I have multiple degrees and can’t imagine how my life and career could have happened without the degrees. I’m in a field where academic credentials are essential. I’ve always enjoyed learning, so college was a no-brainer. I think a lot depends on what career path you want.
I went to drama school, nothing else.
I have an extremely good office job and a high degree of marketing and technical skill, but I didn’t study for it - I learned it as I went. In fact, I’d somewhat disinclined to do any more formal education: I just don’t have the attention span.
I have zero mechanical aptitude, and no discernible people skills, but I’m great and mathematical and analytical type stuff, and I have expensive tastes. Hmm, think think . . . going to college was pretty necessary for me.
See, like most people my age, I’m not exactly sure what it is I really want to do. For a while, it was to be a high school art teacher. I looked forward to being there for the kids in the same way that teachers were there for me. But… the more I think about it, it seems that I may be doing what I think people expect of me. It’s not really rebellion, but the fact that I want to be sure in my choice before I funnel all of my money into it.
I have to say that after reading through the posts so far, I don’t feel like I have anything to be ashamed of. Plenty of you have gotten great jobs without degrees, and plenty of you mentioned your degrees not having much of an impact.
The whole “glass ceiling” thing is somewhat troubling to me, but then again, these are individual cases that are different for everyone. I’m hoping that things will work well enough for me to be happy.
What am I looking for in a career? Well, for now, to be able to ake enough money to have a little apartment, a reliable vehicle, and some spare time to enjoy myself. I’ve never been a really materialistic person, so I don’t want to make a ton of money. Give me some good books, internet access, and some video games and I am fine. I don’t ever want a huge house, or a fancy car, just the necessary things. As for marriage or kids, I will never ever want children and while almost everyone I know says “Oh, I said the same! Now I have 13 lovely angels!” :rolleyes: I will never be that woman. And I’m fine with that.
So, for now, money is not a huge deal to me, as long as I’m not homeless or starving.
I went to college right out of high school, hated it, dropped out, and joined the Navy. While on active duty, I was selected for a program in which I went back to school and got my engineering degree. I was almost 23 when I went back, and my attitude and drive were lots better, although it was difficult socially being older than most of my classmates.
Within a year of getting out of the Navy, I was hired as an engineer working for the Navy, and I’ve been doing that for 22 years now. I know I wouldn’t have been able to do what I’ve done and earn what I’ve earned without the degree.
On the other hand, a high school friend of mine, who went to college with me the first time, completed her biology degree, then went to work in retail. She’s now working in her field, sorta, but only making half what I do. So having a degree doesn’t necessarily come with any guarantees.
It does open some doors, though.
I got my undergrad and did grad work in history. I loved most of my classes and my time in college (though I was a very broke “working two jobs” non-trad for most of it). When I graduated, in spite of the “any degree will help you professionally/companies love to hire liberal arts majors” sales pitch at school, I couldn’t get any job with a BA in history that I couldn’t get without one, not that it was a great surprise.
I went to grad school and got a Massa’s degree in Library Science. The courses and the coursework were boring and time-consuming as hell, but I’ve never been without a job that allows me to pay the bills. So, I recommend both the “for personal gratification” and “for professional reward” lines of study if your circumstances allow.
If I won the lottery I’d probably spend the rest of my life taking college courses.
College degree in Comp Sci. I am glad I made the choice. I enjoy my career. I sometimes enjoy my current job. I make good money.
But this is not to say that I think you should go. If it isn’t for you, it isn’t for you.
Good luck with whatever choice you make.
I have a bachelor’s, masters, and doctorate.
Obviously for me, as a college professor, it was a requirement. But in the US at least, the associate, or even bachelors degree is fast becoming the ticket to a middle class existence. That’s not to say that the entrepreneurial folks out there, or those who pursue vocational training in high demand fields (automotive, HVAC, computers) won’t make it. But there is compelling economic data that places the income differential between college-educated and non-college-educated people at about $1 million over a lifetime. Manufacturing jobs, which were once the entryway to a comfortable middle-class life, are virtually all done overseas. The college degree is becoming requisite for jobs that don’t necessarily require college training: bank tellers, retail managers, and the like. College education conveys the signal that you are literate, can make good decisions, and manage people. (Whether you can actually do that or not is another matter altogether. The assumption is that you can. Without the credential, you have a hard time making that case.)
