An Extra Million Dollars?

[PoliticalChic]

Were you raised in a household where your mom or dad told you that in order for you to be successful that you had to go to college? Aside from the status factor – to be able to say that you have a degree, do you come out ahead financially after college, considering all the debts and the time you put in? Would you have been better off going straight into the labor market in an area that you knew and liked?

I would like your opinion, especially from those who didn’t go the college route. Here’s what brought up the question:

The College Scam
by John Stossel
January 29, 2009

A college diploma is supposed to be the ticket to the good life. Colleges and politicians tell students, "Your life will be much better if you go to college. On average during your lifetime you will earn a million dollars more if you get a bachelor's degree." Barack Obama, stumping on the campaign trail, said, "We expect all our children not only to graduate high school, but to graduate college."

Rachele Percel heard the promises. She borrowed big to pay about $24,000 a year to attend Rivier College in New Hampshire. She got a degree in human development. "I was told just to take out the loans and get the degree because when you graduate you're going to be able to get that good job and pay them off no problem," she told me for last week's "20/20."

But for three years she failed to find a decent job. Now she holds a low-level desk job doing work she says she could have done straight out of high school. And she's still $85,000 in debt. This month she had to move out of her apartment because she couldn't pay the rent.

The promise about college? "I definitely feel like it was a scam," says Rachele.

Her college wrote us that that many of its graduates have launched successful careers. But Rachele's problem isn't uncommon. A recent survey asked thousands of students: Would you go to your college again? About 40 percent said no.

Read full article at below link.

John Stossel : The College Scam - Townhall.com

 

[Skull Pilot]

Some of the most successful people i have met did not have college degrees.

 

[dilloduck]

Some of the most successful people i have met did not have college degrees.

degrees certainly don't mean what they used to as far as obtaining a job and have pretty poor indicators of someones skills in that area.

 

[PoliticalChic]

Some of the most successful people i have met did not have college degrees.

Thanks for your response.
What age group are you referring to?
Would it apply to students today that are of college age?

This current economic meltdown might be an impetus for more people to head right into the workforce.

I also suspect that children are not aware what kind of debt they will be incurring since colleges (with billion $ endowments) won't be giving any breaks anytime soon.

 

[Skull Pilot]

Some of the most successful people i have met did not have college degrees.

Thanks for your response.
What age group are you referring to?
Would it apply to students today that are of college age?

This current economic meltdown might be an impetus for more people to head right into the workforce.

I also suspect that children are not aware what kind of debt they will be incurring since colleges (with billion $ endowments) won't be giving any breaks anytime soon.

I have a son who just turned 18 so most of the people i referenced are my age, early to mid forties, or older.

My son does not really have a clue about what he wants to do. he is working and taking classes part time at a local state u. I have no problem with this.

He is really into music and is a pretty good guitar player but there really is not a future as a musician for him other than a garage band or local club gig and that's cool but it's not a living.

I advised him to work, try different things get a gig as an intern at a radio station things like that and I also advised him to travel.

I am of the opinion that real world experiences and not a mere continuation of high school will do him the most good right now.

 

[PoliticalChic]

Some of the most successful people i have met did not have college degrees.

Thanks for your response.
What age group are you referring to?
Would it apply to students today that are of college age?

This current economic meltdown might be an impetus for more people to head right into the workforce.

I also suspect that children are not aware what kind of debt they will be incurring since colleges (with billion $ endowments) won't be giving any breaks anytime soon.

I have a son who just turned 18 so most of the people i referenced are my age, early to mid forties, or older.

My son does not really have a clue about what he wants to do. he is working and taking classes part time at a local state u. I have no problem with this.

He is really into music and is a pretty good guitar player but there really is not a future as a musician for him other than a garage band or local club gig and that's cool but it's not a living.

I advised him to work, try different things get a gig as an intern at a radio station things like that and I also advised him to travel.

I am of the opinion that real world experiences and not a mere continuation of high school will do him the most good right now.

This makes a lot sense.

Most students don't know what they want to do after high school, and college doesn't help and many times adds to the confusion.

 

[dilloduck]

Some of the most successful people i have met did not have college degrees.

Thanks for your response.
What age group are you referring to?
Would it apply to students today that are of college age?

This current economic meltdown might be an impetus for more people to head right into the workforce.

I also suspect that children are not aware what kind of debt they will be incurring since colleges (with billion $ endowments) won't be giving any breaks anytime soon.

I have a son who just turned 18 so most of the people i referenced are my age, early to mid forties, or older.

My son does not really have a clue about what he wants to do. he is working and taking classes part time at a local state u. I have no problem with this.

He is really into music and is a pretty good guitar player but there really is not a future as a musician for him other than a garage band or local club gig and that's cool but it's not a living.

I advised him to work, try different things get a gig as an intern at a radio station things like that and I also advised him to travel.

I am of the opinion that real world experiences and not a mere continuation of high school will do him the most good right now.

