Is university not worth it even for STEM? Can someone just read

>>8851124
in principle yes
in practice you need interaction with peers and mentors to develop many of the insights and skills that the field requires, and to gain a taste for how to learn. this could technically be read from books, but it just doesn't work the same for most people. it's a shot in the dark.

sounds like your college is shit imo

>>8851159
>sounds like your college is shit imo
it's a community college, although a "top rated" community college. apparently, we're one of the best in the country. I feel like I could just read this shit by myself and save the money. I already read my own textbooks outside of class so I practically do it already.

>>8851124
transfer to a 4-year university for engineering

>>8851124
>you ever work with sulfuric acid?
Yeah, I read about them in a book.
>you ever work with high voltage lines?
Yeah, I read about them in a book.
>you ever work with ionizing radiation?
Yeah, I read about them in a book.

>>8851124

It's the lab time and ancillary skills you're paying for.

You could probably learn a lot studying by yourself, but unless you're a trust fund baby it'll be hard to get experience with any meaningful lab equipment. Never mind finding a job or PhD position without an established social network.

Just knowing isn't enough.

>>8851173
Sounds like the exact same situation that I am in, I'm not sure how far ahead you are in your studies but the early introductory classes are more to weed out any complete retards who can't do any work and teach you discipline in doing work yourself.
Either way you just need to earn that degree, an employer requires proof that you have learned the subject, preferably with experience as well. I know it's just a community college but if you can I highly recommend getting a job or internship of some kind in your field. My classes are easy enough where I have been able to work part time at my colleges lab and I've been able to get a few opportunities from professors that work here which are far more valuable than grades are when trying to get a job in STEM.

>>8851173
SBCC?

>>8851593
y

>>8851124
Employers need some sort of document or evidence that you know what you claim to know. That's why universities exist. You're paying for a degree.

>>8851124

>Is university not worth it even for STEM?

It depends, if you apply yourself, work hard and take advantage of opportunities uni provides for you (internships/co-op, networking, research, etc.) then it doesn't matter what you're majoring in, you can salvage a career out of anything. On the other hand if you're lazy and selfish and lack motivation, you will struggle post-graduation. So in the end, university is worth it if you make the best of it.

>Can someone just read a bunch of textbooks, take mock GRE tests and shit like that and get hired as some researcher?

Sure, but it's incredibly slim if not next to impossible. Why should a professor in any uni want to take you over the hundreds of others in the field who have degrees?

>My college classes seem like a huge waste of time

What do you expect, you're in fucking community college. Do well and transfer into a decent university and then you can take classes that interest you and don't feel like a waste of time. If you can't manage that, you were never meant to be a scientist in the first place.

I swear, every one of these 'le college is just le meme' threads get made by the dumbest brainlet fucks on this site.

>>8851124
Why would I hire a lazy person?

>>8851675
what if they're just a poor person?

>>8851124
at my uni, people occasionally walk in off the street and want to talk to the dean or a professor or whomever, about some awesome idea they have that'll revolutionize science as we know it.

they range from bums to random people who watched a ton of pop science and dreamed up something unfeasible

they are typically offended by the idea that we expect them to know basic math and physics before they try to unify the quantum world with a master equation they saw in their sleep.

>>8851679
scholarships, grants (especially pell grants), internships. loans if you have to

>>8851124
It really is what you make it

Don't spend more money than you need to, however. Most universities have very similar cirricula so you'll be fine even without a top-tier university