# Hate to dscourage anyone, but...



## Futures (Aug 27, 2005)

Do you truely understand what a college degree prepares you for?

Given that all of us on here have SA and prefer to avoid social interaction, it seems odd that so many of us (myself included) would choose to go to college. IMO all college does is prepare you for a office job where you will: interact with co-workers, take phone calls from clients, meet face to face with clients, do presentations, etc.... pretty much everything most of us dread doing.

I went to college because I was taught to believe that it was "the thing to do in order to be successful." But now that I've gone through it and graduated, I'm left sitting here thinking it was all one big scam. 2 years later and I still sit here unemployed. Going to college is what created that unemployment gap on my resume that scares off most employers.

The last interview I went on (4th one in 2 years), the job was practically the worst job on earth, and they were offering a salary that was 50 cent higher than what I was making at my last job in highschool. I asked them about the future potentional, and guess what? ...there was none, unless you count a 35 cent raise after one year a bright future. WOW Im glad to see my degree is really getting me that great high paying job. /sarcasm I couldve kept that old job from high school and would be making way more than that by now.

I've also learned that liberal arts degree's are useless. I managed to learn nothing in 5 years of college. If I could do it over, I would have gone to a school and got into something that actually teaches you a real skill that can be used in the real world. That's what todays employers really want.

College degree's have become so common, that employers don't even seem to care anymore. The person who submitted for that job before you had a college degree, and the person who will submit after you will likely have one too.

I browse job ads everyday and the job description for every ad is so discouraging in so many ways. First off, there seems to be no such thing as "entry level" anymore. Today entry level means 2-5 years experience. Without those 2-5 years, your selection is pretty much narrowed down to sales, management trainee, or some other all commission job. ...Not exactly an SA'er's cup of tea.

Second, the wages continue to go down. I just read a new article today and it mentioned that salaries for college grads have dropped for the 4th year in a row.

Third, the number one skill everyone wants in communication skills, soon followed up with good phone skills. 

I'm really quite bitter by the whole thing. I really wish I would've taken a different route. There are so many blue collar jobs out there that are in high demand that seem so much well suited for someone with SA.

It's odd because I read these boards and I can't help but see people that are going down the exact same road I went down. They are just blindly persuing that college degree without really having any clear direction about what they really want to. They hate social interaction just as much as me, yet they are going through something that will put them dead center in that situation. They are just doing it because once again, they were taught to believe that it's the thing to do.

Are most of you who are currently still in school, do you truely know the reality of what is waiting for you once you graduate?

Again I'm not trying to scare anyone or discourage people, because I'm sure there will be some on here that will be an exception to everything I said. But for others...


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## Planewalker (Feb 5, 2004)

Hm, well, I can't speak for you Americans because I don't live in the USA. But I do believe the employment situation in Croatia is no radically different than in the rest of the world. College degrees are becoming a necessity. If what you say is true, that college degrees are becoming common, then woe to the person without one, since employers will always prefer someone with a degree. In this age of high education, there are less and less jobs available to those who have never finished college. Remember - employers seek expertise.

Secondly, a college degree is indeed not a ticket to the world of high wages and instant employment. Every individual must choose their degree carefully. It involves an introspection of one's own interests and desires, but also a quick overview of the job world. There are degrees that are highly sought after and those that are not. I hate to say it, but degrees in arts aren't so fortunate when it comes to demand. Nowadays everyone is better off acquiring a degree in some practical field, like engineering, electronics, languages, medicine, economics, etc. Theoretical fields like sociology or theology are good because, if nothing else, at least they can land you a teaching job.

Like i said, I'm not sure if I got this right. Croatia has only about 7% of university-educated people, but our degrees are much harder to acquire and are worth a little more than American degrees. Still, my point stands - college degrees are essential in today's society, especially if you're serious about your career.


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## Amocholes (Nov 5, 2003)

If one avoids a certain type of situation, that situation does not make it go away. It only isolates the individual further. You may not then know how to handle yourself when you are forced into a situation.

