Is a college degree overrated?
06-03-2009, 11:29 PM
#31
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Great thread. I'm about to head off to get my MBA at one of the two most reputable schools in SoCal. You may be wondering what an undergraduate degree will accomplish but if you don't have a bachelor's degree, you can't even apply to a Masters or Ph.D program. With that in mind, my advice is to stay in school. You'll find out more about yourself, your interests and meet great people whom you may be lifelong friends with. In addition, if you aren't going to school, what else would you be doing? This job market isn't the best one to go out into. Think about the tangible opportunity cost as well as the intangibles of not going to finish your BA. BTW, what is your focus/concentration. I'd digress from the opinion that a business degree is useless. If it's from UCLA or a PAC10 school, it can be very useful. From other schools, not so much. Also, at a later age, it will be much harder to go back to school.
06-04-2009, 07:32 AM
#33
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My brother currently has not graduated high school and makes around 90k a year
I have 1 year of college completed and currently make about 55k a year and have submitted my officer package so if that is approved that is a nice pay raise
my dad has 2 degrees having to do with civil engineering and has never been able to get a job with either one. he just did basic carpentery and did pretty well
my gf is a nurse, LVN, and is going for her RN. She will have a little more responsibility as an RN, but will be making almost double the money for 1 more year of school.
her brother spent 4 years in the marine corp and only finished high school. he currently has the job he wants, makes great money, and is truly happy.
it all depends on the career path you want to choose, and if what you are doing really makes you happy.
I have 1 year of college completed and currently make about 55k a year and have submitted my officer package so if that is approved that is a nice pay raise
my dad has 2 degrees having to do with civil engineering and has never been able to get a job with either one. he just did basic carpentery and did pretty well
my gf is a nurse, LVN, and is going for her RN. She will have a little more responsibility as an RN, but will be making almost double the money for 1 more year of school.
her brother spent 4 years in the marine corp and only finished high school. he currently has the job he wants, makes great money, and is truly happy.
it all depends on the career path you want to choose, and if what you are doing really makes you happy.
06-04-2009, 07:48 AM
#34
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I quit school for various reasons after 3 years... now, 2 years after that, im back.... and its much harder to get back on the horse when you dont have 14 years worth of education momentum behind you.
Example: i was doing a professional certification and there was a section on basic statics, a review really. i took statics 2 years ago and got an A. now? i barely made it though the basic stuff.
if you plan to advance beyond basic jobs it is required 99% of the time. my personal plan:
get all my credits (4 different schools) transferred to sac state, wrap up the GE's i have left (1 English, 1 humanities), then xfer to a school with Econ as an offered major (probly davis). Obtain BA in econ, then start on sac states EMBA program
Example: i was doing a professional certification and there was a section on basic statics, a review really. i took statics 2 years ago and got an A. now? i barely made it though the basic stuff.
if you plan to advance beyond basic jobs it is required 99% of the time. my personal plan:
get all my credits (4 different schools) transferred to sac state, wrap up the GE's i have left (1 English, 1 humanities), then xfer to a school with Econ as an offered major (probly davis). Obtain BA in econ, then start on sac states EMBA program
06-04-2009, 08:06 AM
#35
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My college years were the some of the best of my life. Enjoy the 4 or 5 years you spend there. Join some clubs, participate in some IM sports, meet life long friends.
My current position has nothing to do with my degree, but that piece of paper definitely helped me to get the foot in the door. When an employer looks at a stack of 50 resumes, and has only time to interview 5-6 candidates, they'll be looking at only a few things: education and probably experience in relevant fields, and you best bet that they'll look at where you got that degree.
I agree with others here who say that it all depends on what you plan to do after you're done with school. If you plan to open up your own business, I'd just take a few management classes at a JC and be done with it. But as far as the knowledge, interactions, and challenges you'll face in college, is what will help you in the real world.
Make the best of your 4 years there. Have fun while learning as much as you can, about yourself and everything else.
Go Bruins!
My current position has nothing to do with my degree, but that piece of paper definitely helped me to get the foot in the door. When an employer looks at a stack of 50 resumes, and has only time to interview 5-6 candidates, they'll be looking at only a few things: education and probably experience in relevant fields, and you best bet that they'll look at where you got that degree.
I agree with others here who say that it all depends on what you plan to do after you're done with school. If you plan to open up your own business, I'd just take a few management classes at a JC and be done with it. But as far as the knowledge, interactions, and challenges you'll face in college, is what will help you in the real world.
Make the best of your 4 years there. Have fun while learning as much as you can, about yourself and everything else.
Go Bruins!
06-04-2009, 08:40 AM
#37
My college years were the some of the best of my life. Enjoy the 4 or 5 years you spend there. Join some clubs, participate in some IM sports, meet life long friends.
