Growing Number Of Americans Questioning The Value Of College Degree

[@spacyg3854]

It's not that people don't want to go to college and have a degree, people just really don't want to be in debt and have to spend years paying off a student loan (if they get one). For the most part, the cost of college is just too high. Not to mention that many degrees require unnecessary courses that have nothing to do with the chosen degree/profession.

[@AJohnson0325]

Go to community college for your prerequisites. It’s cheap then you can transfer. College isn’t expensive if you get a good return on your investment. Price is all relative. If you spend 60k and make 30k it’s a bad deal. If you spend 200k and make 400k it’s a good deal and technically that’s more expensive but not too expensive because of how much you make. The price doesn’t really matter. It’s the ROI (return on investment) that matters. The problem isn’t the cost of college but people consistently making bad decisions for years and then they wonder how their life ended up that way. It should be common sense to not get a worthless degree and actually look at the job market before pursuing a degree in that field.

[@CMM726]

Exactly why do we need so many electives??!! It’s a waste of time and money and most students also have to work full time to pay for their housing

[@automnejoy5308]

​@@AJohnson0325 But probably about half of the degrees offered ARE worthless. And if everyone goes for the useful degrees, then there will be too much competition for a narrow range of jobs.

[@hunterbarry5754]

That’s a pretty bold claim with no evidence

[@Cacowninja]

@@hunterbarry5754 What do you mean no evidence? Like no evidence in the comment or no evidence period as in what he's saying is false? Because there's plenty of evidence that college is too expensive when a far greater percentage of the population was able to afford it without going to debt. One reason is that too much money is loaned out to people so the colleges raise their prices because you can pay for it right now right? They don't care exactly that you can pay for it without going into debt, they just care that you can pay for it now and the debt is on you to solve later. If they loaned less money they wouldn't charge as much. Sure you'd have less money to use but you could earn the rest with a job, get a scholarship, etc.. You know the way it should be as opposed to being in mountains of debt! Also there are unnecessary courses on a degree as well as degrees altogether. Degrees aren't perfect, there's gonna be flaws in the curriculum. Also employers are skipping out on a LOT of good employees if they require they get superfluous degrees rather than just pick the people that can do the job with what knowledge they have. Now do I think there should be some government mandate to make college cheaper? Of course not. That's the free market's job to keep things affordable and the state just gets in the way. For things to be affordable you got to get rid of the state's involvement.

[@eshbena]

Being an American is expensive in so many ways.

[@Yandel21ableify]

The American Dream comes with a price tag

[@Goprof150]

This is how it is most places.

[@pamelalima5401]

@@Yandel21ableify and sometimes become a nightmare

[@Jay-jb2vr]

Yuppers

[@toastybillionaire4047]

@@Goprof150 not really

[@ashram12]

I think there are at least two problems here: first of all, a lot of basic jobs, like receptionist for instance, require a college diploma even though you could do the job fine with basic education. Secondly, a lot of colleges overvalue their diploma. I studied art in school, and I briefly looked to get a masters in an art program. Two year tuition would have coast $120,000. You CAN make a living as an artist, but for the majority of us, we're never going to earn enough a year to justify spending 6 figures on a diploma (at least, that was my thought process. I think a lot of students are unrealistically optimistic about their future job prospects). If colleges were honest, they'd charge a rate that matches what people in the field actually earn.

[@lyarcadia]

But on the other hand, for a lot of positions we initially think anyone with a high school diploma can do well, it later turned out that it takes someone with a master degree to really do it well. Especially those positions require high school physics or chemistry or biology knowledge, you won’t find an adult with only a high school diploma who has that knowledge. I wonder how these people actually got there high school diploma.

[@John-jz7zz]

@@lyarcadia not necessarily true. A lot of that knowledge can also be learned on the job. Even most, if not all, computer science skills, which are top paying jobs today, can be learned outside of college.

[@swankyangelo]

@@lyarcadia their* I wonder how you got yours 😉

[@michaelrmurphy2734]

A lot of my friends are MFAs. Its their raw talent that makes them artists. The MFAs might help them get teaching posts if they want to do that.

[@ashram12]

​@@michaelrmurphy2734 Well, if we're talking about art, it's not just raw talent that makes the artist, it's also having teachers to learn from. And an MFA is not even necessary to teach in some schools (SVA doesn't require an MFA, they look for people with work experience). Nowadays that there are a lot of relatively cheap online art classes, it makes even less sense for art students to spend tons of money in art school. Granted, the tricky thing with online classes is having the discipline to actually do the work without a teacher breathing down your neck.

[@RobertMJohnson]

everyone is making this way too complicated. College in the US is a good decision for 1. PRE-PROFESSIONAL degree students (accounting, business, computer science, engineering, pre-law, pre-med, nursing, pre-nursing, architecture, pre-dental/orthodontic, etc) 2. RICH KIDS who can afford it and come out with no debt; students who get enough financial aid 3. ANY SCHOLARSHIP student or student-athlete everyone else is at quite a disadvantage

[@Jcardotv]

absolutely agree

[@tanushbhatt1419]

yep. doesn't need to be such a big deal this is a mighty decent summary right here

[@Red-wj4id]

2 and 3, yes. 1....maybe. Colleges have overcharged ever since government student loans has become easily attainable that it's a mixed bag for anyone going that isn't rich or on the college's dime.

[@tuguldurbatjargal1322]

The thing is most people can afford college. They just have to make some sacrifices, which undoubtedly don't weigh more than degree worth in the long run.

[@RobertMJohnson]

@@Red-wj4id 1 is not a "maybe" we have MILLIONS of professionals today with positive net worths in the $100,000s if not >$1,000,000 to statistically prove my point. you've made the mistake of ascribing those few failed cases to discredit the truth of the majority of the cohort.

[@bionicleanime]

As someone who spent 10 years in college, I can attest that the value of college degrees has been diminished. The great recession hit college, even community ones, pretty bad. I literally saw the amount of classes offered cut in half while the amount of people going to college sky rocketed. Coupled with questionable practices like retaining terrible instructors who do more to hinder students than to help them succeed, having people take too many courses not only unrelated to their fields but will never be used in the work force, and overall just making everything so expensive. I was able to get my associates and bachelor degrees but ended up not working in my field and feeling like all the sacrifices made in progress of getting a higher education meant nothing. It sucks and I've only heard that things have only worsen since leaving college behind.

[@tetsuyohasakirashishiwakam2218]

In my opinion, being required to take courses that have absolutely nothing to do with your degree is a huge problem. I experienced this in school.

[@pennytrue2741]

Even if you don’t end up working in your field, a lot of employees still value your degree. If you had, had just a hs diploma, a lot of job opportunities diminish.

[@johnguillen68]

I think there should be detours to what field you want to go into. I understand that you need the basics to understand English, Writing, Math, and some kind of Ethics. I want to be a physician assistant and why am I taking Ecology, Plant bio, Organic, Calculus, or even Zoology? all my classes should be A/P, Pathophysiology, genetics, medical terminology...etc. I spent for the most part going part-time to college and got my BS in about 8yrs. I feel burnt out and tired. It's been a year since I've been out of school and still trying to get into PA school.

[@fredastaire6156]

"questionable practices like retaining terrible instructors who do more to hinder students than to help them succeed" Yea, I felt that! There were more than a few semesters where I've had to deal with such hinderances.

[@johnguillen68]

@@fredastaire6156 Since I was older than ALL the students I felt that they just wanted me to finish and move on. I didn't get the guidance that I was supposed to get. These teens had all the attention. Through my years in college, I was never told to watch my GPA and all I wanted to do is pass my classes. In the end, I started to look out for my GPA because of the requirements for PA school and realized that my GPA was not competitive enough. Thanks advisors.

[@doloresmontano4794]

I worked hard for my degree for science and let me tell you some labs won't pay more then 18hr and expect you to do so much its crazy. Having a bachelors degree to get jobs that pay under 20 is crazy.

[@Yandel21ableify]

You should do acelerated nursing degree to get paid 30 or 40 bucks an hour

[@scifirealism5943]

STEM field is sold out to contract work.

[@Yandel21ableify]

@@scifirealism5943 STEM degrees are the only degrees worth something.

[@selfoblivionalex6262]

The problem with Stem is that youll most likley be over looked and your job givien to a foreigner.

[@lemonlimesnout]

What state? Are you in hospital lab? In California most hospitals pay $15-17 but mostly to their lab assistants with "phlebotomist" title. Other hospitals like Kaiser/UCLA/USC affiliated hospitals pay from $19-36 for their lab techs. CLS get paid anywhere from $36-60.

[@PacifierMusic]

Pretty much lost faith in college when they charged us the same amount for online classes vs in person. Makes me think it’s all just about a piece of paper, not learning

[@BTrain-is8ch]

You wouldn't give your employer a discount if you worked remote would you?

[@KamalasFakePolls]

@@BTrain-is8ch that's the worst analogy ever

[@BobectorGamesBobector]

Exactly most the time you can walk into any University and any course and no one would care or notice and you can learn the material free. So you don't buy the information you buy the diploma at the end of the tunnel

[@helmutkruger1192]

@@BobectorGamesBobector hmm I wonder what sussy "university" would let their students graduate without actually learning anything? 🤔Perhaps next time enroll at higher educational institutions that recognized by government?

[@laoup26]

@@BTrain-is8ch Do you think an employer wouldn't ??

[@enerpro2955]

College tuition outpaced inflation by 6x since the 80s and top 15 universities sit on $10B+ in cash nowadays. That's insane for nonprofits!

[@a.f6435]

University’s don’t pay taxes!!!! And OUR taxes go to university’s as well, along with their own students enrollment money

[@sijdnsd6460]

A lot of the big name university’s may have that $10B+ cash but their endowment is locked in the stock market and other investments. I watched a documentary about this in a college class lol.

[@philfortner1805]

Non profits are obviously slick for profits.

[@user-l4y7r04wy6iv]

Hey, but at least colleges sure have grand, beautiful buildings and lots of extracurricular activities for students.

[@joncarbone]

@@philfortner1805Correct. And donating $ to Al Gore will cure the climate change.

[@ayasreviewsandtoycolection7148]

What most college aged kids don't realize is that you don't necessarily NEED a degree for everything. Go to college and see what technical certificate programs they offer and decide if it's right for you. It will only take 1 year to complete and it should be no more than $5,000. You'll make just as decent pay as anyone else who went to college and you won't be in debt. You can also qualify for grants as well.

[@movyproductios741]

Hey there, I'm a high school senior and I want to be in the field of ethical hacking. Is it possible to get the job with only a ethical hacker certificate and earn average pay?

[@mariochiaparini5807]

@@movyproductios741 it is possible, but you might now that you will compete with other people who have such degree and a good networking to get into a job. But not impossibpe for this field.

[@airflare7285]

@@movyproductios741 You may or may not get lucky with offers after receiving relevant certifications to security without some relevant experience. Ethical hacking roles (red-team) are not that plentiful compared to blue-team roles: SOC analyst, incident response, GRC, etc. However, building homelabs and projects that you can practice testing (network and security) can certainly help build your resume and land you a potential red-team role in the industry. In my opinion, ANY experience and technical expertise in IT & security are more important than a piece of paper and certifications in IT (not to say they are useless but better than a college degree in some cases depending on where you apply).