The college degree is not entirely worthless. I am 45 yo and have never been to college. I work for a large international company. Without getting a degree of some type, I cannot advance in the company. The most that I can hope for is a 1-5% raise every year based on how well I perform and how well the people I work with don't. My current boss actually sat down with me and told me that I need to get a degree. I don't know yet whether I will do so or not. 

Getting a job and supporting yourself is a fact of life. The option of not going to college may cause someone to end up doing a series of low paying jobs well past the age of retirement. It's just a lot easier to get away from jobs like salesman for Circuit City if you have that piece of paper. Working a blue collor job does not get you out of dealing with people. It just means living from paycheck to paycheck for most of your life.


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## Null (Nov 6, 2003)

> If what you say is true, that college degrees are becoming common, then woe to the person without one, since employers will always prefer someone with a degree. In this age of high education, there are less and less jobs available to those who have never finished college. Remember - employers seek expertise.


Exactly. People like me who don't have the money or brains for college are screwed today. Oh well, the world is always gonna need people to scrub toilets, haul away garbage, and scrape dead animals off the road. Hell, even those jobs are probably gonna require some kind of degree in the future! :roll


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## kikachuck (Nov 10, 2003)

Null said:


> > If what you say is true, that college degrees are becoming common, then woe to the person without one, since employers will always prefer someone with a degree. In this age of high education, there are less and less jobs available to those who have never finished college. Remember - employers seek expertise.
> 
> 
> Exactly. People like me who don't have the money or brains for college are screwed today. Oh well, the world is always gonna need people to scrub toilets, haul away garbage, and scrape dead animals off the road. Hell, even those jobs are probably gonna require some kind of degree in the future! :roll


I think it is going even beyond that almost to the point where a graduate degree is needed to really make it. I believe that within a few years a simple bachelors degree is going to be worth as much as a high school diploma is today.


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## z.e. (Feb 26, 2005)

it is the thing to do. It is how one proves one's worthiness and skills. It is the basis of middle-class America and a professional white-collar economy. I don't see why people get upset about that.


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## brygb217 (Dec 3, 2003)

I live the US, and most of the time, I have no idea what practical use a degree will have for me when I'm out in the "real world". Because, currently, I don't know what to major in. I started (still am) an English major-- but that's because high school guidance counselors "helped" me to pick what I'm passionate about. But, granted I don't "find myself" (wtf does that mean) in college as so many people say I will, and finish with an English diploma... what will that do for me? I can't do anything with it, especially in my area...


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## WhyMe888 (Aug 22, 2005)

....


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## Goran (Dec 9, 2003)

What i wish i knew was the commerical weight of college, and the fact that they are a bussines. It's not an educational institution (by my standards). I think the teaching standard is dropping substantially since you have more and more people. You're basically there to invest odd $20,000 (or whatever), to get a piece of paper which says "You now have a possibility to work there and there". I also somehow missed the point that college was really about trashing yourself, dating, fun...etc...studying minimaly; maybe because of SA, but also because i held the values taught by my parents (who back in those days valued college highly). 

I'm very disapointed at how the degree is easily devalued by employers to get you working at a minimal wage or jobs that even a computer is refusing to do. (But of course they have a bussiness to run). While the university itself is so overvaluing it. I feel very repulsed by the industry which now thinks they can get me all hyped up about getting ANY job (as long as i enter the machine), so they can use me for the next 20 years, and me feeling somehow thankful to them. 

This is a good topic. I don't think college is neccessarily bad, but these young people are uninformed about the many possible interpretatons of what it really is. They just do what their parents think should be done.


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## rb27 (Jul 17, 2005)

You guys are scaring the crap outta me. I'm currently a junior working on my BA in Political Science. I have no idea what I'm going to do with it, perhaps go on to get a masters but really I'm just kinda taking things one step at a time. I'm constantly asked what I can do with a degree in Political Science and all I can say is "I don't know, I'm just interested in the subject". A lot of people don't like that response but it's just the truth. I could lie and say I'm going to law school, but why? I'm not passionate about anything, I just want to live comfortably and not have to worry about job security my whole life. As of right now, it's either go to school or work full time at a gas station.

Besides, I do get paid roughly $800 in VA benefits a month for going to school, so it's basically like a job anyways.


