Is College really necessary?

[bayouwolf]

A friend of mine has a bachelors degree in science, took him four years of school..He's working for the county mosquito patrol during the day and at Wal-Mart at night to pay off his student loans because he can't get work in his field that pays enough...
If you have a definate job waiting for you, or mom and dad are paying, I say go for it. Otherwise find something your good at and move up the ladder. The world has enough chiefs, we need more indians.

[Soyo]

deffinately not necessary but still an option...

I think people look at college the wrong way... people say oh I don't know what I want to do so I'll go to college... it should be don't go unless you do it for a reason... why waste money if you may never need what you earn there, or might not even finish, like a large percentage of college students

go if you need it, use your time more wisely if you don't.

[Jimster]

Tertiary education is an absolute must, my University years were EASILY the best of my life, it's an experience that helps prepare people for the real world, while helping to apply what is learnt a high school. It didn't cost much to get myself a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration either, so yes, I view tertiary education as something everyone should complete.

[sameintheend01]

it also depends WHERE u goto school.

[sivic02]

Originally Posted by Jimster

Tertiary education is an absolute must, my University years were EASILY the best of my life, it's an experience that helps prepare people for the real world, while helping to apply what is learnt a high school. It didn't cost much to get myself a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration either, so yes, I view tertiary education as something everyone should complete.

lol you aparently didnt go to public school. Saying that everyone should attend college is outrageous. Not everyone has the mental capacity to successfully complete even a semester of college. College does not help people prepare for the real world either, it gives you an education that you can apply to a real world job but going to college in no way prepares you for the "real world", it is probably as far from the real world as you can get. Also college is not cheap, if it didnt cost you much then I need to start letting you manage my money. Tuition, books, bs fees, housing, food, bills, gas, insurance, etc. It is hard to pay for all of that while attending class.

[Automobile Maniac]

Originally Posted by The732

Is college really necessary to get a great job, or get alot of money from a job? I dont think it is and I think that if you know what you are doing and have a goal for yourself that you dont need to go to college. But what do you guys think?

Not necessarily, but it is hard to find one without some kind of degree or know somebody at a good job to get you in.

It get's a lot harder the older you get. I should have went fresh out of high school like everyone told me to, but I was smarter than everyone else at the time and did not listen .
I started going again a couple of years ago, but with a 40 hour full time job, more than 2 classes a semester is not do able. Plus you lose your party time, and social life. Now I am at a tough part in my life where I am going to move and probably give up school for a while. It fucking sucks too because I have 4 semesters done and actually made it on the deans list--that shocked the hell out of me. And also my job paid for my school 100%, it has been like I have been getting paid to go.

[tenguzero]

Screw it. Go to college NOW while you're young and before you get tied down. I'm going back in the Fall to continue on for my Bachelor's, but this time I'm going to have to do it while working full time (ugh) since I moved out on my own. Don't worry about being up to your eyes in debt from loans, do you know why? Simple. Take a look around at all your friends. I guarantee most of them are going to college. Now, picture them being up to THEIR eyeballs in loan payments as well. Guess what? You're just joining the club Everyone in this country is so deep in debt between higher education, credit cards, loans etc. (something like $7000 for every person in the U.S.) There are many of us running around with the debt-monkey on our backs, so it's not like you're alone in that burden. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't be surprised if in the near future, some sort of federal initiative isn't put on the table to help so many citizens of this country staring down the barrel of mounting school debt (right about now I wouldn't mind being a citizen of one of the many other countries that provide free university education )

