Is College Necessary For Success?

Actually, your response makes my point for me. You mention those who refuse promotions and are somewhat lazy in their work. Having a degree shows employers you are willing to work for what you want and have the ambition and courage to go for it. Yes, college is expensive. But you can apply for grants and scholarships as well as loans, and the results are, in my opinion, worth the effort. Where there's a will, there's a way.

I agree, the best paying job approach rarely leads to happiness. I rank success as being happy in all aspects of life and regretting very little if anything. I just do not understand how it is fair to judge an applicant who does not have a degree against someone who does. College is expensive, which many can not afford even with loans, sometimes it is the time that can not be afforded. So to say that because a degree is not achieved is to say that they were too lazy or lack passion when that is often not the case. Many people who don't have the desire to better themselves work the low paying jobs on purpose and turn down promotions. I have encountered those people who said they did not take a promotion because they did not want the responsibility and the extra work even if it included a raise. That always baffled me. I just think jobs should find a better way to judge work ethic other than a degree.

I agree with you 100%. I just wish there was another way to prove that you are intelligent and possess all the necessary skills to do a job well without flashing a diploma which usually just means you showed up, temporarily retained info and got a passing grade. It seems pointless that I am looked at like a lesser applicant because I didn't spend 4 years and a lot of money in a school partying and cramming for finals like all my friends are. I think college actually spoils some people because they spend those years having everything "paid for them" and then when they get out a lot of people don't realize their debt, don't realize how to take care of themselves and especially when they have to start paying real bills and have to do the same thing everyday. It quickly turns what you thought you loved into something you dread, I feel like hands on learning and real life experience should take precidence.

I defiantly agree GemmaR. I just graduated from high school last June. I am not going to college at this time. I have been thinking about what I would like to do, but I do not see the point in college as others may see. I do not believe College makes you successful. It may help but I believe on how hard you work and the way you spend your money. By going to college you create a new bill for yourself unless you pay completely off of Scholarships. I also agree with the time we spend in school. We start out at about four or five years old and graduate from High school at about the age of 17 or 18. Many of those years are repeats, yet students still have problems with grades. I believe that we could take two years off of the total time spent in our childhood learning. I would have to say that depending on what you are going for, you do need a better learning. For example a doctor. In all I believe that most of the jobs that require you to attend college; you could get away with a high school diploma. Employers need to be more involved with on the Job training. It would save everyone a lot of money. Depending on what degree you are going for, that takes more time out of your life that you could have spent better. After college you may not be able to find a job in the workforce. Now what do you do? Go back to college for something else? You still owe money for the first time that you went. College is not the cheapest way to learn, and I believe that there needs to be alternatives to learning.

I agree completely that nobody starts at the top, and I think that's my biggest problem with the people that are claiming college degrees are so powerful because rarely do they get you the top position in whatever industry you go into. Experience is also becoming a necessity and so many people can't claim any making their degree pretty useless

That is a very good point. People in trade schools are very imperative to our daily lives, I think the emphasis on college is too well known and not enough high schools promote other opportunities.

Thank you very much! I have to agree that the corporate world does look for a degree I think I might understand more if I knew why people are judged based on that paper rather than a job related test. I feel it would be more affective to add to an application a "test" that shows your knowledge rather than a question asking how far you got in your education. Thank you for you insight =)

I think everyone places so much importance on college education but there are a bunch of successful people who never received anything about their highschool diploma. I'm unsure why everyone thinks a college degree makes you intelligent or more qualified. Many people have a natural gift for learning and others don't. I personally can not focus for 16 weeks in one course taking tests and constantly being graded. However I learn quickly on the job and excel at every job I've had. If you don't mind, can you explain why you think a degree defines your intelligence?

Well the problem isn't my lack of drive, I have high hopes of owning and managing my own business with very supportive boyfriend encouraging me. The problem is that I have always been sooooo busy, often working more than 1 part time job even in high school that now that I have the time to get some school done I just wanna rest and the other issue is my problem with authority! I think your insight has definitely shed some insight, I always thought people who went all the way through at least came out making good money

I'm a business admin major so I know it's right for me, I just feel like there should be an easier way to judge people's skills and quality of their work other than a diploma that means they showed up and passed a test

I disagree with the minimum wage part. I have a job in the compliance department of a collection agency and there are plenty of people that are managers that do not have a degree. My dilemma is more with whether I am considered any less qualified because I don't want to shove out a bunch of money for a piece of paper that really isn't seeming to help too many hard working Americans. I know it may make it easier to get a job but compared to five years ago when you were almost guarunteed a job out of college, now I feel like I'd be paying to beg someone to take interest in that same diploma that once was impressive

If you don't mind me asking, why exactly is it important for your children to have a degree? As many have pointed out the degree isn't making it any easier to get a job, would you push them to get a degree even if they felt like school wasn't for them? Just curious