I don’t think college at 18, after high school, is a good step for everyone. Not everyone has the discipline or maturity to attend class, study, and handle the requisite responsibilities that go along with being a student. (And a good deal of them are in college anyway.) Or the interest.
But almost to a person, every single student I’ve ever had who is coming to college after working, or to reach a goal in their career, has done quite well. Supporting a family, or being able to pursue a dream job is a fantastic motivation. It takes time for some folks to get to that stage… and I say find something productive and rewarding to do until you do.
I wish we had a universal national service program where high school grads could take jobs or internships serving communities, and get some funding for college when they successfully complete the task. Americorps and the GI Bill partially meet this goal, but our communities need mentors and young people to work with youth - and I think this work would be wonderful to help those folks who don’t have their life goals quite figured out.
To the OP - I’d say it’s fine to not want to commit to a full time course of study at this time, but it might be wise to take courses that interest you at a local CC to keep current, or take advantage of training opportunities. You will likely find that at some point in the future, it makes good economic and/or lifestyle sense to obtain a degree, and staying sharp taking courses at your own pace will prevent you from having a jarring experience if you decide to return. And if you make a million bucks without the degree, you’ll at least have something interesting to do every few years. A little learnin’ never hurt no one!
I’m an actuary. I could have qualified as an actuary without attending university but I chose to take the uni route because:
- I knew it would be an experience that I’d enjoy;
- the lectures/tutorials approach seemed to me a better way of doing the initial actuarial exams than simply studying for them on my own;
- I ended up with a tertiary qualification (BEc) as well.
I’ve since also got a law degree.
I agree that university is not for everyone. But it seems to be becoming more and more necessary for many roles nowadays.
I just noticed this post. I think you will find that the peer effects of being in a collegiate environment quite stimulating. I made my earlier point about economics, but being in a setting where thinking and conversing are the core activities sounds right up your alley. And there are many different kinds of postsecondary learning environments.
The necessary things, you’ll find, can be quite costly. And finding a job with good benefits is harder to come by without some college. Everybody’s scaling back with insurance and prescription plans - and those with the highest education will be competing for those positions.
There’s no shame in making a decision that’s best for you at this time, regardless of what it is. But keep in mind that your goals and what you want out of life might change over time.
I’d be very cautious of what people not of your age cohort experienced. Neither Brainiac4 and I have DEGREES but we both have college educations (and I’ll have a degree in 21 days). We have done quite well. But we were both positioned very well to take advantage of the late 90s IT tech boom (we are in our early 40s). Which means we both had skills, interest, flexibility and luck during a period of low unemployment and high growth - and both of us ended up in our current jobs because we knew someone.
I’m getting a degree because despite 20 years experience, I’m not employable at what I do if I’d get laid off tomorrow. My contacts aren’t robust anymore, my resume is a hodgepodge of projects that don’t make a lot of sense lumped together.
The late 90s tech boom was (in my opinion) an aberration.
There are lots of jobs that you can do OK (even very good) without a degree - but they are often trades oriented - or involve being an entrepreneur - or both.
Part of going to college is receiving an education. But another important part of it is demonstrating that you are capable of earning a degree. You’re showing that you can make and follow a plan over a number of years, navigate around obstacles, and reach a goal. Employers look for people that have these skills and you’re showing you’re a good prospect to give a job to. Obviously, it’s possible for somebody who’s never been to college to have these same skills but how is an employer supposed to know that? Hire you for a few years and see how it works out? If you choose not to go to college, you will be limiting your future options. Things may work out for you anyway but be aware of the possibility.
Currently in school. Had some rough times, but I may scrape by this semester and make it to another semester. If not, I’ll find something, or try another college.
I don’t think college is for everybody, nor does it guarantee success. Some degrees a bit more than others, but overall it depends on the person and luck. Is it a good idea? Learning and bettering one self is always a good idea. Even if you try and fail, it is better than not trying at all.
