Comments on: College Overrated? Dare I Say More?

By: Electrician Courses

Electrician Courses — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 11:14:34 +0000

I think the obsession with college over the past decade or so has created a wealth of opportunities in the trades sector. Worldwide there is a shortage of youngsters entering the trades and a lot of jobs up for grabs for those interested in careers as an electrician, plumber, carpenter, mechanic or the likes. In my opionion these jobs are a return to basics, working outdoors, with your hands to solve problems which I feel is much more rewarding than being stuck in an office in front of a computer for 10hours a day…

By: Jim

Jim — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 12:55:57 +0000

I am so passionate about this subject that I created http://www.thegreatcollegehoax.com a forum dedicated to spreading the truth about college degrees.

The fact is we have way way too many college graduates and not enough jobs. The bubble has essentially burst. We now have young adults straddled with debt for life. Not the exact scenario that makes you want to get married and have kids.

By: nNick Italia

nNick Italia — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 19:34:36 +0000

Bachelor’s degrees are not overrated. MASTER’S degrees are!!! I went to college and I learned a lot, although all of you must read my real story:
I went to college for a bachelor’s degree in music. While I was there, I felt the music program fading, so I switched my major to behavioral sciences. So, I have my bachelor’s degree in behavioral sciences. GREAT!
After college, I went back and took more piano lessons from my old teacher who taught me while I was in high school. One day, I asked her, “do you really think I am ready to play in a bar??” I was quite surprised. Her answer was “yes.”

Now, I play piano in a bar for tips. I tutor English (in a community college, ironically), and get my salary from that. But all I had to do was practice the piano on my own, and look for a bar that would take me in. I found one, and play for tips every Saturday. I would only go back to college if I got paid to go!!!

By: Les

Les — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 21:40:44 +0000

My mother has 3 MASTERS degrees and she NEVER made more than $30k a year. She was a teacher, needless to say. I one time said to her, “Mom, after seeing all that you have acquired by getting all those degrees, you might as well take those diplomas of yours & wipe your butt with them!” You know, I could see her getting all those degrees as being worthwhile if she made a 6 figure income, drove Mercedes-Benzes or BMWs, had a $200 or $300 grand home, etc. I work as a delivery driver and I make $30/hr. I get about 20 hours overtime each week. I make way more than my mother ever did & I am a community college dropout. In fact, I make bank each payday! Just how is that all possible, all you “enlightened” college students & grads? You are the so-called educated! Tell me how I did that!? I saw the whole scam that was taking place early on in my time at community college. See, they make you take all these bullshit classes which have absolutely no pertinence at all with what you were majoring in just for the sole purpose of sucking more tuition money out of you. They tried to give me the BS saying to me, “It’s to make you a more well-rounded student.” I said to them, “Wasn’t that what high school and grade school were for?” Don’t fall for all the hype, people! If you want to continue your education, go to a trade school but DON’T give those colleges another cent of your $$$$!!!!

By: Barry

Barry — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:27:03 +0000

Every society needs classes.
Just because a job doesn’t pay much doesn’t mean you can have morons doing it. Plus the fact that there aren’t enough morons to do all the low-paying jobs.

There are ways of defining classes, and every society has several. It can be done by race, by caste, by legal status, or by education. Monopolies do it by limiting membership in compulsory unions such as the Bar Assoc. and the AMA. Gov’ts do it by requiring licensing, permits and granting monopoly standing to unions. I’m sure there are other ways of doing it, but for Liberals, education is the one of the most palatable ways.

By: Carol

Carol — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 13:21:48 +0000

I don’t agree with opinion which considered college as an investment. Most people think that college is a way to success and rich. It doesn’t always work that way. Many people get success although they never go to college. I think college is a place where there are people who will teach and educate us about knowledge and insight. Outside the college, we still have opportunity to learn and know what is tought at college. But, harder effort is needed…However I think it is all depend on the person willingness to learn.

By: Angela, MotherCrone

Angela, MotherCrone — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 20:42:45 +0000

Excellent article, and a topic of much discussion in our home and academic circles. We have been homeschooling for reasons of academic freedom and possibly social rebellion for a dozen years. With a high school junior, we have been exploring not just the opportunity for dual enrollment (community college classes for high school and college credit) but have been investigating and planning apprenticeships in considered careers. My daughter, an 8th grader, is already researching careers of a more freelance basis, where portfolio and experience matter more than an Ivy League degree.
It baffles me how many of my son’s traditionally schooled friends have never even spoken to anyone in their major of choice, let alone spent time shadowing them in their future career. While college is still the plan, we feel more confident that our children will make fully educated decisions.

By: web design company

web design company — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 05:52:57 +0000

Ironic with the ‘University of Phoenix’ ad running on the right.

By: Steve

Steve — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 03:47:33 +0000

@mahjong_kid – I agree with everything you wrote. My argument is not with the university. I love the university, in all honesty, I have been attending them since I was 7 or so. My argument with the post-secondary education racket is complex. It is a self-serving industry whose mission isn’t to educate, but to fatten itself. Higher learning is a must. However, our current system is… well… stay tuned…

By: mahjong_kid

mahjong_kid — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 02:32:58 +0000

While I must agree that the requirement of a degree for so many jobs is ultimately unfair, I don’t think it’s just to point a finger at the universities. Where does the real social damage begin? The root of the problem, in my opinion, is the ridiculous failure that we call public education. With so much importance placed on standardized testing (preparations taking the precedence over normal subjects for a good portion of the school year), the lack of individual attention, and misbehavior so prevalent in the classrooms, how can we expect a high school diploma to mean anything anymore?