How Important Is It To Earn A College Education?

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I believe a college education is important and beneficial, but not the be-all and end-all of existance. It depends on what you want out of life. For example, I’m a wife and mother with a little bit of college, but no degree. That doesn’t make me less of a person or any less intelligent than a woman with a college degree. Not to sound arrogant, but I have an IQ of 137 and nobody is going to tell me I’m stupid because I don’t have a degree hanging on my wall. It’s just not something I want right now. Would I like to have one at some point-yes, and that’s a serious goal of mine, but there are things more important for me to take care of. I couldn’t be a good wife and mother and be a good student at the same time. Some others may be able to, but I guess I’m just not that good at mult-tasking.

Scout :tiphat:
 
depends on the situation - having a degree certainly doesn’t make one smarter - as some “colleges” and “universities” are such jokes that a lemur could get a degree from one. But if you want a job that can support yourself and a family, then college or trade school is pretty much necessary. High school doesn’t cut it anymore. In fact, because so many people go to undergrad now and undergrad has been dumbed down in alot of respects, now even a bachelor’s degree isn’t enough for alot of jobs - you need a master’s degree. I think this is unfortunate, because alot of people simply aren’t cut out for college and would be better off learning a trade, in the military, or doing something else. But we have this expectation in society that after high school you go to college, ready or not, or else you’re a loser. This is a real shame and it leads to the general dumbing down and devaluation of undergrad education.
 
I put neither. I know I don’t regret going to university, and believe that it has helped me to think more critically. but, i also understand that not everyone feels called to attend university or college. I think there are a lot of factors one must consider, as the previous posters mentioned, including will this get me a job in the field i would like to work in (if a job is the ultimate goal). Some people look at school as a means to an end in the career sense. I think it serves other purposes…like receiving postsecondary education for education’s sake. I may not use my degree in the workplace, as my fiance and I are planning on homeschooling, but i have learned some valuable knowledge and a critical style of thinking that i feel will benefit my own children. I’m currently in a B.A. program. However, I don’t plan on pursuing grad studies. I feel that since i don’t plan on using my degree outside of educating my children, grad studies is an expensive luxury i can’t justify.
 
While it’s not for everyone and not everyone needs a college degree, I recalled some wise words. A college degree doesn’t mean you are smart but it does mean you have enough discipline, organizational skills and work ethic to set a goal and reach it. Regardless of your career, these qualities come in handy. Now please no one try to twist the statement that those who don’t have a degree are a bunch of irresponsible slobs. That isn’t the truth either. But rather than simply educating the person, college helps a person think long term and stick to a project. THere is more to it than simply the stuff that goes into your head in four or five years. That someone has a degree IS proof of something and given two candidates one with (even a totally unrelated) degree and another with no degree, I’d pick the candidate that has the sheepskin every time.

Lisa N
 
I agree that college education is important. And given the choice between two candidates, I would also pick the one with the degree.

What saddens me is that there are a lot of people out there that want to go to college and will never be able to, for whatever reason. Either they can’t afford it, or the opportunities just aren’t there because of different life situations, or even because they feel that they wouldn’t be able to make it in college. I just wish that there was some way that everyone who wanted to go to college could, even if it was only to find out if it was something they could handle.

I know that financial aid is available to a lot of people. However, these forms can be long and complicated. They sometimes require information about the parents’ finances that the potential student doesn’t have. Often, the student gets frustrated and decides not to even apply for financial aid.

Sorry about the rant. It’s just sad to see so many bright kids not getting the chances and opportunities they deserve.

Scout :tiphat:
 
I think there are a lot of factors one must consider, as the previous posters mentioned, including will this get me a job in the field i would like to work in (if a job is the ultimate goal). Some people look at school as a means to an end in the career sense
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This actually seems to be the reasoning most people use for going to college these days. Many universities, particularly in focusing so heavily on an area of “majoring”, really have made themselves into little more than glorified trade schools, training people to perform skills for the marketplace.

Then, outside of a general societal perception that it is something you ought to do (though a signifigant percentage of the population actually doesn’t), there is often a general perception that in order to get a job, you have to have a college degree (similar to how it was a longstanding bias that in order to get a descent job you had to have a high school diploma). Given, many job screeners will use that as a criterion is looking over applications and eliminating some. It matters not to them whether the person without the degree can actually perform the job (possibly better than one with an college education), it is just an esay way for them to try to either play a game of percentage chances or self justify their own predjudices and experiences.