[@nulllllll-y3n]

@@movyproductios741 Are you naturally a very curious person that loves to learn? if so you wont need any schooling to learn all this stuff.

[@Djevan41598]

You do not need a college degree for a successful career. Auto mechanics HVAC workers CEOs Restaurant owners Chefs Restaurant managers Welders Construction workers Accountants Real Estate agents High ranking police officers Those people make really good money. College isn’t really worth it unless if you are planning to become a doctor or lawyer. Some of these fields I mentioned you don’t have to go to college but there is thing called technical school. It’s like college but you’d be done within a year or two.

[@chad9971]

I'm working a job that "prefers" a Masters Degree with an Associates degree and its one of the easiest jobs I've ever worked. Advanced degrees are important for certain jobs (engineering, Doctor, Law, Psychology, etc.) but many fields don't require it to actually do the work. You learn most, if not all, the skills at the job.

[@jones2277]

what's your job?

[@ervamoten5830]

Yeah, what's your job?

[@nedstarkAA]

Job : How to make an argument and walk away.

[@NAT-turners-Revenge]

Exactly... Short answer *NO! NOT WORTH IT* i dropped out of school ( bio major) and ended up making 120k annually with the railroad industry. There are many blue collar jobs that pay very well and many companies u can ascend from the bottom up! Problem is? Youngsters are *lazy, entitled, and want instant gratification!*

[@NAT-turners-Revenge]

@blaze One wrong wrong wrong

[@TheseEyesSeeDarknessClearly7]

Have a computer science degree but it’s so hard to find a job. Entry level jobs requiring 5 years experience is wild.

[@DemetriT1]

Have a Chemical Engineering degree and same. It's tough, there aren't enough high paying positions. School is a bubble. Life is real.

[@mike48084]

That’s strange. I can’t get FAANG recruiters from stop talking to me. I guess it depends on where you get your degree

[@DaLastMonster]

@@mike48084 I think it’s mostly comes down to internship experience. It’s tough out there but having an internship can give you a leg up or a full time return offer.

[@KarmaX10]

Facts...even in accounting they want you to have experience which is absurd if they won't give you the opportunity.

[@KarmaX10]

@Mariam Syed facts

[@mikeneil798]

I'm 54. When I was a kid a college degree during the 70s was a HUGE accomplishment. Now a college degree is basically a HS diploma. Yes I'd like cheese on that (Job waitingf for a CG - BA in English )

[@Yandel21ableify]

College worked out for the Boomer and Gen X generations.

[@phobedavis7014]

That's the problem. Too many people are going to college. The employers can ask for a degree and still pay less. It's best to focus on your skill set.

[@Yandel21ableify]

@Lovely_Day Well im a millenial and college didnt do crap for me or many people i went to school with. Gen Z will be stuck with 80k 100k tuitions with 15 bucks an hour jobs to choose from..lol

[@Yandel21ableify]

@@phobedavis7014 Even to work a front desk job or to work as a secretary employers are asking for a college degree. A HS diploma is worth as much as toilet paper.

[@Yandel21ableify]

@Lovely_Day You can also learn that by yourself. You dont need college to learn about that topic. We have smartphones with internet these days.

[@christine2866]

In my country in Europe, they have implemented a DUAL system. After compulsory schooling of 11 years you are 16 and either go to learn a TRADE as an apprentice or choose HIGHER education. Many jobs don't require higher education, are more manual and the skills are best acquired through an apprenticeship. We only pursue higher education, with emphasis on a SPECIFIC degree, that is required for the job we want to have. So, in the end we have qualified workers. The enrollment of post-secondary education is low compared to other countries, only 20% of the student population enrolls. Because enrollment is low, the government pays for our tuition, so we only have low semester fees of a couple hundred $. It's inefficient to have high enrollment of university students, not only because many jobs don't require such a degree, but it also makes the job market oversaturated with uni students that have nice but unnecessary humanity degrees, which leads to higher rate of unemployment and searching for jobs they are overqualified for and have nothing to do with their actual degree. We should normalize not making college a degree a requirement and government should invest more in trade education. Our society depends on both. Plus a trade in my country, puts you in middle class, if you also have the ambition to take over or found a small business, it's also doable.

[@CO-vt1jb]

@@silentnot4812 No, I got in. if you have the grades for the education you'll be good. Like there are many who applies to law school and med school but there are not room for many so you need the best grades to get in. If you don't have the best grades then maybe pick something else and you'll be fine or wait a year and apply again. And also, not everyone goes to college or university because it's paid by the government, there are jobs where people are happy and make good money that doesn't require a degree and you can work your way up with experience. Many companies like experience more then if you have 3 degrees that states that you know things rather than actually knowing about a skill.

[@fernandinapelage2648]

Your right it's true👌

[@vivalarance1840]

Netherlands?

[@Cacowninja]

What country?

[@ervamoten5830]

Tell us which country you're from.

[@jlcii]

I watched my eldest sister go to college, get three associates, a bachelor's, and a masters, just to end up getting a job at elderly Care facility making less money than I make as a bus driver with a class b license that I obtained after I dropped out of college due to financial hardship at the time. The necessity to further your education is really subjective depending on things like your financial background, what field you're going into, if you have the means and ability to complete the curriculum for the degree, and if you actually have opportunities made available to you once you graduate. My mom went to school for medical administration and got her bachelor's degree in the field, only for no employer to want to even offer her an internship when she applied because they felt she was "too mature of age" to be invested in (in her late 40s). My other sister recently got her bachelor's degree in business, so time will tell how that pays off, but overall, it just seems to me that unless you come from a background of privilege, nepotism, and things like networking and inside connections working in your favor (or if you're just really smart and go into the field of engineering or science), it just seems more likely than not that you'll end up not much better off or on about equal footing as somebody who just gets the right good paying job opportunity, or even a basic license or certificate with their high school diploma or GED.

[@enhancedutility266]

It's funny you said that when that 2016 college scandal came out that should have told everyone that even if you came from a working class or middle class background upward mobility was next to impossible because the wealthy and the rich will always get the better positions in most jobs or organizations that folks in the lower rungs of society want to get

[@zimz1096]

May I ask, what masters degree paid less than a bus driver? Not saying your making this up, but I must say even with given circumstances it doesn’t make a lot of sense.

[@hunterbarry5754]

Some of this is true, that being said, not everyone is okay with driving a bus, cutting grass, or digging ditches for a living. It’s hard work and all those things take a toll on your body compared to white collar jobs that require a degree. Plenty of plumbers and HVAC workers make six figures, but what they don’t tell you is that they’ve spent 10+ years on the job working 70 hours a week while also getting their contractors license.

[@enhancedutility266]

@@hunterbarry5754 that's also true

[@hillyseattlenarrowstreets6087]

Should have told her to look into Real Estate. You don't need a degree for that. If she is good at it, she would be Rich

[@Beanbean45]

I’m still upset that there wasn’t any sort of adjustment to tuition during the prime of COVID because we didn’t get to experience classes as we should’ve. I personally felt like all of my professors got lazier and turned to pre-recorded videos and open office hours- with many emails requiring clarifications on this topic- or slight adjustments to that topic- or learning AFTER an exam that the topic was “actually like this!” when it was not clear in the presentation/videos… it was just frustrating and I do feel like my grades suffered some because of that. I also feel like it was an excuse for professors to give a lot of filler work to make up for not being in class which was extremely draining mentally, just sitting at my desk all day and waking up to do it all over again the next. I do feel like the value of college is questionable in certain circumstances/situations/majors. I just graduated this spring and job hunted for a while- everywhere I interviewed I still felt like I was being offered bottom dollar prices (mind you I took a STEM major) just because I did not have as much experience. Luckily I’m finally finding a job I’m settling with now- but it was frustrating that I was either getting rejected or offered a lower value due to what I have/haven’t done. We’re barely crawling out of one pandemic (and may be be crawling into another one soon tbh) where many have been laid off and lost their jobs (like me) so I struggled to find the best opportunities I could that still related to the career I wished to pursue. While I know it’s not exactly what they’re asking for, they’re still going to need to train me on the specifics regardless- so why do they need to be so stingy?

[@Kayla4217]

this was so insightful and felt exactly like my own situation, thank you for sharing this!

[@samzam94]

To be honest college now a days really doesn’t give you a “good job” right off the bat you either need to know someone or you start your own business .

[@hunterbarry5754]

Well you always need to “know someone” to get what you want, and starting a business is actually more risky and returns less money than going to college. It’s not the golden ticket that you think it is

[@angelachanelhuang1651]

college is knowing how to use your education

[@griseldaflores6362]

@@angelachanelhuang1651 Nope, I can attest that it does not. Graduated with a 3.9, and multiple honors/job experiences/skills sets but that didn't make a dent in how employers see me. We can't really hit the ground running without someone to give us a chance (and I've tried multiple times to start businesses but everything requires money to invest, but sadly I was born into poverty). The secret is who you know or whoever's interested enough to entertain you with a job or chance.

[@skeptik6707]

I has always been about “who you know” in any industry. Because if you were to apply with no connections then you will be extremely lucky to even get the job. I’ve known that’s just how the world really works before ever finishing high school. That is for any well paying job of course, as it is much easier to get min/low paying jobs.

[@hunterbarry5754]

@@skeptik6707 Yeah the media does a good job of saying how important the degree is but leaves out the part about connections.

[@jackiepaper6464]

My wife and I both have degrees and together about 100 thousand in student debt. Neither one of us work in our fields. We own a business. I agree.

[@michaelrmurphy2734]

Why did you bother then? Waste of time and money and degree. And over 100 grand in debt.

[@jackburton2680]

@@Chad_Max At this point, there is absolutely no excuse for any young person(or old person) to fall for the narrative colleges and the media push regarding the "college experience" or the blanket stats regarding how much better off you will be financially after obtaining a degree. Only a fool would CHOOSE not to thoroughly investigate the demand and job market and likely salary for their chosen career field prior to taking on tens of thousands of dollars in loans and devoting years of grueling study and work towards a degree. Nursing is hardly a low paying profession btw. You're off the mark on that one.

[@Yandel21ableify]

College was worth it...30 years ago.

[@coffeewithginseng3812]

@@Chad_Max You definitely need a degree to become a nurse or a teacher.

[@coffeewithginseng3812]

@@Chad_Max Teacher's dont get paid jack, I agree but becoming a nurse eventually pays off due to job security, demand, and competitive benefits.

[@andrewca1659]

Why do we need two years of “gen eds” when we had four years of them in high school. Stop the college scam.

[@jones2277]

The gen eds I took in college weren't offered in high school.

[@andrewca1659]

@@jones2277 you didn’t have English, intermediate algebra, biology, earth science, government, etc. in high school?

[@jones2277]

@@andrewca1659 some, but depending on your track, you have different gen-eds to take. i took anthropology and cognitive science and courses like that in my gen-ed curriculum. also, education is about cumulative knowledge. the first time you learn a subject, you get the basics. when you return to the subject later, you get more complexity and depth. you start to expand your critical thinking and reasoning. presumably, your critical thinking and reasoning at 14 is going to be quite different from at 20, but I'm just assuming.

