Is a college degree overrated?
06-03-2009, 09:42 PM
#16
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This thread is worthless without:
- Your major, and any double majors or minors you are going for
- Your GPA and how well you're doing in general
- Your extracurriculars
4 year undergraduate degree means everything from unemployed, to $30k/year desk job, to $40-50k as an accountant, to $40-70k at your average corporation, to $90k/year engineering job, to six figure gig in VC or private equity, or up until last year, investment banking, to $30k/year sales job that has the potential for six figures, etc. etc. etc..
This thread, again, is worthless without any of the said above information
/thread
- Your major, and any double majors or minors you are going for
- Your GPA and how well you're doing in general
- Your extracurriculars
4 year undergraduate degree means everything from unemployed, to $30k/year desk job, to $40-50k as an accountant, to $40-70k at your average corporation, to $90k/year engineering job, to six figure gig in VC or private equity, or up until last year, investment banking, to $30k/year sales job that has the potential for six figures, etc. etc. etc..
This thread, again, is worthless without any of the said above information
/thread
06-03-2009, 09:45 PM
#17
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06-03-2009, 09:49 PM
#18
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In many (most?) fields the most important thing is who you know. A lot of my dads buddies from Penn are now partners in law or business or what not. if nothing else, you can get a leg up by meeting a bunch of future employers/colleagues.
06-03-2009, 10:01 PM
#19
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Even if you're not looking for something in your field of study, which is unfortunate but it happens, a college degree says that you're willing to do what it takes to achieve a goal. It says that you're disciplined enough to handle all the stress and distractions of college and still succeed at getting a degree in higher education.
Before if anybody jumps down my throat, this is NOT the only way to send the same message. There are always different paths to get the same goal, but it's BY FAR easier to portray this idea with a college degree.
And for the rest of your life NOBODY can take that degree from you. Ever.
06-03-2009, 10:02 PM
#20
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finish school and get your degree. although it may seem as though the **** that you learn there is irrelevant and a waste of time, your competition when it comes to your job search is going to have a degree and if you give up, you will be out of luck. my only other advice is do as much extra curricular activities as you can find time to do.
06-03-2009, 10:30 PM
#24
I'm an undergraduate at UCLA. While it's certainly a fine institution, I commonly feel like my time, money, and effort could be better provisioned. I just have this sinking feeling that my life is actually being marginalized by a system that ostensibly serves to prevent just that. When I graduate, the meager salary I'm offered (assuming I can even find a job) very likely will not justify the paralyzing debt I will have amassed. Several years of my life will have passed and, even with my impressive "education," I'll still be struggling to breathe (maybe even struggling harder).
For those who have a college degree, has it proved to be worth every penny and second of your life you threw at it?
For those who don't have a college degree, is life generally bearable (maybe even wonderful), or do you oftentimes wish you had gone the college route?
For those who have a college degree, has it proved to be worth every penny and second of your life you threw at it?
For those who don't have a college degree, is life generally bearable (maybe even wonderful), or do you oftentimes wish you had gone the college route?
I don't need a degree for my field (software) so everything has worked out very well so far but I fear ever trying to change careers
I'll never be well-rounded so that's why the traditional 4-year university education didn't work for me. When I went to college I wanted very specific directly applicable to real world instruction so it was a mistake for me to go to a traditional university. Unfortunately I didn't know any better at the time. I do wish I would have been able to complete an undergraduate degree so I would have more options if my current career path doesn't work out but I think I'll be fine.
The best instruction I received was from San Francisco City College after leaving UCLA. I use the stuff I learned there everyday at work
06-03-2009, 10:40 PM
#25
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It really depends. The education is great. I plan on being in school the rest of my life. When it comes to getting a job, you are more likely to be able to get one because you are educated. However, there are plenty of people out there making $100k+/yr without degrees with baller benefits...