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## sonya99 (Sep 5, 2005)

*I can take it*

My life is so boring. My parents can afford college, so I do it. I'm used to being told what to do, and now that I'm an adult, I don't know how to act like one. I like college because it fills my time, I like everyone's youthful exuberance. I like being in a large city where things are happening all around me. I like not having my parents bug me. I don't necessarily count on college helping my career. I'm not thinking that far ahead.


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## Username (Oct 27, 2004)

Wish I had known back then, but too late now. At least by next year I'll have an honours B.A. It may not seem like much now and I doubt it'll make much of a return on the tens of thousands I've sunk into it (not to mention didn't earn because I was at school full-time). But on the upside I've learned quite a bit in the past several years, about myself and the world around me, and I'm nicely set up to go for a graduate degree. 

In retropsect, I should've gone into the trades. It's still an option for me after I graduate uni next semester. There's no rush. Only a handful of careers places a premium on age of entry. The rest are still game.

cheers


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## El Conquistador (Sep 7, 2005)

The three most important skills in life are writing, speaking and reasoning.

Very few classes teach any of them at all.


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## emptybottle (Jan 3, 2005)

*Re: I can take it*



sonya99 said:


> My life is so boring. My parents can afford college, so I do it. I'm used to being told what to do, and now that I'm an adult, I don't know how to act like one. I like college because it fills my time,


Same here. Deep down I know I'm wasting my parents' money and it makes me feel massively guilty on a daily basis.

Pharmacy or anything in the medical field is the way to go nowadays. I change my major every year, but I pay close attention to what types of jobs are in high demand so I can can feel that what I'm doing isn't useless, and I change my major accordingly. The problem is always finding out I suck at/am too dumb for my major.


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## kikachuck (Nov 10, 2003)

Watching this thread, it seems that the people who are younger and in college seem to think that it is worthless and the people who are old enough to know the value of a degree seems do think it isn't. Does maturity have something to do with opinions on college? It may seem like a waste now but perhaps you don't really understand the benifit of it until later?

El Conquistador: That couldn't be a serious argument. College is the best place to learn those skills. Why do you think it is that English, math and often communications classes are required for graduates??


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## mserychic (Oct 2, 2004)

I'm young and in college and I don't think it's worthless at all. Then again I'm working fulltime to be able to pay for it so might feel different if ya have yr parents paying.. but still how is learning ever worthless? It's all what ya make it to be


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## Username (Oct 27, 2004)

El Conquistador said:


> The three most important skills in life are writing, speaking and reasoning.
> 
> Very few classes teach any of them at all.


From my experience any Arts program course deals with all three of those skills. They don't address them directly, but do incorporate them into the lesson plan, demanding that the student write papers, present them to the class, and all throughout those two activities exercise their faculty of reasoning.

Whether or not the student learns anything from these endeavours relies almost entirely on the quality of the instructor. Good professors will challenge the student's reasoning, criticize (constructively) their writing and press them with difficult questions following their oral presentations. The bad ones ... well ... the bad ones do what's listed in their job requirements and little more.

I do believe, though, that a critical thinking class (argument assessment, logical fallacies, etc.) should be mandatory for all university students.


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## Goran (Dec 9, 2003)

> From my experience any Arts program course deals with all three of those skills


I was also gonna say that. And yet somehow the arts program is the least useful.


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## Goran (Dec 9, 2003)

> Does maturity have something to do with opinions on college?


I would say the values have changed in 30 odd years. I think the older graduates value college from tradition, and it's hard to let go (maybe i'm bullsh*ting but i feel that's how it is) Also, i would say the younger people will progressively think less and less good about college in the future.


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## Zephyr (Nov 8, 2003)

I'm in university mostly because it's the only thing I'm good at. I'll be graduating this year and applying to get into optometry school starting next fall. If that works out then I think, for me, it's been worth it........


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## bellicose (Sep 16, 2004)

Well, it's no surprise that you haven't found a job if you've only done four interviews in the past two years..


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## Futures (Aug 27, 2005)

kikachuck said:


> Watching this thread, it seems that the people who are younger and in college seem to think that it is worthless and the people who are old enough to know the value of a degree seems do think it isn't. Does maturity have something to do with opinions on college? It may seem like a waste now but perhaps you don't really understand the benifit of it until later?


