To those adults who have/have not earned a college degree...

[mrstickball]

makingmusic476 said:

mrstickball said:

Lets see:

• Yes
• Associates (or eqivilent)
• Pastoral Ministry
• Not employed currently, but still do a lot associated with it, and have used it to hold part-time employment
• No
• USA

*edit*

I would note that I got my degree part time through an internship program, through an accredited university (Lee University out of Cleveland TN).

For the most part, college degrees are worthless in praxis in the USA. I know very few people that went to college that I and my fiancee graduated with, that use their degrees for their stated field. I think the problem is that, in America, there is this notion that once you graduate, your either going to be stuck at McDonalds unless you go to college. For myself, I stayed out of college, continued to run my business (which I started at age 16) and worked for the government for a few years, starting at age 19.

Really, and truthfully, what it comes down to is defining what your life goals are in terms of career path, and doing your best to achieve success in that field. With my pastoral ministry, I obtained it because it was a very affordable (<$1,000) course that I could complete part time, and if I felt like that was my career path I wanted to take, I would have the education/certification aspects covered. Of course, my life has taken a little bit different path, which I can't complain about.

I believe being successful and having a college education merely correlate, as more often than not those with the willpower and talent to be successful are more likely to pursue a college education, while those that lack any such drive are not. 

Oh, I agree fully. However, I think that is changing as more people feel that they *need* to goto college to be successful. Rather than being successful already (in terms of drive, responsibility and maturity) and deciding college is the place to further your skills and abilities in the career you want.

Most non-college people do decide to not go because they lack the willpower/talent to do such. However, there are a lot out there that may just forgo the college education to get a 4 year headstart on others, and save all that money.

Personally, if I just wanted 'a job' I would go to my local vocational school, and become an electrician apprentice. It would be really easy for me since I mastered a lot of pneumatic theory being a paintball technician back when I was 15-16, and some of the stuff would correlate from a logical standpoint. Very easy $40-50/hr without a real college education. Most of what you learn is OTJT. Likewise, a gunsmith would be easy for me, and that is also $30-50/hr with mostly OTJT.