Degree's worth the hype?

Question

I understand the importance of a college degree... But if you dont know what you want to do is going to college a waste till you figure it out? Also how does everyone decide what to do. Some people know so quickly and it seems like ive been trying to figure it out forever. Help please!!! (extra info ;).... Im not right out of HS and I already have a general AA degree. Now im just at stalemate.

Answer 1

Education is never a waste of time unless you are putting nothing into it.

Sometimes you just have to flip a coin and choose something. Not everyone knows exactly what they want to do, and some of those that seem to know exactly what they want to do are just faking it. Sometimes faking it is good enough. If you are going in the wrong direction, you can always change your course. If you’re going nowhere to begin with, you might never end up anywhere but where you are – floating in a sea of indecision without a rudder, a paddle or a sail.

There is more to getting a college education than absorbing content, much of which will become dated or irrelevant anyway. Much of the value of a college education is in how it will change you as a person. In my book, what you will gain in terms of process trumps almost anything that you will learn in terms of content. What you will gain is that you will learn how to think. The higher level coursework should challenge you intellectually. When you come out of college, you should have good critical thinking skills – and that means you will be capable of making better decisions, no matter what you end up doing. You will learn how to make critical assessments of data and situations and learn how to formulate an appropriate plan of response. You will learn how to take seemingly disparate sets of information and extrapolate from one how to resolve the other. You will learn how to construct an argument, and how to deconstruct one. Your beliefs and ideas will be your own, not because that's what you always heard growing up but because you've made your own decisions to think and believe that for yourself.

Completing a Bachelor’s, ANY bachelors will open doors for you in life that will never open for you without that piece of paper. That piece of paper is your ticket to enter.

I’ve worked several jobs unrelated to my undergraduate major. But I never would have been considered for those jobs if I didn’t have a bachelor’s degree of some sort. I love what I’m doing now, and will probably do it forever, but I never grew up wanting to be a librarian. It never occurred to me to consider it as an occupation until I found myself trapped in a job that I really hated. The fact that I have that undergrad diploma gives me the freedom to change my course if I decide I don’t want to be a librarian anymore.

Part of figuring out what you want to do is figuring out what you don’t want to do. Go through a college catalog and cross off those majors that seem dreadful to you. Look at what’s left. Pick one and start working toward it.

I’m a librarian, so of course I’m going to recommend a book for you: I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was: How to Discover What You Really Want and How to Get It (Paperback) by Barbara Sher (linked below).

Get a paddle - make some movement, any movement to break the inertia that is holding you. Set a goal - you can always change it later.

Have fun with it. It's an adventure.

Answer 2

Good question. Few people are smart enough to ask. The average OFFER for a college graduate is now something like 30,000 for a generic degree. This is, not coincidentally, the average salary of a teacher or an entry level government job. In fact, Monster.com ran a short story recently saying that college graduates end up often working in sales, real estate, management, and one other field. Only the management field actually required the degree. However, more and more employers are now required college degrees for jobs they would hire high school grads for years ago, like clerks in banks or administrative assistants. Socially it makes sense, but don't expect to be any better off than anyone you know.

Answer 3

I presently attend complete Sail for educate production and traveling, yet all my acquaintances are in Recording Arts. that's a good college because of the particular incontrovertible fact that there is not many college like it. however, in case you recognize each and everything then the college isn't mandatory when you consider that Recording Arts software has the bottom job placement out of all classes. I do propose the college even though it shows employers you've dedication to this market. They do in the back of the scenes excursions and in case you do not connect they're going to pay decrease back the money you spent on your flight and inn. there is yet another college equivalent to it called Expressions in Emeryville California. however it isn't as solid as complete Sail and does not have the attractiveness complete Sail has.

Answer 4

I have some very smart friends who are stuck careerwise because they don't have a bachelor's degree. In most fields, silly as it is when you're past 30, a college degree is an entry ticket upward and not having one is an excuse employers will use to not to promote you.

Getting a degree in ANYTHING from even a BAD school is a great advantage. It isn't logical but so much in this world isn't.

Unless you're self-employed or work for your family's company not having a degree will hurt you financially.

Answer 5

It is only a piece of paper but it goes a long way in some peoples minds.

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