Is college worth it? Poll finds only 36% of Americans have confidence in higher education

Paxilpapa said:
I think what has happened is that a college degree has reached a point of diminishing returns. When everyone has it, everyone is the same when it comes to job hiring. Go back through history and you find that to be true from basic hunting skills up through simple, primary, secondary and college education. My son's degree in Physics is useless without a doctorate... and so it goes.
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You are absolutely correct. It used to be if you had a college education regardless of the major, you were going to get a good paying job. The big push that college is the only way to become successful has resulted in has proven not to be true anymore.
 
I'm biased towards entrepreneurship. Sure, a college degree may boost credentials and qualifications needed to borrow capital but it isn't required as a business owner as long as you have enough saved for startup costs. It's costs less than $500 to register a company with the Georgia Secretary Of State office.
 
Some degrees are a dime a dozen today with many of them being just a receipt that I spent a lot of money to get a piece of paper. Work ethic is by far the biggest contributor to success whether you are a high school drop out of have a PHD. The five or six most successful people I have known as far as wealth prosperity are concerned are either high school graduates or in one case a tenth grade drop out. All worked their butts off and took risks to be successful.
 
My take on college.... it depends. I was smart enough out of high school (Top 20 in my class) but all those good grades in high school was pretty easy. I got accepted to Georgia Tech and fond out how difficult it was in the first semester. It did not help that I was a commuter to Tech. Regardless, I have some money by uncle left me to help pay for college. It was not my money so I did not really take it seriously. I was not a party animal, I just could not focus enough to make it. I dropped out of Tech after 2 semesters. I eventually landed at Kennesaw State but still only got through part of my sophomore year. My degree would have been Computer Information Systems.

I was lucky enough to have the aptitude for computers and IT work and a company that gave me a chance without a college degree. I started lower than those without one (started at 25k a year back in 1996) but I ended up making a nice career without a college degree paying very well.

College was not something either of my kids really wanted and we had some money set aside for them (not much) but we were very stern that we did not want them to get student loans. Neither of them (both girls) wanted to do anything that it seems most women could make decent money doing (nursing, teacher, etc). Both wanted to do something with graphic design, with one dead set on digital animation. But neither really want to put in any effort in advancing in any career, preferring to be the followers and never the leader. I am always scared for their future but even with the degrees they were pursuing I would worry about the same thing.

I LOVE the idea of vocational type training, but most of that stuff is heavily slanted towards stuff men would want to do. You will not find the majority of women that was to become a plumber, lineman, welder, auto mechanic, etc. Only vocational thing I ever see that most women gravitate to is Cosmetology, and that is not an easy field to make money in.

OK I got off the rails there, but the bottom line is college is not for everyone, but you better have a good backup plan and work your ass off to get where you want to be, which hopefully involves making the money to live.
 
rolltidega said:
My take on college.... it depends. I was smart enough out of high school (Top 20 in my class) but all those good grades in high school was pretty easy. I got accepted to Georgia Tech and fond out how difficult it was in the first semester. It did not help that I was a commuter to Tech. Regardless, I have some money by uncle left me to help pay for college. It was not my money so I did not really take it seriously. I was not a party animal, I just could not focus enough to make it. I dropped out of Tech after 2 semesters. I eventually landed at Kennesaw State but still only got through part of my sophomore year. My degree would have been Computer Information Systems.

I was lucky enough to have the aptitude for computers and IT work and a company that gave me a chance without a college degree. I started lower than those without one (started at 25k a year back in 1996) but I ended up making a nice career without a college degree paying very well.

College was not something either of my kids really wanted and we had some money set aside for them (not much) but we were very stern that we did not want them to get student loans. Neither of them (both girls) wanted to do anything that it seems most women could make decent money doing (nursing, teacher, etc). Both wanted to do something with graphic design, with one dead set on digital animation. But neither really want to put in any effort in advancing in any career, preferring to be the followers and never the leader. I am always scared for their future but even with the degrees they were pursuing I would worry about the same thing.

I LOVE the idea of vocational type training, but most of that stuff is heavily slanted towards stuff men would want to do. You will not find the majority of women that was to become a plumber, lineman, welder, auto mechanic, etc. Only vocational thing I ever see that most women gravitate to is Cosmetology, and that is not an easy field to make money in.

OK I got off the rails there, but the bottom line is college is not for everyone, but you better have a good backup plan and work your ass off to get where you want to be, which hopefully involves making the money to live.
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post reported.
 
The Sound Guy said:
Georgia Tech, Isn't that a division of UGA?

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Joe Biden GIF by CBS News
 
That's why I lean towards being self-employed. Want to be lazy then starve and blame yourself. Want to work your butt off and have the chance of success....good luck. No guarantees either way but it's nice to have options.
 
J-man said:
That's why I lean towards being self-employed. Want to be lazy then starve and blame yourself. Want to work your butt off and have the chance of success....good luck. No guarantees either way but it's nice to have options.
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Going into business was probably my only way to do better than just working for a paycheck. Since I didn't have college, no one wanted to hire me for the sweet jobs. And I didn't want to be a restaurant manager forever.

Having said, we also went through very hard times more than once. Almost went bankrupt at least once. Being in business is not for everyone.
 
J-man said:
That's why I lean towards being self-employed. Want to be lazy then starve and blame yourself. Want to work your butt off and have the chance of success....good luck. No guarantees either way but it's nice to have options.
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This is why I worry for my kids. They do not know what it means to work hard to make it. They want a paycheck with the least amount of effort. If my oldest really wanted to expand her YouTube presence, she would bust her butt to improve her content and put out new videos all the time. She has a part time job at a Paulding Co library branch but she needs a full time job as she loses insurance the end of Sept.

My youngest is going to work in the same job at Walmart forever. She has had opportunities to apply for a team lead position but does not want the responsibility. She just wants to do the least she can.
 
rolltidega said:
This is why I worry for my kids. They do not know what it means to work hard to make it. They want a paycheck with the least amount of effort. If my oldest really wanted to expand her YouTube presence, she would bust her butt to improve her content and put out new videos all the time. She has a part time job at a Paulding Co library branch but she needs a full time job as she loses insurance the end of Sept.

My youngest is going to work in the same job at Walmart forever. She has had opportunities to apply for a team lead position but does not want the responsibility. She just wants to do the least she can.
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They’re still young, it takes some people longer to get motivated. You have two great daughters and that will pay off eventually.
 
Guard Dad said:
Going into business was probably my only way to do better than just working for a paycheck. Since I didn't have college, no one wanted to hire me for the sweet jobs. And I didn't want to be a restaurant manager forever.

Having said, we also went through very hard times more than once. Almost went bankrupt at least once. Being in business is not for everyone.
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You know my background and how I ended up starting a business. We were a family of four with one on way working for pennies is South Georgia. As my brother later told me, it took guts to move to Atlanta and dive off the diving board without first checking to see if there was any water in the pool (I didn’t even have a pool back then). When I told my dad our plans his response was, “Well, it won’t hurt to try.” September of this year marks the beginning of our 30th year. I have been bless beyond measure, not necessarily financially, just blessed.
 
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