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College U: Is college relevant?

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in Opinion
Monday, January 4. 2010
Comments (17)
Thomas College, a liberal arts school in Maine, advertises itself as Home of the Guaranteed Job! Students who can’t find work in their fields within six months of graduation can come back to take classes free, or have the college pay their student loans for a year.

The University of Louisiana, Lafayette, is eliminating its philosophy major, while Michigan State University is doing away with American studies and classics, after years of declining enrollments in those majors.

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#1 Anonymous on 01/04/10 at 07:29 AM
Yes, I do think college is necessary. A four year degree has some how become a right of passage in order to be considered qualified for most entry level positions that 20 years ago required only a high school diploma. Jobs are available to those who choose a field of study that requires technical skills. For those who choose differently should be willing to accept the standard of living that is customary to the acquired skills of their chosen field of study. Yes, college is an investment which should provide a pay off if one takes the time before hand to research how marketable the skill set. If one chooses to peruse a passion vs. an occupation they should be willing to accept what goes with it.
#1.1 Anonymous on 01/04/10 at 09:30 AM
depending on the field, college degrees are over rated. I would rather have someone that has experience in the specific field rather than have someone that learned about it in book.
Some of the best professionals out there got as good as they are by trial and error. I went to a technical college for the field im in. I make just under 50k a year. There are many people that have went to college and put up with all that crap and barely make 32k a year. That is horse manure.
#1.1.1 Anonymous on 01/04/10 at 10:21 AM
Thanks for the reply. Well it depends on how much money you want to make. Around 50K is not bad for someone with a technical training but an engineer entry level position starts out about 70K and can only go up from there. Plus, if you don’t have a degree 50K-60K will be your limit unless you are the owner and then you will need engineering support to keep up with the market.
#2 Fred L on 01/04/10 at 07:35 AM
This looks suspiciously similar to a New York Times piece published last week: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/03/education/edlife/03careerism-t.html?ref=edlife
#3 Andrew Odom on 01/04/10 at 08:24 AM
Not suspicious at all. Please see the very bottom of the full opinion article where it gives credit to original source and author.

Thank you for keeping us honest though Fred!
#4 Anonymous on 01/04/10 at 09:22 AM
In the absence of experience, a college degree is very important to potential employers in that is proves the individual was willing and able to set and accomplish a long term goal (getting a degree).
#5 Concerned Citizen on 01/04/10 at 09:57 AM
I think the american college system we have today is a waste of time. Before i go further, i am not saying college is not needed, i am simply saying the current system we use today. Why must one spend thousands of dollars and many long hours learning something that has nothing to do with your career choice. I think college should be all about your career and not just jumping through hoops and lining some college executives pockets. People complain all the time about america being behind other countries in education, well there is a reason for that. I have heard many different sides to my opinion on this situation but i strongly believe that college classes should be geared toward the career choice you have made and not about something you will never use in your career such. An example is if i am going for a technology degree, then why should i have to waste my time and money paying for an art class that will serve me no good, or business law class. The purpose of the technology degree is to do technology not business law and art. In times of hardship and rising expectations it is wasting students time and money by making them take classes for something they will never use. People get discouraged when they are forced to do something they know nothing about and decide to quit because they cant struggle through it. While i agree that a person should prove that they can complete a long term goal i think there are better ways of doing that. Thoughts?
#5.1 Anonymous on 01/04/10 at 10:34 AM
As someone move up in their career many of these classes as deemed unnecessary come in handy. Technical courses do prepare you for the immediate work at hand but as you become proficient and take on more responsibility you find yourself interfacing with people working in all departments like, marketing, publications, manufacturing, sales, research and development, executive management, human resources and end users of all walks of life. I have been in the high tech industry for the last 35 years and my technical expertise is only a fraction of what is required to do my job.
#6 cats on 01/04/10 at 10:08 AM
With the exception of accounting or health related degrees, I almost think technical schools are the way to go these days.
I can't imagine the stress of having tens of thousands of dollars worth of student loans to pay back, and working as a busboy. And I'm only saying busboy as an example of a job that would not be enough to pay for the loan, much less shelter and feed yourself.
#7 Anonymous on 01/04/10 at 10:27 AM
If you want to be trained in your field, go to technical school.
If you want a chance to expand your mind, learn how to think (and not what to think), be exposed to different perspectives with the opportunity to understand life beyond what you have learned from simple trial and error..then go to college. Take a few philosophy courses.