A descent school can help people to grow in maturity and well rounded education beyond these things, but not everybody necessarily truly needs it; not to mention the cost. So, I agree, that a lot depends upon why you are choosing to go to college and what you hope that will do for you. Further, will you feel furthered in life (not merely in employment, mind you, though not excluding that) and opportunity by going or not?

I think a lot ultimately depends upon the individual person, what their aspirations are, what various options post high school will best help them individually to develop their talents, explore life, and meet their needs. For some that might be college, for others another route.

Of course, whatever path one chooses, nothing beats networking and getting to know people, learning from them, and finding opportunities which they might be able to offer you!
 
But rather than simply educating the person, college helps a person think long term and stick to a project.
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In some places. In others, (particularly some of the institutions with reputations as “party school”) students often get through without learning much or sticking to anything but a bare minimum, yet manage to graduate. I’m not sure what that proves about them.
THere is more to it than simply the stuff that goes into your head in four or five years.
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It’s called “beer”.
 
ready or not
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That has been a key song in the soon concluding 133rd Edition of the “Greatest Show on Earth”. Which offers us here another possibility… run away and join the circus!
 
I think there is validity to every one of the options in this poll.

There is much ignorance to be had without a BA or atleast an AA. Although, neither one is a silver bullet.

As far as being successful in life? I have a nephew who is the most over-educated idiot I’ve ever known. It could be I am simply predjudice to his political persuasion. Nonetheless… he is 30 something and finally got a decent job - but spent 12 years in college till then. :rolleyes:

Trade school is an excellent choice for many. You can be successful with this. I have both a 4 year liberal arts degree from a private college, and also graduated from a vocational school.
I am currently a small business owner, applying the trade I learned in trade school, and the life lessons I learned at college.

I think college is great. I miss academia. But I think that the biggest benefit in my life was that it just opened up the world to me, made me learn how to make the best choices in life. I’m glad I did both.
 
I think that it helped me to get jobs, but it also helped me grow up. There is more than one way to get to the destination though and I am always impressed with what people do in their lives. One can certanily not count on just college to get on in life. There are so many more important things like: faith, family, good attitude, good judgement, etc. You can get the idea.

I have sent 3 of my 4 kids on to college. One is still in high school and we expect him to go to college too. I want a good life for my children, and I do my best to help provide. The rest is up to them.
 
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chicago:
In some places. In others, (particularly some of the institutions with reputations as “party school”) students often get through without learning much or sticking to anything but a bare minimum, yet manage to graduate. I’m not sure what that proves about them.

It’s called “beer”.
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<>>>>

Well true enough but most recruiters know the reputations of the various colleges. I picked my college because it was known NOT as a party school but as a place to learn. (and have very little fun FWIW) An accounting degree from my school was looked at more favorably than some of the other state u’s known for football and beer drinking prowess.

Further just look at a transcript and you can see the classes taken and grades given. If someone majored in underwater basketweaving and was “Party Chairman” of their fraternity as their outside activity well the degree is probably not indicative of a person’s aptitude for medical school. OTOH a degree in one of the tougher disciplines (I daresay engineering or math are a step above P.E.) with good grades will give a different picture.

I had friends in college who did the party scene. Most dropped out but some have been very successful as enterpreneurs. I went to college with a specific goal and the degree was essential for my career path. Different things work for different people but I suspect those who majored in beer and pretzel twisting tend not to be at the top of the Fortune 500 or practicing medicine.

Lisa N
 
If someone majored in underwater basketweaving…
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The old, tough, and well respected priest who taught Latin when I was in high school told us that this was actually a very difficult and little appreciated skill. He ought to have known as he was an excellent swimmer.
 
Lisa N:
A college degree doesn’t mean you are smart but it does mean you have enough discipline, organizational skills and work ethic to set a goal and reach it.
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I disagree. While in college I noticed that about half of my class had no clue what they were doing there, even after graduation. Many turned out to go do something else, but of those most didn’t excel at anything, pretty much like those who went on to follow the career they majored in.

BTW, I didn’t complete my Physics degree because I was too busy working in the field of the trade school I went to.
 
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Augustine:
I disagree. While in college I noticed that about half of my class had no clue what they were doing there, even after graduation. Many turned out to go do something else, but of those most didn’t excel at anything, pretty much like those who went on to follow the career they majored in.