I have a doctorate. But the thing is, I really like being a student. It’s not for everybody. The question is whether you can get what you want, and have possibilities for advancement or change, with whatever level of education you have.
I feel like I’ve been in college for ages (only since Fall of 2004, when I started at the U of A, but I’ve moved around a fair bit). Me, I’m still doing it for five reasons in particular:
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To educate myself. Honest. I really have learned so many things about so many different fields that I feel I’m a more interesting, more well-balanced and more knowledgeable person than I was going in. I’ve also learned a lot from life, and many of the things I learned in my academic career were outside the scope of my classwork–just stuff I stumbled upon while doing research for a paper or whatever. But I honestly blieve I would not have learned most of them if I hadn’t been in college this whole time.
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I have a specific field which excites me, and in which I want to work. I don’t think I can achieve my goals in linguistics without a comprehensive college education, and by comprehensive I mean MA if not PhD.
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I like college, and all that it entails, which also means that
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I may well work in academia for my entire life, which is the kind of job I think I would love, and which isn’t really possible (on the scale I want, anyway) without a degree or three.
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For every “I found out college wasn’t for me, so I dropped out, and now I love my job/life” story, there must be at least ten “I found out college wasn’t for me, so I dropped out, and now I’m 45 years old and I’m a retail manager with a stressful and thankless job that doesn’t pay anywhere near what I think I deserve, and man, I wish I hadn’t dropped out of college” stories. I’m not saying you don’t have a right to feel the way you do, and act on it–I’m saying that you’ll probably make a damn good life for yourself if you’re determined to do it, but it seems to take plenty of hard work, no matter which way you go. College takes work and so does, well, “not-college”. Dropping out of college so you can get some practical experience and start your own business? Awesome. Dropping out of college so you can build a career quickly and try to rise up the ranks? Also cool. Dropping out of college so your life gets easier? You might get a rude awakening.
I, too, thought college wasn’t for me, back in the summer of 2005. Having watched my parents make a damn fine life for themselves in the military, I followed in their footsteps and joined up. Boy, did I regret that. As one month turned into two and then three, it dawned on me that I was wasting away in medical hold when I could be registering for my classes right then and there. I could be learning things, forming study groups, meeting people in class, debating with professors, protesting, getting high in dorm rooms and cars. It’s a whole package, and I missed it like it was my favorite girl 10,000 miles away.
So I busted my ass to get kicked out as quickly as possible and get home and register for classes. I just barely made the deadline, and I haven’t looked back since. Even during the worst of times, when I couldn’t buy gas and groceries on the same paycheck, I knew the world would eat me alive if I let college life slip between my fingers. I’m just finishing up my UC applications and I should be transferring back to a four-year university next year. Next semester will be my first “regular” (fall/spring) term since graduating high school that I won’t be taking classes (otherwise I’d be taking too many to transfer as a junior), and it will be weird for me, but I’ll be saving up money for The Real Deal, and that will make it worth it.
Having worked my share of retail, I can’t tell you how many people I’ve met who decided college wasn’t for them and dropped out, then got a little too comfortable in their jobs. These are people who shamble into work like zombies every day, and behind the facade of happiness and fun they put on, you can see they’re somewhere between bored and disappointed. Another common theme you hear from these folks is that once they’ve been working for 2, 5, 10, 20 years, it’s hard as hell to get back into the right mindset, get the finances together, and get the free time to go back to college.
Don’t let me deter you if you have dreams of doing something amazing, and college isn’t a part of those dreams. I’m sure you can do it. But IMO it takes time, and experience with the working world, to realize just how much you need or don’t need a college education.
It’s a difference in perspective, too. I have an academic mind. That’s not to say that I’m smarter or better than people who have eschewed college–I’m not–it just means that while others’ minds run to the practical, mine runs to the academic. While others are thinking about how they’re going to move up in the world, I’m thinking: I wonder how the French-speaking Norman rulers of 11th-century England communicated with the English-speaking commoners? I wonder if children learning sign language make the same mistakes as children learning spoken language? I wonder if it’s possible for search engines to understand human language as well as a native speaker? I wonder how much of a foothold German had in the United States before World War I?
