Is college a scam?

As a freshman in college, I started to get the thinking. Is college a scam?

I never believed that going to college will guarantee you a better job paying more money than the person who didn't go to college.

I'm in college right now and we're learning the same # we did when we were in high school. I thought college was a place for higher learning.

I've come to learn that I got most of my education from Barnes n Nobles than my high school and current college. It's crazy. What does everyone here think?

hauns.com...

"Illumination not education to bring the blind sight."

Hmmm... looks lik an editorial about this! hooray! someone else thats lookin around at college and sayin wtf?!?!?

www.atsnn.com...


check it out man

Whats your major Illmatic?


seekerof

Originally posted by Seekerof
Whats your major Illmatic?


seekerof

Communications.

I don't want to "read" into 'why' your feeling this but often times, for a freshman, the first year is basically just knocking out your core classes, which will seem redundant.
The first year is when over 50% of your freshman drop out or quit college.

College was and still is a challenge, IMHO, but I will admit that till I got through my 'core' classes, it was pretty redundant.


seekerof

Originally posted by Seekerof
I don't want to "read" into 'why' your feeling this but often times, for a freshman, the first year is basically just knocking out your core classes, which will seem redundant.
The first year is when over 50% of your freshman drop out or quit college.

College was and still is a challenge, IMHO, but I will admit that till I got through my 'core' classes, it was pretty redundant.


seekerof

I don't care about my core classes. I find all of that easy high school review stuff. But I am thinking long term.

I don't want to get out of college and get a lame 9-5 job paying 30,000 a year. To some people it's a noble thing and it's their pride and joy to work like that but I've seen my parents work like that their whole lives and I don't think I can go through that.

So I am thinking long-term, not the present.

You can make it a scam, yes.

Freshmen courses are designed as leveling stuff (Sophomore, too.) If you went to a good high school, this will be familiar material. Degrees aren't a guarantee of anything, including that you will get work in that field (on the other hand, you WON'T get it without that degree.)

So what do you get if you struggle through that degree and jump through the hoops? You get in the job market for jobs like mine -- where I *can* rearrange my schedule to accomodate a conference or a day off and I can tell the boss I need to leave early and leave. I can take work home if I like. I don't have a supervisor sitting and staring at me, seeing that I am working every second.

High school grads don't get those priveleges. Unless you've got the capital to start your own business (and hope you do well) you will be in jobs where your options are very limited.

I've been at this job for 20 years. There's a $10,000/year difference in my pay and the pay of coworkers without Masters' degrees. There's a $25,000/year difference between my pay and folks with just high school. It's higher for Blacks.

On the other hand, there's nothing wrong with leaving college and trying to make it on your own. If you feel that's what you need, go for it.

man, I like the whole anti 9-5 mindset you are in.

that's how i am. then they tellme to grow up. then i tell them im growing every day, and i keep writing. rock on.

No, don't get me wrong... It's not like I am going to drop out or anything.

My freshman year is going too good right now to think about dropping out.

I'm just keeping it fresh in my mind that if the oppurtunity comes when I have to drop out to pursue something greater than I am going to do it.

Originally posted by Scat
man, I like the whole anti 9-5 mindset you are in.

that's how i am. then they tellme to grow up. then i tell them im growing every day, and i keep writing. rock on.

I agree. I am writing a screenplay right now. I am keeping my options open and any way for me to make money and succeed in life to live comfortable without any worries I am taking it.

Look to go for your Master's then.

I finished college and joined the Air Force. I got out a few years back and opted to return to college to get my Master's. At the same time, I'm doing research work for a professor at another campus in North Carolina, all the while working a government job.

I guess what I am getting at, is that you are correct in looking 'long-term'. I am not quite sure what job fields your degree would cover, but I have you spoken to your advisor on this? Has he suggested anything to help you or guide you along in your goals? How about the campus career center?

I'm not trying to change your comment on college being a scam, per se', but trying to self-reason why you are thinking this, beyond what you have mentioned. I apologize if this is getting into your business....was not my intention.


seekerof

I graduated in Highschool in 2000, and was immediatly accepted into a nearby college just up the street from my highshcool. I applied for financial aid but was declined because of my gpa (from the gov), So I got a full time job, paid for part-time classes, and still can't get financial aid because I'm part-time. 4 years later I just finished my fresman year, LOL!, I still need to get sophmore junior senior to go!. So last semester I tried to get financial aid again, but still my gpa is to low, because I'm part time, I don't meet the 12 credit requirements. So here I am 4years later broke, I hate my job, I lost interest in school, my rent is due, I live with my parents , I'm out of shape, all my friends moved away, no girlfriend. Depressed all at the age of 21.

