Is it even worth it to go to college anymore?

College is what you make of it.
There's many benefits and opportunities to going besides getting a degree.
If you feel you're not going to take advantage of higher education then don't go, or attend a community college and discover something.

I feel like that depends on what you're studying. For example, philosophy degrees are only good for a job at your local Wal-Mart or McDonalds. If you're looking for something that you could actually use to make money, such as Computer Info Systems, Accounting, engineering or the like, you'd most likely see great returns over the course of your life. I would also say that going into trades can be worth it if you're willing to put in the work.

If you care about wealth and luxury rather than just comfort and stainability, maybe. If you just want to learn stuff for the sake of learning, then yes. Unless you can learn by yourself by buying books and stuff. Not to mention the fact that you can also do research in a university.

>>18649052
yeah forgot to take away my name from another post.

>>18648872

depends what you want to do. yes college will drown you in debt, but doing entry level minimum wage will leave you with no money.

so at the end of the day college at least lets you fuck around for four years and gives you more money than if you didn't go to college even after the debt, AND you get to do non shitty minimum wage work. plus you gottta remember that theres still promotions. until 30 you might not be making much but after 30 you tend to get promoted and make more money.

seems worth it imo

>>18648872
It's always worth it, but you need to put in your part. The online community in general likes to say things like "College isn't worth it"(You for example) but just think, for once. Is doing nothing worth it? What do you spend your day doing? How will you make professional connections? Education exposes you to different environments and people. I makes you reflect on who you really are at the moment. The best part; however, is realizing how lazy you really are and how much you have improved.

Really depends on where you go and what you study. Most majors are essentially the same for undergraduate education. University rankings really only matter for graduate, med, and law levels. Don't go to an out of state school that's expensive as shit when you can just go in state.

Chemistry PhD here.

>>18649055
Not always,look around for campuses with lower tuition. There is no need to go to a campus just for the "Prestige". That is a real life example of playing yourself.

>>18649088
Oh and how you pay for it. Some states have money out the ass to send students to school for dirt cheap. Some parents have done a great job saving and investing. If you go to school don't fucking pay just to get C's. Get fucking all A's at least Jesus.

>>18649088
The Epitome of success

>>18649088
And also regarding post undergrad programs, they are all vastly different in terms of focus. Some schools focus on certain types of law moreso or better than others same thing with medschool. You get the basic education but it's the specialization that counts. Gradschool, you pick advisors to work with and study under. Specialization is what happens beyond the bachelor's. That's when school choice truly matters.

>>18649114
Drop the knowledge!

>>18649088
And more to add: connections matter in both undergrad and post grad. Your merits will only get you so far. You need people to help you get into the door, past the automated resume sifter. HR does not do it job so you need people on the inside to get your shit noticed and to tell you of opportunities. Do not spend all your time studying and being a fuckin' reclusive nerd. Get out there and make friends and party. Do well in school and learn your shit and learn it well (I'm not talking cramming days before an exam but really immersing yourself in what the courses have to offer), but also have fun and meet people and make networks and have experiences to build you as a person.

>>18649132
Keep dropping it!

>>18649203
Those are my big bits but I can answer questions

Go to CC for your first two years and figure out what you want to do. If you fuck up like I did it's way cheaper.

Apply for any and all scholarships and grants. You'd be surprised what you can get. I was a shit student and still got money to study abroad which counted as credit and paid for my whole trip. On top of that it reduces how much debt you have.

Do not go to an out of state school unless you have a full complete ride or it's necessary for your degree and you have the will to go one hundred percent to be in the top 1% in terms of grades and networking.

After you finish CC find a marketable major to persue. Check job reports to make sure it's a growing field.

Start doing internships your Junior year and till the end of your Senior year. If you do this you essentially have two years work experience out the gate. This will put you ahead of your peers at job hunt time and you may just have a job lined up where you interned.

Network like a motherfucker. People want to hire a know quantity. .


Doing most of the above and in majoring in an IT related field I had only 20k debt and a 50k starting job with benefits and bonus in a low cost of living area a week after graduation.

As said above college is what you make it. If you don't put in the effort or make poor choices you may struggle but at the very least you have a degree which for most jobs is the minimum you need.

>>18649132
How does making friends at undergrad help if i want to go to grad school? Do i still need friends?

>>18648872
it's the best way to learn, despite what autodidacts and other pseudo-intellectuals claim.