I think the reason the older crowd likes college is because back in the day a college degree really was useful. Most people didn't go to college, so if you were one of the ones who did, your resume and stood out and got you hired.

But these days everyone and their brother now has a college degree. It's like everything else in life.... the more common something becomes, the less value it holds.



El Conquistador said:


> The three most important skills in life are writing, speaking and reasoning.
> 
> Very few classes teach any of them at all.


I agree. Everything I learned in college just went in one ear and out the other as soon as the test was over. People's brains operate on a "use it or lose it" basis. If what you learn doesn't apply to the real world, then you probably won't remember it for very long.



bellicose said:


> Well, it's no surprise that you haven't found a job if you've only done four interviews in the past two years..


I wish I had the luxury of being able to force employers to interview and hire me but it doesnt work that way. Nearly 200 resumes sent out, and 4 interviews is all I could manage so far.


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## kikachuck (Nov 10, 2003)

Futures said:


> kikachuck said:
> 
> 
> > Watching this thread, it seems that the people who are younger and in college seem to think that it is worthless and the people who are old enough to know the value of a degree seems do think it isn't. Does maturity have something to do with opinions on college? It may seem like a waste now but perhaps you don't really understand the benifit of it until later?
> ...


But isn't that an argument FOR a degree. If everybody has one and you don't wouldn't that put you at a serious disadvantage in the job market? Let's say an employer has 5 applicants for a job, 4 have degrees and 1 doesn't, do you think he is even going to consider the non-degree person? Not likely!


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## Futures (Aug 27, 2005)

I'm not in the position of only having a HS diploma so it's hard to see things from that point of view. But today it seems like companies want experience, experience, and then more experience. A person who jumps into the workforce straight out of HS is going to already have 5 years of experience under his belt by the time the graduate comes along with 5 years of education and no real experience. So when two people apply for a job with the scernario above, I'd say the guy with 5 years experience has MUCH BETTER odds of getting the job over the guy with the college degree.

Sounds silly, but that's how it works today. The job ads I see usually say "college degree *OR* equivilant experience." Then they go on to list a bunch of other skills they want, but the catch is the college graduate wont have those extra skills, but the guy with 5 years experience will. If you were a business owner, would you rather hire a guy who already knows what to do, or would you hire some college graduate who knows nothing and then you have to baby sit/train him?

I really don't think it's just coincidence that every person I know who only has a HS diploma is more successful than every college graduate in recent years.


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## geek (Aug 11, 2005)

kikachuck said:


> Let's say an employer has 5 applicants for a job, 4 have degrees and 1 doesn't, do you think he is even going to consider the non-degree person? Not likely!


Unless the one without the degree has 4 years of work experience in the field and the others don't...

ETA: yea, what Futures said. I should learn how to read ALL of the thread before I reply :lol


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## z.e. (Feb 26, 2005)

I maintain that there is more to a college degree than earning power--that intellectualism has value in and of itself. I attend a major research university that attracts brilliant people, works, and ideas from all over the world, and that alone makes me glad to have the opportunity to be here. I am thankful for having grown up in a middle-class family in an industrialized country where college is simply "the thing to do". In my chosen career path I will never make a lot of money, but I feel that I will have earned considerable intellectual capital


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## kikachuck (Nov 10, 2003)

geek said:


> kikachuck said:
> 
> 
> > Let's say an employer has 5 applicants for a job, 4 have degrees and 1 doesn't, do you think he is even going to consider the non-degree person? Not likely!
> ...


But how is one going to get that work experience if they can't break into the industry because everybody else has degrees to start with?


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## identityless (Apr 14, 2004)

A wise man once said....

If you want to get into the lower-middle class, go to a state school...
If you want to get into the upper-middle class, go to an Ivy league school....
If you want to make a difference, drop out

An incomplete list of professions that this advice does not apply to:
* Doctor
* Lawyer
* Psychologist
* Therapist
* Astronaut
* Teacher
* Minister
* Pharmacist
* Geneticist
* Professional Engineer
* Orchestra Conductor


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## Goran (Dec 9, 2003)

> But how is one going to get that work experience if they can't break into the industry because everybody else has degrees to start with?