[@andrewca1659]

@@jones2277 that is my point. You shouldn’t be required to take an anthropology class (spend $1,500+) that you won’t directly use. Young adults shouldn’t be arguably forced to go into tons of debt to find themselves. It should be training to earn future revenue for oneself

[@jones2277]

​@@andrewca1659 depends on your view of education. i personally prefer an educated populace rather than a populace of people who just learn one trade. it's better for democracy to have people who can think critically, reason, and have a comprehensive sense of history and culture that they can draw upon to form a context in their decision-making.

[@rabidfollower]

Whether you go to college or not, you still have to study and learn constantly throughout your life because the world keeps changing and adding new knowledge and you have to keep up to stay employed, especially in tech fields. One advantage of colleges is that they train you to be better learners. All the reading and researches you have to do and reports and papers you have to write make you a more disciplined, efficient learner of high-level knowledge. I suggest everyone at least take an affordable local or online college course or two just to see what that's like. When I graduated from computer science, all the computer tech I learned the previous four years had already become obsolete because tech goes obsolete very quickly as we all know. Did that make my college experience worthless? Of course not. It gave me a great foundation and made me a better learner and better prepared me for the future.

[@katmandewtoolsngames3116]

And I can do that without 200k of debt

[@E46_M3]

@@katmandewtoolsngames3116 Community college is in the thousands buddy

[@YuuzahnDragon]

@@E46_M3 Even getting an associate's degree without any direction can be a catastrophic mistake. All that time in community college would only means increased costs in the end. Plus, even with a "degree" in a field in high demand, the best way to stand out is to purchase to acquire OTHER certifications and licenses that your college doesn't really inform you on nor even have, along with the fact that employers like to hire people with at least 2 or 3 years of experience in said field. Add on the implications that people have living expenses like food, rent, health, transportation (all as an individual) along with income and property taxes all being piled on whatever means of income you have, makes you really consider. This just makes people likely to view even community college as more of a large obstacle. In other words, more thought is being given to where the trade-off is in terms of time versus money.

[@amylopez7204]

study what lies 😂 we brainwashed

[@rabidfollower]

@@Amazingwool78 Every aspect of life rewards a fast learner, and that's what you go to college to learn to be. Also, even though you study CS, you need a whole lot more knowledge than computers. If you develop software for, say, a garment company, then you need to know about the garment industry. Work in healthcare industry, retail industry, etc., and you will need to know about them too. Be prepared to learn a whole lot of stuff, anything and everything that your future jobs will surely require.

[@Pepe1999]

I know some friends that called me dumb for not going to college. 6 years later I’m a concrete contractor and half of them are working as cashiers at a supermarket with a college degree and debt.

[@rack9458]

The trades are a great option for the non college group!

[@chuckyyes]

Shmucks

[@sydneewright6244]

they are the stupid ones

[@adamg400]

I bet you make good money

[@MichaelDabish]

I went to a prestigious University got my bachelor's degree in an unconventional way. I went to Community College or Junior College first before I went to University and saved lots of money doing so. I genuinely think 18 year old kids are not ready to go to university

[@cuprunnethover2509]

Some 18 year olds are not ready for college. We can not lump all in the same barrel making a blanket statement. Just something to ponder...

[@MichaelDabish]

@@cuprunnethover2509 I think it's most, not some.

[@nancia24]

Agree I'm thinking of going to community college first and then university

[@IamFrancoisDillinger]

@@nancia24 Go to a CC. See if they have a transfer or academic scholarship. I did one that only required a 3.2 GPA, which isn't hard for general elective classes. All transfer students who were part of the honor society got an academic transfer scholarship; it pays half my tuition. I'll graduate in the spring with a degree in Computer Science and $0 in debt.

[@francosamericanmusings1560]

I did same. Community college, and now wrapping up bachelors in 2 yeats

[@sheaskateboarding]

The US needs to update how high school works. I believe it should branch into three different sections. It would start with all kids in 9th-10th grade focusing mainly on math, science, history, and English. Once you hit 11th grade, that's when schooling starts to branch. The first branch would be a trade school(mechanic, plumber, electrician, hair stylist, chef, dental hygienist). This would allow kids to come out of high school with high-paying jobs. If they want to go to college to pursue something else, at least they have something to fall back on. The second branch would be for kids who are interested in a more modern-day trade school. These students would focus more on jobs in the tech field(coding, graphic design, UX/UI, marketing, scrum master, project manager, data analyst). The third would be for students who don't want to be in the tech field or learn a trade. This would pretty much be a traditional high school.

[@kittycarla6695]

This is how my high school was 9th through 12th grade was like trade school where you trained in your career for at least 2 hours each day you could change your course as well I was in BTA where they taught about computer applications and how to work them but anyway the school was called DCTS Dauphin County Technical School the rest of the usual day was things like math class and other courses the usual but this school was more useful to me then a normal high school was I transferred there in 10th grade back then and graduated in 2014 with me a least having a few certificates to my name in Microsoft Applications. They have things like Culinary and Welding and all other cool course classes I would definitely recommend a high school like this if kids wanted to get a head start on a early career on a field don't know if it is the same after all these years since I heard they removed my course BTA and also the Childcare course for people who were training to work with kids which was right next to my class and my best friend was in that course even though she did not like kids but Veterinary course had all it's spots taken up so she could not transfer to that course where she wanted to work with pets.

[@daw7773]

Excellent ideas and very practical to American societal trade and economic needs.

[@StraightFireVR]

They do this in France and allows students to enter into the workforce that pays a living wage sooner

[@DonnaAgrinsonis]

Yes. Exactly

[@CatholicTraditional]

Voke HS grad here. If you can get hired on a certificate, you’ll be ok. Otherwise, many jobs say “bachelor’s required, master’s preferred.” No one should need a 4-yr degree just to clean a toilet. Considering what’s gone on, better off just turning our HS’ into colleges, most especially if this liner is still going to be advertised.

[@macharper8214]

It is NOT worth it. I always thought a college education was an expensive joke. Not worth the time, cost or effort. You end up in debt for the rest of your life.

[@BadMannerKorea]

Except, it is worth it. Go on government website and see that statistically, degree holders earn more over a lifetime. Is college for everybody? Nope, but good luck becoming a nurse, doctor, dentist, teacher, and many other jobs without it.

[@shawyonsharifi3394]

If you pay for it in full it is very worth it

[@AB-ou8ve]

@@BadMannerKorea They may earn more, but they will likely pay for years if mot decades for that education.

[@BadMannerKorea]

@@AB-ou8ve The calculations account for debt lol.

[@AntiMasonic93]

A lot graduates get denied from a job due to lack of experience. Since these graduates have no experience, they are going to get a low-paying that doesn't require any experience. So, it is not really the degree that is the problem. It is lack of experience.

[@Dzanarika1]

it is all a game, and the Game is this life.

[@sv83217]

The only value a college degree has is having connections for when you graduate if you graduated. Connections such as mommy's or daddy's friends that are able to pull a string here or there for their friend child/children.

[@NewPaulActs17]

as an only child child aspie- that statement is brutally true. and my parents didn't have have "connections"

[@mworld2611]

Only reason why I'm going to college. My dad has a lot of friends in the field I'm studying

[@paisleyblack909]

I went to college and it was the biggest waste of money, time and stress. I make more money now in a totally different field that i learned from KZbin ❤️🙌🏽

[@michaelrmurphy2734]

Good on You...TUBE!!! HAHA!! Thought of that as I was typing...

[@biometal770]

You chose the wrong degree

[@rickmorty7284]

What did you study?

[@coffeewithginseng3812]

You prolly studied art history or communication or something lmao

[@P0k3D0nd3M4cG]

@@coffeewithginseng3812 nope, i went to school for bioengineering. Now I work in Air Quality making more money than I was and my commute is way shorter. My other homie also studied BE and works in a chemistry lab. My other dawg has a chemical engineering degree and hasn't been able to find work since we graduated 5 years ago. College is a scam.

[@jasonpatrickries]

Everybody wants experience but nobody wants to give it.

[@sociologicaltheory1419]

I knew several people who wanted to do military straight out of high school instead of going to college. I asked one of them, which was my friend, and he told me because he wanted to earn money right away, travel, and have the military pay for his college. His a sergeant now who has lived in Germany and has lived in two different States.

[@everythingvideos24]

But at the end they all cry ptsd

[@weird1600]

@@everythingvideos24 as do so many people in society who have never been in the military!

[@Stuie417]

I did 6 years in the Air Force and it worked pretty well for me. Got money for school, and got 25 college credits for things like Basic Training and Tech School.

[@bobbygonzalez2496]

Ahh yes. Sign the contract to serve big daddy govt. Sounds awful.

[@slackjaw2643]

You make more and get a higher rank if you finish college and then go to college

[@Swanxman62]

Don't fall for college trust me I'm 43 with master degree most jobs still pay you the same wage. Go to trade school or learn new skills on line start your own company

[@MP-kv4tg]

I recently graduated with my MBA option Accounting in May. I was a reentry student after a 10 year absence. I was in community college for 5 years as well. I notice the longer a student is in community college the harder it is for them to transfer out. I also notice taking classes unrelated to your major was a major Gate keeper for students. I understand that the goal of this is to have students well rounded when they leave but looking back I never did use those algebra or stats formulas. Also the counselors do not do a good advising students because they take a lot of random classes which only delays transferring. I was lucky enough to later finish my undergrad on time. I also finished my masters in less than 2 years with 33k in loans in total. I went to a state colleges. It didn’t have the nice campuses or school spirit like private or other universities but I always felt that colleges is what you make of it. Students need to exhaust the colleges resources! I feel I was one of the lucky because my profession pays well and I know I would not have trouble paying my loans off.

[@roachtoasties]

I agree about community college. One can take every course they have but it will only get you half way to getting a BA. If one is serious, they need to move on to a university and deal with the higher costs. Staying in a community college forever achieves nothing after a certain point.

[@jasonfreitag1100]

Quit my degree job for a union job with IBEW. Much more money and WAY better benefits. I don't even pay for my PPO health insurance. Wish I did this 1st! Trade schools, not college!

[@yvonneplant9434]

You were smart!

[@angellovesjazz]

i wish i knew about it before wasting time in college. i didn't find out till afterwards

[@angelachanelhuang1651]

I did college now in trade school...medical

[@mishkalarsoncreations]

I was an educator (K-12 and college) for 25 years. I managed to parlay my degree into a lot of really great jobs. But, the only reason I went to college was to become a teacher. After years in the profession, I’ve learned that good teachers aren’t made in college - they are made in the classroom. It’s a conundrum. If I were to do it all over again, I’d go to community college first, then university to finish. I’d also take a year or more to just work and then decide what to do. 18 is too young to know what you want to do. I didn’t have a lot of choices, though.

[@Beanbean45]

Agreed, I also feel like 18 is too young. And the pressure form family and high school does not make it easier. I can’t exactly say that going to college with an Undecided Major is a waste. I suppose you do learn more things- but at the same time you’re spending time and money to go to school with no real idea of what you still want to do yet. So some end up paying like an extra year or two of college because the classes they took while they were undecided didn’t correlate to their chosen major. This also somewhat applies to people who change their majors 2-3 times and have to stay a little longer. If they get their diploma and go right into the workforce, I think that’s a bit of a bonus in a sense. You have the time to think about what you want to do, and all the while you are getting experience (customer service, teamwork, management even) and while it’s probably minimum wage or just above it, you’re still making money. Additionally- now they have the option to go into college a bit more financially prepared and with a stronger resolve rather than someone just diving right in.

