Is college really worth it?

I have heard way too many horror stories about student debt recently. What do you guys think? Is trade school a better alternative? What other alternatives are there?

Student debt's a b!tch and having a college dregree doesn't necessarily guarantee you a job.

Most of the time, yeah. The thing about college now is that it doesn't put you above the rest of the workforce, but rather equal to them, so that's why many college graduates are jobless, having said that, those, without a college degree are more disadvantaged than ever.

Most of the time, yeah. The thing about college now is that it doesn't put you above the rest of the workforce, but rather equal to them, so that's why many college graduates are jobless, having said that, those, without a college degree are more disadvantaged than ever.

TacticalDesire

Kinda makes me wish that we still lived in a society where your last name determined what you'd do.....Kinda.

It's worth it if you think it will help you with your future.

Most of the time, yeah. The thing about college now is that it doesn't put you above the rest of the workforce, but rather equal to them, so that's why many college graduates are jobless, having said that, those, without a college degree are more disadvantaged than ever.

TacticalDesire

What other alternatives are there?KidFlash007

[QUOTE="KidFlash007"]What other alternatives are there?senses_fail_06

Really depends what you do but almost anything these days needs or it helps to have a college degree despite crippling student loans you could screw yourself in the long one not having one.

IF you go to college for the money, then it is unquestionably likely to benefit you if planned properly. Go to a state school and pick up a degree in a field which pays well (engineering, accounting, etc.) If you plan to go for fun and pick up a degree in an area of interest, it's a bit more of a gamble, but manageable if you don't shell out a mortgage's worth of loans to go to an expensive school.

[QUOTE="senses_fail_06"][QUOTE="KidFlash007"]What other alternatives are there?Sch5ifty5ive

It really depends on what you want to be! Some disciplines require a formal education while others don't. An education never hurt anyone, but it also doesn't guarentee anything a job, much less a great salary. In fact, I would say that unless you get into the medical field (MD/PA/PharmD and so on), you won't have a sure-shot with any degree.

Put it this way, I've met CFOs, CEOs, CIOs... well, just about any kind of major "officer" position one could hold in private industry with little-to-no formal education. Now, I have nothing but reverance for education, but I am also quite aware that it isn't the only factor in having a successful career. In my prior position, I was the Information Security Officer and reported to the CFO, who didn't even have a CPA (although he did have a BBA in Accounting)... Before he knew I was going to law school, he once attempted to correct me, regarding a draft of a Vendor Management Policy I wrote, claiming that "legalease" was his forte... he never did that again when he found out :p

Examples of Disciplines Requiring Formal Education:

Doctor's, PA's, Pharmacists, Dentists, Lawyers, Professors, Primary/Secondary Educators and so on.

Yeaup. Actually they'll fund it once you leave too. I think they'll pay for grad school too. A lot of people don't know this, but you'll get base pay while in the military. Over 30 k a year I think.senses_fail_06

Its only not worth it if you make stupid decisions.

[QUOTE="senses_fail_06"] Yeaup. Actually they'll fund it once you leave too. I think they'll pay for grad school too. A lot of people don't know this, but you'll get base pay while in the military. Over 30 k a year I think.TacticaI

Depends on your needs.

Worth noting is a degree from a local/state university will take you as far as an Ivy League school.

aka, You don't need to spend 20k a year for a good college education.

Without a college degree I never would've gotten the job I have now. So in my case, it was totally worth it.

Depends on what field you go into. The student loans are the worst part.

[QUOTE="NiKva"]If the job or career you're looking to get into doesn't require a college diploma, then by all means do not go to college :P The debt is too much to handle.BranKetra

While prestige can help, but that too, isn't a silver bullet.

[QUOTE="BranKetra"][QUOTE="NiKva"]If the job or career you're looking to get into doesn't require a college diploma, then by all means do not go to college :P The debt is too much to handle.Ernesto_basic

While prestige can help, but that too, isn't a silver bullet.

College is worth it just mostly for the experineces and the knowledge you can get, it doesn't gurantee a job though but it can help. I love learning and my University provides that opportunity for me greatly, you'll also meet some pretty nice women, mabey you might even meet your future wife there? I know many people who do.

But the idea that it will gurantee success and make you a millionare is wrong, also many college people I meet are naive kids who don't know anything about the real world and have a very closed minded view of it.

But the experience and knowledge is well worth it to me. If you don't want to do college try a trade school instead. Many people find success in those.

College is worth it just mostly for the experineces and the knowledge you can get, it doesn't gurantee a job though but it can help. I love learning and my University provides that opportunity for me greatly, you'll also meet some pretty nice women, mabey you might even meet your future wife there? I know many people who do.

But the idea that it will gurantee success and make you a millionare is wrong, also many college people I meet are naive kids who don't know anything about the real world and have a very closed minded view of it.

But the experience and knowledge is well worth it to me. If you don't want to do college try a trade school instead. Many people find success in those.

ShadowMoses900

Yes

I love my little sister, but she's chosen to pursue a formal education for audio engineering. I've tried to nicely explain that she can learn ProTools on her own, but she's dead-set...

If your industry is skill/trade-reliant, be weary of dropping major bucks or loans for your education.

If you go for a good degree, sure. Most things in STEM are pretty reliable (with the excepetion of probably bio, due to too many failed pre-meds). Sorry to say, but it'll be a bit more difficult to find a well-paying job with a liberal arts degree such as communications or whatever.

Trade school isn't a bad idea at all either. More and more companies aren't just looking for a degree, but experience as well.

Yes and no, depends on what you want out of it and what school you pick. Don't go and find a prestigious university and be a history major....that's a prescription for joblessness and debt. The more a school costs does not in any way translate to a better chance at a job or an education. Find what fits you personally.

All I want to say is "Natural selection and survival of the fittest."

If you have the ablility, you can do it well after graduation. Otherwise, you are jobless.

It doesn't matter which university you are from.

[QUOTE="Sch5ifty5ive"]

[QUOTE="senses_fail_06"] There is always the military. senses_fail_06

Yeah you're right. Or if you decide to enlist first and then go to college, you'll get payed your enlisted salary and get free tuition simultaneously, not a bad deal at all. I'm in NROTC and I get full tuition plus a monthly stipend and money for books, definitely a great deal too.

Without a college degree I never would've gotten the job I have now. So in my case, it was totally worth it.

kingdre

I would agree on this, and if you want friends to hang out with

Trade school is okay, but you'll always be looking at the college grad's making more money than you. A few years paying off debt is an easy price to pay for a lifetime of higher wages. Just go to a decent state college, they're not outrageously expensive.

university & college are only worth it if they help you obtain employment.