College isn't just "not worth it", unfortunately, it's a negative.

[marketsurfer]

Quote from Scataphagos:

I also like the trade school route these days... anything which pays decently and can't be outsourced... HVAC, plumbing, something like that... something most don't want to do because it involves getting a little dirty. (Speaking of dirty, the refrigerator repair guy which came highly recommended from Angie's list... chaged me $240/hr... for (1) swapping refrigerator parts, and (2) misdiagnosing the problem and not getting the repair right. $240/hr sounds like a righteous wage.)

Yeah, if you are willing to do it. Trades are cool and you can make solid coin-- but its really hard work for the most part. I like the idea of learning a trade then building a business around it with others doing the labor eventually. Even a truck driver can own a fleet of trucks-- Janitors can own cleaning companies, the sky is the limit-- that should be the goal.

My grandfather was a union carpenter, but he built a small scale real estate empire buying and fixing up houses plus land-- using his skills as a tradesman-- too bad he didn't know how to enjoy his wealth once he earned it. But that's another story.

surf

 

[morganist]

Quote from morganist:

No now it has got so bad it doesn't matter if you have a relevant degree from a good university or if you get firsts with honours you will struggle to get any job.

Even when I left university people with good degrees in really hard subjects were waiting. It took me some time to get my first job, which was bankruptcy clerk, not a great job but lots of responsibility. Looking back though I gained a lot more from doing that than I would if I went straight into a good job.

Most of what I have got since has been off my own back rather than someone giving me an occupation and money. I got my own blog at the Huffington Post and I got my own blog at Mindful Money and it was me that was asked up to meet the Business Secretary in England because I wrote an alternative money supply control. I've also written taxation systems that were sent for review in other countries, taught myself how to computer program and written software for a multinational company that saved over £2.4 million a year.

In other words the degree didn't help me jack. The only thing that has worked in my favour has been my own effort. The degree apart from the knowledge hasn't helped one ounce. At the end of the day it is your responsibility to earn a living not a piece of paper you get from someone that says you're smart.

Oh I forgot I wrote and published my own book. Did I tell you about that?

 

[dandxg]

Quote from wilburbear:

Most interestingly, the guy I had lunch with is a PhD in materials science. The more, ahem, problematic of his 2 children took a few classes at a local community college. He said he was impressed with the level of the material his son was being taught.

If it's a few hundred dollars for each class at a community college, and a college degree isn't getting you anything (except if you're Harvard, Stanford, etc.), why not fill in the gaps with community college coursework?

People only want to know if you have a college degree. And the community college curriculum isn't all bad.

That's what I did. I went JC for 4 years part time and finish at 4 year all they ask is where did I graduate not did I spend my entire time at 4 year college.

 

[newwurldmn]

Quote from Scataphagos:

I also like the trade school route these days... anything which pays decently and can't be outsourced... HVAC, plumbing, something like that... something most don't want to do because it involves getting a little dirty. (Speaking of dirty, the refrigerator repair guy which came highly recommended from Angie's list... charged me $240/hr... for (1) swapping refrigerator parts, and (2) misdiagnosing the problem and not getting the repair right. $240/hr sounds like a righteous wage.)

Metal cutters - those who operating milling machines can make 100k these days. There's a huge shortage of them.

 

[marketsurfer]

Quote from newwurldmn:

Metal cutters - those who operating milling machines can make 100k these days. There's a huge shortage of them.

I don't know if this is true, but I was told the guys who operate those high rise crains make 500k per year.

 

[short&naked]

Quote from BlueTurtle:



You obviously are not smart enough to know if someone has gone to college. That's too bad.

From your illogical post it was impossible to tell... seriously.

 

[denner]

Quote from marketsurfer:

I don't know if this is true, but I was told the guys who operate those high rise crains make 500k per year.

During the building bubble would be my guess.

 

[jem]

I have said this before...

but for the first decade of my life... in terms of the time I put in to college, I did not think it was worth it. and mine was paid for by the tennis team.

I thought the same thing for about 10 years about law school as well.
(although i loved the education.) For 5 or 6 years I had made more teaching tennis than being a lawyer.


But, now I am in my late 40s now.
Both of my degrees come in handy and the law degree opens up so many different doors.

In my opinion education is almost priceless although it may not pay for itself. Many of your professors will be clowns but the thinkers you get exposed to can make all the difference later in your careers.

 

[white_goodman]

college/university is great if you dont bother looking at the cost side of the ledger...

Its like all the socialist programs that the left love, we could have nirvana on this earth, if cost and scarcity were abandoned, unfortunately many degrees worldwide after being heavily subsidized by government, are simply not good value.

It can be a bit of a gamble on what degree you choose these days, a bit of foresight into future industry growth, employment potential is necessary.

My masters degree is economics, so im not speaking from the biased never went to university crowd

 

[VinMan]

Here's my view.

There's Ivy League and there's everything else.

If you cannot get into Ivy League attend a solid state school with reasonable cost and get a marketable degree.