>>18650726
For your sanity, yes you need friends. Bad shits gonna happen to you and you need people you can confide in that isn't 4chan. You never know where your undergrad friends will end up also. Hell I got my best friend from undergrad to join the group I was in during PhD and we had a fucking awesome time when he joined. Shit was bananas.

>>18648872
Yes, if you do it right. A lot of jobs require a degree now. If you're going to college to just learn something, don't go. You can learn more reading books, and most classes will just try to indoctrinate you. If you're going to just fuck around, don't go. You can fuck around for free at home. If you have to take out any loans, don't go. College is a scam, but it's a scam you need. Get a degree and get it for free, otherwise wait until you can afford it.

Which was worse?

Texas losing to Kansas
Florida losing to Georgia Southern
Michigan losing to Appalachian State

>>18651507
Oops. Wrong board.

>>18651496
It's not a scam unless you do one of those gay ones like ITT or Phoenix. It really really depends on your major though.

>>18650748
>autodidacts
trying too hard: the word

>>18651496

Paranoid probably conservative conspiracy theorist: The Post

>>18651520
As long as it's regionally accredited it's ok. At the bachelor level majors don't really matter anymore. Too many people getting degrees. It's called degree inflation. STEM majors are still good but a lot of people are going after them because they think other majors are worthless. This is creating more competition for STEM jobs.

>>18651533
Maybe. I have a master's in poli sci. But I want my doctorate in education so I can help reform education in America.

>>18651552
>>18651552
>At the bachelor level majors don't really matter anymore
This is made all the more worse with kids coming in and treating it like it's 13-16th grade, merely an extension of expensive highschool.

>>18648872
No.

College is the biggest scam lf the 21st century.

Military, trade school, and technical schools are where it's at now because the past two generations have memed up college to the point where it's useless or even detrimental in most cases. If you consent to being Uncle Sam's bitch for a portion of your life, you'll be set for the rest of it. You'll actually learn marketable skills at trade and technical skills while your education will be quicker and cheaper.

>>18648872
This is an incredibly stupid question.

If a college degree is necessary to get hired for the position you want, then you need a college degree to get hired for the position you want.

If a college degree is *not* necessary to get hired for the position you want, then you *don't* need a college degree to get hired for the position you want.

Holy fucking shit.

Are you asking whether or not college is worth it for the sake of being "enriched" or having a big social experience, things outside of the benefit of being more hireable?

>>18651642
No, go to College unless you know your exact field of study. All these "College is useless" memes are losers playing theme selves. Few things are more pathetic than people bashing College when they are literally doing nothing with their lives and are earning bare minimum salaries. If you truly believe that education is a bad investment then. . .

>>18651662
Good soul

>>18651741
>No idea what I want to do with my life
>Sign for tens of thousands of dollars of debt to fuck arouns for 4 years just for the fuck of it
>Come out in the exact same spot as your enrolled, just with debt that will take forever to pay off

You go it backwards mate. Go to college only if a degree is absolutely necessary for your goals or career path and you have a bulletproof plan for the degree, where you career will go, the classes you will take, extracurriculars/internships, and a method to pay it off

>>18651770
Wandering soul, my goodness. Individuals memed about coming out with "tens of thousands" of dollars in debt and everyone hopped in the wagon. Look around for a cheaper school and instead of riding the "Oh, that Colllege/University isn't prestigious" meme, go to class and ace all your classes. If You put in the effort it will pay off. You will make professional connections and be exposed to new environments.Just a thought, if College is so easy then get all A's. If you are getting all A's good things will come to you. If you are not getting all A's then try harder.

>>18648872
if you know what you want to do with your life and if you're willing to socialize and make connections/do internships
If you don't want to do any of the above, college is a waste of time and money because there is almost nothing college can't teach you that you can't learn from a book or being an apprentice of a person.

>>18651807
Hmm, tough nails.

>>18648872

No.

I have a master's degree and am currently in a trade that requires only a highschool diploma.

>>18651833
Aim higher. A Master's like you should know that.

>>18651770

This is bullshit because kids at 17 or whatever don't know the course of their lives. I changed majors in college, because I wasn't totally sure of what I wanted to do, and my first "plan" came out broken after two years in school. Luckily I was ahead of the curve by a year and could adjust, but without a degree, I couldn't have gotten any reasonable job when I left high school.

Trades are great if you want to make the same amount of money doing the same thing forever, and counting on your body to hold out.

My income has jumped 300% since my first job out of college and will continue to do nothing but grow, given my experience. I'm not knocking trades for all people, because they're great for many, but college is a currently necessary barrier to entry.