[@OceanIgs]

@@Beanbean45 looking back, I think working while attending community college helps me be more confident in what major I want to pursue. Before that, i was very insecured on what field or major I should choose from. I think what I would do differently is take some concurrent enrollment classes in high school and graduate with associates degree, then work after graduation for however long you can to get an idea what skill sets you have and what you're interested, then apply that in college with a major you're interested. I'm lucky to have a system where a community college is credited for my state university to cover the general studies which can be obtained starting from high school.

[@PhoenixAngel429]

I know if people had taught me to keep my options open, community college wasn't a sign you weren't good enough, taking some time to sort things out doesn't mean you're lazy or stupid, I would have made better choices. I have a BA in accounting and working on a Master's from WGU, all online and affordable but at 18 I wanted a glamours fashion design career and all that. I couldn't afford the college I got into. My parents made decent money but made mistakes financially (my mom still beats herself up about that but I told her, it doesn't bother me anymore as I understood how she and my dad could have been convinced it was something they needed.) so I got zilch from FAFSA till I was 25 and considered independent. But I was going through a lot just getting my epilepsy sorted out at the time as well. If I had been told back then (back in 2008 so not that long ago) that all those things were okay, I might not have done some of the stupid things I did in my 20s. Now I just worry that I'll be looked down on in my field for being in my mid 30s as a fresh CPA.

[@shannondavidson672]

I'm 19 and just finished my first year of college as an Early Childhood Education major and I really needed to hear this, so thank you for sharing

[@riskingrain1560]

I needed to hear that 18 is too young to know what you want to do. I'm 19 and currently going into college without really knowing what I want to do yet still, but I feel like I have to do this cause I'm also worried about ageism in the workplace in American society. 😒

[@tjr-007tt]

I finished my masters degree in 2011 and finished paying off my student loans at the end of 2021. There were times when I regretted going to college and racking up the debt but overtime I’ve seen my earnings increased and I’ve been promoted 3 times in the last 7 years. I’m thankful that I remained employed and used the pandemic forbearance period to just through all my earnings towards getting rid of the debt. The interest accrued on the loans were downright insane. It depends on what you choose to study and the job prospects you’ll have when you graduate. College is not for everyone, you have to do a thorough cost benefit analysis when deciding. If there’s a field you can go into and make lots of money without the diploma then do so.

[@slackjaw2643]

That’s you.

[@johnmiller3494]

Thanks for paying off your student loans.

[@BadMannerKorea]

@@slackjaw2643 No, that's statistics. Degree holders earn more money over non degree holders, and you're free to check government websites to see for yourself. The more education the more you tend to earn. Sorry you don't know what you're talking about.

[@BadMannerKorea]

@Amalierazukabelle7x Nobody cares about your personal experiences, and personal experience is not a valid form of evidence.

[@BadMannerKorea]

@Amalierazukabelle7x "Men with bachelor's degrees earn approximately $900,000 more in median lifetime earnings than high school graduates. Women with bachelor's degrees earn $630,000 more. Men with graduate degrees earn $1.5 million more in median lifetime earnings than high school graduates."---SSA gov website

[@dbronx347]

I too questioned the value of college until I lost my job about 10 years ago and couldn't apply to about 75% of posted listings because it required a college diploma. I couldn't even get past the HR people to get a shot with the hiring managers. I eventually found a job of course but that's when I decided never again, and went to a community college, then transferred over to a state college to finish it off. College don't have to be expensive. One of the biggest problem I see are people going to expensive colleges/universities that they can't afford.

[@sadscientist9995]

They’re all expensive

[@dbronx347]

@@sadscientist9995 It cost me around $4k a year for 2 years in a community college and less than 7k a year in state college. Compare that to schools with over 50k a year in tuition that a lot of people choose to attend. Expensive is a relative term, I get that, but people can get a degree and not be saddled with six figure debts. In fact in NY where I live, people with less than 125k/year income can get free college tuition now. Like I said, one of the biggest problem I notice are people choosing to go to colleges they can't afford.

[@zimz1096]

@@sadscientist9995 Not all the same. If you compare the cost of in state vs out of state or private, it’s a HUGE difference.

[@sadscientist9995]

@@zimz1096 in state schools are still WAY too expensive. They used to be basically free, now 6k a semester.

[@boblully5053]

How old were you

[@llaffallott]

Go to a Community College and get a healthcare degree in two years. There is basically a job waiting for you at graduation. Fields such as Nursing and Dental Hygiene are earning up to six-figures. My BA did nothing for me. My degree in Dental Hygiene (2-year degree) made me comfortable.

[@zane8789]

If college didn't cost at least 20k a year then I would've gone. I know people who have been paying student loans for 30 years and still aren't paid off...

[@christhescienceguy6285]

This includes STEM Degrees. 75% of STEM degree recipients can not find a job in their field.

[@coffeewithginseng3812]

It's oversaturated with all the "learn how to code and land a 6 figure-paying job" ads all over the internet.

[@tex346]

That is because the country is full of H1-B foreign visa people. Employers prefer workers with restricted rights.

[@scifirealism5943]

STEM employers seek have set up a ton of "entry-level" research positions. After you get your PhD you have to toil in vain in 1,2,3 or more postdoc research positions. Some people spend more time stuck in postdoc than they spent getting a PhD.

[@FaithfulFumoFan23]

Unless you want to work for the same as a McDonald's worker lol. The "entry level" jobs for STEM are the most ridiculous. Be a rocket scientist but work for $15hr to get "experience" but you already need 4-5 years of "experience"

[@scifirealism5943]

@@FaithfulFumoFan23 that's messed up.

[@MrOfficer235]

Community College, Trade School or the military are the best options in this economy. There’s no way I would go $100k in debt for a philosophy degree.

[@yihannajohnson3711]

Well, this video is talking about community college too.

[@Yandel21ableify]

Coding bootcamps

[@ChangBaek]

Then don’t major in philosophy.

[@coffeewithginseng3812]

@@Yandel21ableify Not everyone wants to code nor have the passion to do so.

[@soupdrinker]

I am literally earning money BY attending community college. I am taking their money instead of them taking my money

[@expiredcheetos1985]

A college degree holds no promises and does not defines success.

[@taylorsnowX00]

College in retrospect: I just became an adult. All throughout high school I was encouraged to attend college because of more opportunities for money and employment. Meanwhile I could have went to trade school, been trained professionally, been working on a professional job site, earned four years of job experience while training in that field and earning a guaranteed job post training. Instead I have accrued crippling debt for a useless degree, with no job experience to use that degree and squandered 4 years of potential employment all at the ripe age of 22. College is a scam to keep people financially crippled and dependent on government loans on the pretense of false hope.

[@mssha1980]

Well put. I felt the same way. I could’ve used those years towards a real job

[@thefox47545]

Hmm, lots of negatives here. Yes, some degrees are useless but a lot aren't. One has to research job prospects before choosing a major. Remember, your major is YOUR choice, so choose wisely. I chose Radiology and am now working at a GREAT hospital with great pay. Now, there are trade schools that offer Radiology credentials, BUT in the medical field, WHERE you went to school can be a deciding factor. A lot of hospital recruiters are picky, like mine whom ONLY hires graduates from my school. Paying off my loans is easy because of my high pay. I respect trade schools but still need to do research. My friend, same age as me, 38, went to trade school for construction and makes about the same as me. Problem: he wants to retire already because the work is taking a toll on him physically. My point, choose wisely in whatever route you decide to go.

[@thefox47545]

@@mssha1980 I have a degree AND a real job, imagine that. College is what you make of it. Choose a crap degree, get crap job offers, if any. The hard degrees are usually the right ones. People that go to college thinking it's gonna be all fun and games are usually the ones regretting it. The good degrees with the good job potentials are FREAKING HARD, but worth it. I know college isn't for everyone, which is why I'm glad trade schools exist, but those schools are not for everyone either. Some careers, especially in the medical field, like mine, require the tough grind of college. Oh well. But I have no regrets.

[@taylorsnowX00]

@@thefox47545 I agree, the responsibility research and to choose wisely is on me, and I chose foolishly (Digital Design Advertising and Branding). However, those that are in the position to guide new adults into lifelong careers need to be held accountable. You cannot be whatever you want! There are careers that are less productive, but that does not mean you can not be a pillar in your community. Luckily college wasn't too expensive for me as I was credited 2 years with dual enrollment by the time I graduated high school. I now install floors professionally at 27.

[@mssha1980]

@@thefox47545 it’s not about having a crap degree. Plenty of people in the comments have ‘real degrees’(myself included) and are struggling to find work. Your experience is not everyone else’s. It’s not that simple.

[@Ms.ZachiaJohnson-Moses1992]

I would rather pay for a certification in a field of study, rather than pay an arm and a leg for a 4 - 6 year college degree, just to get a job you MAY not end up getting and then paying back all that student debt!

[@theoutlier35134]

Truth

[@pyimoethan1]

I go to community college. I have no debt. In fact, I get $10,000 annually from the financial aid and scholarship.

[@myownspace9666]

As someone who is just starting college, I did really question the value. I want to be an aerospace engineer and I made sure I was completely sure before putting down money. I respect so many of my friends who have decided not to go simply because of the enormous price tag. Knowledge shouldn't be gatekept by a price tag.

[@myownspace9666]

@@demonwaterdemonwater4993 Bruh

[@myownspace9666]

@@demonwaterdemonwater4993 college will cost me and my family $32,000 each year, and that's after scholarships.

[@Mr_Mustache_og]

There are cheaper way to have that experience. For me I’m doing a community college is less expensive and I can transfer my credits to a state university. Also I’m doing part time in the military and I work in aviation which getting experience instead of death by power points.

[@myownspace9666]

@@Mr_Mustache_og glad you have a path that works for you. This is the best for me

[@myownspace9666]

@@Mr_Mustache_og I’m also doing military

[@TLOH7]

Please note: Having no college degree does not make you any less than someone who does. Don't get fooled by labels. But yeah, many people rush themselves to get into college just because society has sold us this absurd idea.

[@BadMannerKorea]

Uh, it does make you less-less educated.

[@PhoenixAngel429]

People in my age bracket were told that if you had no college you were scum and drilled it in since practically Kindergarten. I really want to strangle those spreading it as if I had been told that at 18, I might have taken some more time before doing what I did.

[@luis6633]

@@BadMannerKorea lol serious ?

[@BadMannerKorea]

@@luis6633 Yes. Why wouldn’t I be serious?

[@luis6633]

@@BadMannerKorea There’s people with a masters with no common sense

[@timothylopez8572]

"50 years from now you're going to realize you dropped $150,000 on an education when you could have gotten the same information for $1.50 in late fees at your local library." Will Hunting

[@angelachanelhuang1651]

a college degree is useful for jobs

[@BadMannerKorea]

Good movie. But uh, degrees don't cost 150k...the average debt is around 35k. And good luck being a doctor or an engineer with $1.50 in fees from the local library. "Oh hey, let me operate on you. It's fine, I learned it all from the library", or "I'm going to build this bridge here, I'm a civil engineer. Learned it all from the library!".

