Is a college degree really worth it anymore???

[Jorgen]

Can you go back to your original school you graduated from to continue on? My undergrad GPA in Mechanical Engineering was about as low as was allowed to graduate, but it was a hell of a 5 year party. I went back to the same school and was more easily accepted into the Mechanical engineering masters program. I busted that our with a 3.9 GPA. I went from there to applying to multiple MBA programs and everyone I spoke to looked at my undergrad GPA and appeared rather unimpressed, the master's GPA basically got me automatic acceptances to any MBA program I wanted and I am now in the middle of that. Depending on how many business classes you have taken (if its like 2 to get to your GPA then probably not worth it) I would go in and meet with a program advisor in person. They will see who you are and you can lay out your case, the more recent work is much more significant than your undergrad party time GPA. I was truthful with people and told them undergrad was basically a big party and I knew I could pass without effort or buying books mostly so I did. Then the more recent work showed ability and effort for what the adult me does. I know its hard but try not to be deterred, no matter what education is worth the knowledge.

I think all of my degrees will be well worth the time and money invested.

[Stanley Rockafella]

The type of person/personality you have will determine if you are successful in life or not.

[jrossowvue30]

Although not really the same, I've got a similar educational past as you OP. I'm 30, I went to college right out of high school, my grades blew and I ended up leaving without a college degree...

I went to college on an athletic scholarship but after the first year I hated it and mid way thru my second year I left the team and had to pay my way. I was a big time party kid and basically did enough to maintain a 2.0 GPA so I could stay in college and keep the party going (because college is one big 4-5 year party with a $100,000 cover charge, am I right?). After a few years of bouncing back and forth between academic probation and good standing I took part in an old tradition at my university that is now frowned upon and got caught. I got myself into a bit (really a bunch) of trouble, I swiftly withdrew the semester and left town to avoid A.) getting myself into more serious trouble, and B.) hoping the university wouldn't realize one of their students had gotten in trouble with the city police. My plan was to come back after a year away to get my head out of my ass, when I re-enrolled I got a hold on my account, then a nice little letter from admissions telling me I was no longer welcome as a student.

After trying to find a career, in 2008-2009 mind you, I was working golf course maint and still pretty much living a party lifestyle. I decided to try another university to finish my degree. Like you OP I was rejected by every one of them, not because I was in trouble at my last school, but because my 2.0 even GPA didn't meet transfer requirements. I also had almost as many dropped classes as I had completed classes at my original college and apparently other colleges look down on that? Who knew? Everyone I knew dropped multiple classes a semester where I was.

So anyway, I focused my new school search on larger colleges, one being ODU in Norfolk and the other being VCU in Richmond. They are both bigger urban campuses with a large number of non-traditional students. Instead of just applying I made appointments with admissions administrators and showed up with my transcript and was able to explain my past (obviously leaving out my sordid past) and was able to get somewhere. I eventually got conditionally accepted to VCU as a non-degree seeking student. I had to jump thru a few hoops, I was not allowed to take more than 11 credit hours a semester and I had to take a minimum of 15 credit hours and maintain a 2.5 GPA or better to be accepted into the university as a traditional degree seeking student.

I was able to do that with a 3.5 GPA. I took 9 credit hours one semester then 6 over the summer. It is amazing how much easier college is when you're 25 or older and your main priorities aren't drinking and bitches. However, as I was finishing up the summer semester I was offer a really good full time position that was too good to turn down. I tried to take classes part time and work full time but in the end work won out and I never went any further. I can still go back to VCU now so at least I've cleared that hurdle of being accepted and I could probably wrap up my degree in a year or two as I'm only about 24 credits shy of completion. What I'm doing now requires no college experience, none, so it has been hard for me to justify spending the time and money to go back even if just part time.

I would never trade my college experience, even the bad times. I went to college totally unprepared for the world and I grew a lot in those years. I didn't learn anything earth-shattering, mostly because I was a Political Science major but I did pick up most all of my networking and other adult social skills one needs to be successful in business. I wasn't a bad person but did like to get carried away sometimes and I paid the price, hit rock bottom and had to literally pick my ass up and build myself back up from there. I do want to finish what I started at some point in the near future, I've put in a ton of time and money already to be less than two full semester shy of holding that piece of paper I can hang in my home or office.

OP, I don't know if you're looking to take classes locally and in person or online but if you haven't already considered taking the non-degree seeking route to start I would look into it. The university I was at would count the classes I took as a non-degree seeking student towards my degree so I didn't lose out on them but I did have to take 30 hours after I became a degree seeking student before I could graduate from the university.

[kickinindian]

Ive actually tried this twice with Fresno State and was denied both times. So if you ever hear me talk shit about Fresno, this is why

they need to keep people there longer to milk them for more money to build the new student center

[rturbo 930]

No you are not guaranteed a job. The type of person/personality you have will determine if you are successful in life or not.

Yes, and college is in no way a requirement for success. I'm really not the right person to be answering this, but IMO going to college makes sense if you want to be a doctor, engineer, chemist, etc. where college is a requirement, but not for art, history or philosophy (unless you're doing it yourself, not a potential career). But not everyone is cut out for school. I spent a solid 10+ years struggling through school, including a few years in college. Then I dropped out for an unrelated reason, but in hindsight, it was for the best. I've never, ever done well in school, and a classroom environment just doesn't work for me. So, all in all, it depends on you and your situation.

[noid]

Idea: if you can manage it, apply to schools out of country, then transfer when you maintain your grades after a year. A lot of out of country schools have completely different requirements. Canada/Europe/etc.