My degree is in computer science but I have received much benefit from the multiple classes I took outside of my major.. such as math (logic skills) and physics (using logic) as well as history (where we came from), economics (still confusing), political science (which ALL Americans should be required to take) and philosophy (helped me to question my thought system). The list goes on. It was a wonderful experience for me because I was able to see the interconnectedness of many things which seem disconnected.

I WOULD NOT TRADE IT FOR THE WORLD. And for those who do not choose to experience it, you do not know what you are missing. And if you have experienced it and did not enjoy learning, you went for the wrong reason. Its priceless..(metaphorically speaking of couse..it has cost me a fortune)
#8 Anonymous on 01/04/10 at 10:48 AM
all the ceo of the big companies and their board of directors have college degrees.....think of all the big paying jobs, physicians, lawyers, dentists, cpa, vet, engineers, ivestment bankers, brokers, and etc....all these are college degree required.....Yes, if you go to college and get a nurse degree or teaching degree; maybe you could get more money with a technical degree in diesal engine repair, or electrical tech.....but with a college degree you always have the dream that you can go higher and end up with the big paying position....Also, alot of people look around and say that a or b or c are making tons of money and they arent educated.....well, i bet their parents or inlaws had money or i bet their spouse is educated.......also, alot of people dont flaunt their education..I lived 4 years next to a man who worked for shell oil and i couldnt believe how much money they spent....years later when he retired, i read a article about him and learned he was a PhD and led their research on effect of pesticides on the enviroment........get that education
#9 Anonymous on 01/04/10 at 10:55 AM
Andrew, you are a good example of the value of education.....You could have 4 years ago gone to work for MARTA in Atlanta driving a bus and would have better benefits and better pay and more time off than you do now......But you know that one day you will be like Walter and be making the big bucks......Also, if you spouted off on a Marta Bus what you do on this site, you would get your butt whipped
#10 Anonymous on 01/04/10 at 11:08 AM
According to a UNICEF study on educational systems throughout the world..the USA ranks 18 out of 24 countries. South Korea and Japan are near the top. SOUTH KOREA PEOPLE!!! SOUTH KOREA.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/11/26/world/main530872.shtml

I suppose it is safe to say the next generation of intellectuals and great thinkers will not come from our country.

Lets cut some more taxes!! No heath care and no education...thats socialist. At least people will be too dumb to know what they are dying of.
#10.1 Anonymous on 01/04/10 at 12:22 PM
Spend some time in Gwinnett County and see just how successful the South Koreans have become in Georgia. It took them only 15 years to own the county. It is probobly the most successful county in the state.
#10.1.1 Anonymous on 01/10/10 at 08:09 AM
Koreans and Asians play the system. They will do things like get as many insurance policies on the oldest person in the family that is close to their last years and 3 or 4 people help paying the policies. When they die there are 3 people that get to split a couple hundred thousand dollars. If this has been going on for years there is no telling how much these families have.
This is very smart to do but still. Its working the system.
#10.2 Anonymous on 01/04/10 at 02:33 PM
They are disciplined and that is why they are so far above us. Have you seen how students act in this country? Visit a classroom in Korea and then in the US and see how undisciplined we are.
#11 MINICoop on 01/04/10 at 03:27 PM
As a recent college grad, I have noticed that having a degree is helpful, but experience in a related field is more valuable. With the risk involved in today's economy, more employers are looking for solid, experienced candidates, who they know can do the job. They would rather not train someone to do the job, regardless of whether they have the education or not.
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