Comments on: How important is college?

By: Nel P

Nel P — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 06:00:49 +0000

Majority of those who believe college is not as effective or important are themselves:

1. Not in college.
2. Have not finished college.
3. Do not like the discipline of doing all those learning stuff that they think might not even be used in the future.
4. Are in the different line of work – far from what they studied earlier.
5. Are finding it easy to justify against it because it did not work with them.
6. Believe that a diploma alone is a ticket to a job – guess what, not!.
7. Are less likely to get hired over the one that went to college.

School is for education, education is for learning, learning for growth. If you went to school and did not try to learn or have not learned how to actually apply learning into real-life, then that is when it turns into waste.

By: Frank Gerber

Frank Gerber — Thu, 14 May 2009 18:32:20 +0000

As a 50 year old man, that did not complete an official B.S until several years ago, but had enough credits for a masters, just not the right ones. Let me tell you a degree is seen as a certification, it will get you jobs that would be filtered out to you, by not having one and help to keep your job when things get tight . It will be the best investment you ever made but do not over pay for it. Ivory League is great if you come from money, if not be creative. Two years of community + two years of a state school will do you fine. If you just can’t take the grind of the education mill anymore, take a class or two at night. But do it online, many times an interruption in life or place or work makes hard to get to a Brick and mortar school. And new schools mean lost credits. School is good, but honestly does not provide more than an introductory base to what you learn on the Job. But it is a accreditation that can not be replaced. Even if you should happen to prove to a company that you are irreplaceable, you will have a tough time if you need to find a new one for better money or because of company down sizing. The leaning part is only 30%, the certification is part that counts and stays with you no matter what.

By: jack

jack — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 20:01:19 +0000

I agree with Dave ^ That is the way things should be done, %100 college is a bullshit business. The most successful people in the world that i have come across, like steve jobs, henry ford, and donald trump, made their fortunes organizing people who were good at what they did to work towards a common purpose. Even einstein took credit for calculations people much smarter than him made, but because of his vision and organizational skills to bring great minds together, he was seen as the genius. I wont tell you my name, but I am one of the fortune 500, I have didn’t go to college and I am a self made billionaire. College is for cattle.

By: Dave

Dave — Thu, 22 May 2008 03:53:46 +0000

I am a hiring manager. I care about two things – your ability to do the job and your ability to contribute to the bottom line. I’ve never hired anybody on the basis of their education.

There was a time when you became a lawyer by studying with other lawyers…a doctor the same way. Licensure came about and now ‘without a degree’ you can’t become those things.

Remember: College is a BUSINESS – Big business!!

By: Nate

Nate — Thu, 01 May 2008 11:38:42 +0000

I’m under the impression now that undergrad is good, but a little skeptical of grad school.

By: Daniel Black

Daniel Black — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 21:18:37 +0000

@Mr. Van Orsow:

45 isn’t too old for anything except military service.

@all

I didn’t start college out of high school because I didn’t have a need for it at the time. Looking back, I know I would’ve waffled about, at least for a while. When, at 28, I had had enough of the urge, building for years, I started.

I have not yet finished an undergraduate degree. Still. It’s been a long road, and a variety of familial obligations and self-directed sophistry. I started with two majors, and have eventually narrowed it to one. I’m 37 this year, studying math with students half my age. I’m not stopping until I’m done.

Much of the discussion about college vs. no college seems to ignore, if implicitly, the various purposes students have for attendance. Many hail college as the sole door through which the white-collar workforce walks. Some, like me, have no answer for the question, “Well, what kind of job are you trying to get?” I’m attending college because it’s the best place, for me, to get the exposure to topics of interest to me. Who pays me and for what, while very pertinent considerations, aren’t quite heartfelt passions, and as such they don’t drive me.

If your interest in college is merely as a bullet point on your résumé, you better register now. If your interest in college is couched in the availability of cognitive challenge, it won’t be a question of whether or not, it’ll be a question of what and when.

By: Bryan Sawicki

Bryan Sawicki — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 20:12:40 +0000

After years of hard work, I found that the hardest part of college was not actually getting through it alive, or graduation, but actually getting a job. I found it really frustrating that even my own career services department at school was not really able to help me find a career after college.
Since we are all in the same boat here I figured I would Google some sites that could help (like Monster) but everything was for those with more extensive job experience. One website I found was UVisor at http://www.uvisor.com which seems to be a really solid resource in linking up college students with employers as well as helping us students really figure out our career path. I forget what the statistic was specifically, but I remember it being something like 80% of people do not choose career paths that are pertinent to their majors.
Anyway; definitely check out UVisor or AfterCollege or CollegeGrad (However UVisor is the only free service).

By: Andrew

Andrew — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 19:58:26 +0000

I am a lifelong student if reluctant pupil; it looks as though I’m in agreeable company.

By: Joey Mannon

Joey Mannon — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 19:36:25 +0000

Josh, I agree with you completely, and I’m a college grad. A lifetime of paying back student loans isn’t worth what many go to college for. Unless you specialize in medicine, law, engineering, etc.

By: Doug van Orsow

Doug van Orsow — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 17:23:21 +0000

I feel that humans have a natural attitude of wanting to learn, regardless of any specific lifestyle. The Teaching Company’s courses allow their viewers to rediscover their long long desire to know about things, at their own speed, without tests or intimidation.

It’s become a way of life for me, and I will never turn back. Hey, its better late then never. At 45 I’m too old to go back to school, but too young not to think I can’t learn about everything I’ve always wanted to!