Dear Menewshians,

When my class was going through school, we were always told that college is the way to go, college is the only way you'll be garunteed a job. Well, is that really true? Is it possible that so many went through school that the jobs they went for are all taken? There's a guy who works at the same repair shop as me in the shipping department. He went to college and got an English degree. He's now in shipping wrapping boxes because he had no where else to go. I went straight into the work force and I have a job. There are others who went into the work force and are doing better than those who went to college and incurred a large debt that they're struggling to pay off.

Then of course there's the argument of money goals or career goals: do you want a job you'll enjoy or one that will pay the bills? Sometimes you can have both. Others, not so much. It all depends on how bady you want what you want. I don't cling to material posessions and can make fun out of the cheapest stuff. I can just walk in the park, read books, and online write in forums; sure I have my not so cheap excursions such as a weekly pool night or a movie here and there, even a dinner out. But I moderate. I also don't care to have many material posessions. So I could probably go for a career I'd enjoy.

So the discussion topic: Do you think it's a better idea to go through college or take on a full time job out of high school? Do you prefer white collar jobs or blue collar jobs? Are you more for the enjoyable career or paying the bills? Are you able to have both?

No, going to college in this day and age absolutely does NOT guarantee you a job, it can even disqualify you from jobs because you are "overqualified."

I think work experience is more important than just going to college. -- Meaning, go to college, but try to find internships (preferably paid) or a job in the field you're going for. It looks delicious on a resume and the company you're working for might even hire you full time after you graduate.
If you get a degree in anthropology for example...but have no field work in it...You can't find a job at all, you straight up have to go to grad school, and grad school on top of student loans you've already gathered, gets REALLY expensive.

So, I think ideally, you get a combination of both for most fields. Not all fields you can get work experience in (medical professions) prior to graduation (or residency) or simply aren't a matter of work experience, but instead knowing the right people (like most art professions). But, for many people work experience is more important than college. Because yes college looks good, but, more often you will find employers hire people who already know how to do the job, and have experience doing it.

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As for "paying the bills" or "enjoying my career" I would rather pay my bills.
If I can pay my bills and save some money every month, I can buy things that I'll enjoy. But never having any money is very limiting...=___=" And generally makes me miserable when I have to choose bills or food...

I graduated college with a degree in Cultural Anthropology. I started working in kitchens while I was going to college. Five years later, the only job I've held that wasn't a kitchen job was working for barter at a local laundromat. That's right, I didn't actually get paid.

When I moved back to the city I live in now after moving back home to the mountains for two years, I spent LITERALLY a year and some change before I even got an INTERVIEW. And that's putting in applications at restaurants, movie theaters, bookstores, video stores.

I have a resume now, thank God, and I need to start sending it out, because I need a job. At present, I'm helping a friend of mine build a web-based game.

There's a third option: trade school. Going to community college to learn how to be an electrician or a plumber or a carpenter (despite the fact that millions of homes are currently sitting losing value with no one who can afford to buy or rent them) or going into nursing or law enforcement ( we will never run out of sick people or people to throw in jail) are actually more economically viable than getting a four year degree.

College Enrollment Rate at Record High - NYTimes.com

This shows the upward trend in college enrollment

HigherEdInfo.org: Graduation Rates

These graphs go back as far as 1997, so it's not QUITE as useful as the other one might be, but it's a reasonable indicator of the rate of graduation, which in the country is like 55% as of 08. The percentages might go down just because of the sheer volume of people being pushed into college right now.

The markets are saturated, and our economy is in recession. which means not only are you graduating college along with more people than have graduated college historically in our country, but you're also competing for jobs with people who have 15 years work experience somewhere else but they got laid off.

I'm always being told I'm overqualified cos I have some college under my belt.

Not gonna stop me from getting some more tho when I can afford it. If anything, I wanna specialize in something so I can get better jobs.

Sucks when you can't get those little jobs they say 'everyone' can get. There was this phone sales place in my town that they said was guaranteed to hire you no matter what? But they wouldn't hire me!

There is a difference between a job and a career. College/university is geared for people with a career in mind. Mind you, you have people who graduate who think all they need is a degree and they can waltz in and find any career they want. It's always work -- the degree is a boost, but it is not a cure-all.

People without degrees usually know they have to work harder, so a lot of those people seem to do better in the short-term, but sooner or later, they hit a glass ceiling because they don't have a degree and they see people who do surpass them eventually (also, people with B.A.'s find they are often overlooked by people with M.A.'s for the same reason).

If you don't have a degree, it is not a bad idea to think long term goals and take courses part-time -- it saves a lot of frustration in the long-term, especially if you are planning on working for someone else or if you are looking at a traditional career.

I intend on getting a degree in Cultural Anthropology with a minor in Creative Writing. My goal is a job I love that at least has decent pay. One option is to run my own small business like a bookstore or record store while also selling my art prints and utilitarian prints as well. Another option I've considered is becoming a professor and traveling on research trips in the summers. In either case I plan on writing a lot, both novels and if I pursue an anthropological career then scholarly texts as well.

Ultimately I believe people should do what they feel will make them the happiest and most fulfilled. I don't think everyone should go to college straight out of high school or even at all. I have waited a few years and am glad I did because I didn't have any idea what I wanted to do when I graduated high school.

It all depends on what the individual wants and how (s)he intends to get it. There is no "right way" for everybody. College does not guarantee success, money, or happiness. All it can do is make it easier for some people if it happens to fit with their goals.
I personally am not concerned with having a really high-paying job, as long as I can do something I like and be comfortable--and it doesn't take much for that. If I need to take some classes to get into the career that I choose, I will (provided I can find a way to do so). If not, then I'm more than happy to just go straight to work if I can.

I happen to know in Ontario at least, the government isn't pushing college and university as much as they used to. It used to be the belief, but now they are making high school students aware of apprenticeships and trades work. There is so much money to be made in trades work that it's ridiculous.

Yes, it's true that if you get a college or university degree you will sometimes find a better job, the matter you need to consider is what you plan to study. Become a doctor and you're set but going to school for an actor's life and you're going to be hard off.

So it really depends on what and who you want to be that will dictate if extra schooling is truly worth the price.

Originally Posted by Artifex

I happen to know in Ontario at least, the government isn't pushing college and university as much as they used to. It used to be the belief, but now they are making high school students aware of apprenticeships and trades work. There is so much money to be made in trades work that it's ridiculous.

Yes, it's true that if you get a college or university degree you will sometimes find a better job, the matter you need to consider is what you plan to study. Become a doctor and you're set but going to school for an actor's life and you're going to be hard off.

So it really depends on what and who you want to be that will dictate if extra schooling is truly worth the price.

I'm glad they aren't pushing college so much now. And I agree with your second statement, it does all depend.

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Originally Posted by Glitter Golgotha

It all depends on what the individual wants and how (s)he intends to get it. There is no "right way" for everybody. College does not guarantee success, money, or happiness. All it can do is make it easier for some people if it happens to fit with their goals.
I personally am not concerned with having a really high-paying job, as long as I can do something I like and be comfortable--and it doesn't take much for that. If I need to take some classes to get into the career that I choose, I will (provided I can find a way to do so). If not, then I'm more than happy to just go straight to work if I can.

This is pretty much my view. And then when everyone was going "college, college, COLLEGE!" I felt I had to choose a different path.

I always believe in furthering your education past high school. I went to a community college right after HS, though it wasn't for me and dropped out. now, 6 years later, I'm itching to go back to school. Sure, you can get good paying jobs without a college degree, but you need that degree to get the best jobs there are out there. You need some sort of training to do what really counts in this world. It also depends on what you want to do in life.

Originally Posted by Eggie

I always believe in furthering your education past high school. I went to a community college right after HS, though it wasn't for me and dropped out. now, 6 years later, I'm itching to go back to school. Sure, you can get good paying jobs without a college degree, but you need that degree to get the best jobs there are out there. You need some sort of training to do what really counts in this world. It also depends on what you want to do in life.

True, training is always needed. Though whether that is in a class room or on the job depends. So you're right.

I found this both interesting and relevant, and wanted to share. :)