....And then being "retrained" by the industry experts...they're showing no confidence in a university degree whatsoever. In fact it is the industry who's clearly showing that a degree is becoming quite useless, not me -- the basher. Either that or they're playing the graduates like puppets (who want to work so badly -- dumb buggers)


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## mimimaus (Aug 16, 2005)

*Hate to discourage anyone but....*

Hello Futures,

I FEEL exactly the same as you. I am 25 and did a 4 year Social Work degree at Sydney University.

I finished my degree in October 2003 and have only 6 months experience (although its almost 2 years since Ive been out).

I now live in Germany and have being here for almost 11 months and although all the germans say that my german is good relative to the time that I have being here, it is still not good enough to work here as a social worker

Anyway this 6 months exeperience that I got in Australia was when I was only working 2 days a week. the rest of the week (4 days) i was working in a supermarket even though I had a degree.

And the funny thing is that at the hospital as a social worker i was getting paid 20 australian dollars a week and at the supermarket i was getting paid 18 dollars a week as i was a casual.

Of course that was the higher rate as it was a casual rate but the funny thing was that i was getting almost full time hours (my supermarket was opened from 6am till midnight seven days a week) so i always had extra hours if i wanted to.

anyway everyone knows that social workers get paid like crap. But i didnt really know that at 18.

And also I cant believe that I chose that considering that I have SA. Anyway At the moment I am waiting for answer to see if i can work here.

A social worker (where I was doing my german course) made a copy of my degree and it has being sent to be translated.

But yes I really understand how you feel. I feel like I completely wasted 4 years of my life on a degree that although there are jobs, gets paid like crap.

Also even though the job needs to be done, lots of people dont find it appealing.

Also Ive heard almost every kind of joke, all the stereotypes of social workers etc. And that My mark to get into uni was way higher than the mark that I needed to do social work. I mean I could have studied something with more prestige.

See because of my SA I tend to think too much of what others think and thats why i am now considering going back to uni to do something that will get me more respect and one in which i dont have to deal with people less than a social worker, if that makes sense.

Can you all see the mistakes piling up.

Just wanted to say I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND!!!!!

I also wanted to add that I regret studying social work not going to UNI. I think its because its a gamble at 18 to choose what you want to do. I mean now in retrospect I would have studied either Criminal law or something with animals.

BTW any other social workers or students studying social work on this forum. Dont want to bash social workers. I know they do an important job.


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## laplume (Jun 10, 2005)

I guess it depends on what career you are trying to get into... if a degree isn't required or won't increase your chances of being hired then it seems better to skip school and start working earlier.


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## bellicose (Sep 16, 2004)

I believe that if you're a college graduate and you actually studied something useful, you have a very good chance of getting a decent job. If you're unemployed or stuck with a ****ty job, you're not trying hard enough.

Every person I know who's under 30 and earned a bachelor's degree (yes, even BAs) went straight from graduation to a job earning $45k+-- more than their parents in most cases. This summer I had my own office and was paid twice the minimum wage full-time and I'm only a college sophomore, not even a HS graduate. Now I've got some experience and I'll have even more by the time I graduate. There are TONS of places hiring. Just go to interviews, be professional and have a positive outlook. I don't see what the big deal is.

Sorry if this was brusque :b I just don't understand it when people complain about how pointless college is, because it's totally untrue.


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## sparkations (Nov 26, 2003)

> Third, the number one skill everyone wants in communication skills, soon followed up with good phone skills.


Yeah, I struggle with SA constantly, and to think that the one most important factor when it comes to job performance hinges on my social skills sucks big time.

Most jobs that graduates of a 4-year academic college/university program are suited for are marketing and sales positions. If you have a liberal arts degree, you are most likely going to end up in marketing and sales, since you're not suitable for technical fields like pharmacy, nursing, engineering, or what not, and gues what? Marketing and sales require lots of interpersonal skills.



> The last interview I went on (4th one in 2 years), the job was practically the worst job on earth, and they were offering a salary that was 50 cent higher than what I was making at my last job in highschool.


