IYO, Is college worth it !?

[hogslayer78]

I did not go to college and have been welding for 22 years. I got my first welding job 3 days after I graduated high school. I have averaged $80,000 to $110,000 a yr for the last several years. I knew college wasnt for me. My oldest is a freshman at Sam Houston State right now. He wants to be an ag teacher. I support him 100%. If he wouldnt have wanted to go to college than I would would have supported him in that as well. You can make good money without a college education but really need a trade to do so.

[snappertapper]

I didn't finish school, (had about 30 hours left for a wildlife management degree).

I'm currently in a management position at what is most easily defined as an oil service company.

I've been one of 3 people to get promoted while our company has let go of roughly 70% of it's workforce over the last three years.

I do believe I'm the exception, and I can't imagine what I could've done with the right degree from the right school.

[hoghunter69]

bachelors
no
debt, would have joined military instead,

the wife,
masters
no
no debt, military paid a big chunck

my sons both in military, going to school, took the time to make sure they didnt get a degree in something they would use it in, no debt alot further ahead of all the school mates,

[Draco]

Got drafted right out of high school so didn't even have time to sign up for college. I learned a lot at South East Asia U. though. I retired from on occupation at 50 and still piddling at the second. A kid that worked a couple summers for me in my welding business went on to trade school for welding. He then went to an even better trade school for another year. He makes around $200,000 a year now. He just got back from Germany where his company sent him to make 2 welds on some kind of metal I've never heard of.

One of my best friends that didn't even get out of high school was making over a hundred thousand in the early nineties shoeing horses so I'm on the "it isn't needed".

[Briar Friar]

Is college worth it?

Yes. I like smart poon.

Correction...I love it.

[CaprockRoamer]

I have a bachelors degree. I do not use it in my field of work, although it contributed immensely to what I do. I paid off almost $50k in student loan debt in less than 3 years. I did go to a big Texas school (A&M). I'm happy to share my thoughts on the subject. Here goes....

College is 100% a necessity for young people (specifically). I won't sit here and tell you that the knowledge you gain from classes will make you successful. Truth is, it really won't. What college does is it allows you to be trainable. It turns you into soft clay. It is an experience in which the knowledge you gain is more of how you can be a benefit to society. You grow, mature, and learn about the world in a way that your parents can never teach you. You learn it on your own. Independence, problem solving, critical thinking, creativity, etc. All of the things you experience teach you about yourself and how you survive in this world as an individual. There is debt, there are mistakes made and lessons learned. But it is a rite of passage in it's own regard.

Rant over. Hope this helps.

Currently enrolled in college at Texas Tech. I personally feel that college has turned into one of the largest financial institutions out there. I pay thousands to listen to a professor rant a rave about off topic points only to be sent home with the curriculum in order to learn it all myself. On top of that, I'm penalized when I don't show up to listen to their ranting and raving, but yet they're not teaching my anything.

As far as being 100 percent a necessity for our youth, I have to disagree. I struggle with this daily due to an autistic child living at home. He's an awesome kid and very intelligent, but I don't believe college is going to be the right choice for him. (Thank the Lord I still have a decade to work this out.)

I understand your point about how it "molds" us, but I have to admit, my military service did that much more adequately than college will ever be able to do.

Is it a right of passage? For the elitists out there, whose most significant hurdle in life will be completing college, I believe so, but not everyone. Please understand, I'm not pointing fingers at anyone, but do not believe it is realistic to paint this picture in one broad stroke.

I don't believe college is an absolute necessity, but honestly believe it opens doors that would otherwise be closed. I feel that college definitely gives your future employers the sense that you have the ability to stick through with something you started. If it wasn't required for the career I hope to pursue, I would utilize my time in some other fashion.

[JLivi1224]

That right there is funny in so many ways.

Yeah, you get the gist.

[AgHntr10]

Really? I’ll make a large wager against that. And I know for a fact I’d win it lol.


Depending on your career choice it can certainly help. In my career it would not help. I do have 2.5 years of college.

I think he was just answering the OP's questions. He isn't saying a degree is required for everyone, just the field he is in.

