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

Kasz216 on 19 April 2010
Mr Khan said:

I imagine my degree won't be required, because my plan is to take the civil service test and get into the Foreign Service, where nominally you don't *need* any education at all. It's simply a matter of merit

 

We're moving beyond the point where a lot of degrees are good for making you actually stand out. Personal merit is moving further in, but some sort of degree is needed to get through the door

This is partially because of degree in flation.  We're trying to get MORE people go to college, but the truth is... we don't need more people to go to college.

Why give everyone college degrees (and student loans to pay) when it just means more people with Degrees are going to be handing out Coffee.



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Xxain on 19 April 2010

I want to ask what in Xxactly in music do you want to do? I always assumed you wanted play a instrument in band or something in which I would agree to drop out ONLY because music is about talent, not about credentials and a credential wont grant talent... thats something you'll have get on your own



makingmusic476 on 19 April 2010
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. 



FaRmLaNd on 19 April 2010

* whether you have earned a degree
Yes
* what level of degree you have earned
Bachelor
* what field of study you earned your credentials in
Visual Communication majoring in film
* whether or not you're currently employed in that same field of study
Yes, both through a part time job in the field and through freelance work
* whether your degree was required for you to attain said job (and I mean whether your specific degree was required, not if, say, a bachelor's degree in general was required)
No, a good amount of experience is required or contacts. The degree helps but its not a neccesity.
* your country/region of origin, as this may showcase differences in the education system of one country vs another
Australia



makingmusic476 on 19 April 2010
Xxain said:
I want to ask what in Xxactly in music do you want to do? I always assumed you wanted play a instrument in band or something in which I would agree to drop out ONLY because music is about talent, not about credentials and a credential wont grant talent... thats something you'll have get on your own

I'm not sure what I want to do.  I love to compose music, but I'm more of a riff box than anything, and I have trouble bringing together multiple ideas to form a cohesive whole.  I can come up with nice melodies, and can harmonize or solo over the work of others rather well.  I think I'm at my creative best when bouncing ideas off of others rather than working on my own, as I can embellish a piece quite nicely.  I can take a simple melody and turn it into something far more, with dual guitar leads, a rhythm section, the works.  Honestly, I'm beginning to think I'd make a better producer than composer.

And I have no intention of dropping out.  I realize that at least a basic degree is necessary for a large portion of the jobs out there.  I believe most of my courses are a waste of time/money, but in the end I still have to take them.  It's like I'm required to throw four years of my life away.  =/



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mrstickball on 19 April 2010
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.



Back from the dead, I'm afraid.

Akvod on 19 April 2010

IDK, college is simply another way of automatically weeding out the prospective employees. Although it's an expensive way to prove work ethic O.o But what else are we going to do to prove it?



mrstickball on 19 April 2010
Akvod said:
IDK, college is simply another way of automatically weeding out the prospective employees. Although it's an expensive way to prove work ethic O.o But what else are we going to do to prove it?

Tests?

Its a really crappy thing to require a $50,000 piece of paper to say you can, or cannot do something. It doesn't mean your very good at something - just that the college says you can.

The real test for any job would be to test the employee for a probationary period to see if they can do what they say they can.

For example, if your a web programmer, there are many tests you can take to prove the validity of your skills for sites like E-lance, and you get graded on your work to show prospective employers....That is a great way to do it.

Most local governments have a good way of doing it via civil service tests. They give you a test based on required skills for the job you are wanting. They grade all the prospective employees to see how well they did on the test, and take the top 5-15 candidates. Then they schedule interviews to see how legitimate they are with the potential job.



Back from the dead, I'm afraid.

alekth on 19 April 2010

* whether you have earned a degree
Yes
* what level of degree you have earned
Bachelor
* what field of study you earned your credentials in
Computer Science
* whether or not you're currently employed in that same field of study
Yes, mostly. (mostly, because there's very little involved of what I actually studied.)
* whether your degree was required for you to attain said job (and I mean whether your specific degree was required, not if, say, a bachelor's degree in general was required)
Yes. However, some certificates like MS or Cisco + experience would have done the job as well. The degree was good for getting the job without a list of previous employers.
* your country/region of origin, as this may showcase differences in the education system of one country vs another
UK, but I studied and worked in Germany until I went for another few years in college.



youarebadatgames on 19 April 2010
  • whether you have earned a degree
    • Yes
  • what level of degree you have earned
    • B.S., currently in school for MD
  • what field of study you earned your credentials in
    • B.S. Chemistry, Medical technology
  • whether or not you're currently employed in that same field of study
    • Worked for 3 years at a stem cell transplantation/cellular therapy lab in a cancer hospital
  • whether your degree was required for you to attain said job (and I mean whether your specific degree was required, not if, say, a bachelor's degree in general was required)
    • No, but most of us had med. tech degrees or biology related degrees
  • your country/region of origin, as this may showcase differences in the education system of one country vs another
    • U.S.A.

It's more important you pay attention to the fields that will have high demand in the coming years.  In other words, if you are in the US manufacturing of any kind unless it is biotechnology will not be a very good choice.  Skilled trades are always in demand.  A lot of job losses are because the economy is realigning for knowledge workers.  The way things are going all jobs will be 1) service sector 2) knowledge/IT/management/finance 3) military and defense and even these aren't completely safe.