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Is College Overrated?

Home ▸ Archive ▸ Serious Business ▸ Is College Overrated?
M

mallymal614

Senior Member

3,746 posts
Nov 22, 2009 12:03 AM
I'm not trying to be funny, just a serious question. I'm even debating returning to college. It's just stressful to see those with college degrees still working dead end jobs and paying back student loans. There are also millionaires without a college degree. I know the chances of being wealthy is better with a college education but how much better? Your opinion and feedback is appreciated.
Nov 21, 2009 7:03pm
iclfan2's avatar

iclfan2

Reppin' the 330/216/843

6,360 posts
Nov 22, 2009 12:09 AM
I think college is needed because degrees open doors. Whether that makes sense is another topic entirely. I would advise getting a degree whether you are full time or take classes online.
Nov 21, 2009 7:09pm
Q

queencitybuckeye

Senior Member

7,117 posts
Nov 22, 2009 12:14 AM
Anecdotal examples to the contrary, as a whole more education = more income.
Nov 21, 2009 7:14pm
I

iuhoosier11

Member

76 posts
Nov 22, 2009 12:14 AM
I think it can be overrated, but not always. It really depends on what you want to study and what kind of job you want to have for the rest of your life. I didn't go to college and now have my dream job.
Nov 21, 2009 7:14pm
M

Manhattan Buckeye

Senior Member

7,566 posts
Nov 22, 2009 12:17 AM
I don't think it is a "black or white" issue, the U.S. economy has changed a lot during the post-WWII era. In the 50's/60's/and even in the early 70's, any hardworking, competent American was guaranteed at least a middle class job (at least for a while) due to the U.S. manufacturing base, thus a college degree wasn't necessary to get a decent job. That ended in the late 70's, for several years after that (and before that time) a college degree was considered a premium and a key to gainful employment, that probably ended earlier this decade as the U.S.' service based economy imploded and is in the current situation that it is....to the extent there was ever a safe option, there is no guarantee of a safe option anymore. This is something that young and future generations will have to deal with.

Unless there is a huge economic change, children of the baby boom generation will not enjoy as profligate as a lifestyle as their parents did, it is likely that their children will not enjoy as profligate lifestlye as the Gen-X/Y'er parents, and for the foreseeable future there isn't much looking upwards. Not to take this to the political forum but I am very concerned about my younger cousins, and most of the folks I know that have young kids (infants to 10 years old) are worried about the direction of the country. That said, we need education and good folks to get us going back in the right direction. So education is INDEED valuable. To answer your question, I would not go into a considerable amount of debt (as this country is already drunk on debt) to get a degree, but rather you should be more targeted and strategic about your educational future.
Nov 21, 2009 7:17pm
M

mallymal614

Senior Member

3,746 posts
Nov 22, 2009 12:20 AM
Manhattan Buckeye wrote: I don't think it is a "black or white" issue, the U.S. economy has changed a lot during the post-WWII era. In the 50's/60's/and even in the early 70's, any hardworking, competent American was guaranteed at least a middle class job (at least for a while) due to the U.S. manufacturing base, thus a college degree wasn't necessary to get a decent job. That ended in the late 70's, for several years after that (and before that time) a college degree was considered a premium and a key to gainful employment, that probably ended earlier this decade as the U.S.' service based economy imploded and is in the current situation that it is....to the extent there was ever a safe option, there is no guarantee of a safe option anymore. This is something that young and future generations will have to deal with.

Unless there is a huge economic change, children of the baby boom generation will not enjoy as profligate as a lifestyle as their parents did, it is likely that their children will not enjoy as profligate lifestlye as the Gen-X/Y'er parents, and for the foreseeable future there isn't much looking upwards. Not to take this to the political forum but I am very concerned about my younger cousins, and most of the folks I know that have young kids (infants to 10 years old) are worried about the direction of the country. That said, we need education and good folks to get us going back in the right direction. So education is INDEED valuable. To answer your question, I would not go into a considerable amount of debt (as this country is already drunk on debt) to get a degree, but rather you should be more targeted and strategic about your educational future.
Good post!
Nov 21, 2009 7:20pm
T

tmast71

Member

80 posts
Nov 22, 2009 12:22 AM
What he ^^^ said....