[@timothylopez8572]

🤦 Maybe I'm not making myself clear. "The journey of a thousand steps is not a race." -Timothy Lopez - 2022 I wanted to enact what I named, "The Will Hunting Act". Which would have expanded the GED program to the Bachelor's degree level. But I don't see a country in the very near future.

[@BadMannerKorea]

@@timothylopez8572 No, you're not making yourself clear. You don't make any sense. What is the point of your original quote?

[@starscream6629]

@@BadMannerKorea Add on interest, student loan forgiveness is a thing for a reason. Majority of population in USA makes 38k or less. Somewhere around 68% of the population. The ROI isn’t there to payoff these loans so while the on paper charged costs might be significantly less than $150k they easily reach that figure over the life of the loan. Most grads aren’t paying more than the minimum payment if at all.

[@shockwave1126]

I have 2 graduate degrees and it was the best decision but I had no debt afterwards. I chose to go to affordable state universities at the time with instructors that also taught in high ticket universities. Same education at a fraction. I remember one of my high school teachers saying that I can go to a better university given my grades. Even then as a high school senior, I knew I did not want to get into debt. It's definitely paid off for me.

[@ascent8487]

Hope this isn’t rude, and you need not answer, but I was curious about your age range? State schools honestly haven’t been all that affordable for a while now. I remember having a former boss brag about how she alone put herself through school (not suggesting that’s what you’re doing). No loans. No help from her parents. But she went to a state school, lived at home so she had no other expenses and here’s the main thing, she was going to school in the 70s. College tuition has more than doubled since the 80s. Average college tuition was about $400 a year in the 70s (over the course of the decade it gradually rose from below to above $400). A four year degree for around $1,600. That is about half the average cost of a new car during the same decade. The average is over $10,000 a year now. Obviously people make more money now too, but $40,000 is still a pretty good chunk of change for the average person. Not to mention, B.A.s aren’t good enough in many fields any longer and haven’t been for some time so if one really wants to give themselves an edge, graduate school will be a must. $20,000 and year and going up from there. More money after one has likely racked up student loan debt. So basically, I’m wondering when you obtained your degrees?

[@pamelalima5401]

Smart move bro

[@IamFrancoisDillinger]

@@ascent8487 A major thing to consider when attending college is your first two years. There is no reason to attend a 4-year university unless you want to party. Community colleges are a fraction of the cost. Also, many community colleges have transfer agreements with local universities, which can often lead to scholarships of some kind. I started college at 34 and joined the honor society at my CC, which only required a 3.2 GPA, and then got an academic scholarship that is available to ALL students in the honor society when I transferred. It pays half my tuition. I graduate in the spring, and I will have $0 in debt when all is said and done. Many options exist to help pay for school, but most students value party life rather than education.

[@Tjp361]

@@ascent8487 40K for a four year degree at a state school is light, I've seen sticker price be 10K a semester. I would NEVER advise anyone, regardless of degree, pay sticker price at any university.

[@dubradiolol]

college does have value, but only for certain directions of study, the value is lost from the fluffer crap classes and degrees that have no real world utility. Im 36 and starting college for a bachelors with a minor, in a valued track of study in tech that is not often wanted by many because its not a "cool" job offering degree, but it is a valuable one with exceptionally high starting average salary above 180k per year... so yeah 40k for college i will take

[@Yandel21ableify]

A coding bootcamp cost 10k and you can finish faster and you can get a job right away.

[@jamesellis33]

@@Yandel21ableify f#$ coding. lol IT telecom is where you make money. That other stuff is a joke and cliche.

[@haileyt857]

@Sunny bob Quackers agreed

[@angelachanelhuang1651]

my family owns their own business, but I went out of the box. I don't work for my family right now

[@Caprisun95]

@Sunny bob Quackers I agree I think that alot of them are

[@Gguy061]

It can take years of reasearch to understand what you're really getting yourself into when choosing a career to persue. Junior high should be spent on researching career paths, then high school should prepare you for that path by getting you ready for college or providing you with vocational training.

[@davidkazakov6232]

Big factor is a bloated number of school administrators. They dont add any value to education but they are a HUGE expense for university. They are responsible for approving shiny multi-million dollar sport stadiums, campuses etc. As a result, your tuition cost now is not $15k but $25k/year without improving quality of education for you. I'm not even talking that administrators are liberal or very liberal, and almost 80% of students report about freedom of speech issues, and administrators, not professors are responsible for that. Finally, students started realizing it and voting with their money. Education and skills are still valuable, but formal college degrees are not.

[@erinramsay9914]

As a graduate student, diploma inflation is real. I'm getting a graduate degree in a lucrative field but watching the immense influx of undergrads around me has convinced me that colleges have pandered to these students because their families are the "cash cows". Graduate students and the faculty are the ones that do the research and put out the papers that distinguish their university above the rest. Yet, it's the undergraduates who get the majority of the perks like parking, scholarships, fellowships, etc. The number of useless degrees being handed out is ridiculous to these students. College is being treated like a 4 year resort vacation for most of these students that are not required to work their butts off for their degrees. I had to sit in on an undergraduate course as a TA, and it felt like high school the way that the students carried themselves. I'm not entirely blaming the students either. It's the universities marketing certain degrees like they are actually worth something. It's not surprising degree inflation has come to light.

[@CastleDragon78]

I watched my Dad work on the job where his bachelors in business administration degree really didn't matter and he still had to repay his loans. I also earned a degree in tech but ended up working multiple gigs at a time to get my economics right and a lot of my colleagues and a lot of my co workers had degrees but no job or salary to match. This is nothing new this situation has been on going for many many years way back to before the 70s.

[@Yandel21ableify]

Then why are high school counselors and parents forcing 17 year olds to college?

[@CastleDragon78]

@@Yandel21ableify I think what our society pushes is the Higher Learning and the possibility that education is the great equalizer or liberator. They can miss me with the BS. I would say going in debt to become a Doctor is worth it, but there are students with 100k or more in debt by the time they get to med school....🥺

[@Yandel21ableify]

@@CastleDragon78 Do you believe 500k in student loans is worth it to become a doctor? Plus US doctors have to compete with foreing doctor who got thei medical degrees for free or basically cheap.

[@CastleDragon78]

@@Yandel21ableify Really they created these institutions clearly to preserve their wealth and prestige. People look at the chance to improve their situation and sign on the dotted line and they get put in debt which is economic enslavement and you take whatever job you can get to pay their money back with interest and no second chance while their kids can pay 40k a year or more with no debt and powerful connections to wealthy positions when they graduate.... This is how our society works.... Very smart people out here but stuck in debt for 20 years...

[@CastleDragon78]

@@Yandel21ableify Absolutely not worth it. If you have to go that far in debt then don't take the risk.

[@_nimrod92]

Well I am finding it extremely challenging at the moment in breaking into tech with my bachelors degree in computer science which I obtained 7 months ago. I ended up going to a public Cal State and I have discovered that school name, program prestige, and other factors specific to my industry matters a lot in the corporate world. I am the first in my family to graduate from college in which I am facing all this barriers first hand unlike my peers which have the advantage of educated parents to guide them. Personally based on what I am facing at the moment think there is a huge disconnect between the corporate world and academia in huge way. The corporate world is putting too much load on individuals on having a laundry list of skills without actually going through the hassle of investing in us and academia can only do so much in satisfying this demand. Is a college degree worth it in my opinion I personally think yes because an education is an extremely powerful tool to have. Based on what I am seeing the real culprit at the end of the day boils down to supply and demand which are powerful economic forces which unfortunately with how world events are playing out kinda sucks for us recent graduates breaking into high paying roles.

[@BadMannerKorea]

Uh, it's been 7 months and you can't get a job? Maybe you should stop blaming everything else and work on your resume, interview skills, being willing to move etc. You're doing something wrong...

[@tessellationarts2971]

Something else is up, and it's probably you. I only graduated HS, yet now a SE making well over 150k and only working 25h/week tops. I can name at least 10 of my colleagues who's exactly like me. This isn't uncommon at all. If you got a BSc in compsci and STILL can't find a work after 7 mths, then no it's not the "economy" or the "state of the world", it is you.

[@TrollinOn22s]

Try doing helpdesk while you look for a job because many companies hire in several Tech fields.

[@inmortal131]

@@BadMannerKorea I don't think it's happening to him alone, I know more people who are the same, it's more his CV is above many people my sister for example where he is right now in his company no one knows anything there is no senior or anyone with experience and they want her to do everything to program the entire show and put it together for an internship salary.

[@BadMannerKorea]

@@inmortal131 Well obviously it’s happening to other people, but if they are willing to move, there’s no way they can’t find a job across the entire USA with a CS degree. How many of the people do you know are willing to pack up and go anywhere in the USA for a job? I bet not many, or none at all. And even if they were willing to move and still can’t get a job, then they are lacking on some other critical component of job searching…

[@hollyholy641]

College sent me spiraling into addiction. Professors never taught, everyone got the same grade as I did even though no one else did the work. I was forced by professors to allow other students to copy my exams and essays, even the college VP and President was in on it, “pass everyone so we keep getting our funding.” I thought, maybe grad school will be better, I’ll be around more intellects like myself. Unfortunately, It showed me exactly how the real world works , “there is no such thing as morality,” and it destroyed my spirit. If you didn’t agree with those snotty PhD professors they’d ruin your academic career, and boy did they ruin mine! Why spend 6 figures to be just like everyone else? If I had a second go around at this life I’d have chosen not to attend college.

[@dippyduty6163]

Group projects always annoyed me. One or two people would do the work, while those that did little to no work got the same grade.

[@hollyholy641]

@@dippyduty6163 yeah group projects were the worst. I lived a half hour from campus, in another state, and would drive up there in the evenings for schedule meetings with the group and even though they lived on campus, they would never show up to our meetings. But, what really got me was maybe a dozen students out of a class of 38 would show up regularly for class and yet the entire class still passed. Like, how? You didn’t do the assignments because you didn’t come to class to get the assignments in the first place.

[@dippyduty6163]

@@hollyholy641 yep, it's sad. Then the excuses I'd over hear about why something wasn't done, or why they were late with an assignment. The teachers always let it slide. Why did I work so hard?

[@Eyegetdeep]

Thought I was the only one

[@hollyholy641]

@@dippyduty6163 because we fell for the college scam. “life will be better, you’ll get a job, people will reach out for your credentials…” I graduated over 12 years ago and not once have I been employed. I put my degree away, it seems to just mock me at this point.

[@LoboBrasileiro1]

I have: - AA in Geosciences - BA in International Relations - BA in World Humanities - Speak 6 Languages My job/career: - Japanese/Sushi Chef My Washoku-Nintei that I got in Japan is worth more than my degrees and cost me just under $7000 to get it. College is worth it for SOME THINGS, but not all. We need more TRADE schools. A Trade is STABILITY.

[@mycatlovesme159]

I’m an Employment Specialist and if you can speak 6 languages you could be a translator or an interpreter. The pay I helped clients in translation pay $25 an hour. You could work in non profits in management You could work as a teacher and many elite private high schools don’t require a college just an expertise in your field. You speak 6 languages. Impressive!!

