College Educated?

[Jump211]

I finished my Bachelor's degree last year and I am hoping to start my Master's next spring. I was hired by my company less than a month after graduation and I couldn't possibly ask for a better job.

The facts and formulas you learn in college aren't really the point of earning a degree. The real value of higher education is that it shapes your thought processes and forces you to develop creative ways to solve abstract problems. I realize that many of you guys are very successful and never went to school but I'd also be willing to bet that you are much older. In my generation (I'm 28) a college degree is almost mandatory to be taken seriously as a professional.

There is also a big difference in the available fields of study and that has a lot to do with why many people downplay the importance of finishing college. If you have a degree in engineering, business, accounting, etc... then you will almost certainly see a benefit from your education. A degree in English or art is about as useful as a degree in left-handed jerking.

I actually minored in Left Handed Jerking and still benefit from it on almost a daily basis.

 

[Lancekl]

Graduated in Accounting... Earned my CPA certificate in Florida.... Getting ready to retire from a fortune 100 company with pension, 401(k) and other investments... Is this possible without a college degree? Maybe , but much more difficult....
Too many companies these days have so many candidates for every position, they need a way to reduce the number.... The quickest... No College degree, we don't talk to you.....

Did the same thing in Engineering, retired last Sept.

 

[Crubear]

Got a college degree so I could get a commission in the Air Force.
Earned a Master's in the AF, and it got me hired at a higher grade($) with my current employer.

 

[substratum]

I'd love to take credit, but it's only by the grace of God. There was a little bit of luck, a lot of effort and hours (40 hour weeks were finished by Wednesday) and perseverance. A barely educated kid with little training could not have done that on his own. I know that for a fact.

I didn't mention that point in my post, but there's no doubt in my mind that God opened every door along His path for my career, and provided numerous pitfalls along the way to discipline and teach me absolutely invaluable lessons. My wife of 25 years has also been a HUGE factor in my success. She has provided encouragement and counsel, and actually sat me down and made a case for why I should leave work as a government regulator and move into the association/public policy world.

Hard work, the desire to achieve more, a relentless pursuit of a better way to skin the cat, a desire to learn more every day, and a personality type that keeps me exploring new paths and options are all contributing factors, too.

One thing that I've done since I was literally a kid, is "interview" people to hear their story. You'd be amazed what you can learn from simply listening (My wife says, "If you let people talk, they'll generally tell you what is on their mind", and that is so true). I interview successful people, people who can't seem to get a break, and people who seem perfectly content not moving ahead at all. I ask a lot of "What do you think about...?"; "If you were in charge what would you have done?"; and, "What are your memories of those events...?" kind of questions. I started interviewing people when I was probably 8 or 9 years old and lived in a neighborhood with a lot of elderly folks. As a kid, I knew more about my neighbors than some of the adults that had been their neighbors for decades. In the late 1960s, when I was <10, I used to join a group of WWI and WWII Vets who would play checkers on my next door neighbors patio, and I loved to listen to their stories and ask question... four or five really old guys, and me. All that to say, don't under-estimate what you can learn and apply to life and career, from other people's experiences.

 

[GeauxLSU]

Wow. That was terrible.

Yes... yes it was. I figured I'd save someone else from having to do it. Team player and all.

 

[Retread]

For the vets. The GI bill was cool, but it was less than $8k when I had it. They talk about earned credits for military service. The University of Washington only grudgingly accepted 2 credit hours that I was short to graduate.

 

[CarolinaKid]

Each person takes different paths based on interest and abilities. There is no one right answer. Whatever meets your needs and makes you happy is the route to go. Doctorate in Education.

 

[substratum]

The education system needs to develop a Bachelor of Arts degree in "Common Sense, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Trainability". In my book, that could replace many business/management-related degrees. In fact, you could even have an equivalent Technical Certification measuring the same abilities applied to more hands-on circumstances for folks who want a more blue collar career.

Of course, they'd have to develop an aptitude test for admission into such programs, because some people cannot be taught such things.

 

[Laufen]

College was definitely worth it, but it's not for everyone. I do appreciate the exposure to various area of study out side of your major. Those experiences broadened my scope of interest and eventually led me to where I am today. There are certainly too many kids in college today though..just to get the diploma. It's been pushed on kids as a magical pill for getting a decent job, even if they aren't ready for the challenge that independent thinking poses.

There is a social stigma attached to trades in the US, and it's unfortunate. There are a lot of kids struggling at Universities that could excel in a trade. People forget that it takes talent, skill, and an artistic eye to be an exceptional tradesperson, just as it does a white collar professional.

What the US really needs is a mandatory 2 year service requirement (community service or military) post high school, before moving on to a 9-5 job or University training.

 

[BIKER13]

Yes I went to college,Expanded my mind and blah blah blah