>>18651524
Pick up a dictionary, nigger; not everyone hasn't graduated high-school.

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>>18651845
Oh Darling, Bright One You Are.

first year of College. i hate all the fucks that only enrolled to socialize and be with their friends. they keep talking in class, are always asking for help, and or, complaining that the Professors aren't being fair.

I thought this was supposed to be different from school, I hope all these fucks drop out early.

>>18651879
They always do. Withing a few weeks You will know those who will reach the Pinnacle and those who will serve them food.

>>18650356

>If you fuck up like I did it's way cheaper

What do you mean?

>>18651903
Not the same poster,

The low tuition cost of Community College is more lenient. If you fail a course you don't end up losing much money. If you have Scholarships, financial aid, and grants you are practically going to college for free.

>>18651912
Most courses are under $200 dollars. Some as low as under $70.

>>18651912

I went to CC and fucked up (was removed due to low grades). Not sure if I can receive grants again. I got grants before since I didn't have a job so they paid foe almost everything. Ever since I flunkex out, I'm not sure if I can do it again. Plus, I was studying IT and hated it. I don't even know what to do with my life.

>>18651912

For what it's really worth though, you lose a shitton of years where you learn to be on your own and make some of the most important friends in your entire life.

College taught me very little that is applicable to my specific job, but it taught me to be a man, alongside a lot of people who found that at the same time.

All of my college friends went on to be the types that have solid careers, in leadership roles. My community college/local college friends? Not so much. They just continued a few years of high school.

>>18651928
I would recommend taking one or two classes a semester. Talk to a counselor and just earn an AA degree. When You do decide to pursue a career you will have a head start.

>>18651943
Rephrase that first sentence please.

>>18651943
You have to want it. Some of your friends failed and some of mine succeeded, let's put the friends aside and think about You. If you truly give College your absolute best and make zero excuses I guarantee you will be a glad soul.

>>18648872
I make $60,000 a year working in Cisco TAC.

I do not have a college degree.

#just saying

Also, if you don't have tech skills, but can drive really well:

You can always get your CDL w/ Hazmat & Tankers endorsements, and haul gas for like $90,000 / year. (requires like 2 years good driving record)

Or I think you can make like $40,000 to $50,000 if you're hauling produce. (requires no experience)


Everybody wants to think you can't make a living unless you have a degree. But the reality is, if you know where to look, there's plenty of jobs that don't require a degree.

Think twice before surrendering to student loan debt. Consider degree-less careers.

>>18651952
Oh man, this will be a long discussion.

I thought that college would be a guarantee for a job in the respective field of my degree (Biology), but unfortunately it just didn't work out that way. One thing that I had always told unemployed friends that weren't in college is that the military is always hiring, and I looked down on them for not considering it. Of course, now that I was in the same unemployed position as those I had belittled, I was compelled to live up to my own advice, and applied as an officer in the US Navy. Some of the friends that did find employment in the field of science, or made it to graduate school, mocked me for being unemployed and they stopped hanging out with me because they were convinced that I was a failure. Jokes on them because I am slotted as an NFO and going to be starting OCS in a couple of months. The pay is absolutely insane after being in for a few years, considering most of the jobs that my former friends had acquired were gauged at a salary of around 30-40k a year

tl;dr if you can't find a job in the civilian sector, don't forget that the military is always hiring.

>>18651947

If you go to community college, you lose a college experience that helps though grow up with people your own age, and have someone that can commiserate with you at an unsure time of your life.

They help you learn what it's like to be around people that haven't grown up right around you, and expose you to new ideas and thought processes.

>>18651955
Why? Not enough money?

Yea, if you want to make extra-large money, you probably need a degree.

But then you're taking your chances. Not everyone with a degree gets the super high paying jobs. There are lots of people with degrees that are only making ~$50,000, but have $30,000+ of student loan debt.

If you just have to have a degree, at least make sure its an MBA. That way you'll have the best chance of getting a high paying job.

>>18651959
>If you go Community College
>You lose a College experience
Alright,thank you kindly.

>>18651958
>pay is absolutely insane
Please define. You're anonymous, so why the fuck not?

Tell us how much you make.

>>18651968
Show me those statistics. Because at this point this thread is just College meme after College meme.

>>18651980
OK, i'm not gonna bullshit you; I have no stats for that last part. That was based on information acquired from communicating with my colleagues in various jobs.

I really do make $60,000 / year, though. And I really do work in Cisco TAC.