4 interviews in 2 years? Wow, that's not a lot at all. I think you're discouraged because you lack a lot of connections and opportunities-and that's why you think that college is a waste. My advice to you is to probably research career options more, and perhaps see a recruiter to help you find a job.



> Second, the wages continue to go down. I just read a new article today and it mentioned that salaries for college grads have dropped for the 4th year in a row.





> WOW Im glad to see my degree is really getting me that great high paying job. /sarcasm I couldve kept that old job from high school and would be making way more than that by now.


Regardless, college graduates on average do make more than those with only a highschool diploma. The reality is, most positions that offer those high paying salaries require college degrees. There's no doubt that you will be stuck in a dead-end financially if you lack a college degree. I could have sworn that in most circumstances, you are only a good candidate to work in fast food places, factories, etc with a high school diploma.

To get into business and marketing, Generally, high school diplomas don't lead you anywhere. From what I've seen, most of the ads that I've perused in the marketing and sales field REQUIRE post high school education along with the experience!!!



> I believe that if you're a college graduate and you actually studied something useful, you have a very good chance of getting a decent job. If you're unemployed or stuck with a @#%$ job, you're not trying hard enough.


I wholeheartedly agree. I think anyone who wants to make a lot right off the bat should discount those marketing and sales job (since you do generally have to start off at the bottom, and climb your way up the corporate ladder), and go into a field that is more specialized. For instance, with a bachelors of science in nursing degree in Canada, you can make 45K or more right after you graduate.


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## Futures (Aug 27, 2005)

bellicose said:


> Every person I know who's under 30 and earned a bachelor's degree (yes, even BAs) went straight from graduation to a job earning $45k+-- more than their parents in most cases. This summer I had my own office and was paid twice the minimum wage full-time and I'm only a college sophomore, not even a HS graduate. Now I've got some experience and I'll have even more by the time I graduate. There are TONS of places hiring. Just go to interviews, be professional and have a positive outlook. I don't see what the big deal is.
> 
> Sorry if this was brusque :b I just don't understand it when people complain about how pointless college is, because it's totally untrue.


Graduating college and walking into a 45K+ job within weeks is completely unheard of these days. Like I said in my previous post... there was a recent news article about the wages going down. And I've seen it with my very own eyes. When I started looking, the average starting salary was low 30's. Honestly, now I feel like I'll be lucky if I can get 25K. That seems to be the new average.

But unless you're in some specialty field that is in high demand, you will never get 45K to start.


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## triple7 (Sep 18, 2005)

I don't feel discouraged by the fact that after this year(my final year of my degree), I will be without a job to go into and possibly have to work in macdonalds or somewhere like that to earn some money for a while... Personally Im not looking for any old career to go into, I had a chance with I.T but I gave that up after only a year to pursue a Fine Arts degree... WHY? 

Its because I believe that you should never follow blindly where other people lead you. A few years ago I was encouraged by my brother who was in that industry to forget about a degree and just do it because he saw I had some skills with computers (due to me having no life then..), and he got me a place at his work.. I earned lots of cash and basically could have gone on to a career but I got myself intentionally fired after a year( which was my way of quitting work due to S.A and depression).. basically I wasn't happy there, I was just following along like a sheep... 

I decided to do Fine Art because it was a challenge, it went against lots of my beliefs, had little career relevance, and meant LOTS of social situations... Those were MY reasons for doing it.. not just for the degree which is a critical point im making!

So wherever I go after I finish my degree it doesn't matter because I trust my instincts.. if you truly want a $100,000 a year career you will find a way to get yourself one... employers like determination and love CONFIDENCE... So my life is geared towards building those foundations through the things I do, getting a degree while beating S.A down into the ground... What im doing is learning new life skills with my academic skills, effectively tailoring my education for my needs right now... tailor something to do what YOU need it to do for you.. I say forget always trying to fit into a tidy category or a box i.e, a degree, a career, instead make your own.. degree with life skills I need to improve for better future prospects... PIMP YOUR DEGREE... and thats something we can ALL do... 8)


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## Norske (Sep 21, 2005)

Futures said:


> Graduating college and walking into a 45K+ job within weeks is completely unheard of these days. Like I said in my previous post... there was a recent news article about the wages going down. And I've seen it with my very own eyes. When I started looking, the average starting salary was low 30's. Honestly, now I feel like I'll be lucky if I can get 25K. That seems to be the new average.
> 
> But unless you're in some specialty field that is in high demand, you will never get 45K to start.


