Is higher education something worth investing into today for our youth?

1. 76

   CloudExplorerposted 11 years ago

   Is higher education something worth investing into today for our youth?
   
   Do you think getting a college degree will help your children to get a career paying job today, even with a horrible economy and no jobs in most career areas.
   
   

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2. 60

   CertifiedHandyposted 11 years ago

   Higher education is not a guarantee of a job. Globalism is a phenomenon that will not go away. Our job as parents is to educate ourselves so that we can direct our children who will have to compete on a global scale. At 60 I went back to University to complete my degree. My wife graduates again this May and is looking for a graduate school. My 14 son now has models of continuing education at home. He knows that "education" is never-ending because the world in which we live is ever changing. Next we must teach them to earn at least two skills. What most people fail to realize is that a good marketable skill earns more money overall than most college degrees. The way we choose a career must also change if we are to compete globally. We have to study trends. What is the growth potential of any given field? If my son wants to be an engineer then he has to know what the outlook of that field is. He might have to redirect his priorities or compromise into another field indirectly connected to engineering. A degree must be seen as a credential that establishes you as an "expert" which should develop the confidence you need to go out and build a business.  Your ultimate goal should not be to use your talents, education and creative abilities to enrich someone else. Change the way you think and you change the world...His In Service

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   1. 47

      Ericdierkerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      "Your ultimate goal should not be to use your talents, education and creative abilities to enrich someone else."  What a sad statement. This is the horrible state of mind of way too many employees. That attitude does need to be changed.

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3. 72

   lburmasterposted 11 years ago

   For those who have jobs, if you have a college degree, you make almost double someone who does not. I would say try Texas if you do not have a job but too many people already have that idea.

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4. 85

   kansasyarnposted 11 years ago

   I am a firm believer in both higher education and life-long learning.  The experience gained through higher education does not necessarily prepare a person for a job, but it does prepare a person to think, make decisions and be a leader for others.  When 4 years of college is not an option I also consider vocational training programs to be an excellent option.  The confidence gained from having completed the training for a specific field through either vocational training or 4 years of traditional college cannot be underestimated. 
   
   While there may not be job opportunities within the specific field of study upon graduation, a person is better equipped to perform in almost any field.  Further, an educated mind can see more clearly the possibilities of creating necessary jobs - both for oneself and for others.  Without higher education I believe our country would suffer economically due to a resulting lack of entrepreneurs and small business start ups. 
   
   As a short, hispanic woman, I have never wanted for work in my lifetime.  I have always been gainfully employed.  I have been able to experience owning my own successful small business and have served as an employer in that capacity. 
   
   I completed a 2 year degree program and became an registered nurse 22 years ago.  The two years I spent educating myself has provided earning potential for my lifetime and experiences that I never would have conceived at the time.  My work has extended far beyond nursing and my life continues to be greatly enriched by continuing education.

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5. 60

   Diane Woodsonposted 11 years ago

   Yes, the fallacy that is so strong, is that getting Higher Ed is not going to help a person get a job is wrong. This sweeping generalization has caused many very Bright graduates to give up the idea of working their way thru college or trying for scholarships. I myself earned a scholarship for 2 years of my Graduate Program at the age of count the years, 45......It is never too late. Based on my own experience is success happiness and well, can we ever have enough Knowledge.Money is out there thru FAFSA loans and Grants, which I had a grant for part of my MA.
   Any parent who is able financially to save for this is a wise parent. I can not say enough on this subject and could write for hours about our Educational system....

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6. 59

   will-be-expressedposted 11 years ago

   If you're talking purely in terms of the monetary gain via employment then I guess some high paying degrees are worth it, at least for now.
   
   On the other hand if you're talking also in terms of what a youth gains in learning, in life skills, in independent thought, in being resourceful, then I think a college degree is worthless compared to real life experience. One would be better off investing savings into a small business to start with. Given the current economic climate why would anyone decide to work for a company, to put one's fate into someone else providing a job.
   The reality is still that, regardless whether one has a degree, the world does not owe anyone a job. The only thing college prepares a youth for is to work for a company, to be an employee, to be dependant. The idea of living in a cocoon for four years and suddenly expecting the world to provide one with a living is close to insane, and disconnected with reality. Only if the youth today understood this, I expensive college education would not exist for most professions.

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