Why even bother with college these days?

Wow!

Really?.... <Stunned>

 

My kid (16) is going to graduate early (a little less than a year since he's going to work some classes during summer).

He's already looking at trade schools (wants to be a welder).

He doesn't like school, isn't bad, but works hard to keep A's & B's. He has no interest in doing anything other than racing or a trade. He already works for himself doing yard work and odd jobs. I figure if he keeps a good work ethic, he'll be successful in whatever he chooses.

To qualify this too, I am a very fortunate individual that has a decent paying (non-labor) job without a degree.

 

Really.

 

A mentor and trades is far better than college. I work a trade (can't really go to school for estimating) and I made 70K last year. I really like Thi Lopez's rule "Drop out of School"... LOL Find Mentors and read one book a day.

 

Hey Sweatypants, assume you went to college from your rant. Did they not teach you about capital letters at the beginning of a sentence there ?

 

Of course, my opinions earlier in this thread are from my world as of the last 10 years or so. I obviously would not go near an accountant without a degree (maybe even a masters) from a prominent university. I want my FAE with a degree from an actual university and not a for profit diploma mill. I want my attorney(s) with a degree from an actual accredited law school.

I don't give a shit that my coffee "design artist" studied fashion design at NYU, just make my f@ckin' coffee!

 

Dude, it's sweatypants. He's right about everything.

I will say tho that I agree with him on several things. While I didn't go to kollege, I don't think many degrees are wasted, if they're applied afterwards. My wife doesn't use hers. My sister in law doesn't use hers. Neighbor chic doesn't use hers.

 

HR "worker" = one step BELOW DJ

there is a reason we eliminated them from our hiring process.

 

What type of estimating? Construction industry?

 

when stumped... resort to punctuation, spelling, or name calling. thanks for not disappointing. and yes i did.

look... i have friends of all types. IT guys, small business owners, chefs, lawyers, doctors, teachers, mechanics, car salesmen, service managers, oil rig workers, engineers, consultants, real estate agents, hair stylists... there's a million ways to skin a cat and "make it" so to speak, in this world. i know first hand though, that my service manager friend, chef friends, small retail shop friend, and mechanic friends have to put in substantially more hours than the rest of us do for relative pay. and shit, even both the chefs went thru formal school training and they STILL work a shit ton of hours and had to sweat it out for years until they were making good pay. sometimes i'd rather be outside working with my hands than sitting in a dumb office with bullshit politics, but overall i don't regret my choice. there's only so many hours in a day, i'd like to use as many of mine as possible enjoying relationships or hobbies, but everyone's different. if working IS your passion, well then we probably don't see things the same way.

i would never look down on a dude for his given choice in life, hell i've done bullshit customer service retail work for $10 an hour while i had an MBA when the economy tanked and i had just gotten out of grad school. i'm not above doing anything i need to do to eat... likewise though, saying college is worthless and stupid is total bullshit. without a doubt the median and mean incomes for people with college degrees is higher than people without. you can be the one dude that was like "fuck college" and opened up a successful bike shop or insurance agency or restaurant or whatever, and you'll probably find a higher % of them here, because this hobby lends itself to expendable income and by default the "losers in the game" probably won't find themselves here racing motorcycles... but for every one of YOU, there are hundreds that are working as a gas station cashier or walmart greeter. for dudes with college degrees and even a mediocre level of aptitude and personable skills, once they get the first "experience" job down in their field, its usually not too bumpy of a ride to carve out a decent life and work skills niche for yourself.

i always looked at college and then grad school, not as a golden ticket to a free ride, but simply as "more options." i wanted the mobility for change, both geographic and job type, that having both of those degrees and now my experience, affords me. i didn't expect a certain salary or even a guarantee of a job just by getting them, but i did expect them to make me more marketable and mobile. with each passing year of experience it just solidifies that position. and that's all they are, hedging a bet. you still gotta put up at the end of the day or you won't make it, just like anything else.

 

TL;DGAF

 

I can see at least 6 people that are in the $100,000 range without getting out of my chair.
There may not be a bunch of 9 - 5 cubicle drone jobs that a non degreed person can get that pay well but the jobs are out there if you are willing to make some sacrifices.

 

When all one can see of you is your writing you do not do yourself any favors by writing poorly. It kinda takes some of the wind out of your "kollej dun me gud" argument when you suck at spelling and punctuation...

 

And brevity

 

Truck Driving school. Six weeks or less of school, 50k a year income, assuming you don't get hurt.

 

Would you mind clarifying your position regarding Mike Rowe? His position seems pretty clear to me which is that not everyone should go to college and that it is perfectly acceptable to go learn a trade to earn a decent living. There is nothing wrong with going to trade school; your argument regarding Walmart greeters is nonsensical as last I checked that wasn't a trade. There is a shortage of qualified trades people in the U.S. which will impact our overall productivity as a nation in years to come. The big push to have everyone go to college is one of the contributing factors to the significant inflation related to education in all aspects not only cost.

 

Being a skilled laborer has its bonuses.
Welder? Machinist?
Man, the doors I'm imagining one could open, for some serious personal pursuits, with higher education...

 

my position is, him harshly calling college a fool's errand and a waste of time in the light of "look at me! look how successful i was without college!" is bullshit. its almost the same as an NBA all-star telling kids to skip school and just go play ball all day because education is stupid and they could be a millionaire. trades are definitely acceptable, useful, and in need... his vilifying of higher education when he is a known public figure, and somebody who by show/personality/trade appeals to a lower common denominator (ie. people who spend a lot of time watching reality tv of some guy wading around in human shit) only serves to promote divisiveness and resentment amongst the population. i think its a disservice because of two things... 1) an educated and more worldly population will never be a bad thing, and 2) people listen to and are influenced by public figures, and they should bare some responsibility in not just being wreckless with their positions.

i personally couldn't care less if people want to go to college or not, or go into trades or not, everyone can find their way and take a path that's right for themselves... i DO find problems with calling college worthless or stupid or a waste of time/money, or certain degrees worthless just because their skill set doesn't directly relate to a monetary payoff, and blanket vilification of an unfounded college campus "political leaning" position is equally as disgusting.

 

Good for her, really. No kidding I love to hear people succeed

The amount of what I use at work that was learned in school is not large. I have spent decades reading and also job experience.

There are a lot of engineering jobs like that. When I did a short tour with GM the group basically had three high level needs. In a new person they were happy with one and thrilled at two. If you had three you likely worked for them (I know of two exceptions, myself and a fellow who moved to California to design tanks).

I won't address your entire rant but the bottom line Mike Rowe puts forth has a lot of merit. I have a brother who while he is smart and hard working is not and never will be college material has a great paying job. He runs a machine shop and has a sterling reputation on engines. There are folks that make more but a ton that make less. Further he has excellent job security (if the current guys fired him or went under he would likely have 10 calls within a week without trying). So for him it is an excellent fit. The push for everyone to attend college is silly and bad for them and the economy.

Thus his point. Attending design school to become your sister is a decent idea, attending art school to become a truck driver (as a friend did) not so much. Getting a niche degree with no plan on how to make it pay a bad idea. Getting a trade via experience, trade school or yes university is a good idea.