Do you think college degrees are worth the cost and economy right now? Any worth

1. 71

   ithabiseposted 13 years ago

   Do you think college degrees are worth the cost and economy right now? Any worthy alternatives?

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2. 71

   dashingscorpioposted 13 years ago

   I believe the days of just getting a college degree from any old form of discipline ( Art Appreciation, English...etc)  and expecting high income career...etc are gone for good.
   Today a college degree has to match a particular career path to be worthwhile. Almost daily we hear of nightmare stories about college grads with $50k, $80k, or $100k+ debt in student loans.  More of then not their major was in a discipline that will not pay them enough to cover the student loans for many years to come. In fact a lot them end up working as waiters/waitresses and living with their parents.
   
   Unless one plans to be high powered attorney, surgeon, CPA, or Wall Street executive it's difficult to justify $100k in student loans. In a bad economy being a student for 4-5 years alone is not enough. A lot of companies are looking for experience and ambition. You have to find work as an intern during the summers while still in school. If you have that plus a degree you're in the running.

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3. 89

   kerlynbposted 13 years ago

   Some might think college degrees are still worth the cost.  The problem, however, is that we aren't  sure if we could recoup the high costs when we start working.  Alternatives? I think being smart enough to look for sources of income while and after taking college would be great. It is quite important for anyone to have multiple streams of income at any given time. We just can't wait for the money to roll in only after college because by that time we might be up in our eyeballs with debt.

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4. 72

   lburmasterposted 13 years ago

   I believe gaining knowledge and information is always worth it.

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5. 59

   Jonesy0311posted 13 years ago

   Once upon a time, you would be paid more just for having a degree. Nowadays, a degree in the arts is almost useless. Engineering and most sciences will almost always pave the way for higher income. Unless you are going to graduate school (even then it's complicated) arts degrees aren't worth the cost. My best advice would be to get a certificate or licensure in healthcare (nuclear medicine, nursing, paramedic, radiology, etc.). And don't forget that most trade professionals (plumbers, electricians, carpenters) make more than the average graduate with a BA.

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6. 78

   Cat Rposted 13 years ago

   There are a lot of options out there to reduce the cost of getting a degree (grants and such) and it seems that all the good jobs now require some kind of a degree.
   I think it is well worth it, even if I will find it difficult to get all four of my children through college; unless they join the military and get their degree paid for.
   
   If you check websites like indeed.com, you will find that all the well paid jobs require degrees. So unless you want to work a low-income job, a degree is a must!

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7. 61

   Tiger Momposted 13 years ago

   The economy operates in cycles.  Right now we are in a deep valley.  When the economy turns around, all the things that use to matter, will again.  Things like higher education; Bachelors, Masters, PhDs will again garner the same amount of respect and rewards it always has.  It demonstrates a consistent level of exploration, hard work, and discipline.  There are ways to subsidize an education, through employer support, that will ease your financial burden.  There is no viable alternatives.

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8. 0

   SmarttChickposted 12 years ago

   Some colleges and some degrees are worth the cost, but as a few other commenters have noted, just having "the piece of paper" is no longer a guarantee of anything (except perhaps of owing student loans that must be repaid!!)
   
   Americans still have the factory-mindset, where Pap went to work in the mill/factory as did all our uncles, neighbors, cousins, etc and the "rich kids" from across town, whose parents went to college, and grandparents went to college, came home with his degree (in anything - didn't matter) and was made assistant manager.
   
   This model long ago became irrelevant, and for multiple reasons.
   
   #1: the manufacturing base is gone and the service industry has replaced manufacturing in many towns, which leads to #2
   
   #2: we live in a predominantly service-oriented world now ("would you like fries with that, sir?") and these jobs don't pay near what the manufacturing jobs paid.  In the post-war years, an uneducated high school drop out could work hard in the factory/mill and eventually earn enough to buy a house, and a couple cars, and take his family on vacation every year.  Try doing that on your Starbucks or McDonald's or Gap salary!!
   
   #3: The student loan industry has made it possible for anyone with a PULSE to borrow an unlimited amount of money to go to college, and colleges have run the numbers and proclaimed Eureka! While there are still admissions standards at many of your larger more established universities, too many state institutions and most of your for-profits institutions have done the math and realized that Americans still think that ANY cost for that degree is worth it and will borrow to get it.

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9. 56

   Maria Priceposted 12 years ago

   That depends on what you major in. Liberal arts and humanities don’t find many takers because their employment prospects aren’t so good. On the other hand, students find it worth investing four years of their time and money into fields like medicine, business, engineering, or computers, because these are recession-proof fields, and thus are bound to yield good return on investment. As such, there are no alternatives to a college degree. In these times, you must have one to advance in your profession. Take a look at the programs California College San Diego offers – career-focused degrees in business, IT, healthcare, and graphic arts that train students to confidently enter the workforce. Read up on California College of San Diego reviews to get a better idea.
   http://campusdiscovery.com/colleges/pro … ego-campus

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