[Outbreaker]

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the state of our educational system, and quite frankly, it makes me sad and a little angry. I wanted to get the green screens opinion on whether or not you guys feel that college is worth it, in today’s society. Now I recognize that there are doctors and lawyers among us, and your education was certainly necessary and worth it. But I see an increasing number of people being successful without college education, and I truly believe that when the time comes I’m not going to push college on my children. FYI, we have four kids under the age of seven, so we have a while. But assuming There aren’t big changes to the educational system, I really don’t feel that I’m going to make my kids go to college if they want to pursue trades or other opportunities. If you haven’t, do some research on the rising cost of a college education. It’s eye-opening to say the least. All this said, I have a few questions for you guys.

A: what is your highest level of education?

B: For those of you with degrees, do you directly use your degree in your field?

C: given your income vs college debt (if any), or the overall expense in general, was your time in college worth it in the big picture ?

Mine
A- associates in instrumentation/electric
B- nope! In a sales role with the same company for 8 years now.
C- no debt, but put myself through college. It would be nice to have some of that money back.

It depends on the end career goal. Many career paths you have to have the bachelor degree just to open the door.

Kid 1. He enters college this fall studying Chem. Engineering. It will be well worth it.

I wish I had gone the engineering route when I was in college.

[AgHntr10]

A: what is your highest level of education?
BS Ag Economics, Minor Business Admin.

B: For those of you with degrees, do you directly use your degree in your field?
I would say no not directly, but I do use skills acquired in college.

C: given your income vs college debt (if any), or the overall expense in general, was your time in college worth it in the big picture ?
No debt, blessed to have it paid for by my parents and some scholarship money. I think it was worth it, it has opened doors both due to just having the degree and because of the Aggie Network. I am not one to bury my head in the sand and say it is for everyone or required to make a good living, but in my experience it was worth it.

[trjones87]

college is worth it. college is not worth bring 75k in debt. if i could do it again, id go to a trade school

[Patton]

A- Degree in Economics
B- I use the basic principles
C- yes

Two of my good friends do not have degrees and both built their own successful companies from the ground up, with little to no help. Most of my college friends are on their 2nd or 3rd job and still not happy. The job I have does not require a degree although it is certainly helpful (residential/investment real estate). I also think trade school is over looked as well as going to a community college to knock out the basic courses at a fraction of the cost.

[Sunnylab]

Masters of business - worthless degree IMO
I was lucky not to have college debt
Most of the millionaires I know never went to college...and thats fact.

College taught me how to drink and party. I was smart enough to keep a 3. plus gpa and do all the fun stuff as well. I didn't learn anything about "business" until I hit the real world. Started in Insurance/Financial right out of college...saw that was a joke. Went in to Real Estate and had a decent run with residential as well as land and commercial property...then the recession hit. I went to the pipeline construction industry at that point. Started from the bottom and now I'm at the top. I do well, but do not believe my degree had anything to do with it. I believe hard work and determination is much more valuable than a degree regardless of what profession you choose.

[be12hunt]

A. Bachelors in Industrial Management
B. No, I already had the position I am in now when I finally finished my degree.
C. I paid for school as I went and didn’t finish until I was 30 with a wife and kids. I think it was worth the time and money because the added opportunities and earning potential with the degree.

I already have what I consider a successful career that makes decent money. I earned that career with a lot of hard work and starting from the bottom. Had I had the right degree I could’ve worked just as hard but be in a much better position than I am now. Also on top of that it adds a level of security knowing that I have something other than my skill set to fallback on should something crazy happen.

[westtexducks]

Got my bachelors in marketing with a global supply chain emphasis.

Not directly but it definitely helped. I maybe using it in my next field though. You never know.

I was lucky enough to not have debt coming out of college but I earned it working all through junior high and high school. But I think it was well worth it. It got my foot in the door at my current company and allowed me to skip 3-4 rungs on the ladder and go straight to management. And it will allow me to lateral over if I ever swap companies. Like my dad always said if you want to make the big bucks you have to work using your head and not your muscle. And college definitely helped in that aspect.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk