Why do we put so much emphasis on a bachelor's degree or college education in this country?

Question

Don't you think there are people who never went to college or had any formal education that are smart as hell. I have a friend who hasn't gone to college, but is super smart. How can I make him feel better about not going? He can't afford to go, so please don't tell me to tell him that. What is the best way to get ahead in this world without a degree?

Answer 1

Absolutely you can be smart and have no formal education. But what can you buy with smart? It doesn't put a roof over your head.

College education is highly correlated with increased income. It's absolutely a fact. You can be super smart and that's wonderful, but you will be unable to apply for most high-paying jobs as they all require college degrees.

Your friend doesn't have to pay for college up front. The military, student loans and grants, work-study programs---all of these are great ways to get through school with a minimum of cash.

I was the first person in my family to go to college. My father had a great job in the oil field. But sadly, that era of graduating from high school and expecting a family wage is over. Manufacturing is overseas. Tell your super smart friend that he needs to be realistic or face a life of working two jobs, probably without health insurance, just to get by.

If he doesn't want a four year degree, there's some great jobs in healthcare that require a 2-year degree or less: nursing, radiology tech, ultrasound tech, respiratory therapist...these are all growth jobs that make over $40K annually.

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

There are, but the sad thing, the Bachelor's degree is a signal point to big companies that you are willing to put in the time and effort to become successful.

I have worked at national banks in the past and there have been a few loan officers that have not had degrees, but have worked up through the ranks and the actually were better loan officers, leaders and more likeable than those that came in off the street because they had earned their ranks through hard work, could relate more to what their assistants faced because they had been one, and even the tellers as the had worked that job in the beginning. They had all-around better knowledge of the bank and were the people I went to in a crisis over the ones with Master's or Doctorate degrees because they knew the interworkings of the system.

Answer 3

Wow! You must be very young without much experience about how business works. An employee is trying to fill the needs of an employer .... not the other way around.... otherwise you would be paying the employer rather than recieving a wage or salary. Well dear.... that is exactly what college is. You are hiring professors and teaching assistants to teach you additional skills and how to hone the skills you have into something of value to the world.


A degree also shows me that when given a difficult task, you will stick to it and not quit until an answer or resolution has been achieved. (Basicly you have proven to me that you are a winner by acomplishing the completion of a 4-5 year degree) If I have a choice of hiring someone with NO SKILLS who although may be smart has no history of success, who do you do you think an employer will gravitate to? Especially when the salary paid to the person is the same.

Your friend has a lot of options:

1. Do like the hundreds of thousands of other students with no money do and take out a student loan to pay for college.

2. Get a job flipping burgers and an additional job or two and put the money away for school rather than spend it on CD's, mega boom box speakers for his car and all the other little things kids want to buy. Separate "needs" in life from "wants". If you guys are young then there is no reason you can't work hard for 16 hrs a day , 7 days a week for a couple of years and put the money aside for school if he doesn't want to take out a loan. As with all the other options listed, you are sacrificing something now for something better later on. You have to understand these are temporary sacrifices... sometimes people look at hard times they have to do now as an eternity rather than a means to do better for the future. (This is the route I took to obtain my degree.)

3. Go to a community college to begin with. Their tuition rates are significantly lower than a large college. Transfer to a larger college after achieving your associates degree. (The value of the 4 year degree does not diminish by spending the first two years in a community college.)

4. Join a branch of the military, put in your time and they will pay for 4 years of college. An added advantage to this is if he picks wisely, many of the job offerings in the military are in fact like going to a trade school. For example, being an aviation mechanic, avionics technician, military police, combat engineer,pilot, etc. Those types of jobs translate directly into civilian job openings.

5. If your friend has no desire to put forth this kind of effort then perhaps a trade school. (Air conditioning apprentice, electrician, auto mechanic, motorcycle mechanic, etc) You will spend 2 to 4 years learning your trade but be paid something as you go.

6. If all this seems like too much work then have your smart friend use his intelligence and go into business for himself. If he is smart as you say he is then he will be able to identify a need in his community and fill it or do it better than anyone else.

Or maybe what you are getting are excuses why he doesn't do anything. People who succeed in life map out a course and work on achieving their goals one step at a time. Those who don't find myriads of reasons why nothing will work. Bottom line... he has to believe in himself. If he doesn't then why should anyone else?

Answer 4

Any correctly accepted university or tuition could be excellent. Choose a most important that pursuits you and that's marketable. Accounting, laptop technological know-how, a overseas language, or legislation could be well offerings. Whatever most important you select, benefit from you time in university. Get the maximum grade factor usual that you'll, perform a pair extracurricular routine, get a well internship, perform a little constant volunteer paintings, do not do something unlawful, and preserve a well repute. Get a minimum of a four yr measure. Consider getting a complicated measure.

Answer 5

Its alot tougher to get ahead without an educational background as proof. Your friend can go to college with loans, but he can go nevertheless. You can be smart, succeed, and do damn good without a degree, but to get your foot in the door, alot of people want proof that you are that intelligent.

Answer 6

There isn't!! Unless he finds that one job that will hire him since he knows everthing already.! Most corporations want to see the degree, the proof!