College: Is/was it worth it?

[sarah_yzma]

My big issue with people in college is that I see people spending oodles of money to attend private schools, for things like teaching degrees, research degrees, and specific fine arts. I have no issue with these professions and think that they are very valuable to society, but fail to see the logic to spend $125,000 at a private school when $40,000 would get a comparable degree at a smaller public (not the huge state universities) and would serve better. Such jobs aren't cash crops and it's a shame to see peers setting themselves up for lifetime debts.

 

[CensoredAlso]

I totally agree, colleges are way too expensive. And I understand what you mean about teaching not paying very much. But many of these schools are expensive because they offer opportunities and benefits a lot of other schools can't. It's not fair, but it's a Capitalist country, who said anything about fair? Heh

 

[Vic Romano]

Here's my two cents.

• College is NOT for everyone.
I used to think it was, but school just isn't for everyone. I went to college and failed within two semesters. I then went to a two year technical school and passed with a 4.0, top of my class. I'm a designer, so while my education was important, my portfolio is what was key.

• It's who you know
Now, especially depending on your field, getting a good job is impossible. Getting a good first job is dependent however on who you know, as is most in life. Having a degree is going to get you a better job, but there are thousands of college grads just like you trying to get that same job. So knowing someone is crucial to getting a good start. I was lucky to know someone and get a start. Now I can get a great job almost anywhere I want at a high salary competing against those who have a four year degree verses my two year technical school degree. The difference is my portfolio. In other words:

• If you're really good at what you do, then degree be darned
FOR THE MOST PART. Mind you, someone has to see that you're really good at what you do first, hence knowing someone for that first job. But yeah, if you're the best at what you do (once again depending on the field), most employeres won't even care about whre you went to school. Heck, some of the best designers I know never even went to school, they're self taught.

Other then that, my experience has also showed me (once again, in my field at least):
• No one cares about your SAT scores.
• Community college will teach you the exact same things a private college will.
• Aiming too high for your first job is usually most people's down fall. Everyone has to be a nobody before they can become a somebody.
• No school ever teaches you any real information for your job. All the really important stuff for my field, I learned at work. School barely covered the bottom line simplistic basics.
• Nothing is more stressful in adult life then finals.

 

[CensoredAlso]

double post

 

[CensoredAlso]

• No school ever teaches you any real information for your job. All the really important stuff for my field, I learned at work. School barely covered the bottom line simplistic basics.

I agree, schools don't tend to teach the basic skills needed for many jobs. The way to learn is by finally getting the position.

Though I'm not going to knock private colleges, most of them are valuable and provide good social and educational experiences. I won't knock Community college for that matter either. I'm not going to generalize, some individual schools are great, others are not, no matter what the type.

 

[Ilikemuppets]

Well, that's true, but it all depends on how you learn best. Some people learn best by acctually doing instead of sitting in a classroom. It just depends.

 

[Vic Romano]

Well, my experience was that it wasn't so much how they taught, but what they neglected to teach.

 

[Ilikemuppets]

That makes sense.

 

[abiraniriba]

College helped me

While I made a few mistakes during my time in college (such as my seven years spent at Hunter, failing to get a degree) it did help me to cement my ideas together and decide to become a teacher. I also gave me the degree I would need to get started. However, much of what I learned in college turned out to be just theoretical when I started substituting and actually working at teaching is when I learned what the job was really like. So yes I would say that college was worth it. Nlow if somebody would pay my college loans for me that would really make my day.

 

[sesameguy]

Just a few quick thoughts from a college grad:

College is not perfect. It does not guarantee a job later on. While you will learn a lot, college often does not teach you the truly important things.

On the other hand, college can help quite a bit. It can give you a taste of what certain careers are like, and give you a good idea of what paths you'd like to take. It can also open you up to new experiences & ideas.

If you do go, I would advise you to try to talk to your professors and/or other students & faculty about what they are doing with their careers. Their advice can help you a lot. That way, you can get some of the "book learning" and the "real world learning" at the same time.

If you don't go, I would advise you to become as knowledgeable and experienced in your career as you possibly can be. As was mentioned, if they can see that you are skilled and can help them, that can (in some cases, definitely not all) make up for a missing degree.

Good luck!