pays just as much as some jobs that require degrees to get into. With so many jobs out there that need little or if anything a GED to get,the question is why bother with post-high school education when theres jobs out there that pay just as well?

Look I don't mean to be skeptical or whatever to those looking to pursue college for a better education. But these days, unless the career you're going into pays well its not going to be worth it in the long run. Take for instance a career in medicine. Everyone I met who is in school for medicine is in it for the money, not because they like it. They know if they get into a field that they like it will never be able to pay the bills. Same as for me, I went to college got an associates in construction technology only to find out places like the tire making plant and the dog food plant make more annually than any job I could get with my education and the people who work there don't even have a high school diploma! I realize I just went through two years of school (no make it 14 counting all school), thousands of dollars in debt to school loans, and the only real chance I had to learn what I wanted to learn in college, but no I was stupid and wasted the chance and money, time on a bad career choice.

Now I work in a warehouse finding out this job pays me more than anyone else in my family and most of them have Bacholar degrees!

Bottom line: Go to school for what you want to learn, not What pays more. Because your probably going to work at a job like mine to pay the bills and use your education for a hobby.

P.S. sorry for making it kinda long, I ramble on sometimes. Comments?

Some people want to do certain jobs, I want to program games, and even if I don't make as much as some really smart and lucky guy who didn't go to college, that's ok.

while some degree jobs are less lucrative than non degree jobs, on average, you make more, there will always be some exceptions to every statistic

 

[wolfy098]

ummmmmm......

"you could have convinced an Urgal to become a farmer tonight."?

success!

exactly

Now cookies to those get the reference.....

Eragon

/thread

has this cookie been eaten before?

No I cyber baked it specially

 

[historybuff]

College was the best decision I ever made. Changed my life, broadened my horizons. I plan to study in France in a couple years.

I didn't want to get stuck in the kinds of jobs my parents are because they didn't go to college.

So for me, college was very worth it to me. I don't want to work in a warehouse or a factory. I have ambitions. I want to travel abroad and see the world and learn as much as I can.

 

[FalloutJack]

Hey there. Jack here. Graduate. Writer. Awesome guy.

Sorry about the broken sentences. I always wanted to intro that way.

Anyway, from my experience, there are alot of people who do jobs of the high-education-requirement nature because they enjoy it. It takes all kinds. Hey, maybe you don't want to bleach your collar white. That's fine, I suppose. One of my motivations for college was the fact that it was alot better than high school, but along the way...you DO pick up a few things on the "Why?" and the "What for?" of things.

It's options. It all boils down to options. If you ever felt that what you're doing now wasn't enough, this is where you strive for things. And I know for a fact that the more you've done in college equates to the more prospective employers actually pay attention. Remember, businesses are literally all business. You're advertising yourself and you do better in their eyes if you've had a few added features installed.

Honestly, do what you like with your life. As long as you ARE doing something with it. I know certain putzes that are forever failures at life, last in running of the human race.

 

[Doktor Merkwurdigliebe]

I'm on a Games Development(more programmers stuff, not designing) course at my uni.
Shit is fun.
Although I'm worried about my future.