Does anyone else feel that college is no longer feasible? It seems to me that the cost of college has reached a ridiculous level and is no longer worth it. Students have to go into a huge amount of debt to get a bachelor' s degree and then they are hired into corporate america in a dead-end job. I' m beginning to think the best thing a young person can do these days is open some type of business and go for it. They' ll learn more important skills by doing that than going to college and the only thing regulating how much they make is the market.
My wife and I just opened her a barber shop three and a half months ago and she is already making as much as I do after 12 years at my present company. Think about that for a minute. A real eye opener.
I know another guy who worked for a medical supply company for about eight years before opening his own medical supply business. Four and a half years after opening the doors, he sold it to a competitor for four and a half MILLION. As part of the deal, he is now one of their vice presidents and makes $250,000 annually.
My daughter graduated this past year and had always planned to go to college. Wanna guess where she is right now? At that barber shop training with her mother. Screw college. She will be making more than most college graduates by the time she could graduate college and with zero debt. Add to that, the fact that there is no company dictating how much she can make and it pretty much becomes a no brainer in my book. She can open her own shop later and the sky will be her limit.
Anyone else feel like the cost of college is more than it' s worth?
It all depends on what you want to do in life. What is your calling? Many jobs require college and for very good reasons. Doctor, Dentist, Lawyer, Teachers, Accountants, and so on. I wouldn' t want any of them to work for me without formal education. Check out your 2 year community or jr. colleges. Usually you can get the first two years of required classes for less than half of the price of a 4 year university and have smaller class sizes etc. I would hate to discourage someone from going to college because it costs money, yet they end up in a job that isn' t exactly what makes them happy.
I don' t feel that way at all. I have friends who work in trades and have their own businesses that make more money than I do, but then again they have to provide their own health insurance etc. In the corporate world, not having a college degree will hold you back.
College is one of those things where you get out of it what you put into it. The people you hear about who have college degrees and end up working menial jobs long term are usually not very motivated and are at the level of employment that they deserve.
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No, I don' t feel that way. But I do agree with you that a degree is no panacea.
A well-rounded college education can open your eyes to how things work and how people interact.
On this board, I read posts from members that have glaring holes in their knowledge as to the way the world functions. I have also been advised of a few glaring holes in my head.[][]
Fact is.....after graduating from college a person has to go to where the jobs are, and that means being willing to move.
And you are right about one thing......they must be willing to accept an entry level job at entry level pay. But, with that degree in tow and as they gain experience they have a better chance of advancing up the ladder faster and eventually making good money.
One thing......anyone who has a college degree should not lean on it......its a basis of knowledge and gives them an edge in the field they have chosen but........it still requires work. In the end, employers want results whether it comes from someone with formal training or not. But the degree will open the door faster and allow them the opportunity.
While I agree that college is becoming expensive, I still think that it is well worth it. I' m in college now at 28 years old. I wish I had done it when I was 18, bacause I could be 6 years into a career by now. I look at my friends who went to college right out of high school and every single one of them is far better off now than I am. I don' t regret that I decided to serve in the Corps for 4 years, but it did less for my future than college could have. Now I' m older and trying to catch up to the power curve.
I guess the value of an education and degree depend on what field you are pursuing. Get a degree in engineering, education, medicine, business, etc... and it' ll likely pay off well in the end and be worth the money invested. Get a degree in some obscure liberal arts field and you' ll probably end up asking people if they' d like fries or onion rings with their order. The money spent on education is no different than money invested in the stock market. Make a sound investment and it' ll pay off great in the long run, but make a bad choice and you' ll pay for it dearly.
Don' t get me wrong. I fully believe a college degree is beneficial, but should it cost as much as it does today? If I' m not mistaken, the cost is now nearing $20,000 per year for a decent college and that' s not counting room and board or meals. That' s $80,000 for four years. That' s a freakin house! I know college professors need to make good money, but that just seems ridiculous that it should cost that much to teach a kid anything.
I know going to college can help prepare you for later, but so can running your own business. I feel like the difference is that many college grads THINK they know everything after graduating only to find out that life is a WHOLE lot different than a classroom. I think running a business teaches more about REAL life than college could ever think about.
I guess I' m just starting to feel like colleges are getting way to greedy and our kids educations are taking it on the chin. Pretty soon their parents will have to be filthy rich just to send them. I guess as long as there are people still able to enroll and pay the price, they will just keep jacking it up until enrollment starts to drop. It seems like it would have to peak eventually.
I got my degree and have no regrets. Alot of my friends that didn' t go to college make more money than me but they work there butts off. I work a 40 hour week, make decent money with benefits and when I go home, I leave my work at work.
College is no longer feasible.
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