Very tough anymore to get a 'good' job anymore without a degree....Don't learn the hard way, get your degree.....
Nov 21, 2009 7:22pm
T

tcby99

Senior Member

328 posts
Nov 22, 2009 12:28 AM
hell no...best 6 years of my life.
Nov 21, 2009 7:28pm
I

iuhoosier11

Member

76 posts
Nov 22, 2009 12:42 AM
Manhattan Buckeye wrote: I would not go into a considerable amount of debt (as this country is already drunk on debt) to get a degree, but rather you should be more targeted and strategic about your educational future.
Excellent advice.
Nov 21, 2009 7:42pm
D

devil1197

Senior Member

6,220 posts
Nov 22, 2009 12:45 AM
Most quality jobs I am looking at require at least a bachelor's degree.

So yes, its important. The money I'll make will override the debt.
Nov 21, 2009 7:45pm
3reppom's avatar

3reppom

Senior Member

765 posts
Nov 22, 2009 1:02 AM
over the course of a given persons working life those with degrees make more than those who don't. I think that the college experience can be just as valuable as the degree in the long run, at least it has been for me. This is my 6th year in college and it has taken me this long because I made a lot of mistakes early on but I have learned from them and those experiences will serve me well going forward
Nov 21, 2009 8:02pm
Cat Food Flambe''s avatar

Cat Food Flambe'

Senior Member

1,230 posts
Nov 22, 2009 1:05 AM
The college degree is NOT an automatic ticket to a better life. However, it's one of those things that I'd be scared as hell to be in the current job market without. In the context of 50-60 of a working life, why not take an extra four (or five :D) year to get an edge?

And by the way - don't think that most college graduate don't have to attend the School of Hard Knocks, either.
Nov 21, 2009 8:05pm
M

mallymal614

Senior Member

3,746 posts
Nov 22, 2009 1:08 AM
A lot good points you guys are making!
Nov 21, 2009 8:08pm
J

jmog

Senior Member

6,567 posts
Nov 22, 2009 1:10 AM
I have one statistic for you...

Education Level-Oct 2009 unemployment rate
Less than HS-15.5%
HS diploma-11.2%
Some college or Associats-9.0%
Bachelor's (or higher)-4.7%

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t04.htm

There you go, proof that you should go to college.
Nov 21, 2009 8:10pm
M

mallymal614

Senior Member

3,746 posts
Nov 22, 2009 1:15 AM
jmog wrote: I have one statistic for you...

Education Level-Oct 2009 unemployment rate
Less than HS-15.5%
HS diploma-11.2%
Some college or Associats-9.0%
Bachelor's (or higher)-4.7%

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t04.htm

There you go, proof that you should go to college.
And with that.....Enough said lol.
Nov 21, 2009 8:15pm
sleeper's avatar

sleeper

Legend

27,879 posts
Nov 22, 2009 1:16 AM
I love college, hey! I love drinking hey!
Nov 21, 2009 8:16pm
M

Manhattan Buckeye

Senior Member

7,566 posts
Nov 22, 2009 1:18 AM
jmog wrote: I have one statistic for you...

Education Level-Oct 2009 unemployment rate
Less than HS-15.5%
HS diploma-11.2%
Some college or Associats-9.0%
Bachelor's (or higher)-4.7%

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t04.htm

There you go, proof that you should go to college.
I don't doubt these statistics, but unless I'm wrong (and I could be), unemployment data doesn't take into consideration college graduates who never had a job in the first place. In other words, to be counted as unemployed you must have previously worked. My undergraduate school in a recent webmail stated that 15%(!) of the class of 2009 had a job lined up at graduation.
Nov 21, 2009 8:18pm
Scarlet_Buckeye's avatar

Scarlet_Buckeye

Senior Member

5,264 posts
Nov 22, 2009 1:59 AM
College is overrated in the sense that you literally pay for a slip and leave quite possibly just as smart as you entered. It is underrated in the sense that it is the best years of your life in terms of partying, making friends, and social experiences.
Nov 21, 2009 8:59pm
J

jmog

Senior Member

6,567 posts
Nov 22, 2009 2:04 AM
Manhattan Buckeye wrote:

I don't doubt these statistics, but unless I'm wrong (and I could be), unemployment data doesn't take into consideration college graduates who never had a job in the first place. In other words, to be counted as unemployed you must have previously worked. My undergraduate school in a recent webmail stated that 15%(!) of the class of 2009 had a job lined up at graduation.
If you think the numbers aren't worse for those coming out of HS and not going to college, you might be on crack :).