I have a 19 year old son with the same symptoms---He's knocking out the basic requirements in a Jr College BUT remains clueless on how to survive on his own.

 

[Article 15]

If it wasn't for my horse, I'd never have spent that year in college.

 

[PoliticalChic]

Thanks for your response.
What age group are you referring to?
Would it apply to students today that are of college age?

This current economic meltdown might be an impetus for more people to head right into the workforce.

I also suspect that children are not aware what kind of debt they will be incurring since colleges (with billion $ endowments) won't be giving any breaks anytime soon.

I have a son who just turned 18 so most of the people i referenced are my age, early to mid forties, or older.

My son does not really have a clue about what he wants to do. he is working and taking classes part time at a local state u. I have no problem with this.

He is really into music and is a pretty good guitar player but there really is not a future as a musician for him other than a garage band or local club gig and that's cool but it's not a living.

I advised him to work, try different things get a gig as an intern at a radio station things like that and I also advised him to travel.

I am of the opinion that real world experiences and not a mere continuation of high school will do him the most good right now.

I have a 19 year old son with the same symptoms---He's knocking out the basic requirements in a Jr College BUT remains clueless on how to survive on his own.

It's tough to learn now to live on your own without "living on your own."

 

[AVG-JOE]

Now that we are in our 50's, comparing my standard of living with some college and no degree to that of my sisters who each got their degrees and also married degrees, my suggestion to my younger self, if I could write me a letter, would be to get a degree or a certificate in advanced technical training.

-Joe

 

[Article 15]

But seriously going straight to school after graduation was one of the bigger mistakes or misjudgments I've made so far.

 

[jillian]

Were you raised in a household where your mom or dad told you that in order for you to be successful that you had to go to college? Aside from the status factor – to be able to say that you have a degree, do you come out ahead financially after college, considering all the debts and the time you put in? Would you have been better off going straight into the labor market in an area that you knew and liked?

I would like your opinion, especially from those who didn’t go the college route. Here’s what brought up the question:

You can't even get a job at Federal Express as a delivery person without a college degree.

Stossel's a putz.

And it's not so much that you have to have a college degree to be successful, but a) a college degree gives you EDUCATION and information; and b) it gives you opportunities that you might not otherwise have, which equals OPTIONS.

Why would anyone cut off their options?

Unless of course they're anti-education.

 

[PoliticalChic]

Now that we are in our 50's, comparing my standard of living with some college and no degree to that of my sisters who each got their degrees and also married degrees, my suggestion to my younger self, if I could write me a letter, would be to get a degree or a certificate in advanced technical training.

-Joe

That might be good advice considering our current economic climate. In the article, the man who went into automotive repair is still faring well.

 

[PoliticalChic]

But seriously going straight to school after graduation was one of the bigger mistakes or misjudgments I've made so far.

So many students are "forced" into going to college straight out of high school because there doesn't seem to be too many viable options.

 

[michiganFats]

There's something to be said for "finding yourself", but in the end you will have to receive a degree to do well, unless you are just an awesome natural born entrepreneurial type.

 

[michiganFats]

Or some sort of technical certification.

 

[AVG-JOE]

Now that we are in our 50's, comparing my standard of living with some college and no degree to that of my sisters who each got their degrees and also married degrees, my suggestion to my younger self, if I could write me a letter, would be to get a degree or a certificate in advanced technical training.

-Joe

That might be good advice considering our current economic climate. In the article, the man who went into automotive repair is still faring well.

I should clarify one thing... not only did my sisters get degrees, they got good degrees. Poli-Sci and Law for one and Communications for the other. The lawyer married an MBA Engineer in the oil business and the other married a lawyer.

The kids need to be told that a degree in social services is less valuable than a degree in engineering, although both cost about the same to obtain.

-Joe

 

[Article 15]

The kids need to be told that a degree in social services is less valuable than a degree in engineering, although both cost about the same to obtain.

-Joe

But hard work is a bitch!!!

 

[dilloduck]

The kids need to be told that a degree in social services is less valuable than a degree in engineering, although both cost about the same to obtain.

-Joe

But hard work is a bitch!!!

It is---you get tired even sometimes

 

[jillian]

I should clarify one thing... not only did my sisters get degrees, they got good degrees. Poli-Sci and Law for one and Communications for the other. The lawyer married an MBA Engineer in the oil business and the other married a lawyer.

The kids need to be told that a degree in social services is less valuable than a degree in engineering, although both cost about the same to obtain.

-Joe

That's actually true. Although, I'm not sure I'd recommend a political science degree (which was one of mine) unless one is planning to go to teach or go to graduate school or do the degree in conjunction with a double major in journalism or communications (like your sister).

As for going straight from high school, I don't think that was the initial question. And certainly no one should waste money on college for someone who isn't ready for it and doesn't know what they want to do. I'd give them a year or two to "find themselves" but then they would have to go back to school.