An embarrassing question about College/University?

Question

I am completing my credits for high school and should be done in the next 10 months or so. However, I am so confused about what I want to do after I'm done. I want to go to college but I'm not sure what I want to study there. I'm thinking something to do with English of Cooking but I love both. However, I'm a little old fashioned and after me and my husband have children, I do not plan on working. I want to stay at home with my family. My husband believes, even if I don't plan on working, it's important to have a n education because it makes you more open minded about the world around you and you can raise your children in a better environment. We have a bit of financial issues but I still really want to go to college. I am just wondering, will it be a waste of money if I go since I don't plan to work?

Answer 1

Of course it is not a waste of money! And it certainly is not an embarrassing question. Lots of people ask this same question every day, and perhaps one of them will see this today and get some good information from the fine ideas suggested here. In any case, going to school is an excellent idea for several reasons.

1. The longer you wait, the harder it will be to do it.

2. You THINK you will never work again, but you really don't know that. Something could happen to your relationship. Or your husband could be injured or killed. Sorry to be so bleak, but you just never know! Surely it will be fine, but what if it isn't? You still have your children to think of, and you may have to work. Better to be prepared, just in case. A degree will help you get a better job, preferably one with good benefits.

3. Your husband is right. An education will make you better able to deal with your children and help THEM to educated themselves. Your further education will be a good example for them, showing them how important an education is. Then when they need to get educated, they will have a good role model to get them on the right track. So even if you never use your degree, it will be a great thing to have as proof of your committment to your children's education. It'll also better prepare you to help them with their homework!

As far as the money, there is financial aid available, and you may be eligible for some. And you do not have to choose a major right away. Take a handful of classes in a variety of areas and find out what you like, and keep in mind that English and the culinary arts (as you suggest as possibilities) are both as good of fields as any. Talk to an academic advisor at the school of your choice for more information. At the very least talk to someone at a local community college and get more information about options and funding. At the very least then you'll know if it is a feasible option for your specific situation.

Good luck!

p.s. Regarding the person who said their degree was a waste of money, I'll bet there is more to the story than what he is telling. School loans are not always necessary, for one thing, and if you go to a community college it will not cost that much. It is not like you have to get your entire degree right away, either. There are lots of ways to go about doing it. Check all your options! One person's bad experience with school doesn't cancel out millions of people who would be flipping burgers had they not gone and gotten their degree.

Answer 2

I think it's really important that you get an education. You can't see into the future to know if your current plan will work out. If finances are as tight as you implied, you may not be able to stay at home with your family their entire childhoods. Even if you wind up needing a part-time job your education will put you a step ahead of others applying for the position. Your husband also has a point that an education helps you to be more openminded. And as for not being sure of what you want to do - go to a community college and take all the general education classes, you are bound to find something that just feels right. Cooking isn't a gen ed at most colleges, but you could probably find a class somewhere to try it and see if you like it. Expanding your knowledge is never a waste of money.

Another idea is if you really think there is no chance of you needing to get out into the work force then never stop your education by taking community education classes - like cooking or foreign language or knitting or whatever - so that you're still expanding knowledge without spending as much money.

Good luck making such a hard decision - I hope I was helpful.

Answer 3

If you go to a community college you can get just a good as an education for a very reduced price, sometimes free in some cases. So that would definitely be an option.

I wouldn't recommend going to a university, those are high fees and tuitions that you won't make the best use of, and thus doesn't make financial sense.

But you know, having a career path to study for a two-year wouldn't be a bad idea. You can be personally enriched, make the most out of your investment, and then have a jumping board on a job in a certain field should times fall really rough and you finding employment as a means to keep afloat.

And most college students don't know what they're going to study, that's what going to school is about, to explore new subjects and fields and find one that's right for you. People dont have to declare majors until Junior year.

Answer 4

Why would you not want to work. Still go and get an education because you say that now but...you never know. Plus if you and your man are have money troubles by you going to school and getting more knowledge you can earn more money so by the time the children come you can afford to sit out and take care of them. As far as English or cooking..I wold go with something that i knew i could get a job in and then after that take up something that would take a little longer breaking into like cooking. GOod Luck

Answer 5

The only sure things in life are death and taxes. You may not be planning on working at this time, but no one can foresee what may happen in the future. Having a college diploma under your belt may prove beneficial to you in the long run. Going for higher education not only provides you with better chances for an occupation but it also opens up opportunities socially, academically, and emotionally It is also good for personal enrichment.

Now is the time to pursue your personal goals, before the little ones come. Your husband seems to be very supportive of the idea so why not go ahead and give it a try.

Answer 6

No Way! Education is never a waste. There are university classes that teach you how to better understand the books you read for fun, to understand how capitalism impacts the nightly news, and to understand the ways people interact with each other. You could take child development classes to give your kids a better chance when they start school, or learn a craft or an instrument you can keep as a hobby. Junior colleges can offer the same sort of classes that a university does, usually at a fraction of the cost.
University level education isn't about job training, it's about gaining a better perspective of the world around you, and you don't need a job to put that to work. Plus, the more active you keep your mind, the longer you can stave off things like dementia and Alzheimer's.

Answer 7

I'll be a waste of money. Only thing college is good for is to suck your bank account dry. Not only that, but after you graduate, you only have 6 months before you have to start paying back your student loans, and depending on where you go that can be from 50,000 to over 100,000 bucks! So, you'll graduate with a more than likely useless degree (mine was a BS in Psych and I could only get a job that paid 6 bucks an hour with NO benefits, and the job was a group home that abused it's employees AND you didn't even a degree in the first place).

So, for a synopsis, you will

1) graduate with a degree you'll probably never use

2) have to work anyway just to pay back your loans


Just go to college later in life if you have some burning desire to go. Heck, you can go and audit a class if it's interesting to you. Only classes I found interesting was Anthropology and my Psych classes, as well as astronomy. Most classes are boring and fillers.

I'd also love to know how many people who are 'for' going to college actually went and got a degree.

Also, my mom only graduated High School and helped us with our homework with no problems.

You'd be surprised to see how many 'college graduates' work at McDonalds and for low paying jobs. COLLEGE IS NOT SOME MAGIC PILL FOR GETTING A BETTER JOB!

Answer 8

Honestly, yes it will be a waste of money if you do waht you've explained in your question. But that doesn't mean that I don't agree with your husband. Education is a factor in being open minded. I've heard of auditing classes at universities and colleges. It's not as expensive - sometimes you aren't charged at all. You get to sit in on classes and lectures like any other student there. The only thing is, you don't do assignments, you don't do exams, and you don't get official credit for the work you've done. But if it's education you're looking for and not a fancy-schmancy diploma, then I really suggest you look into this. Also, professors may let you drop into their lectures for free.

Answer 9

GO TO SCHOOL!! You can never have too much education and it would be very good to have and to be an example to your children. And you never know what will happen. You may want to work when your children go to school and having an education will help that. I do not believe that education is ever a waste of money.

Answer 10

Education is never a waste of time, but I would strongly recommend you not go into debt to finance your college education. Consider working part-time to pay for it if you go.

You might also want to consider which area of study might lend it self to a home based business if you plan on staying home with the kids. I have a hard time seeing how being a chef would work, unless you open up a restaurant out of your home. English would seem to lend itself to a lot of things like free-lance writing, editing, technical writing etc. that you might be able to do from home.