College - Is it worth it?

Simple question: is it worth going to college?

Basically, are the benefits of college worth the time and money and work it takes to get there and get through it?

I'm hoping this can generate more discussion than just "yes" and "no." Prove me right, y'all.

I think college is worth it simply because most employers nowadays will NOT hire you unless you have some sort of college degree - that is, unless you're working minimum wage.

Silais said:

I think college is worth it simply because most employers nowadays will NOT hire you unless you have some sort of college degree - that is, unless you're working minimum wage.

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True, but even with a degree you're not guaranteed a job. I'm sure there's an argument to be made about going into an entry level job and working your way up, earning money for four years instead of racking up a lot of debt. (Not my personal belief, but I'm just trying to see things from another side.)

Well, statistically you're better off. I guess you'll have to judge where you belong on the curve to make the most of it, but your extra earning power will pay off college in the end. At least that's what John Green told me - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_N7MAr98CI

He's an epik dad :P

I think there are a couple variables involved. For example, one wants a job that they really enjoy. This job may require a degree of some sort. Also, if one gets decent scholarships and grants, the cost can be severely reduced. I believe it varies from person to person.

I can't imagine my life if I wasn't in college. I got excellent scholarships since I was Salutatorian of my high school. And I am currently studying physics and computer science, going into a career that I wouldn't be able to have without being in college.

Totally worth it. You're expanding your knowledge.
And if you study something you enjoy, you go on to a job you enjoy.
And even if you don't get the job you want you know a great deal more than before.

Unless you have money issues it is ignorant to not go imo.

Considering all job growth seems to be part-time and/or minimum wage jobs instead of well paying, enjoyable careers- I'm going to go ahead and say no. The only person from my graduating class that is making any money got drafted to a sports team, while the rest of us are using our degrees as tickets to minimum wage or as shields against unemployment-shaming. Its really sad to think about. Do whatever you enjoy, though.

I assume you're talking about America...it's probably worth it everywhere else no questions asked.

Depends on what you study and what's in-demand really.. if you do 4 years in Women's Studies.. what job will you actually get out of that? Maybe you'll land something, but maybe you wont. However if you do 2 years as an electrician and then a field internship, you're much better off IMO because skill trades are often in-demand, but it depends on if you enjoy it and if the pay is worth it to you too, of course.. However, it also depends on what you can get out of highschool or self-study.. and if places are willing to take you in and train you, or you land a position that is in your field of interest, so you can follow the certain career path that you want to.
I say it's worth it for the most part, but there are always other circumstances.

Well, depends on what you want to get out of college…

If you just go to college to get a degree in Being Smart, then it's probably not worth it.

Also, if you're not Asian, this probably won't apply too much, but going to college just to be a doctor or lawyer isn't really worth it (well, unless you want to be a lawyer or doctor, but you know, for the most part parents). If you really want to be successful, go do something you love rather than have a cash cow and hate it, or even ambivalent about. I'm really saddened by all the parents who have "planned out" their kids' lives…though I have no right to judge, it just makes me kinda sad inside :(

for me I'm good with just education and not having anyone give me a degree over it, so if I can learn stuff without college, I don't really need college. Depends on how "readily available" education in the field you want to be in is.

I'd say so, I mean it's more learning and if you attend certain colleges, it helps you get to certain jobs in life to make a better living. But what do I know, I'm a High School Sophomore with the smallest bit of sense xD

There a good number of those attending college that aspire to work in fields that lack demand.

Fashion Design
Theatre
Art History
Photography
Literature
Journalism
Religious Studies
Film
Sports Management
Anthropology
Sports and Recreation
LIBERAL ARTS!!!! (SERIOUSLY?!?!)

These are all jobs fields that are projecting a decline in positions over ten years despite more students attaining degrees in these fields or the job growth is significantly lower than the number of graduates. I would suggest changing or applying to a program in a different or related field. For instance, if you like journalism, perhaps you might want to focus on technical writing as well public policy or legal studies.