My current position has nothing to do with my degree, but that piece of paper definitely helped me to get the foot in the door. When an employer looks at a stack of 50 resumes, and has only time to interview 5-6 candidates, they'll be looking at only a few things: education and probably experience in relevant fields, and you best bet that they'll look at where you got that degree.
I agree with others here who say that it all depends on what you plan to do after you're done with school. If you plan to open up your own business, I'd just take a few management classes at a JC and be done with it. But as far as the knowledge, interactions, and challenges you'll face in college, is what will help you in the real world.
Make the best of your 4 years there. Have fun while learning as much as you can, about yourself and everything else.
Go Bruins!
My current position has nothing to do with my degree, but that piece of paper definitely helped me to get the foot in the door. When an employer looks at a stack of 50 resumes, and has only time to interview 5-6 candidates, they'll be looking at only a few things: education and probably experience in relevant fields, and you best bet that they'll look at where you got that degree.
I agree with others here who say that it all depends on what you plan to do after you're done with school. If you plan to open up your own business, I'd just take a few management classes at a JC and be done with it. But as far as the knowledge, interactions, and challenges you'll face in college, is what will help you in the real world.
Make the best of your 4 years there. Have fun while learning as much as you can, about yourself and everything else.
Go Bruins!
hehe
06-04-2009, 08:52 AM
#39
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?
any one that tells you to quit is an idiot
06-04-2009, 09:47 AM
#40
A degree is definitely not worthless... but at the same time, a degree is not for everybody. My motto: "Its not what you know... its who you know". If you work for a company, do good work and are well liked, you're in. If you cant make friends in the workplace, you will stagnate.
I graduated high school, did some lackluster community college and have been working for over 10 yrs now, 7 of which have been with the same company. Only in the past few years have I considered going back to school. Before, I didnt have a clue what I wanted to do but now that I have a career, I have thought about going back to get some certificates for finance. I want my schooling to be relevant in my field of work.
My 2 cents.
I graduated high school, did some lackluster community college and have been working for over 10 yrs now, 7 of which have been with the same company. Only in the past few years have I considered going back to school. Before, I didnt have a clue what I wanted to do but now that I have a career, I have thought about going back to get some certificates for finance. I want my schooling to be relevant in my field of work.
My 2 cents.
06-04-2009, 10:21 AM
#41
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My field is aerospace. I have a masters from stanford and a bachelors from UC Davis. I like the field, but hate my job at the moment. A lot of people have a lot of different opinions about whether a degree was worth it. For me, i think it was even with my situation.
As for UCLA, it is a well known school, but it leans heavily on theory from what I have heard from friends who have graduated from there. If you wish to learn more real world application, techincally, I think Cal Poly SLO is a better place. I feel like I got the best of both worlds from UCD so I'm happy.
The keys I think are valuable is...
-enjoy what you do. No sense in going after a field that you absolutely hate
-If you love the field, the money will come later. If you head into college with the idea that you'll make buttloads of money when you get out, it's definitely hit and miss and you might be ending up being in a miserable environment when you get out.
As for UCLA, it is a well known school, but it leans heavily on theory from what I have heard from friends who have graduated from there. If you wish to learn more real world application, techincally, I think Cal Poly SLO is a better place. I feel like I got the best of both worlds from UCD so I'm happy.
The keys I think are valuable is...
-enjoy what you do. No sense in going after a field that you absolutely hate
-If you love the field, the money will come later. If you head into college with the idea that you'll make buttloads of money when you get out, it's definitely hit and miss and you might be ending up being in a miserable environment when you get out.
Last edited by samurai; 06-04-2009 at 10:24 AM.
06-04-2009, 10:34 AM
#42
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In reality... It doesn't really matter what school you come from. I know a lot of people that came from mediocre/unknown schools and end up being a director or Senior VP at a large company. It just takes a little motivation and a lot of hard work and focus. Like what a previous poster said, it's not what you know... it's who you know. If you do good work, and are well liked, it'll get you connections.
I work as a Competitive intelligence intern at a software company and have done some QA testing too. One of the managers likes my work a lot and asked me to help him out with QA testing of his start up.
I work as a Competitive intelligence intern at a software company and have done some QA testing too. One of the managers likes my work a lot and asked me to help him out with QA testing of his start up.
06-04-2009, 11:26 AM
#44
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If you're still in school, then you should stay in school and get the degree (hopefully in a field that you enjoy). I would recommend trying to do an internship while you are still in school though. Paid is great, but even unpaid internships can help you out as you are gaining experience that will be very valuable for you later on.
On a side note - If you are living in L.A. and going to UCLA then why are you posting this in the Bay Area Regional Forum instead of the SoCal Forum?
On a side note - If you are living in L.A. and going to UCLA then why are you posting this in the Bay Area Regional Forum instead of the SoCal Forum?