[@LoboBrasileiro1]

@@mycatlovesme159 Also, being a GOOD chef with abilities to handle Seafood is a EXCELLENT skill to have. You can EASILY find a new job. The LONGEST I’ve ever been unemployed was 2 weeks. I’ve always been able to find a job because Restaurants will pay too dollar for a specialized Chef. And if you have skills they want, you call the shots and make conditions. I work M-F, Morning to Afternoons and weekends IF I WANT TO. That’s RARE in the Culinary Profession. Job security like a MF.

[@Maw0]

It really depends on your major and if you're really wanting to go through the experience. I am currently a high school senior who's dual enrolled and I am gonna apply for scholarships and grants and FASFA. I'll just say that if you think you can take on the challenge, go for it.

[@mssha1980]

Baby we were all in your position one day. Come back and talk to us in 5 years.

[@mssha1980]

@Vanessa Frederic they’ll find out very soon. I wish them well though.

[@January.]

Every job advertisement I see requires a bachelor's degree.

[@beautifulloser8074]

And experience….

[@Jay-jb2vr]

And how much are they paying?

[@simplyroyalty7458]

@@Jay-jb2vr I've seen $15 🤦🏿‍♀️

[@Jay-jb2vr]

@@simplyroyalty7458 lmfao smfh

[@cassa6416]

my view is that nowadays, it's not about the college or whether you can earn good money without going, but it's all about most jobs that comes with better work hours and conditions refuse to accept anyone without a college degree. They know most can do the job with just training but they want to see you have the paper. All the extra "stuff" I learned in college, barely came in handy. College should charge the right price and teach what is necessary instead of sending us out there doing tons of extra credit. back in the days, they refuse to give me a degree in BS without me completing two years (4 semesters) of foreign language. did it help me in my field? nothing. sigh. I once can translate a newspaper in Spanish back then with As, now? I only can say uno, dos, tres. But thousands were paid for those 2 mandatory years. ridiculous.

[@automnejoy5308]

Believe me, it's even worse if you're in a humanities major and they make you take math classes. Ugh. I have never, ever used anything taught in those classes and I guarantee you that I never will. All they did was drag down my GPA and waste my time and energy in a futile attempt to grasp things that my brain is simply not wired to grasp.

[@sp123]

87% of people that fell behind on rent during the pandemic didn't have a bachelor's degree

[@automnejoy5308]

@@sp123 Not surprising. But a more interesting stat would be of ALL people who do not have a bachelor's degree, what percentage are actually behind on rent or mortgage payments?

[@BTrain-is8ch]

@@automnejoy5308 They make you take a few basic math classes so you're not one of those people that takes out a car loan for $30,000@5% for 96 months because you showed up at the dealership talking about monthly payments instead of what the car is going to cost.

[@Starry_Night_Sky7455]

@@sp123 but how many have some college and student loans, in addition to struggling to make ends meet? The college experiment on this generation is a system failure.

[@LoneWolf-ip7uo]

It's not worth it. I have too degrees and I work with ten recently graduated students in Biology and other Science majors and we all make 21 dollars an hours. Carpentry and others non-degree jobs are paying more money where I live.

[@johnguillen68]

I got my BS in Biology, and jobs in biology don't even pay what I have spent in college. I'm trying to go back to college for a master's in physician assistant, but my GPA took a hit, so most of the colleges won't even look at me. So I'm stuck. I have to spend so much on GRE exams, send them off to colleges, pay for and supplemental applications. It's very expensive to TRY to get into the master's program. Is college for everyone? No, but you do need some kind of degree to be a professional in that field unless you wing it. I have huge student debt and I'm not utilizing my degree.

[@PolymorphicHeroes]

get a master's in computer science online from a school that doesn't require the GRE

[@Alteronx]

The amount of people I know that went to college without considering "Will this degree help me get a job that pays more than it's gonna cost?" and then get stuck in another field entirely than what they got one for is pretty sad. Now they are just struggling 24/7 to pay off that mistake

[@hnfiiinc5993]

"Believe" is the key word. These days, you need a Masters to be even at the bottom of comfortable on your own.

[@sp123]

Exactly, they are trying to discourage college to make young people a permanent underclass

[@Vista-fg4ij]

As a young adult I fought hard to get a lousy service job because all the college grads were taking them. I hated making $6 an hour then but my coworkers all had multiple bachelor's degrees, or master's. They couldn't find work in their field to save their lives, so I always felt bad that I couldn't afford college, but didn't exactly see where it would of gotten me.

[@angelachanelhuang1651]

americans seem to have the same troubles with college and consumerism..observing

[@Cacowninja]

You shouldn't feel bad. You're just doing what works for you. If anybody should feel bad it's your employers that take in people just because they have superfluous education rather than the ones that can work with what they know.

[@squidwerd1981]

I'm a senior IT consultant and only have a high school diploma. I'm in the six figures and never needed a degree to get a job. Thank God

[@darkprince56]

When did you start in that field? Hard to believe it, no offense…they require degrees for even the must mundane things

[@Instakhamz]

Agreed work in IT also dime a dozen users with degrees . My skill set I learned on the job and certs helped me get over six figures.

[@RsSooke]

Personal experience is it was harder to get the foot in the door, but to be fair I had a head start only doing 1 year of technical college and going right into the workforce. People who did undergraduates and masters degrees often have similar IT job titles to me but they also don’t have the work experience I do so in some cases I am ahead. In the end they may out earn me but having no student debt was helpful. We also can’t all be engineers, software developers and white collar office workers. I understand it provides some value but society gets much more out of trucking/shipping, logistics, trades, etc. We can’t just be a bunch of realtors, accountants, property managers, computer guys and designers. We need groceries and people building infrastructure.

[@Cheyf97]

I showed my first college degree to an admissions counselor she just scoffed at it and was like and? that's just something you put on your wall to make it look pretty. It's something I've been working on since 2015....I overheard another counselor say why are we dealing with a student from 2015.....she didn't realize I was nearby. If you want to have people respect you, you need a high degree in something like medicine or law even a masters are like the new Bachelors. My long-term goal is to become a physician, but for now baby steps. People doubt me because I am already 25 and "only" finished my associates degree, so they don't believe I can do it. When I first graduated high school, I didn't want to go to college I just wanted to travel, but now I'm back and very serious about my education, but it's ok I just need me to believe I can do it. So, yes the value of certain degrees will not mean anything compared to others.....

[@W81Researcher]

How long were you in college? Did you get involved in anything?

[@8MunchenBayern8]

It's worth it if you go after GOOD degrees: Nursing, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or if youre going to become a MD.

[@Yandel21ableify]

I know a Computer Science graduate working for a moving company.

[@user-uv7bk5rk2c]

Health sciences and engineering are lucrative if you build your networking skills.

[@EvvrEndeavors]

Computer science degrees are basically a math degree. Not many people can get through it, or anything in engineering for that matter.

[@8MunchenBayern8]

@@EvvrEndeavors then they shouldn't waste their time with school then. No one is paying you 100K+ for lib studies or sociology.

[@dac8939]

Stem - mathematics

[@beachbayareajr455]

You don’t have to be successful to go to college. You still can be successful.

[@brandoncollins1831]

How? Most jobs pay fast food wage

[@DJ-vj4vi]

How most job don’t pay anything you need a college education and skills

[@emilypadilla7466]

​@@DJ-vj4vi highly skilled non-college degree jobs. A lot of men and women I know are making 100,000.

[@Theendofeverything7036]

Uniquely American cost? Please America DOESN’T CARE FOR ITS PEOPLE, IT DOESN’T SEE THE VALUE IN INVESTING IN ITS PEOPLE. Every country except America HAS AFFORDABLE COLLEGE AND HEALTHCARE. Our country see it as , hey we can making money off of everyone through healthcare and college. WELCOME TO AMERICA FOLKS

[@sct4040]

The value of a college degree is both personal and monetary. I loved my 5 years in college, studied hard, and had lots of fun . I was single, poor, and young with no responsibilities. Best time of my life. My advice is not to rush to become parents. Live your life and travel first. See the world.

[@Ibrahim-fh6kv]

Not travel first, make money and own a company

[@helmutkruger1192]

OK you must not be plagiarising a spiel from Travago

[@theweekendwarrior3504]

@@Ibrahim-fh6kvNo one lies in their death bed thinking “man I should’ve gotten that raise”, live as much as you can for your life will be over before you know it

[@LuisFlores-mc2tc]

Hedonism is what I hear

[@khayon4364]

@@LuisFlores-mc2tc Nonsense. Self-discovery and experiences are not hedonistic. Ill tell ya my degree field and time in college was fun but it was also difficult. If that is "hedonism" to you I certainly don't envy your life!

[@elcaudillo7386]

as a college grad, college is a big waste of time, only went to make my family happy and they actually forced me to go, wish they would have just let me go to a tech school when I was young. not to mention, the financial aid department at chico state did a great job selling student loans onto us, which sounds illegal

[@BadMannerKorea]

So much wrong with your comment-you blame your parents, you blame the university, the financial aid department, and claim it’s a “big waste of time”. How about you take some responsibility for your decisions. And if you graduated with an in demand degree then you wouldn’t be complaining about it…

[@AlbertKimMusic]

Only go to college when you actually crave the education and want to learn to heighten your skills in the career you already have tbh. Too many kids just go to university unprepared straight out of Highschool since that’s the “normal” thing to do, then end up having to drop out as they lose interest in studying.

[@Shinemodel]

This is so true. I went to college and became uninterested because I wasn't ready. I only manage to get an associates but now that I'm older and more mature I probably will go back

[@IamFrancoisDillinger]

I started college at 34. I graduate next spring. I love it. Personally, I think 18 is a horrible time to make such a commitment, but that's just my opinion.

[@automnejoy5308]

I knew in high school that I did not want to go to college, but I was pressured, guilt-tripped and scared into going by all of the stupid adults around me. I should have listened to my instincts. I just ended up dropping out. And no, I will never go back.

[@everydayfun9531]

Honestly I don't even give a F about college anymore after finishing high school I just know that i gotta be able to make a Living whether that's working a Normal Full time job or going into trades..

[@angelachanelhuang1651]

family is your source of living too

[@TheOicyu812]

I graduated high school in 1987 and never went to college. All throughout my academic years, I struggled due to a learning disability. That being said, I furthered my post high school education by attending after work courses to become an emergency medical technician and later a certified ECG technician at the U of R's School of Professional and Continuing Studies. Several years later I even went on to instruct that same course that I was once enrolled in as a student. In 2022, I'm now a 54 year old homeowner and make considerably more money as a cardiographic tech than my older sister does as a preschool director with a master's degree. It may take longer to get there, but financial independence can be achieved by applying yourself towards a career you're passionate about. I started out as a volunteer EMT. That opened doors to getting a full time job at a medical center. I've now been employed in healthcare (specifically cardiology) for the last 26 years and plan on staying in this field of work until I retire.

[@theunknowjellybean118]

Excuse me sir, you gave me encouragement cause I too have a learning disability. I'm a life agent as of the age of 20, and I'm glad I didn't go to college cause I am making money to the point I can go out and enjoy. Helping families and going through my life has changed my views on myself that I can pull off on my own. I'm planning on opening 5 franchises (at least) to make extra income. Thank you, for giving me hope!