[Northern]

Yeah that was the whole point, you dont go to college for things that wont make you any more money as a result.

Ummm I know plenty of welders that make 1/4mil a year so long as they can keep busy, yes they are at the top of heep for pay rates but they like me are never home either.

Ummm I don't see what getting a degree that's useless to a trade has to do with how much the trade makes. It seems pretty dumb to me to go get a BA if you want to weld for a living.



I started off with a BASc and playing football right out of highschool. My grades were shit for a lot of reasons. I met a girl over the summer, transferred to her school and hated it, so I dropped out.

I worked shitty security/call centre jobs for a winter, and my (different girl) fiancee linked me to an aircraft technician course. I graduated with honors and got hired a few weeks before that. I'm good at my job, but now everyone who was hired in the past 3 years got laid off (union seniority BS) and we have a bunch of contracts expiring this summer/fall as well, so I feel more layoffs in the air.

I hate ~70% of the people I work with, so I'm probably going to be that guy who goes back to school and graduates when he's 30-something instead of trying to find a similar job.

With the way I feel right now, a college/university degree is only worth something if its 1: something you want to do for a living for at least 5 years, even if not for life, and 2: Something that someone will pay you for. None of these trash degrees that only worth the paper it's printed on. You know what I'm talking about.

[gte175x]

With the way I feel right now, a college/university degree is only worth something if its 1: something you want to do for a living for at least 5 years, even if not for life, and 2: Something that someone will pay you for. None of these trash degrees that only worth the paper it's printed on. You know what I'm talking about.

I kinda see what you are saying but I will add this -

Education is for learning, nothing else. If you expect anything other than the opportunity to learn something you are interested in - you might be setting yourself up for failure.

A degree does and will open up doors and opportunity. But by no means is it a guarantee for success. So it has worth. But if your goal is to have a degree only(without any learning, or only to learn the very basics) you've missed the point completely.

Go to school to learn, a degree is secondary and only a happy coincidence of having gone to school. Focus on the knowledge and you won't care how much it cost, time and/or money. You were doing what you wanted to.

Luck is when preparation meets opportunity. A degree can provide an opportunity, but only your preparation guarantees you the ability to take advantage of that luck.

[Gerta]

Yes, and college is in no way a requirement for success. I'm really not the right person to be answering this, but IMO going to college makes sense if you want to be a doctor, engineer, chemist, etc. where college is a requirement, but not for art, history or philosophy (unless you're doing it yourself, not a potential career). But not everyone is cut out for school. I spent a solid 10+ years struggling through school, including a few years in college. Then I dropped out for an unrelated reason, but in hindsight, it was for the best. I've never, ever done well in school, and a classroom environment just doesn't work for me. So, all in all, it depends on you and your situation.

OP's focus is business/finance. You don't need a degree if you are an entrepreneur or to necessarily run a business BUT if you are competing in the marketplace for a job then a BA/BS is a minimum requirement. In Seattle or other densely educated areas the minimum is becoming an MBA. OP has his financial certs which is good but if he wants to be a manager or above at a larger firm he may get passed over for those with the credentials.

[2mAn]

OP's focus is business/finance. You don't need a degree if you are an entrepreneur or to necessarily run a business BUT if you are competing in the marketplace for a job then a BA/BS is a minimum requirement. In Seattle or other densely educated areas the minimum is becoming an MBA. OP has his financial certs which is good but if he wants to be a manager or above at a larger firm he may get passed over for those with the credentials.

Hit it right on the head, and I guess this answers my question too about continuing to pursue it. Idont plan on opening my own business, because a Financial Advisor is a commission job and though it can pay very well, its not something Im after.

My previous manager was an idiot (and got fired) but because she has a degree, (and all other things on paper were equal) she earned quite a bit more than me.

[coldweatherblue]

First understand and internalize your personal abilities, financial goals, lifestyle goals, and life expectations.

If you synthesize them all in your head and come up with a plan, then devote yourself entirely to fulfilling that plan, eventually you will have what you want.

I use my college degree (music) every day, but have never worked in the field. However I have a pretty good job in another field, took a long time to get, but was worth it.

[lambo]

So does LIFE (but that does not count right).

your right it does, it teaches everyone how to think the very same as the one in front of you and the one behind you.

Truly spoken like someone who hasn't been to college.

College doesn't consist of standardized testing. There is much more freedom in the learning environment when compared to high school and such. This freedom allows different learning paths to be taken by each student... and thus different ways of how to think. Sure, for engineering, you'll arrive at the same conclusion (answer) but the way in which you get to that answer varies from student to student.

[mrsleeve]

No its spoken form someone that has had to clean up a lot of real world messes created by college kids with a lack of real world experience.

[lambo]

No its spoken form someone that has had to clean up a lot of real world messes created by college kids with a lack of real world experience.

Yes, because it's expected to come out of college with 10 years field experience. I forgot that's how it worked. I didn't realize you could forgo college and gain the field experience in that 4-5 years to work a technical field at $65-80k a year. Boy... why didn't I just do that?

[2761377]

Truly spoken like someone who hasn't been to college.

College doesn't consist of standardized testing. There is much more freedom in the learning environment when compared to high school and such. This freedom allows different learning paths to be taken by each student... and thus different ways of how to think. Sure, for engineering, you'll arrive at the same conclusion (answer) but the way in which you get to that answer varies from student to student.

seriously? I mean with all the "triggering" episodes at schools nationwide?

it seems obvious to me that institutions of "higher learning" promote groupthink intolerance. I do not believe the goal of most modern faculties is to promote independent thinking.

BA History University of California, Irvine 1985.

not that it has really proven it's worth.