Though, you could be better off than someone without any degree, especially given that your job perspectives in a field unrelated to your major puts you at an advantage over other job candidates without a degree.

There is always a school that will accept a student even if that student has poor grades in high school as well as from another college. Many of these students that under-perform other students in a field are likely not to get a job, or a job in their specific field. They might as well cut their losses short and not pursuit college, accrue debts, waste time, and not obtain a job in their career. For those reasons, colleges shouldn't be accepting students that cannot verify their ability to be a responsible and/or competent student. The honest truth is, college is not for everyone, and some should be strongly encouraged to not attend college. Especially the ones with poor grades or in certain fields of study accepting state or federal money, it's an investment of the public in a student that has demonstrating a lack in ability and/or effort/responsibility. It's vexing to me that it's a commonly expressed belief that everyone should have the opportunity to go to college.

Students, like myself, receive very little money from parents, however, have achieved academic excellence in high school as well as college, which significantly reduces the costs of college. Let's just say I pay under $1000 a semester rather than 12k-15k, so I don't require loans or grants from the government. Many many many students are too reliant on financial loans. Especially considering the prestige of the school or field, that investment may or may not be worth it. For example, if you are taking out 10,000$ loans for an art or liberal arts degree at a community college, odds are, you are wasting your time and money. Though, if 60,000$ a year is the pricetag for you degree in, well, just about anything, at an Ivy League, then take the loan!

All-in-all, there is not definitive answer, it must be assessed on a case-by-case basis whether one should or should not go to college.

droomph said:

Well, depends on what you want to get out of college…

If you just go to college to get a degree in Being Smart, then it's probably not worth it.

Also, if you're not Asian, this probably won't apply too much, but going to college just to be a doctor or lawyer isn't really worth it (well, unless you want to be a lawyer or doctor, but you know, for the most part parents). If you really want to be successful, go do something you love rather than have a cash cow and hate it, or even ambivalent about. I'm really saddened by all the parents who have "planned out" their kids' lives…though I have no right to judge, it just makes me kinda sad inside :(

for me I'm good with just education and not having anyone give me a degree over it, so if I can learn stuff without college, I don't really need college. Depends on how "readily available" education in the field you want to be in is.

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At the end of the day, a job is a job. Though, one shouldn't dread it, why not be complacent as long as its a high paying career. The only jobs I would enjoy would be low paying jobs, that are essentially hobbies. I do take issue with some of the "lessons" from Glee as well as MANY different television programs and films that we should do as our hearts desire. In actuality this mindset is setting kids up to fail. The push for encouraging children to pursuit their dreams in acting, singing, music, dancing, art, and other related fields does more harm than good for the child as well as our civilization. Further, jobs in fields such as Accounting or Law just to name a couple, are generally not enjoyable, but they are important for society and we reward those who work in these fields with higher wages. I'd hate to live in a world where people put dreams before reality. Or where people only applied for a job that they enjoyed.

TrainerJacob said:

I don't think it's worth it. As I've researched and found out about many high-paying jobs that do not require any college whatsoever, you just go through training provided by the jobsite or by any means neccessary. I'm probably going to be the only person in my graduating class who has no plans to attend college whatsoever. Plus, I wouldn't feel safe at any college with all the incidents I keep hearing about. I've also heard that many subjects taught at many colleges can be self-taught. But, if anybody wants to go to college, then go right ahead; I respect your decision.

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Though to earn high wages you don't have to go to college, the person with a degree will always have an advantage. For instance, an air traffic controller position earns 6 figures and doesn't require a degree, but without a degree or extensive job experience in that field, your application is likely to be passed over 99.9% of the time. This goes for most high or average paying jobs that don't require a degree. I mean, even the position of congressman or president in the U.S doesn't require a degree of any kind, but since the 20th century the vast majority of these positions has been held by those with a degree.

Self-taught doesn't always help with employment. Statistics show that those with degrees earn much higher wages and are more employable. Additionally, many skills cannot be self-taught or may only be self-taught to those with abnormally high aptitudes.