An interesting thing that I was talking about with my roomate and another friend (just a bunch of college-intellectuals with less-than-stellar-jobs sitting around shooting the shit) and we got on the topic of the apparent evils of current day higher education. See, originally colleges were designed as places where those who wished to pursue intellectual, cultural, and character growth could meet with others like themselves, and engage in the free exchange of information, ideas, philosophies and other such scholarly pursuits. A college degree was something you earned as a sign of your devotion to personal growth. It was designed to open up broader pathways for your progression through life, and give you an increased pool of resources. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, college changed its suit. Now, instead of being a center for all the intellectual pursuits mentioned above, it has taken on a more sinister bearing -- that of a hinderance to society in general. Today, if you DON'T get a college education, you're pretty much left for dead. Any braindead shmuck with enough money can get themselves a college degree, and do it while boozing, screwing off, sleeping around and all other kinds of college student "activities," many of which go completely against the ethos of the true college experience. And you know what? Even getting that degree isn't necessarily an ace-in-the-hole. I know plenty of other "students" who pissed their way through their college education, just because it was the thing to do. And they still succeeded when they got out, most often because they (or their parents) knew someone who got them into a job. I on theother hand, know no one. So therefore my road is a much tougher one.

At any rate, I still recommend you go for it (especially if your parents are willing to pay for it, or at least help you out with other things along the way like mine did.) Find a college that interests you, get into a QUIET dorm (don't spend your college years partying, you have the rest of your life for that WITHOUT having to pay thousands of dollars) and spend your first year or two exploring things that interest you before you start to settle. However, BEWARE OF SPECIALIZING IN SOMETHING (at least while you're an undergraduate.) I spent a bunch of money on IT schooling, got a couple certifications, and then watched helplessly while my job prospects burst along with the tech bubble in early 2001. A year later, I was back in school, and earned my AS.

Do you know what I found I enjoy the MOST about college though? As fleeting as it may be, just the feeling that I'm actually working towards something inspires me. Right now, at 23 years old, sitting here with nothing going on besides an empty 40 hour-a-week job, watching the days and weeks slip by, I feel like a waste. As much as a pain as it will be come Fall (juggling work and school) I look forward to it. Even if (between now and then) I happen to find a real career that matches my skill set, and gives me more of a direction in my life, I'll probably still go back to school. Because, like everyone else here has said, knowledge truly is power. I just put the whole debt thing out of my mind

[Tony Stewart Fan]

I read this fact the other day which I thought was interesting:

The average American with a highschool diploma will earn $1.4 million over his/her entire lifetime

The average American with a college diploma will earn $2.1 million over his/her entire lifetime

That equals out to 50% more earnings over an entire lifteime.

[Jimster]

Originally Posted by sivic02

lol you aparently didnt go to public school. Saying that everyone should attend college is outrageous. Not everyone has the mental capacity to successfully complete even a semester of college. College does not help people prepare for the real world either, it gives you an education that you can apply to a real world job but going to college in no way prepares you for the "real world", it is probably as far from the real world as you can get. Also college is not cheap, if it didnt cost you much then I need to start letting you manage my money. Tuition, books, bs fees, housing, food, bills, gas, insurance, etc. It is hard to pay for all of that while attending class.

I didn't say everyone should, I just reccomended college over not going. And I did not go to a public school by any means, I went to a Catholic school, that wasn't government funded like a State (public) school, but was accessible to just about anyone and trust me, I encountered some right dumbasses, who filled the "State school" stereotype and they weren't stupid, they were just lazy. Unless you have a serious learning disability (Like many do) or have screwed up your brain on drugs or alcahol (Unlikely at that age), then there's no reason why you can't complete some kind of tertiary degree.

It may not be a University degree, but ANYONE who has even a slightly decent work ethic would be able to get one from a Polytechnic.

Yes I was bought up in a system completely different to the US, there's no such thing as "College" in New Zealand, you either went to Uni or Tech, Uni being pretty much the same as College.

Most people don't view Uni as cheap and they're right, I mean it cost me about $5000 per year on average for 4 years, for a Commerce degree and you're looking at the same for a BA, a small bit more for a Law degree (Which also takes longer) and as much as $100,000 all up for Medicine/Dentistry. Now obviously the more expensive ones would cripple you for years, but I managed to pay my $22,000 student loan off in two years.

I had no trouble getting a part time job at Uni, I think you'd find there are many places that understand that Uni students have class and they tailor your hours around that and I earnt enough to pay my (admittedly cheap) rent, food and power bills and fuel my car (Which was a Yugo, isn't that amazing, you pay less for fuelling a small car).