And the bit about wages for CDL drivers is also accurate. I have my Class A CDL and almost went into trucking. Driving for 10+ hours is kinda rough, though.

>>18651980
Dude, are you are hating on that guy because he is saying College isn't a requirement and there are alternatives?

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>>18648872
>Is it even worth it to go to college anymore?
Pointless question. Depends on what your goals are. College can either be a good investment or a horrible one. College is for some, not for others. Responses that deviate from that should be ignored

>>18651959
>lose a college experience
Not really. Just transfer to a uni after 2 years like any sensible person

>>18651977
I'm sorry, I just assumed the pay was common knowledge. O-2 (Lieutenant Junior Grade) makes around 50k in base pay, another 16k in non-taxable pay for food and shelter, and various other bonuses such as hazard pay and flight hours pay (obviously the flight hours only apply to positions like Aviator and NFO). With that kind of money at 24 years old, it's hard to consider that person to be a failure.

Of course, it goes up with higher rank (O-3 is guaranteed after serving the required time and O-4 is attainable), and scales with time served, so an O-4 that's been in the service for 8 years has a base pay of 77k, along with the other benefits. Of course, most people tap out after the mandatory 6 years of active service and join the reserves for the last 2 required years of service as an officer (must be in the military in some capacity for 8 years), so we're talking about getting out at around 30 years old with a few hundred thousand dollars, assuming that it isn't being invested and accruing even greater profits. Oh, and of course that person with the dough is also a retired military officer, which is highly preferential in finding civilian employment.

>>18651959
That's not worth at all to end in up in debt. You are absolutely retarded

>>18652065
What debt though?

>>18651993
Thank You kindly for your response. My purpose is not to argue pointlessly, my purpose is to answer the questions others are too afraid to ask or too lazy to research.
>>18651999
No, just informing the rest of the board.

As a final thought, I always recommend education. It will take you to new heights as long as You do your part. Instead of just saying you'll be in debt, why not do some research and see exactly how much it will cost You? Why not give it your best and earn yourself a full ride? Anyone can afford higher education as long as they want it. Financial aid, grants, and some companies will even pay for your education. The "College puts you in debt" is a disgusting excuse. It is the equivalent of saying that You are not smart enough. That only some people can succeed. Even if you already have a career why not take a few classes a year? There is more than just the degree. I sincerely wish all You souls the best and hope You pursue some kind of education.

Best Regards,
A Soul Who No Longer bears sadness.

>>18652020

If you transfer, you miss out on making friends and having that initial freshman year dorm experience. You'll make many less friends, and if you're "transferring," I bet you're most likely going to go from your local community college to your closest commuter college, in which case you still won't get any real experience.

It's about living on your own when a lot of others your age are too. If you're still living at home with mom and dad, you may as well still be in high school, besides the "education" you're getting.

>>18652065
It depends on the amount of debt. I'm 30 years old and make more than double of what my entire tuition was for four years of school, ignoring my scholarship.

It's about the cost of a nice car. But if you play it right, that will disappear quickly.

>>18652168
>miss out on making friends, you'll make less friends
These are all assumptions.

>>18651959
i mean... you can get that same experience couch surfing at drug dealers houses... kind of. as an older university student, age isn't exactly the most important factor when it comes to university and self actualization. what's important is that you put the work in and contribute to the community, be an active member of the campus society. if you feel 1 or 2 years of community is a better option, go with that. however, i would recommend at least attending uni for 2 years.

>>18652168
>If you transfer, you miss out on making friends and having that initial freshman year dorm experience.
Dude, that's not as true as you would think. You might not make hundreds of small acquaintances, but you'll make the same amount of long lasting relationships if you put the work in. I mean i hate to use van wilder as an example, but... i mean, it's 4chan, you'd be surprised.

Depends on your degree. If you want to do science or engineering or medicine, what choice do you have?

>>18652168
Nothing is stopping you from making friends in CC. Honestly your best networking will be done in your Junior and Senior years anyway as you'll mostly be in contact with people in your major.

As far as living on your own goes if you can swing it and handle classes go for it but don't let your grades suffer and fail to get internships. At the end of the day relevant experience (internships) will be the best thing you can do before you graduate.

Honestly yea I enjoyed living on my own, but it made school way longer than it needed to take. The only two real things that you need to take away from living on your own is steady income and a budget. If you can't handle the easy shit (cleaning, cooking, etc) you probably aren't handling the big things I mentioned above because the rest is the easy part.