Comments on: Is College Really Necessary?

By: Geneva

Geneva — Mon, 02 May 2011 05:15:09 +0000

I am not in debt, and have a job in the scientific field I hope to eventually have a degree in. I got my job though volunteering at a local lab. My mathematical abilities and being good at tinkering with microscopes has had me hired over people with Bachelors degrees at age 21.
I have been picking up general studies five or ten credits at a time at a community college. This is my third year working on my AA transfer degree. I have to admit it is very painful watching my money and time go into culture and art that is not useful for my work and are totally and completely uninteresting. I am an A student and have won scholarship which have covered most of my expenses, even so every quarter I have been finding myself more and more discontented with the university system. I hope my junior and senior year will meet exception.
I still think I need the degree to make myself a real scientist. However, I will have to move away from a job that I love and took over a year volunteering to get. The image of a degree sold to me all me life and the reality of my situation don’t match and I am quite confused and conflicted.

By: Jim

Jim — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 16:09:56 +0000

Colleges keep cranking out graduates and putting them in debt just to have some employer say “why should I hire you? I can hire
someone else for less money and some form of experience.” Both applicants know about the same, as far as day to business operations are concerned. So many employers now prefer a little experience and no degree to a Bachelors degree from a good school.We don’t hold colleges responsible for their end product, why should colleges cared how their graduates do?

By: ThiNg

ThiNg — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 21:57:06 +0000

@Free Your Mind

I have to agree and second your post.

I have an arts degree in sociology but work as a computer programmer. If I had invested my university (and wedding expenses – another waste of money!!), I could have bought my house for CASH.

Then I would have the same job I have now without any debt. I could then bank $2000-3000 a month and get my degree part-time. I would be the same age, with a degree (and wife), but without any debt or mortgage!!

That’s wealthy!!

By: Free Your Mind

Free Your Mind — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 21:20:02 +0000

This is a very relevant post. I keep hearing people say, “You NEED a degree to get that good job”

But consider the following.

What is the purpose of getting this better job? To make more money? Build More wealth?

Wealth isn’t what you make… it’s what you keep! I know PLENTY of doctors (for example) who make a lot more than most.. but at the same time are STRAPPED with Debt from “education” costs.

Consider that if that same amount of money was invested at age 18, a person could be a millionaire by the age of retirement. THAT’S WEALTH!

Also consider that the TRUE path to wealth is not in a good J.O.B., but entrepreneurship (which requires no degree at all)

By: Robert

Robert — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:13:57 +0000

I think college serves in the maturation of a young adult. As it has been noted in other comments, College Graduates rarely find employemnt in the field they majored in. Think about it, To figure out what you want to do for the rest of your life by age 22? Our lives are works in progress. It’s an adventure.

By: BigVic

BigVic — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 21:21:23 +0000

I also believe that a college degree represents goal acheivement to most companies but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it is absolutely needed to become successful. I myself got my general education classes out of the way and went to work until I figured out what exactly it was that I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I was fortuneate to get a job that had an excellent training program. While here I have gained so many skills that I can bring to another workplace in the future. Skills such as technical, customer service, quality, leadership, public speaking and communication, negotiating, retention, organization, and motivational skills. These are all priceless to me and I don’t think I would have the full affect from just sitting in a classroom. But like I said, I do believe that a degree is a ticket to some interviews and I do plan to go back for that reason.

By: Scanner

Scanner — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 21:00:10 +0000

I beleive in the formula:

2/3rd Paretns
1/3rd Kids

share the cost.

Consider 1rst 2 years at community college.

College teaches you to critically think, to communicate intelligently (orally and in writing), it gives you elevated literacy, it develops an appreciation of the scientific method, the skil of how to research thoughtfully, and of course, the 3 B’s – Beer, Botany, and Beowulf.

My 3 sons are expected to all get some form of higher education using the above formula. If one or all of them choose a trade, they still must take “development” courses (such as financial management, business administration if they are going to be a mechanic let’s say).

By: whitestripe

whitestripe — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:47:28 +0000

@ mewithoutdebt

don’t know if the schools are different where i’m from, but we were writing essays in our last year of high school that would only be looked at by the teacher if they were university standard.
i really don’t think i need to go to college to learn how to ‘think’

@bb: it depends what job, obviously.

By: Monkey Mama

Monkey Mama — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:25:11 +0000

Interesting discussion. I was blessed to have a father who had a changed life due to education (first generation high school AND college) and a mother who never used her degree and had many successful relatives without degrees. So education was always stressed as important, but not a “must,” to me. My parents were also extremely practical about college – no need to go into debt over it.

The most important aspect of my education was juggling school, work, extra-curriculrs, etc. That part shined on my resume, and was very practical “real life” experience. Most of my high school friends who lived off their parents and got “liberal arts” degree still struggle a decade post-college. Still going to school, living at home, working at Wal MArt, etc., etc. A large number of them are broke from their undergrad degrees and are pursuing cheaper degrees in more practical fields. IT seems kind of backwards – but the money is gone and the student loans are maxed before they even know what they really want to do.

I’d be careful assuming a big name school is the be-all, end-all. In my region and field, this is not the case at all. Various factors are at play – most people hiring went to the local state schools (which are abundant in the region, and have excellent business programs). The private schools in the area tend to have no business programs, or weak ones. My field rewards experience and practicality over education, in general, anyway. Locally priavte-degreed and higher-degreed candidates are never very good. There’s a way to get your resume in a trash, and we are desparate for qualified employees. But we don’t even waste our time any more.

By: mewithoutdebt

mewithoutdebt — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:26:24 +0000

YES. College is absolutely necessary.

College education teach how to think, research, write, report, present, etc. Most valuable benefit of college is somewhat non-educational — the college experience.