Safe? You are more likely to be killed on the highway than on a college campus. Actually, you might be more likely to be killed in your home than on a campus. The incidents are so few it shouldn't really be a factor. Just like it shouldn't be a concern to go to a movie theater or ride a plane if you are willing to drive in a car.

Personally I think it varies from person to person, however, if you are going to go to college, do your best and enjoy your time there then it is definitely worth it whether it gets you a good job or not.
On the other hand if you're going to go and not enjoy it then a career isn't a guarantee and the person would have to weigh up the pros and cons and decide whether or not the benefits outweigh the risk.

Forgot to mention that with a college diploma and/or degree, it makes it easier to emigrate to another country or get a working visa than if you didn't have one (due to a points system.) So there's also that.

Here's the way I see it: If a person can solidify a decision on what they want to be, then by all means, the person should go to college in order to realize their decision.

However, the biggest hurdle for me was that there is so many possibilities for careers that I could take up, that I wound up being overwhelmed, & thus was unable to decide that for myself. That meant that I had no choice but to let my mom make that decision for me.

So, if you're the kind of person that easily chokes from having so many critical decisions lain out in front of you, I doubt that you'll want to go to a college.

O07_eleven said:

That is a very good reason, but you aren't going to get a degree just to move out of your country, it's more of a bonus than anything, the main reason people go to university is because they want to move onto highly academic fields. Which you need to be interested in and committed to. I'm not much of an academic and am not interested in being a rocket scientist or anything, so I won't go to a university. For the majority like me I think high school and tertiary education like TAFE can get some really decent qualifications for jobs more skilled than being the frier cleaner at McDonalds.

I'm looking at an aviation theory course for TAFE which could be upgraded with numerous follow up courses to get a high skilled position such as Air Traffic Controller as mentioned above. This is free if you're a government student and a lot less expensive than university, I'd still have to work hard and study of course. Or the military is another good option for high quality on the job training, I'd argue that unless you really want to be a doctor, scientist, teacher or genius and not because it's for your asian parents, then only people that want professions like those should go to uni. The rest of us can be happy with technical trade schools, other tertiary courses etc.

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True, I just mean if it's a dream of someone's to let's say.. move to NZ or Australia from the USA, college just might be a stepping stone to make that dream more of a reality. There are other options you can take like student visas or working visas but it's all super complicated as well ad gets into a lot of legal stuff. Still, the option is there.

And really, I heard that colleges are better at training nurses than university, at times. That's cause the college will often focus on the practice of it rather than so much on the theory like a university would.
And "genius" can't really be defined so easily. If you want to be a concept-art genius, you go to college, not to uni. In uni you will be learning generally more through text than through hands-on training, which is what a college generally tends to be more focused on. Of course this also depends on the individual school to school basis, and the teachers and curriculum, but I'm just saying this is what I have found to be a general trend.

People who go to college are not any more or less stupid than those who go to university- it all depends on what your want to invest your time and money in learning to decide which of the two will benefit you more, if you decide to even choose either.

I went to university to get a degree to do the job I wanted to do.

The only other way to become a teacher without qualifications is to work in a private school or be a university lecturer.

Therefore, it is worth it if you know it's going to be necessary.

But to be a university lecturer you need like at least a Masters, probably a Phd.

Drakow said:

But to be a university lecturer you need like at least a Masters, probably a Phd.

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That's the case in Canada too. When a diploma program I knew of got turned into a 4 year degree program apparently they gave the teachers like 2 years to get their masters or they would have to quit so they could hire someone with a masters. A bit sad because the previous teachers were apparently great and had a lot of knowledge to share but oh well.. that's how it is!

To me, college is more than worth it, because not only do I get more knowledge in other fields, I also have a much better chance of landing a job I want as a game programmer, whether it be Naughty Dog or Game Freak or some other established game developing company.

Speaking of which, all the discussion in this thread will help me with ideas for one page paper needed for my scholarship application, so thank you all. :D