Is A College Education Really Necessary?

[rwsmith]

I've found that......

If I have education, employers want experience.
If I have experience, employers want education.

Maybe that sounds like sour grapes but I don't want to go into details. The saving grace was that I enjoyed my job so much I put up with it.

 

[Bill Raby]

I went to college and would say that for the most part, it is a waste of money. Most of the rich people that I know never went to college. What is absolutely required to make it in life is knowledge and skills. Seems like these days college is a rather poor place to get that. I have seen lots of people come out of college that are just useless. They have that piece of paper and can get a job, but they never get anywhere in it. Someone that has useful skills and works hard to keep learning more is likely going to do well even without a degree.

 

[hoc9sw]

I went to College on minimal scholarships based on my Dad's death in service. I failed in my attempt to get a West Point appointment.

But in my first "real" job, one qualification was that I could read Chaucer (original Old English) and describe the original banking system. I learned those things in the process of getting a political science and military history degree. They seemed useless at the time, but in Italy, when confronted with apparently more qualified applicants, I won, because I had broader knowledge in the arts. I was an expert in computer communications protocols (as well as US local town ordinances that a deputy would know), but that was not enough.

I had to work my tail off to graduate, as the scholarship was pitiful, and we got denied survivors benefits, but that degree, or better the degree process, was invaluable.

 

[ancient-one]

I was fortunate because I was hired at the age of seventeen to be trained as part of the workforce to staff Tinker which was in the process of being built. After training I enlisted in the Navy and was placed on military furlough from Tinker so I had a job when I got discharged. I was married with a wife and daughter to support so I thought I was too busy to spend every evening going to school. That was a mistake because had I gotten a degree in anything I could have ended up one or two grades higher.

I did get a chance at one more promotion that required a written exam in lieu of a college degree so I crammed really hard and then gave them the answers that I knew that they wanted. I ended up number one on the promotion list and went for an interview before the promotion board. Only at that time did I actually find out what and where the job really was. I made a quick decision and blew the interview. Needless to say, that was the end of promotion chances but I didn't want ulcers to go with the heart problems that I already had. That particular organization was well known to be the worst place at Tinker to work and especially to be in management.

 

[GKC]

When I started college, I was 4 years older than most of the other freshmen. There were a few guys older than me, military retirees...but most of the freshmen had just graduated from high school. The difference in attitude was amazing...almost all of the young freshmen partied, didn't really pay attention, didn't come to class prepared, etc. while those of us who were older were clearly there to get an education. I don't think it would hurt kids at all to serve their country before pursuing their higher education. Granted, it's not for everyone...our oldest son, for example, would be more of a detriment to our own forces than any risk to an enemy (I love him dearly, but he is undeniably a klutz waiting to happen) but many children would benefit from some real world experience and discipline that the military provides.

 

[NYlakesider]

I mentioned my background in post 25 and will not boor you with that again. My wife also had no college but like me had something else going for her, common sense and a good work ethic.

She started working for NYS back in 1968. Took a few promotional exams and moved up in rank and also money paid over the years. She was good at what she did and in fact she had to train higher paid/ grade people that came into her office.

She could not take any higher exams as it was restricted to people that had sheepskins. That rankled her supervisor (who had some favors owed) no end and after a couple years of maneuvering he got the rules changed to allow experiences to count.

She took the test and soon got a serous promotion with a corresponding big raise. After a couple years took another test that was allowed to accept experience and got a couple more good raises. There she remained till she too took early retirement at 55 and with me moved to the lake.

 

[steelslaver]

No, the trades are suffering from a lack of young people. I just got of a job where the pipe welders were getting $40 per hour, lots of OT and $115 a day per diem. I was quality control and many of them were struggling to get it. I was on the job 9 weeks and came home with almost $30,000 more than I left home with (minus the 4 S&W I bought). I got kicked out of English class and don't have a HS diploma.

 

[Old cop]

I used the GI Bill for undergrad and my wife funded grad school for three years w/her salary. Doubt I'm any smarter but it did make a big difference when I applied for a federal job b/c I got a grade jump, making a difference in salary & second retirement benefits.

 

[American1776]

I was lucky enough to have a lot of opportunities in life. I have all the degrees, up the chain to the top (BA, MA, PhD). I spent 9 years doing a PhD at an R1 research university in Maryland (most here can probably guess the place).

The only reason I went through all that education is because it's a 'union card' for what career path I pursued.

Here's my viewpoint on higher ed:

1) Back in the day (18th-19th century), a college education's purpose was to produce a well-read *gentleman* of society. They not only taught philosophy, history, the classics, but also how to be a top-tier member of society. I wish colleges emphasized this today.

2) Even today, the purpose of college is to train a person how to think critically. This is a skill that *does* take formal training for most people. It takes quite a bit of work to learn how to appreciate Shakespeare, Dickens, Aristotle, Plato, Kant, and the like.