Plus, you just "heard", I'd like to see the statistics on this from someone who studies it.
Nov 21, 2009 9:04pm
M

Manhattan Buckeye

Senior Member

7,566 posts
Nov 22, 2009 2:12 AM
jmog wrote:
Manhattan Buckeye wrote:

I don't doubt these statistics, but unless I'm wrong (and I could be), unemployment data doesn't take into consideration college graduates who never had a job in the first place. In other words, to be counted as unemployed you must have previously worked. My undergraduate school in a recent webmail stated that 15%(!) of the class of 2009 had a job lined up at graduation.
If you think the numbers aren't worse for those coming out of HS and not going to college, you might be on crack :).

Plus, you just "heard", I'd like to see the statistics on this from someone who studies it.
I'm sure they are worse, I'm also sure people that graduate from HS and don't attend college don't have education debt. My undergrad college charges just under $55,000 per year now (tuition, fees, boarding yadda yadda yadda), $55,000 * 4 * yearly increases and a 4-year degree is easily close to $250,000 currently, take into count opportunity costs (to the extent they exist now) and you're looking at probably a $300,000 endeavor. If you can get scholarships/grants, etc. great, and if parents can pay for this, great. But the next big bubble that can burst and rip the economy another big one is the mounds of education debt young people are taking on (guaranteed by the federal government) that they may likely never be able to pay.

People bitch about Big Pharma, Big Banks, Big Oil, Big whatever, but Big Education could be the straw that breaks our country's back.
Nov 21, 2009 9:12pm
D

devil1197

Senior Member

6,220 posts
Nov 22, 2009 3:02 AM
Where is this $250,000 4 year degree university at?
Nov 21, 2009 10:02pm
E

eersandbeers

Senior Member

1,071 posts
Nov 22, 2009 3:17 AM
Is it overrated? Yes. The costs associated with education and the useless classes people have to take are ridiculous. Do you need it to get a good job? Definitely.

Almost any decent employer requires some type of degree even if it has nothing to do with the job. Sometimes an employer that doesn't require a degree will use your lack of a degree as an excuse to pay you less.

College wouldn't be so expensive if the government didn't get involved in the free market. Watch how fast college prices drop when students are no longer given money to pay for unaffordable education.
Nov 21, 2009 10:17pm
mexappeal12's avatar

mexappeal12

Desperado

489 posts
Nov 22, 2009 3:22 AM
While there are undergrad colleges that cost a lot per year I think that is part of making wise decision. Go to a state school or go to a community college to figure out what interests you have before wasting time and changing your degree. I think that there is not a completely safe option, but foregoing college limits your options immensely. There are somethings that you will not be able to do without a degree, but you will always be able to the jobs that don't require a degree even if you have one (does that make sense). Also, there is something to be said about how work and creating opportunities for yourself. If you have a degree, but did not work hard to get internships or make contacts or pad your resume then getting a job will not be as easy as it used to be. College degree plus a hard work ethic will get you better results than having no degree. Even if you go into a job that does not require a degree you will still be more likely to be considered for a management position in the future. I do not believe that college education is the answer for everyone, but if you want to give yourself the best opportunity and you work hard than I dont think it will hurt.
Nov 21, 2009 10:22pm
J

joe.hackett

Junior Member

22 posts
Nov 22, 2009 3:37 AM
I am not sure where it all started as far as "needing" a college degree for certain jobs. Certainly someone who is an engineer needs the advanced schooling, but what about other jobs. For instance I have a bachelors degree in business, the concepts of business that would be needed to working the field easily could have been learned in a two year program. The rest is all people skills and for the most part, successful people have a knack how to manage people. The other two years were spend taking b.s. classes that have no bearing on anything.

My second degree is in education. Again, this was required but not needed. To be say an elementary teacher, one shouldn't need any college level classes in math, science and such. Now, you certainly need education in like child psychology, learning practices and theory and so on, but the idea any more that you need like 6 years of college is ridiculous. Certainly two years would be sufficient then a better job by the state having continuing classes and professional development.

But, in the end, somewhere along the line it was decided that a higher level of education was needed for everything. As someone mentioned, have the government quite subsidizing everyone's degree and we will see a lot less emphasis on it.
Nov 21, 2009 10:37pm
S

slide22

Senior Member

330 posts
Nov 22, 2009 4:35 AM
If you're spending $55,000 a year and not going somewhere like MIT or Rose Hulman you're wasting your money.

Going to a public school makes so much more sense than going to some of these private schools. Last I checked for room & board alone at OSU it was something like $16,500, with most of the other public schools in Ohio +/- $2000 or so. So being smart with your education, taking out a few loans, paying some, and finishing in 4 years, you could have less than $40,000 in debt, IF that.

I dunno, just makes more sense to me.
Nov 21, 2009 11:35pm