I'm not sure what your field is but such a starting salary isn't very hard to get in many fields. Nursing, IT professionals and chemists with AIC certification can all easily recieve over a fifty thousand dollar a year salary after graduation.

Right now registered nurses from any foreign country with a degree recognized in the US can immediatly recieve a green card. Does that say anything?


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## Stranger (Sep 26, 2005)

kikachuck said:


> Watching this thread, it seems that the people who are younger and in college seem to think that it is worthless and the people who are old enough to know the value of a degree seems do think it isn't. Does maturity have something to do with opinions on college?


Yes. I went to college briefly when I was 18 because it was the expected thing to do. I guess you could say I majored in Budweiser because I promptly flunked out. I didn't care. I only went to get out of the house and live in the dorms. I worked at Wal-mart for several years, got promoted to customer service manager, which basically means you hand out change to the cashiers and answer any questions from cashiers or customers. 
When my daugther came along in '94, I knew something had to change. I signed up for the practical nursing school at my local vo-tech. 9 1/2 years later I am burned out on bed pans and death and suffering. So it's back to school only this time it's a fast-track IT Bachelor's program via online classes. I know realistically that I could never have done well at this when I was 18. I just didn't have the fortitude. But I'm hoping that by going into computers my future will hold something for me. . .. . . . .. :huh


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## brock (Jan 4, 2004)

LOL...there are tons of people leaving IT and getting into nursing due to the job security. It'll be an uphill battle for you, that's for sure. Good luck!



Stranger said:


> Yes. I went to college briefly when I was 18 because it was the expected thing to do. I guess you could say I majored in Budweiser because I promptly flunked out. I didn't care. I only went to get out of the house and live in the dorms. I worked at Wal-mart for several years, got promoted to customer service manager, which basically means you hand out change to the cashiers and answer any questions from cashiers or customers.
> When my daugther came along in '94, I knew something had to change. I signed up for the practical nursing school at my local vo-tech. 9 1/2 years later I am burned out on bed pans and death and suffering. So it's back to school only this time it's a fast-track IT Bachelor's program via online classes. I know realistically that I could never have done well at this when I was 18. I just didn't have the fortitude. But I'm hoping that by going into computers my future will hold something for me. . .. . . . .. :huh


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## El Conquistador (Sep 7, 2005)

kikachuck said:


> Watching this thread, it seems that the people who are younger and in college seem to think that it is worthless and the people who are old enough to know the value of a degree seems do think it isn't. Does maturity have something to do with opinions on college? It may seem like a waste now but perhaps you don't really understand the benifit of it until later?
> 
> El Conquistador: That couldn't be a serious argument. College is the best place to learn those skills. Why do you think it is that English, math and often communications classes are required for graduates??


Are you kidding me?

Most of them deal with memorizing facts off of a powerpoint presentation to regurgitate on an exam. That's not reasoning. That's worthless memorization. My education is supposed to well...educate me. Instead I read words off of a screen for an exam? That does nothing.

English courses that love long, complex sentences prepare you for nothing. People don't want to read a 30 word sentence that can be shortened to 5 and still make sense.

And speaking? Save one class that teaches the bare, bare basics, no way.


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## Stranger (Sep 26, 2005)

brock said:


> LOL...there are tons of people leaving IT and getting into nursing due to the job security. It'll be an uphill battle for you, that's for sure. Good luck!


I do know all about the nursing shortage and I give nursing credit as a field in which one will never go hungry. I can just about walk into any health care facility and get hired on the spot, pending whatever background checks they might do. I just don't want to do this the rest of my life. :| All this death and dying gets pretty old, plus nursing is hard on you physically after you do it for a few years. I look forward to working with computers, though, because they're more of an exact science than medicine.


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