[@kingclampz6081]

I’m so happy for you I hope you stay blessed and happy take care of yourself sir

[@ka7126]

Bruh, I'm graduating this December for I.T, and many of the exams (to get certification) have been "retired" by Microsoft. Instead of altering the material to fit the newest exams, they kept the classes the same. Now I'm going into the job market lacking certifications and paying my student loans. How am I supposed to earn 40,000.00 if I don't have anything to show for it

[@aarontaylor9458]

College dropout here. I got a Class A CDL last year, paid off my Roadmaster driving school loan (~$8000) within a year of completing the driving course. I was hired by a local trucking company and started out making $50,000 a year/$1,100 a week. Low risk, decent pay, job security 👌

[@OS1540]

Long hours away from home?

[@aarontaylor9458]

@OS1540 It's a local job, I'm home everyday

[@ChiRusNkFUSA]

Stop requiring so many units/classes.

[@darthvader5532]

We've been questioning college degrees since the mid 80's. Today, we aren't questioning them, were flat out rejecting them. They're useless and overpriced.

[@yihannajohnson3711]

Facts

[@Luisjusthere]

I think honestly that college is similar to making investment choices..emphasis on the word CHOICE. People make good and bad investment choices all the time and sometimes you take a risk in said choice. If you never did well in high school you’re sometimes stuck with mediocre college choices and could impact your experience there. Choosing a career like an art major or music major might not be the right choice as it might have a high student loan and yield a low paying job that is comparable to most basic jobs out there and you ask yourself why go to college for it then? Basically where you go and what you choose plays a big role I believe. A person who chose to be a massage therapist and go to school for 1 year and pay 17k total might have a better career than someone who went to college 4 years and spent 60k and can’t find a job that will equal what they need or expected to receive for example. Labor type jobs are also on the rise because they’ve been declining in recent years. carpenters, technicians, plumbers, even pool cleaners and people who cut your grass in certain areas are slammed all the time because they’re always busy.

[@CHAOS_6E]

I’m currently making 20 an hour with a high school diploma at 19 years old working for Walmart. When I researched careers and what to do with my life I kept noticing a pattern. Companies would say bachelors degree OR x number of years of experience in the field with the average being 3 years of experience. There are also companies that will pay for you to go to college with most offering a program that once you do complete college, they will offer you a high paying job. This is what walmart is doing. I am currently attending university with everything paid for by walmart. During the sing you process they kept mentioning that if you did continued with the company after obtaining a degree. They will automatically offer a job at the corporate level.

[@blank15053]

so how do you sign up for something like a company to pay for your college?

[@CHAOS_6E]

@@blank15053 work for them

[@chh340]

congrats on going this route

[@maciejnowakowski7087]

That is so ridiculous, i am from poland and i study biotechnology and bio industries in Paris. Its a 3 year degree, and im in the 2nd year rn and we have a work study program. So basically we work for 6 months (in a research institution) and we are in uni the other 6 months. Not only the university is free, im also paid more then 1200€ a month even in months that we are in uni. The American system is so bad, compared to the EU

[@milumav]

100% agree. You should consider yourself incredibly fortunate.

[@SonnyChanhvongsak]

As a college graduate myself, I've generally observed the only degrees worthwhile to go to college for are Business, Science, Engineering. I dont mean to look down on liberal arts majors like English, Music, Communications but if you look at the cost vs prospective salary, it financially doesn't make sense

[@zalanahara270]

Yes but those liberal arts degrees are vastly important. If ppl started taking only Business science and engineer degrees at higher education then they might just need to drop the term “higher” and just call themselves technical colleges i.e. Harvard technical school or Yale technical college. The reason these institutions are prestigious is because they expose you to philosophy history english and poetry etc.. in a way you wouldn’t had you only attended grade school. Without liberal arts degrees and the ppl who pursue them culture and society is worth less than nothing. You will end up with a bunch of technicians walking around only able to push buttons, crunch numbers, and write code. Who wants to live in a world like that. Ugh

[@SonnyChanhvongsak]

@@zalanahara270 True, I may point out almost all 4 year colleges require a handful of liberal arts classes regardless of your major. I have a computer science degree but was required to also take classes like psychology, sociology, philosophy. The inverse was true as well, I had a fair amount of liberal arts majors in my math and coding classes. So regardless of what major you pick you will be exposed to the other side of the coin in a matter of speaking. I'm just saying if you look at college from a strictly financial perspective it's hard to justify 30-60k a year for an education for a job that might not even make more than the the yearly cost of said education , but I recognize there is an intangible value to liberal arts degrees

[@zalanahara270]

@@SonnyChanhvongsak I don’t disagree with what you are saying - logically choosing one degree over another based on cost vs. profit. I wanted to point out how wrong the need for that perspective is. It shouldn’t be the major factor ,but the way things are have made it so. If we are to look at it from a business stand point, if a university notices that more students are going for more business/tech degrees then any other they may slowly stop offering certain libarts courses solely because its more cost effective.

[@SonnyChanhvongsak]

@@zalanahara270 You are correct, and it's already started happening. When I attended college (a public university that offered pretty much every major), the school already noticed that trend and you could see it in the facilities. The business and science areas were brand new at the time and the liberal arts buildings outside of the ones that double as museums, concert halls, exhibits, etc were pretty dated

[@zalanahara270]

@@SonnyChanhvongsak this price gauging of education is not only effecting students but universities and faculty as well. There is a company call Elesiver who is the largest publication company has a 37% margin on all of the publications, papers, studies done by professors. Harvard Complained that the fees they charge to access knowledge is so high that they can longer afford them. Professors have complained that they put so much work time and resources into these studies. They sit on various boards peer reviewing etc… all for free and when they have to access the information they put out they have to pay crazy fees just to access it which is completely unfair. Rising fees and corporate greed are effecting everything including the quality of education in this country.

[@topangus123]

A college education,does not mean you have to fly across the country with your kid looking at different schools, paying their rent and everything else so they can live away from home. You can go to a community college and transfer to your states 4 year school, chances are it’s a pretty good school with lots of kids from other states trying to get in….

[@portalomus]

I think getting a college degree can be a wonderful opportunity to grow and develop socially and intellectually, change career paths, or just continue learning and gaining new skills, but I can't blame people for not wanting to spend $60K+ a year plus dorms/meal plan fees (usually required in the first year). What family can afford that for each child?! Or an adult wanting to continue their education?? It's a shame too because it could be an invaluable community resource, but now it's unaffordable and unrealistic. Even part-time tuition or community colleges can be really expensive for average people. Of course people are going to question whether or not it's really worth it. Not everyone wants to pay off debt until they're 50-60. What's sad too is that people who would rather be studying in the humanities are now forced to think about what will make the most money even if they hate their career/job afterwards. From what I've seen that doesn't work in the long run, so then people are stuck in impossible situations.

[@jackburton2680]

Join the military they can study whatever they want

[@jamesellis33]

It is a scam it is just a trophy. I make so much with a career in IT. I am just going to college as a hobby for the trophy.

[@jamesellis33]

@@jackburton2680 nah.. thats BS. lol

[@jackburton2680]

@@jamesellis33 It's BS the military will pay for education? Nah, that's a thing.

[@blackeyedsusan727]

@@jackburton2680 👎🏼👎🏼👎🏼

[@TheOgrande]

I went to the military to help me to go to college. I did active duty which gave me the opportunity to go to college for free. Not free actually but I did get paid ever month from the department of Veterans Affairs Educational benefits. Which is called chapter 33, simply known as Post 9-11 GI Bill. I never have to apply for student loans while I was in college.

[@thaintriguing1]

With a bachelor’s and a masters both are paid in full, the latter paid with a grant I’m still working the same job; the state won’t pay be based off of my graduates degree and I can’t even move up in my career without “experience”; what job do you think I’m referring to? You’ve guessed it, education in the state of NC.

[@DJ-vj4vi]

As a African American I come from a low income family. I have no choice but to go to college and get a degree in the STEM field. I am getting my Associate degree in Cybersecurity.

[@scholarlyanalyst7700]

What sounds harder to your "ears"? 1. Certified Public Accountant or 2. Masters Degree in Statistics?

[@Daniel-lx3nh]

As someone who finished his undergrad and is going to grad school in in a few weeks do not go to college if you do not need to. If you want to be a master at any craft your better off training and working somewhere that can allow you to work hands on and shadow people ahead of you. If you choose a career path that requires it such as a doctor, aerospace engineer, architect, etc. yes definitely recommend going to school. Most firms and offices will not hire without a college degree. However, thats not to say a degree is everything there is nothing more valuable than experience. As you look for jobs, even after graduating college, most will tell you what you’ve learned is school is nothing in the real world. So please if you want to do real estate don’t go to college. If you want to be a full time investor you do not need to go to college. If you want to be a mechanic you do not need college. Save yourself the tens of thousands of dollars and 4 years to improving yourself. No reason going to school for business. Your literally wasting money and time if what you want to do does not even require any degree. Evaluate your career path and whether college is something that will benefit you before trying to attend. Just something i wanted to share.

[@hunterbarry5754]

So what do you suggest people do instead? On every video like this I see comments like this one with no solution. These jobs that don’t require degrees don’t pay as high as you think they do, and taking time to “shadow” and “build your craft” only goes so far. Just because something doesn’t technically require a degree, doesn’t mean that it won’t help you with getting the job or getting a higher salary. Also, I’d love to know where someone with only a high school diploma can get the capital to get into real estate or full time investing.

[@Daniel-lx3nh]

@@hunterbarry5754 you can go directly to a real estate agency and work for people who do have a real estate license. Work until you have enough experience and money to gain a license and become an agent yourself. It looks like your just trying to find an easy quick path. My brother worked for a real estate agent/developer after finishing his college degree in business. Said it was the biggest waste of his money and 4 years. He said he would of been 4 years further along more network connections and experience than he is today had he went to work directly. Not to mention the 10-15k debt lingering over his head after graduation and thats considered a low amount of loans. The reason people comment this is because its true. There are many jobs that pay well that dont require any degrees. I work at an architecture firm rn i have friends who went into welding and make more money than I do since they started… and they started as 18 yr olds out of high school. So there are easily things you can do to make alot of capital. Just sounds like either you dont want to do manual labor or put in the work to shadow someone and take the risk of opening up your own practice. There are only 2 ends to a stick. Either you work for someone or you work for yourself. You think just because you get a degree go tens of thousands of dollars in debts its just going to be some type of cheat code to somehow just make good money? There are only a handful of jobs even worth getting a degree for and those are specialized jobs. I had a cousin who would just buy and flip items he found on ebay to make money to invest in the stock market. You also have to realize just because you have say 100k in the stock market, that is not such a “liquid” asset to move. Its not like you can pull out 100k and move it into your bank account and out of the market in a few clicks. If you watch Manny Koshbin a real estate investor who loves very expensive cars. He once said before you can be a car guy you must be something else. Meaning in order to even pursue buying cars and other items you have to be someone like a real estate agent, a broker, a investor, or any sort of job title before you can be anything else. I’d recommend watching graham stephan a 26 year old millionare who talks about his road into getting into real estate from the age of 18 and his investing portfolio.