BTW, I didn’t complete my Physics degree because I was too busy working in the field of the trade school I went to.
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Well you actually made my point because if they had no clue what they were doing there, didn’t excel at anything that doesn’t exactly demonstrate ability to set goals and the discipline to achieve them. I am speaking from my perspective and my recruiting experience. Although college didn’t train us to do our job it did teach discipline because it was a pretty hard curriculum and if you didn’t work at it, you wouldn’t get a sufficient GPA to even be considered by a recruiter. My career required a college degree for licensing. It might be a different case if someone is simply getting a sheepskin and don’t care about the subject.

I think some people go to college too early and don’t really know what they want to do or be. Maybe delaying college for a few years is a good idea. College is more valuable if you want to be there and know why you are attending. I was always astonished at the people who had amassed almost enough credits to graduate but hadn’t determined their major. Seems odd to me but YMMV.

Lisa N
 
Lisa N:
I am speaking from my perspective and my recruiting experience.
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At the company I work for we had 4 new new-grad positions open. We interviewed about 30 young people for the positions, screening by phone and then in person. The candidates varied from out-of-undergrad-school to PhD.

The number of years in college had no bearing at all at how we evaluated their fitness to the positions. I saw just-grads who had been cut for the positions, while a couple of PhD had yet to find a field to pursue a cereer at…

We ended up hiring 2 just-grads and 2 MS, not becuase of their degrees, but because they demonstrated being naturals for the metier.

My point is that I disagree with you that college helps one setting the goals or any discipline. Only the family can do that.

In my professional life, love and passion to work in a specific activity separated those who would go far from those who’d be left behind, spinning their wheels in a career that didn’t fit them well but that everybody kept telling them that it was the career of the future.

But I digress…
 
Thank-you, for your replies.
I am at a cross road so I am soliciting advice. Right now I am in a local community college, I thought I would transfer over to the local university and attempt to get a degree in social work. The thing is though, there is a nice program to train in the field of surgical technology, it only takes a year. There is also a R.N degree offered. I used to think getting this huge degree was an end all be all. Now, I am 33 have 2 children and truly wonder if it’s all that important. If it should be that is.
 
well lily, one thing to remember is that there is an acute shortage of nurses in this country. If you feel the call to enter the profession, please do, because there’s a great need for you!
 
I do happen to feel most strongly that for our children today IT IS CRUCIAL that they attain a college degree. NOT that it guarantees success, BUT it does make a difference, and you never know when it will come in handy.

I feel that really some sort of schooling for some training in a career (nursing, teaching, fireman, computer tech, etc.) is crucial, as there are so many graduates who have come out of college and have NO SKILLS, NO CAREER, that it truly has hindered their life, (my hubby being one of them). He is over-educated–yet hasn’t until just 1 year ago even decided what his career goal is. I think the $80,000K his folks put forth is a total waste really. THEY should have listened to him and what HE wanted, and what GOD HAD GIFTED him in. Instead they were pushing him towards what THEY wanted. Well it’s now taken 20 years to get to this point, where it would have been so much easier 20 years ago!!!

I so feel, as parents, we need to heed and strive to SEE how God has gifted our kids. And go from there. But in any event, every job me or hubby has gotten, as been in a jiffy BECAUSE of our college degree and post-grad degrees. No doubt. There is not much hope for kids today with nothing but a HS diploma.!!! Burger King Manager --at best--------look out~~~
 
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Scout:
I believe a college education is important and beneficial, but not the be-all and end-all of existance. It depends on what you want out of life. For example, I’m a wife and mother with a little bit of college, but no degree. That doesn’t make me less of a person or any less intelligent than a woman with a college degree. Scout :tiphat:
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Hi Scout!

How totally true that is!!! Just because someone HAS a degree does not guarantee their sustinence----and just because someone does NOT have one does not mean anything. I KNOW many folks who have IQ’s more than 160–degrees up to yin yang who have NO common sense–and cannot makes ends meet. Whereas others with NO education are THE best moms I’ve ever seen----totally organized. Actually as far as moms go, I have found that the more advanced degrees and into their “careers” they are----sorry–the worse Moms they are. I have come out of this syndrome-----sorry to say-----after reading the book “Fascinating Womanhood” --by Helen Andelin–it totally changed my life and the way I look at myself–my life. Look for it----

Scout --you’re so right about alot-------keep pluggin’ gal–you’re a great Mom no doubt to have the insight in the first place~~
 
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