Do you see higher education as an investment?
By scheng1
@scheng1 (24649)
Singapore
October 8, 2011 5:54am CST
Most Asian parents tend to view higher education as a form of investment.
They encourage their children to take up business studies, engineering and medical studies.
They do not want their children to take up language or history subjects, knowing that the demand for such skills is not great, and the earning is not high.
Do you view higher education in such manner?
Do you think that higher education is an investment that will pay handsomely?
4 responses
@allknowing (136089)
• India
9 Oct 11
Not if you are another Steve Jobs in the making who as you know was a college drop out. But yes. As long as organisations search for qualifications and not talent then one needs to equip oneself with degrees.
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
9 Oct 11
Hi Allknowing, actually the problem is not just in getting a degree, but the commercial value of the program.
Everyone knows that you cannot earn much if you have a degree in history, since hardly any job requires this degree.
However, if we have a degree in medical field, then the potential for earning is greater.
That is how the parents in Asia view degree programs.
They do not want to sponsor the children to study for degree with less commercial value.
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
10 Oct 11
Hi Allknowing, given a choice between a degree in History and a degree in Business Administration, which would the parents prefer their children to study?
Most of them think in term of cost and the potential earning power of the graduate programs and undergraduate programs.
If they are paying $30,000 for the three years course, they definitely would want their children to study business.
At least the potential of earning a living is better than getting a degree in history or literature or language.
@allknowing (136089)
• India
9 Oct 11
But the course that teaches History is also overbooked for the simple reason that students would rather have a degree than go for specialisation without a degree. Specialisation without a degree has no takers.
@momtrying2makeit (3270)
• United States
10 Oct 11
I do look at going to college as an investment. The whole goal of going to college is to become more educated and learn new skills and taking those skills in your life to make more money and be aware of more things.
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
10 Oct 11
Hi Momtrying2makeit, that is the cause of many unhappiness between parents and children.
Kids like to study whatever they like, but parents think about the commercial value of the degree program.
If the parents pay $30,000, they would rather their children study business rather than language.
They deem business degree as a better investment than a degree in certain language.
That is the realistic view of higher education in most Asian countries.
Most parents encourage their children to study medical, science, or business, but not history, language or literature.
It is true that a holder in the degree in history does not have much career choices, especially not the career path to become a millionaire.
@saeedonline (340)
• Saudi Arabia
8 Oct 11
Higher education is good and very important. However in the world of today one has to teach the children how to manage money and some extra skills. Sure having a degree in one of the flamboyant areas is lucrative/less competitive in those countries with bad economy. But even with that, without good money management it may be disastrous when one loses ones job. Most people this days are extravagant and don't have saving culture. They just want to buy anything they want without saving any thing or investing. Having an extra skill can really get one through some situations too.
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
8 Oct 11
Hi Saeedonline, yes, that is true.
Many fresh graduates have high ego, and they do not think about saving money.
Even though they have study loan to repay, they still dare to sign up for many credit cards and get into debt.
At the same time, they try to show off their wealth and impress their peers.
It makes for a disastrous ending!
@tiina05 (2317)
• Philippines
8 Oct 11
hello,
For me, higher education is important nowadays because people tend to know and understand what they are talking about or thats what they wanted to be. Well, it is not actually about the salary in the future but instead a treasure in which I can learned and I can progress. 
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
8 Oct 11
Hi Tiina, I think if we have many people finishing college in our countries, we tend to value higher education too.
Over here, it is very common for working adults to return to school to get a degree or even a second degree.
i think when we work in very competitive environment, getting a degree becomes very important for career growth.