[Edited on 2-4-2004 by RandomKungFu]

Seekerof, I've tried guidance counselors in high school and in college and they don't help. If they do anything, they make you feel stupid with those first grade questions they ask you as if you don't belong there.

Random, that is just a normal teenager's life. I can't find any teenager who isn't struggling through work, school, and just life.

No way its a scam, except the money. Without college, there wouldn't be any computers because noone would know how to make them. No technology, crappy arcitecture, no doctor, etc...
Get through the first two years and your opinion will change. Classes get a lot harder and consume more time than English and Algebra. Get your GPA up while you can with those easy classes. I wouldn't be concerned with a major just yet either, you have plenty of time to decide/change.

Without college, there wouldn't be any computers because noone would know how to make them.

Oh boy, I must come into this one. This is a topic that I discuss with my friends alottttttt.

For starters, who is one of the worlds most wealthy man? Bill Gates correct? Yes. From what did he become rich? From computers. Did he go to college? yes. Did he finish college? NO. As have many other people who are filthy rich now.

I did the college thing for a few years. But didn't finish it. I'm actually 23 credits away from getting my bachelors but I'm not getting it.

To some extent college is a waist of time (to some extent). I mean most real jobs require you to get a license to work for them and you don't need a college degree for it.

I know alottttttttttttttt of people who have bachelors and MASTERS DEGREE and have NO JOB. A few have 2-3 years since graduation and still nothing.

What is that about?

I feel while most of us are in college others are out there getting the "experience" you need to get a "real job". While in college most students are broke (unless you have rich parents) and your friends back home are succeding.

It really comes down to "experience". I did the college thing for 4 years and I don't regret it though, because I was very involved on my campus, but I really didn't learn anything on an academic level that I couldn't learn myself.

I am now 23 years, with out a college degree and making more money in my FIRST year (which will keep going up and up), than most people with Masters degree make in there 2nd year. (Legally to by the way)

I'm not saying college is a bad thing, I'm just saying it's not for everyone. And most kids go to college because their parents tell them and because "society" thinks its the best thing, BS!!!!

[Edited on 3-4-2004 by subzero360]

Originally posted by Illmatic67
As a freshman in college, I started to get the thinking. Is college a scam?

I never believed that going to college will guarantee you a better job paying more money than the person who didn't go to college.

I'm in college right now and we're learning the same # we did when we were in high school. I thought college was a place for higher learning.

I've come to learn that I got most of my education from Barnes n Nobles than my high school and current college. It's crazy. What does everyone here think?

hauns.com...

"Illumination not education to bring the blind sight."

having these pieces of paper do not garantee you a job. It helps, but thats about it.
You can get good jobs "working for someone" but I prefer self employment, I don't like rules of other companies, nor do I like someone else running a tight ship and having to be part of it. I see it like a dictatorship kind of when it comes to working for someone else...

Self employment all the way, if you can come up with something that nobody else has thought of, you can bet your ass you'll make a comfortable living..
Even if you just open up your own cleaning service, or gardening service, whatever..
I would make more money doing that then I would working for someone else.


I personally think it has alot to with mainstream brainwashing... "you can't do anything if youdon't go to school" while there is some truth that, there is also a thing called self education, where you explore your passions and research yourself, instead of paying money for someone to teach it their way. And you never knoww hat kind of prof your going to end up with, so i't also gamble.

my 3 cents.



[Edited on 3-4-2004 by TrueLies]

It's what YOU make of it.
I agree that the quality of education is very poor (at least it is here in holland) but I learn a lot myself.

All I do at school is do projects, the assignment is usually one big analysis, and a final report of 50 pages or so...

I travel by train every day for 2 hours, and during that time I read up on stuff that I WANT to learn.

You really need to motivate yourself, and really want to learn something.

All that matters is your diploma, a piece of paper. But YOU control the ammount of knowledge you (want to) gain.

Just go to the library and grab a book you think might be interesting...it works!

[Edited on 3-4-2004 by Zion Mainframe]

Originally posted by Illmatic67
I don't want to get out of college and get a lame 9-5 job paying 30,000 a year.

Um, don't worry. You won't.

What you think this is the roaring 90's?

I think the final exam to graduate college now should be making a Starbuck's latte.

Just kidding. I wish you well.

PS - My second degree was in Communications too. Would you like to make that a Grande Sir?