Spend 10 years busting my ass at work so I can impress someone and climb up the ladder? Not interested. Spend 10 years busting my ass at school so I can argue with eggheads about mundane, impractical things? Count me in!
As to you, OP, I admire the courage it takes to question what everyone else has shoved you into. It’s important, and paradoxically, it’s a fundamental part of getting the most out of college, should you choose that route: college is all about questioning the world. Sometimes that’s like a negotiation at Camp David, and sometimes it’s like a plot to assassinate a dictator. It ain’t easy. But neither is life outside of academia. Choose carefully, and take your time doing it. (It’s also worth noting that it’s getting harder and harder to get a job, stay in a job, get benefits at work, or achieve any kind of job security, with or without a college degree. Having a college degree means you always have a way to prove your worth to another employer, so that if you get laid off you’re more likely to be able to bounce back.)
I’m graduating this may, and probably pursuing a graduate degree.
College has taught me a lot. As much as I complain I “don’t learn anything” There’s a lot of things I take away from classes. What I really take away from a class, though, isn’t some X+ZY * B = 26 formula, but ways of thinking. I find dry math boring as hell, which is why I’m now a business major, but my Managerial Econ teacher shows us why models COULD work, and the reason to think they work, and I learn a lot from him and think his class is engaging. Similarly for the many elective-psychology courses I took. I’m not learning what I’m learning how and why when I learn something. Will it help me in the long run? Totally possible.
In fact, I learned from college that I’m really not a computer engineer. I may enjoy programming in a way, playing with scripted languages for World Editors and such, but I’m not “a programmer”. I even found something I really DID like. While working in the grocery business part time and considering ways it could improve, I gravitated toward business and now I’m mastering in Supply Chain Management with a goal to go in to retail inventory systems. College gave me that critical time to focus and find something, and it wasn’t the first thing I found.
And one additional caveat. You noted that the dopers are smart. A college degree, ultimately, does not confer success, it comes from intelligence in a field, the ability to learn, adapt and innovate on your own. Dopers ARE smart, and they will naturally succeed wherever you put them. Statistics, however, favors the graduates, most pertinently in pay, so it wouldn’t be ill-advised to get one.
And not all Dopers have done well - even the smart ones. We have some here who are perpetually underemployed (some with degrees, some without). Brainiac4 and I keep telling our relatively bright kids “smart is good, but it isn’t the most important thing.”
Any smart person with five years in corporate America can tell you about at least one dumber than soap boss who was climbing the career ladder off charisma. Or good looks. Or a impressive communication style. Or nepotism. Or the ability to take credit for the work of smart people.
I have a degree from a university and there’s very little chance I’d be where I am today without it. I can think of one person in my 20 person department here without a college degree and he’s done very well for himself. However, he spent years working for himself as a consultant, busted his ass doing it, and spent a lot of time unemployed trying to find the right match. In the end, his hard times just about equaled the amount of time he would have spent in college so as far as time spent, it was a wash.
Before reading the thread…
First, one of my MIL’s favorite sayings: Just because you’re educated doesn’t mean you’re smart.
I have 100 quarter credits from community college with an Associate in Techincal Arts degree in Office Administration. Depending on the job this equates to: 2 years of college; 100 quarter credits; only the 30 credits of general ed count; some college; a techincal degree; or nothing of import at all.
In my current job, it has really meant nothing at all. My current job class as a state agency employee requires a BS, MS, or PhD for entry at certain levels, or you can do what I did and work your way up. I have no college education directly related to my job; I work with a bunch of geologists, engineers, and biologists. They are all scientists and I was trained as a desk jockey. Only the engineers say I’m under educated for the job class I’m in, but that’s because they are engineers* and would prefer the job classes were much more specific.
I don’t think I missed anything by not going to a 4-year college and getting a degree. There are still plenty of jobs out there where on-the-job training or trade school will be better for you than college.
Off to read the rest of the thread.