I want to finish my BA in the next 4-5 years, but my Medic license and getting hired as a career firefighter will push $80k starting and can go all the way up to $120k+ with retirement at 90% my highest years salary and bomb benefits.
RNs can make $100k starting and that's two years at a JC.
Going to college will educate you and make you a stronger employee, but it does not get you a job. The education you received will help you land a job, not necessarily the piece of paper.
I want to finish my BA in the next 4-5 years, but my Medic license and getting hired as a career firefighter will push $80k starting and can go all the way up to $120k+ with retirement at 90% my highest years salary and bomb benefits.
RNs can make $100k starting and that's two years at a JC.
Going to college will educate you and make you a stronger employee, but it does not get you a job. The education you received will help you land a job, not necessarily the piece of paper.
06-03-2009, 10:55 PM
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All of my cousins went straight for their masters out of college.
Honestly I wanted the following out of my career:
1. For me to love what I do so that I may do it great.
2. Enough money to support a family modestly and save. Using minimal to no debt ever.
3. Enough time to be with my family and be the husband and father I should be.
4. Benefits to take care of my family.
5. Enough money to be able to take care of others in need.
6. Enough money that I may provide for my kid's kids to go to school.
So, I found #1 and then found out what it took to achieve goal #1 so that I could accomplish 2-6 as well.
My #1 (Paramedic Firefighter) meant:
Dropping out of CSUS as a Junior
Attending Solano Community College for 2 Semesters taking 6 Firefighter Classes
Attending a Trade School for an EMT program
Working 1 year as an EMT for an Ambulance Company
Getting hired as a Reserve Firefighter (1 year plus process with interviews, academy, background, etc.)
Applying for Paramedic School
Going through Paramedic School, Hospital Time, and Internship (Total of about 1 year)
Passing National Registry of Paramedics
Then getting hired and licensed locally by an ambulance company as a paramedic ($60k)
Then getting hired as a paramedic career firefighter ($80k)
The bold is what I have done so far up to paramedic class which I am 11 weeks into.
From the time of dropping out of CSUS and starting down the paramedic firefighter route it will be about a 4 year long process, over $20k in school and lots of experience required to land the paramedic firefighter job. So, to each their own course to achieve their goal
It all depends on what your goals are and then figuring out what it takes to achieve those goals. Ask yourself what your happiest memories and your biggest achievements are of you doing. Then find out where they intersect and see if it leads you to a certain career choice.
-Steven
Honestly I wanted the following out of my career:
1. For me to love what I do so that I may do it great.
2. Enough money to support a family modestly and save. Using minimal to no debt ever.
3. Enough time to be with my family and be the husband and father I should be.
4. Benefits to take care of my family.
5. Enough money to be able to take care of others in need.
6. Enough money that I may provide for my kid's kids to go to school.
So, I found #1 and then found out what it took to achieve goal #1 so that I could accomplish 2-6 as well.
My #1 (Paramedic Firefighter) meant:
Dropping out of CSUS as a Junior
Attending Solano Community College for 2 Semesters taking 6 Firefighter Classes
Attending a Trade School for an EMT program
Working 1 year as an EMT for an Ambulance Company
Getting hired as a Reserve Firefighter (1 year plus process with interviews, academy, background, etc.)
Applying for Paramedic School
Going through Paramedic School, Hospital Time, and Internship (Total of about 1 year)
Passing National Registry of Paramedics
Then getting hired and licensed locally by an ambulance company as a paramedic ($60k)
Then getting hired as a paramedic career firefighter ($80k)
The bold is what I have done so far up to paramedic class which I am 11 weeks into.
From the time of dropping out of CSUS and starting down the paramedic firefighter route it will be about a 4 year long process, over $20k in school and lots of experience required to land the paramedic firefighter job. So, to each their own course to achieve their goal
It all depends on what your goals are and then figuring out what it takes to achieve those goals. Ask yourself what your happiest memories and your biggest achievements are of you doing. Then find out where they intersect and see if it leads you to a certain career choice.
-Steven