ForumsWEPRCollege? To Do or not to Do that is the question.

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Hectichermit
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Hectichermit
1,828 posts
Bard

Is college worth it? I want to hear from those who have graduated or are currently attending one. I am just curious because the more I look at what I have seen and experienced that it seems like a degree is just an empty promise, a false hope, a phony dream.

I also have watched an interesting video on youtube, The College Conspiracy

Other then a few ideologies about the stock market and government corruption I feel like the statistics seem accurate, at least as much as the ones colleges throw out about a graduates expectations for a career.

Anyways watch the video, i have seen a few others and I do not wish to bring political views into this just want to hear about your experiences and if they are at all relevant to some of the points given in the video.

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SSTG
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SSTG
13,055 posts
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Is college worth it? I want to hear from those who have graduated or are currently attending one. I am just curious because the more I look at what I have seen and experienced that it seems like a degree is just an empty promise, a false hope, a phony dream.

That depends. If you have a career plan and a college degree is required then go for it. If not, the company where you plan to work often does the training.
Just make sure you know what you want to do otherwise you'll end up with a general degree, a debt and no idea what to do with it.

Most of the decent jobs now require some kind of specialization.

09philj
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09philj
2,825 posts
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(In any posts I make, I will call what americans call college university, because in the UK college is where you get a vocational qualification, and I don't want to confuse myself)

It depends on a few things.

What career do you actually want to pursue?

What are the tuition fees for university where you are?

Can you get a student loan, and, if so, what are the repayment terms?

I'm doing my first year of A levels (Qualifications usually studied for between 16 and 18 in England, and those earned prior to hoing to university) at the moment, but I'm looking forward to going to university. I think that university is a good choice for me because, although the costs are fairly high (tuition alonemis £9000 a year), I can pay for it with a student loan which I should be able to pay off in tje long run, seeing as the average starting salary in the career I'm imterested in is £28500 a year.

Kasic
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Kasic
5,557 posts
Jester

Is college worth it?

That depends what you want out of it.

I am just curious because the more I look at what I have seen and experienced that it seems like a degree is just an empty promise, a false hope, a phony dream.

I don't know about anyone else, but I've learned as much in college in ~3 1/2 years as I did in the entirety of my public schooling.

The career part I can't help you on. There are certainly professions that require a degree or having a degree will help you find a job. Whether that's "worth it" to you is another story.

partydevil
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partydevil
5,133 posts
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worth it or not. just go for the experience.
(penn & teller, BS: college)

nichodemus
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nichodemus
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It depends heavily on the degree you are planning on getting, and the university you are going to.

If you want to pursue your dreams of becoming a doctor, a lawyer, an economist, or anything of that ilk, you would need a degree. No buts about that. Professional careers require qualifications and degrees are your golden tickets.

If you're only going to apply for a very general degree, then that might not help. A liberal arts degree won't really get you to many places in the working world. It's not a &quothony dream", or an empty promise because in reality, such general degrees don't confer much upon your qualifications and CV.

Another boon from university is the networking, which you never know might be useful at some point in your career. It's also a practical way of nabbing a nifty and strategic internship to build your CV/reputation and land a job before you finish your studies since universities offer such partnerships.

nichodemus
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nichodemus
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And @09philj, cool you're doing your As this year? Which subjects might I ask? :L

09philj
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09philj
2,825 posts
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@nichodemus Maths, Further Maths, Physics, and Chemistry. If I get enough As and A*s after A2, I'm hoping to go and do a chemical engineering degree at Newcastle, Sheffield, Leeds, or Birmingham.

nichodemus
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nichodemus
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@09philj Cool! Good luck with them, been there, done that, don't fancy doing them again.

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