And college IS the real world, mummy and daddy are no longer there to change your nappies, you are left to take responsibility for your own actions if you screw up or don't go class, no-one's going to be checking up on you, you have to work around your schedule- no-one cares if your life is so hectic that you can't do your assignment- unless you're sick (Medical certificate needed) or someone's died.

[Steel]

Hmm

Well, I tried the 4 year university. Didn't work out in the end. My parents (mom being a doctor, dad an electrical engineer, and my sister a veterinarian) wanted me to become a doctor or engineer. So What I did was go to the college of Engineering at UMass. Man i hated it. I Finally dropped out after my first semester of sophomore year, and went to a tech school for auto mechanics. Now in aobut 4 more weeks, i'll earm my associates degree into Automotive Technology, and i couldn't be happier. My parents don't like it, and they gave me hell aobut it, but i just said "screw them!" and did what makes me happy. And the last year and a half of this tech school has been a REAL real life awakening. No dorms, i have to dravel 15 miles into Boston everyday to get there, I have bills to pay, and a very very shaky car to do it on . But I'm still happy, and i'm looking forward to actaually doing what i love and making some money at it.

Is being an auto tech the best paying job in the world? Certainly not, but i'm ok with that. Its got it's plus sides as well - my job will NEVER be outsourced, i can get a job anywhere I want to live, and now that cars are becoming unbelieveably complicated, my pay rate will only go up.

University is't for everyone, but i think that ANYONE who wants a good job after high school should go to some sort of schooling after.

[jcsaleen]

Is college nessary to earn a living? no
Is it nessary if you want a better life? yes

[karnovking]

For the most part I think the key to success is who you know and your personality. I have neither of these and I spent 4 years in college. Now i'm breaking my back 55 hours a week for about 33K a year.

Of course if you want a meaningful career like a doctor or some kind of technical job, by all means go get the formal training. But a degree in accounting/business is pretty much worthless.

In my situation about 35,000 was blown on college over 4 years. If I had just lived with mom and dad, worked those 4 years making even 25K a year with that 35K tuition back, i'd be able to pretty much buy a house for cash right now instead of paying rent and trying to save a down payment, but that is another story for another time.

[ghostrx7]

That equals out to 50% more earnings over an entire lifteime

And 50% More Bills

[SeXy_AnGeL]

For 4 years of undergraduate, its cost me about $155,000 and now I plan to spend about 3 years in graduate school. For grad school it'll probably cost another $40,000...I have to admit that its very expensive to further your education and that it's not for everyone...but while I'm paying this much, I'm gonna get a job that'll start me at 90k+ a year plus benefits and such, its not a bad deal IMO. I mean, i could have gone to all state schools and my education would have cost about $80,000 a year, so I could pay it off easily. College isnt for everyone, some people should go to tech school and some can just get good jobs with out it. I've been looking into it and with for example with a BS in psychology, you make about $30k a year, and that tends to be high end. It's becoming more and more common that you need to have more than a 4 year degree to make quality money because the gap between less than hs,and hs diploma is staying the same. HS diploma and some college stays the same, and some college and more than a bs is increased greatly...The latest statistics I have on this is from 1998 although I have looked for more recent research. A fact of our society is that education generally can get you further and while your bills will increase, so will your income in most cases. But money does not buy happiness, and while many people think it does, make sure that whatever career you choose, its something that you enjoy and can handle doing for the next 30 or so years because statistics show that 64% of workers would choose a different career if they had the chance

[jacks336]

Im military so I dont know if i count but here goes. I work in an avation life suppourt equipment shop maintaining flight equipment, now everyone who has left the army from my shop did not go to college and all of them are making no less than $22.70 an hour. I also am a trained CH-47 helicopter mechanic (you know the big ones with two horizontal blades)
which there is always a demand for. Starting salary for that one is about 56k a year. And Im not even 20 yet so I do bleave college is a watse of time.


2000 Nissan Xterra