What do you think of someone who doesn't want a college education?

Is there an eco in here? This describes a majority of the college graduates I know. I don't personally know too many of the "I went off to a private ivy covered college on daddy's dime" types.

asdlkjf;ksajdf;lksajfd wrote:

Why do some people think because you attend college you don't work?

I worked my way through school. I worked full-time during the summers. So did my wife. We both graduated at the top of our classes.

Most of the people I knew in college were blue collar kids who worked their asses off. The tuition was $6000 a year. A lot of people buy $40000 trucks . . . I got an education for less than a new truck.

It seems like a lot of people here only know of the college students who were privileged and went off to some private school their parents paid for... that is not really the case for a lot of people.

Live in your parents basement, drive a beater car, live on a rice and beans budget, work part time, and attend a nearby state university, and getting a college degree doesn't have to be as expensive as some are making it out to be.

My story is almost the same, including the current job and salary, except I don't really 'love' to program. In 1988 when I joined the military, I recognized that programming was going to be a good paying job someday. Probably one of the best life decisions I ever made.

Why companies insist on making a degree a requirement for programming jobs is beyond me. Programming is a technical skill that can be learned outside of college. It just happens to be a very good paying field.

I don't.I mind my own business and worry about myself and my immediate family and friends.They don't teach you that in utterly useless Liberal Arts programs.

Chaunuchi wrote:

?

I think most of them have a secret plan to become rich by owning a business and being smarter than all of those stupid college people.

Then they kinda get lazy and complacent at a job with not much room for advancement.

Then they have some kids and live in the same small town they were born in.

And the cycle repeats.

Or they become the smartest people in the world and bash others for going to college. Whatever.

noodlez wrote:

There is no such thing as the best education possible. Undergrad is undergrad.

That's what people who can't get into a top university say. Even if you have two professors of the same teaching ability, the one at the better university had better perform to the best of their ability because those top students expect that, demand that. There are a lot of students at low-level-state-U who likely should not have gone to college, and a class 3/4 full of them can allow apathy to set in to even the best-meaning professor.

Also, USUALLY the best universities attract the best professors, and being surrounded by smart students is better than not being.

Finally, better colleges DO matter. I've been on the hiring end of things for a long time, and I know what the worst colleges are, and when I get a resume from someone who went to one of them, they had better have had a STELLAR performance at that bad university, or their resume ends up in the cylindrical file.

Got three resumes that are equal...two are from flagship State University and one from an elite college. If I want to call in just two, then if all seem basically equal, I call in the elite college grad and then make the two state university grads fight it out for the second call. Elite college breaks the tie every time. And, elite might just be the best of the three.

For example (ALL CAPS wins, Title Case loses):

OHIO STATE, WOOSTER, Ohio University

OHIO UNIVERSITY, OHIO STATE, Wilberforce University

MIAMI OF OHIO, KENYON COLLEGE, Grove City College

HARVARD, DARTMOUTH, University of Kentucky

UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY, UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI, Lourdes University

Flagpole,

If you don't mind me asking, what are you hiring for?

Yep. I know a guy just like you...umm...Mike, is that you?

I have a friend who began at Ohio State to get a degree in Computer Engineering, but he wrote a program and made a ton of money selling it to customers, so he left Ohio State without his degree and just ran his business. So, if you have the drive and the skills, college isn't necessarily for you.

Should also be noted that some people love to learn in a classroom setting. I am one of those. Hearing lectures from a good lecturer and then discussion with other students and professors is something I always liked.

djdjdjdjdjddjd wrote:

Flagpole,

If you don't mind me asking, what are you hiring for?

I am a consultant for many manufacturing companies. My MAIN work is advising them on software use and setup, maintenance and configuration, but I work for myself, so I do extra things that companies don't always want to do...for an extra fee of course.

Since I know the manufacturing world inside and out, I often interview potential candidates, and I identify those candidates. These candidates can work on the manufacturing floor, be IT people, accountants, sales, customer support...and on and on...pretty much any job you might find in a manufacturing company.

Very cool. Thanks for the info.

Wow, such arrogance. You'll let people "fight it out" to be interviewed by you? What are you, the CEO of Goldman Sachs?