[@hunterbarry5754]

@@Daniel-lx3nh 1) It's not about being lazy and not wanting to put in the work. I literally just have no interest in being a business owner or working a blue collar job. 2) You will, on average, earn more over a lifetime with a college degree. 3) A real estate license isn't a magic ticket to wealth either. Grahm Stephen is the exception, not the rule. Most make less than $45k a year and fail within 5 years. Finally, anecdotal evidence isn't evidence. Your brother and your friend are on their own path. They don't represent the majority.

[@Daniel-lx3nh]

@@hunterbarry5754 if you font want to own a business or be a blue collar job then what do you want? Maybe you need to ask yourself what do i want and how do i go about achieving that. Yes I’ve heard statistically a college degree makes more money but compare to what exactly? The working force or the entrepreneurs? I’m not too sure what your getting at at this point. Its doable but you are dismissing the successes as well. What is it you expect to have? Be a millionaire? Live solely off your investments? We have to start by figuring out what it is you want exactly. Because if its to live off your own investment thats a long term game you play. You let your investments ride the waves of the economy and those fluctuate alot. Your playing the 10-15 year game not a 1-3 year flip. ROI takes a long time so what is your solution in the immediate future? I can tell you rn from experience i dont have the time or money to invest in any sort of market. Only investments i have is in my retirement plan sadly. Do i wish i could invest yes do i wish i would of done it sooner sure. I cant because i have to pay for school and housing and i can barely scrape by without taking out major loans. Im using every penny i saved for school to hopefully invest in myself to make more money after the fact. Is it a guarantee, no. Its a risk. So just ask yourself where you want to be and how much of a risk are you willing to take. If you think a degree is worth the risk of 4 years and tens of thousands of dollars then go for it. I’m not sure what exactly you want.

[@hunterbarry5754]

Going to college and then looking for a job is far less risky than starting a successful business. I’m not dismissing the success stories, I’m saying that they’re the exception to the rule and not the norm. College grads earn more compared to anyone without a degree, including entrepreneurs who don’t have one. To wrap this up, I’m not a 19 year old kid who doesn’t understand how the world works, so quit talking down to me like I am. I’m a 26 year old with two associates degrees who just made the decision to go back to college for premed. I’ve lived in three states and worked more jobs than I can count, a landscaper, warehouse worker, and an emt to name a few. Life without a real college education sucks. The tradesmen who make $100k a year are either journeyman or contractors who’ve been doing the same back breaking work for 10+ years. After just 8 hrs of landscaping I was too tired to make myself dinner. Unless I turn into a convicted felon I will never get into blue collar work again. Nor am I interested in owning a company. Even the “successful” businesses only make a middle class income. What you see on TV is just that, TV. This argument is over. Please stop writing me novels in the comments.

[@nelsonjr16]

Just got my master's degree last December only to land a job that pays me $4 hourly more ( previous job was a Nursing Director position ). You do not need a higher education to make it like I did as a director. All you need is to work on communication, be a good worker, focus on the strengths instead of weaknesses of your peers, and develop bargaining power in the work place by honing your skills. Even so, I would highly suggest not being an "employee" forever. That is why I now look onto investing, looking to start a business, and going into real estate.

[@mamastay164]

I'm happy my son completed college befire the pandemic. He has a fantastic job & was promoted to supervisor. There's things kids can do for free to help climb the ladder. Like learn a few languages, cpr, sign language even life guard classes. My son is thankful for me pushing him to do these things & more. He's got a much better life than I had at his age & I'm extremely proud of him ❤️

[@cierraaaaaaaas]

How did he learn sign language??!?! Please I need help! I really want to learn but I don’t want to go back to school.

[@BballNintendo3]

What I don't understand is people who have degrees but are working for less than $20 an hour. I dropped out and make $19 an hour as a software technician.

[@royharper2003]

wrong degrees

[@BeigeBrownClip-jd2pv]

You should do an update on this topic right now after this wave of massive layoffs across all industry including education

[@elir.torres8642]

I have a Bachelors degree in Information Security and Secure Software design from Ferris State University here in Michigan: graduated in 2019. Took 19 off then COVID hit 2020-21 the economy was closed could not find a job. I got sick in mid 2021 with Covid was in a coma for 3 months. Now in 2022 almost a year later I am felling somewhat better. Been applying for remote jobs and I am getting lots of rejection letter because I lack experience even though the jobs I apply to are 'entry level'. Even with an Internship at the University of Michigan hospital in IT project management I am still being denied jobs. I have loans to pay and no one is willing to give me a chance. I did everything right what else I am supposed to do go dig ditches for a living?

[@Yandel21ableify]

Get yourself a CDL, trucking companies are hiring

[@elir.torres8642]

@@Yandel21ableify Yeah if you have nothing but a min wage job, are a convicted felon, a newley minted immigrant or just basically nothing yeah 45k to start as a CDL driver is good monkey money. That's like telling a nurse to go get a CDL. I have a brother who's a CDL driver. Everyone and anyone can be a CDL driver the barriers to entry are low but not everyone can be a software engineer, doctor, lawyer, or a nurse it does not work that way. We go into these fields because we love the subject matter and the field of work along with the rewards. Not everything is about a CDL and some money dude.

[@Yandel21ableify]

@@elir.torres8642 Then be happy being unemployed. Remember a check is better tha no check.

[@coffeewithginseng3812]

I worked a minimum wage job at a cattle ranch for half a year after I graduated from college with a degree in economics because I was getting rejected in the career jobs that I applied for so you're not alone. The key is to not lose hope and make connections with people that can help refer you for a job.

[@MD-se8ft]

Try doing more internships

[@ninehundreddollarluxuryyac5958]

College is free or very low cost if you live anywhere except America? You should lead with that next time. How does this make us the greatest country on earth? And why do most other countries have free medical, prescription drugs at one tenth the price, and a paid vacation every year for every worker, even the lowest paid ones? We got a huge military though.

[@automnejoy5308]

You can blame Republicans for everything the US lacks. Seriously. It's Republicans who block universal health care. It's Republicans who block affordable tuition. It's Republicans who block limits on big pharma. They are a MAJOR cancer in this country. I won't even talk about gun reform, but we all know who is also standing in the way of that...

[@haileyt857]

(it's because we aren't oop)

[@Cacowninja]

Nothing is free, and to get "free" stuff you have to pay high taxes. The cost doesn't go away, it just goes somewhere else.

[@bobafett_8922]

@@Cacowninja I rather pay higher taxes for a better quality of life then being in debted for nearly everything

[@CC-br9qg]

I graduated college in a major I hated. It was my only path/escape out of the school, and I couldn't waste my merit scholarship. I went to a lower tiered school to avoid crippling loans. I had amazing grades and I worked my butt off. I am at a crossroads. I've applied to over 300 jobs (all corporate environment) and even had an offer rescinded during the economic downturn in June 2022. The job market is so tough for recent grads in the USA. I'm so burned out. Three weeks ago, I started an in-office 9 to 5 in the finance department of a major hotel chain and I absolutely hated it. 9 to 5 is really 8 to 6. It made me so miserable, I dreaded going in to work everyday. The software was from the 1980's and the computers were only a few years younger than me. My bosses didn't give me the time of day and there was no training provided. Nobody would even say hi to me in the mornings, I had to force every conversation. Needless to say, I miss my restaurant jobs from college so badly. The social environment, physical exercise on the clock, interacting with diverse people from all over the world, flexible work hours, being part of a team. Being around a bunch of 20 somethings like me is something I miss while working in an older office environment. I actually enjoyed my day at those restaurant jobs, and even if I had a bad shift, I got my steps in and interacted with humanity. In contrast, I was miserable at my 9 to 5. I barely had time for myself before and after work. The commute ate up 3 hours per day, and traffic is only getting worse going into the fall. I stared at a computer for 9 hours per day and barely got to interact with anyone. I was losing my physical and mental health. My head hurt daily and my soul was being drained. Finally, last week, I called it quits. It was a really hard decision for me, with lots weighing pros and cons. I'm now re-evaluating my goals and life plans. I don't have anything tying me to a job, like loans. I can’t see myself working corporate the rest of my life. I am so lost because my family is disappointed in me and I feel like a loser for being unable to stick with a 9 to 5. "You're shooting yourself in the foot" and "You just wasted an amazing opportunity with so much benefits, you could have worked your way up the ladder," my aunt and grandma said. What ladder? I couldn't envision any sort of future I wasn't miserable in working there. I guess I'm lucky I don't need a job immediately, but I still feel so uncomfortable with the uncertainty and social pressure. I feel like a lazy loser. I don't know where to go or what to do. I very much feel like an old soul, and do not feel attached to material things. I lead a simple life and desire fulfilling connections and purpose above money and "success" defined by society's standards. I'm currently able to pick up shifts at one of my old jobs, but it isn't enough stimulation for me. I want to feel productive. I'm a very creative person and used to be a photographer, make music as well as write fiction and poetry but through the years my talents were suppressed in order to excel in school. My heart has been calling me to move out of state for many years but due to college I was never able to. Now that I can, I have a boyfriend I'm afraid to say goodbye to and I'm living at my father's unsure of how to start the moving process given my job situation and lack of connections out of state. I feel like a shell of myself.

[@angelachanelhuang1651]

family comes first in this life...who taught your first lessons

[@W81Researcher]

A whole lot more overachievers are going to join you who are looking at a stereotypical vision.

[@kasforai]

Even 20 years ago wasn't worth it when I made the call not to attend

[@lepidoptera9337]

And you have been unemployable for the last 20 years. Sound of one hand clapping. ;-)

[@kinnish5267]

I HAVE TWO COLLEGE DEGREES AND I CAN TELL YOU IT ALMOST WORTHLESS

[@ninjapirate123]

what degrees

[@searphhoney]

People question the value, because some employers don't value them. A lot of employers require them so that the candidate can check a box. Once upon a time a degree ment getting a "good job" even with no work experience. Now you can get a mediocre job assuming you have work experience. Of course there are exceptions.

[@W81Researcher]

Like I said look at who has the degrees now. A bunch of people who were not smart enough to go period or those who inflated their grades by retaking a bunch of 100 and 200 level classes only to not match their inflated GPA in the interview process or cover letter.

[@cjheadbanger]

I went to college and use the knowledge I learned on a daily basis. I have coworkers without college degrees but 20+ years of experience that don't know the food safety and quality aspects /cant manage projects. They make about 5-10$ less than me per hour. I'd take their job over mine any day. So much less stress just getting told what to do and not coming in at all hours of the night. Not to mention you get to complain 24/7 about how you don't make enough whenever your asked to do anything. No one makes enough in this economy.

[@sew_gal7340]

I cant even imagine a job without a college degree right now...yikes....even if you think you can risk it...why would you gamble like that

[@meoff7602]

Do you complain with them?

[@marcelog590]

Doing college is questioning your mental health and sanity

[@jamesstraubel7546]

I have a college degree, and now I’m a truck driver which doesn’t require a degree. I make around 100,000 a year, which makes more then most people with college degrees

[@Joker-DarkKnight]

Student debt collage is one that ruins a persons finances, and even credit score sometimes