If you've graduated, was school really worth it?

Question

I think I could've spent the last 18 years or so doing something more worthwhile, and learning the important stuff on my own

Answer 1

Now that I think back to it, I didnt really learn anything that was worthwhile after the fifth grade. The rest was just learning to confrom to society's rules, learning to get along with teachers you didnt see eye to eye with, learning to juggle work and school... stuff like that.

Answer 2

Yes. It's really important when you're looking for a job. Most employers who pay anything worthwhile are going to want that diploma or the equivalent. Also, it seems like a terrible waste not to finish. Spending 10+ years in school and quitting makes all of that time worthless.

I've found it very worthwhile to have completed school. It's helped me get jobs, get into college (which has helped me get better jobs) and settle in to a life I enjoy. People who way the "school of reality" or the "real world" teach more don't know what they are talking about because in reality, education opens more doors than it closes. Any doors it closes weren't worth going through anyway.

Answer 3

That's a tuff question...I think schooling has gotten out of hand....too much importance placed on it. I don't like the idea of everyone being 'conditioned' to think the same either, BUT I did learn a lot from it. A lot of skills I use today, for example, writing, so that I can share my thoughts here, or math, so I know when the people at work are screwing me out of my pay at the end of the week.
It's too bad classrooms couldn't be a lot smaller and less 'stuff' crammed into every ones head. I was very anxious in school and did a lot of 'underground' bad things there (pranks) to fight the system!

Oh yeah, and being a business owner is where the money is, especially today....jobs are were part of the industrial revolution and 95% of the people end up broke after working 45 years of their life

Answer 4

If I had to do it over again with what I know now...I'd want to have learned how to be better at money management, business skills, and character development. Learning about the world, reading, math and science would've all been better learning hands on, outside of a classroom, and not in a book. Then again...the luxury to do that...wouldn't have been available to me~because I was a normal middle class kid growing up in on an island surrounded by the Pacific Ocean. So, I guess to answer yor question from my personal point of view: NO. However, if anything that graduation from high schoool was worth the effort...it's that small piece of paper that proves that you stuck it long enough to learn some basic life skills to get by on.

Answer 5

I think school is valuble if you are really into it and it supports your career. I have two graduate degrees and am very happy that I had the opportunity to pursue them. There are many ways to make a living. Some require attending a college or university and some do not. Anything you enjoy doing is worthwhile, school or not. The important thing is to be happy. I do want to stress that whatever a person decides they really need to finish high school.

Answer 6

I agree with Firesoul, having the title of graduate is very worth it. In society , you really get looked down on if you didn't graduate. I hated High School, who doesn't , but I am soooo glad that I made it the whole way through! I also think it is much better to try to learn things in a structured manor than trying to learn as life happens. When you are in a class , you have the opinions of all the students and the teacher. If you were trying to learn by yourself you only have the one opinion to learn from, kinda shortsighted. Once you do graduate, you will see its worth then. Good luck!

Answer 7

Worth it? $250,000 extra for finishing high school. Add an extra $2,000,000 (2 million) for a Bachelor's degree (at a small college) and even more extra dollars for a Master's or PhD.

If you can do something "more worthwhile", I would love to know exactly what all that "important stuff" really is. For the rest of us; it's work, doctors visits, buy clothes, food, homes, cars, TV's, retirement investment, etc....all thanks to a good education!!

Someday you'll be asking yourself, "Why didn't I get more education and a chance at a better job for more money?" But hey, it's your choice!! Just remember to either pat yourself on your back for your good choices or kick yourself in the backside for your bad choices. You are in the driver's seat of your life.

Cheers

Answer 8

A high school diploma is probably the least you can do if you want to have a decent life. That is unless you happen to be rich or possess a particular talent or vocation that can help you make a living.

Schools should begin to offer educational programs that cater to everyone, not just those going on to college. College is not for everyone. There is more than one way to skin a cat. I have many students who are very poor and unmotivated academically, but would probably do well in something they liked.

This would probably also decrease the amount of "dumbing down" and "teaching to the bottom" that goes on in American public schools.

Answer 9

Only if it's college. In society an High School Diploma means nothing more than a GED; even if you're Honor Roll material.
College is the REAL school to be worth it. Go now, if you can...
Yes life will teach a lot but to excel in this world you must get a college degree. This way, not only do YOU know you know something but anyone else also BECAUSE you hold a degree.

Answer 10

High school is well... its worth it i suppose def get ur GED or diploma. As a college grad... college is over rated. One of my friends got an engineering degree and a 4.0 and now she works at walmart b/c the economy sucks right now. Personal opinion, wait a year or so b4 deciding if u want to go to college and what u want to do. seriously take ur time and think about it make sure u're really happy in ur decision. No use wasting all that money on schooling if u find a job u love and they train u for.

Answer 11

It's what you learnt & the friendships you made that matters.
Not the school branding & not the certificate.

Let's put it this way, we just get the cert as a key to get our jobs. Getting jobs is important, that shows we're responsible people to take care of ourselves (& maybe even family) & not depend on parents' pocket money anymore. That's about it.

To sum up all, school is worth it in this era. But that shouldn't stop you from pursuing your interests & building up worthwhile knowledge at a different level from others.