3) Unfortunately, colleges today have become largely 'secular seminaries', where the mission is to indoctrinate the students in nonsensical themes like 'social justice' and 'power dynamics' and how 'racist, homophobic,bigoted, sexist, islamaphobic' America is. All of this is a secular religion, with dogma and a doctrine of beliefs.

Do you *need* a college degree today? No. But if you have the opportunity, and already have a head screwed on straight, it does bestow a great benefit to the mind.

 

[tlawler]

The only people I see working in the trades in the Northern Virginia/DC/Maryland area usually don't speak English and get handwritten 1099s at the end of the day.

That's because of weak Union influence due to a State's right to work laws. That doesn't happen in an area with strong Unions.

 

[italiansport]

I worked my way thru college paid my tuition as I went along so owed nothing upon graduation. However that was a different time and a year in college today can cost over $50,000. I spent the bulk of my career in the corporate world in management and having a degree in Business was certainly as asset.
A good friend of mine's daughter graduated from Harvard and then went thru Harvard Dental School. By the time she graduated she owed $250,000 in student loans. She is now debt free and paid the loans off in two years! I'm only bringing this up to show that what someone majors in will definitely affect their ability to re-pay loans. I would suspect a sociology major even with an advanced degree would have a very hard time ever re-paying that amount.
Jim

 

[BearBio]

When I was a manager, I had to review job requirements for staff. To make GS-12, you had to score "x" number of points total in 6 categories. For GS-11, you had to score "y" number of points in 5 categories. The additional category was whether you had a Masters or PhD. For instance, to qualify you needed 1800 points total but you got 500 for having an advanced degree. You could qualify for GS-12 without an advanced degree but had to have the minimum a score.

 

[oneounceload]

Getting the college degree is like joining ROTC before going into the military. When you come out, you're more likely to start above someone without that extra "training".

 

[jtcarm]

I think the reason many employers require applicants have a college education, which may or may not even be related to the job, is just part of a weeding out process.

That & with the sad state of public primary education, I think employers want proof that you can read & write.

 

[jrm53]

I think that the high school graduates of the 1940's and 50's were smarter than the college grads now, this is just my opinion it may be right or not. Jeff

 

[The Big D]

Firm believer...

...in the value of a college education but realize it is not for everyone. My circle of friends includes some folks with REAL money. It also includes some with no money. All are happy.

College provides one experiences beyond that to which they have become accustomed. It also proves there are people smarter than you. Two (2) friends are billionaires. One name you would recognize immediately. He went to a D3 state school. The other went to a Big East school in the backwaters of Virginia. No Ivy education for them. They did not need one. They would have been successful no matter where they matriculated.

One of my great friends is as blue collar as you can be and owns as blue collar a business as you can imagine. By hard work and a big personality he has more money than he can spend...and spend he does.

Personally attended the University of Virginia envisioning being an architect. Nope. Graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree that had no DIRECT bearing on LEO career yet my college experiences surely did contribute to my career success. My career resulted in a pension that cannot be outlived. Fortunate? Yes. Given to me? Nope.

Life is what YOU make of it.

Be safe.

 

[armadillo]

My observation is that the single biggest employer of college graduates is government. When you count all the public school teachers and other jobs that require a degree it must be a huge number.

I think each of us should try to be the best we can be. I have the greatest respect for a good electrician, plumber, auto mechanic - and on and on. My brother with no college degree has made a small fortune being the best radio communications guy in town. My best friend learned to be a gunsmith and gets to shoot and hunt all the time.

I got my degree in accounting and immediately went into law enforcement so once in the door, I had to learn everything on the job. I learned a lot about myself in college, but I learned more working in low paying jobs I had which paid for college.

 

[JohnRippert]

College is necessary for many jobs but I agree with Mike Rowe that the push to get everyone to go to college and the sad state of vocational training is really hurting this country.

 

[Ole Joe Clark]

A cousin's grandson is about to graduate from Auburn University with a job waiting. He was home schooled through the 8th grade, and his high school grades were such that he received a FULL scholarship in electrical engineering. He chose Auburn because of the courses they offered, he could have went to almost any school in the Southeast. He was making the Dean's and President's List because of his grades.
He is a smart, well mannered young man that can be successful in anything he chooses and I am proud of him.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

 

[carpriver]

Not every job needs a college degree, but it can help expand your knowledge base. I was was not a very good student in high school I had trouble with math and spelling I could read about my grade level and did well in history. I spent my time in high school in shop classes. I joined the Air Force. I learned three different skills, and was able to take a couple of college classes,working on improving math and spelling skills. After I retired from the service I looked for a job based on my skills. trouble was no one wanted to pay me for my skills. So I thought I would go to a community college and get a diploma as a baker. Things changed after I started taking classes. I graduated with a degree in Social Work. Sometimes things change in your life. never close a door.