I don't think too many people would claim that Directional State University is better than Harvard. I will state, though, that most people would be better served graduating debt free from

Wherever State than by going into debt to attend a brand name private school. There are always exceptions to that, obviously, but most people graduate, get a job, work for 40 years, then retire. The majority of these folks would be better served going to the local state school debt free.

If you aspire to be the President of the U.S., sure, go to Harvard. Realistically, that's not most of us. Even if you plan to go to professional school, get great grades while staying debt free at a state school, then save your student debt load for medical or law school.

It is assumed that kids in my town will go on to college. In the most recent year for which statistics are available (2012-2013), 440 of our 487 public high school graduates went on to college, and 410 went directly to a 4 year college. Many of them don't actually know what they want to study. They just know they have to go to college, because it's expected. When I meet a kid who has a clear alternative plan, I'm impressed. It takes a lot to be willing to say you're not going to college.

It is much easier to get into a good law school when you attend a highly-recognized university. I mostly met people from the top 20 or 30 universities while attending a good law school. That is just my own experience.

Most people don't want to attend a top law school or medical program so I would have no good advice for them.

College isn't for everyone, otherwise it will end up being as terrible as our HS's are now.

That being said, the "have a plan" is the key. Do NOT walk out of HS and start flipping burgers, or work at the mall. Do whatever you can to start at the very bottom of SOMETHING that will eventually become a career. If that means being a gofer at a construction company, garage, or unloading trucks, whatever..

You need to work and work hard, but by the time you are 24 you'll have 6 years of OTJ experience and knowledge of the profession. That puts you in a nice place to advance IF you work hard. You'll be light years ahead of the recent college graduate that is still just a 13 year old in an adult's body.

Ataglance wrote:

You'll be light years ahead of the recent college graduate that is still just a 13 year old in an adult's body.

Again why do people think that those in college don't work hard while they attend school?

Just about everybody I knew worked part-time during the year and full-time or in internships during the summer.

I also have a lot of friends who didn't attend college and are little more than teenagers wasting money on cars and booze.

It goes both ways.

asdlkjf;ksajdf;lksajfd wrote:

Why do some people think because you attend college you don't work?

I worked my way through school. I worked full-time during the summers. So did my wife. We both graduated at the top of our classes.

Most of the people I knew in college were blue collar kids who worked their asses off. The tuition was $6000 a year. A lot of people buy $40000 trucks . . . I got an education for less than a new truck.

It seems like a lot of people here only know of the college students who were privileged and went off to some private school their parents paid for... that is not really the case for a lot of people.

Yeah, I think too many people think of those 20 year old adolescents and it pisses them off. I worked during the summer and part time during school, I also ran all during college. My wife worked her entire time as well. We were both from lower middle class backgrounds, our parents were sending check from home, buying our cars, etc.. (the government wasn't giving me a Pell grant either.)

Going to school on the "Dad Scholarship" would have been a great thing. I know I was jealous of those that could do that, but it only represents a small number of college grads.

My brother has a GED. Went to work at a scrap yard in the 1970's in Richmond, VA. as a mechanic. Worked his way up to a manager of all workers. Then was asked to be a minority owner/partner. Went on sales trips, landed a couple big accounts. As of 1998 has been a full part owner, makes easily over 500k, has a house on the James River, bought all his kids a house for a wedding gift and does pretty well for himself.

I have two graduate degrees and do not make 150k.

College does not always guarantee success.

Flagpole wrote:

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Yep. I know a guy just like you...umm...Mike, is that you?

I have a friend who began at Ohio State to get a degree in Computer Engineering, but he wrote a program and made a ton of money selling it to customers, so he left Ohio State without his degree and just ran his business. So, if you have the drive and the skills, college isn't necessarily for you.

Should also be noted that some people love to learn in a classroom setting. I am one of those. Hearing lectures from a good lecturer and then discussion with other students and professors is something I always liked.

Nope, not Mike. But I too know several people with similar stories. IT is an area where you can "get away with it."

Based on your education and experience, would you say that your brother is the typical person who chooses not to attend college?

If so, I will quit today and start working in a scrap yard.

Thank you for your contribution.