Put on your thinking caps

[gracie]

I graduated from college when I was 33 after my youngest daughter started school. I'm kind of glad I waited til then since at 18 I didn't have a clue about a career. Living in the real world gave me an edge on finding something to do when the kids grew up so I took up accounting. Nothing big, just enough to keep me busy and it's easy to set aside (unless you can't get the books to balance) when you go home for the day. I never in my wildest would have thought that I would like working with numbers when I was 18. I wanted to be a social worker or something along those lines. I found that I'm not cut out to be in that kind of one on one situation. I'm more detail oriented and as crazy as it sounds I would do taxes just for the fun of it. I've seriously considered going back to college for a masters, but the reality is I just like going to classes and learning new things. I'm at the point in my life that the degree isn't going to make any difference in what I do and in seven more years I'll be retiring anyway. I'm afraid if I stop learning my brain will rot or something and learning is an adventure.

[Leo]

As for myself, I'm still in college, third year in fact. (For the record, I'm only 19.)

I'm currently taking up Computer Engineering. Why that field? Well, two reasons: I'm a self-admitted geek, so wouldn't it be swell to take a geeky course? The other reason was that the high school scholarship said I had to take a science and technology course upon graduating from high school. It fit the bill, so here I am.

Enjoying it? Let me give that one millisecond of thought - no. All work and no play. Blah.

Would I have taken a different course? Probably not. Yeah, I know, it's tough. Still, if I didn't have that contract limitation, I'd probably be doing something else.

[John]

I started working full-time when I was 15, along with school. When I graduated (at 17), I began working even more. Never went to college - my parents didn't have the money, and I didn't have the grades or the tolerance for any more classes.

I've been working ever since, and never even thought about going to college. I see so many idiots out there who think a college degree will help them, and the truth is it helps only a small segment of the population, and usually only for entry-level positions. It's a foot-in-the-door tool, at best.

Amanda, I'll turn 33 this year, and I still haven't decided what I want to be when I grow up. I've fallen into everything I've ever done without planning for it, and it's all worked out - but I have no idea what's next for me, and I try not to worry about it too much. Life will do what life will do, and I have no control over it.

[Miss Filangi]

I've been working ever since, and never even thought about going to college. I see so many idiots out there who think a college degree will help them, and the truth is it helps only a small segment of the population, and usually only for entry-level positions. It's a foot-in-the-door tool, at best.

Isn't that the truth.

I look at my degree as the biggest waste of time and money. A lesson learned, for sure. If you know, absolutely know what you want to do, college can be beneficial. I've learned there are other avenues to get what you want that are always good to explore.

I enjoy night classes though... less pressure and usually more useful than regular daytime courses.

[mrdobolina]

I think John really nailed it. Here is MY story....

Graduated High School with great grades....followed all 3 of my brothers to University of Illinois....graduated in 4 years(unlike them) with a finance/business degree, but was very unhappy with the prospect of doing the "corporate chicago daily grind" and started to freak out about my future. A friend who had graduated a year before me suggested moving out to Colorado with him. I decided to throw caution to the wind, packed my car up shortly after graduating college, and headed west. For 6 years in Colorado, I ran a small, local grocery delivery business. But I grew unhappy with the lack of money and always living in debt. So I moved back to Chicago to actually live in the city, and pursue other avenues. I worked in a film/video lighting house for a guy that, looking back, totally reminds me of Rocco on "The Restaurant". For 2 years I managed the shop and did some work as a grip on local video productions. One day I got a call from a former roommate out in Colorado....he told me about this job with a small financial services company in CO that I would, supposedly, be perfect for the job. I interviewed for the job, got the job, and am now managing data for this company, finally using my degree(at least to some extent), back in CO near the mountains, and loving life.

The point is, like John said, that life will do what life will do. I kinda feel the same way about college....these days it is basically High School for those that can afford it. It doesnt really help. Its more of an expectation than it is a place to get ahead.

Good luck Amanda!

[libra1022]

I worked 2 jobs the better part of my last 2 years in high school trying to save for the college knowing that my parents wouldn't be able to help me and I didn't want to have to borrow money to do it. I had the choice after graduating of staying home and my parents actually said that they'd pay for a community college or I could go off to FSU (which had always been my dream) and they would pay one semester and the rest was on me.....I had to follow my dreams and went to FSU and decided to study hotel and restaurant management (at first I wanted to be a mortician, but then realized that's just too much science for me LOL). It seemed like a steady field to be in and the pay was decent from what I'd been hearing...besides, I'd already been working in restaurants for 2 years at the time.

I only made it 2 years in college and decided that my "real world" experience would do as much as a degree would...heck besides that the whole college life thing got the best of me and school had already taken a backseat to the fun.

Anyways!! Long story short, in the not so glamourous world of fast food I made it to being a restaurant manager by the time I was 20. It might not seem like a whole lot, but I was really proud that I accomplished my goal and was running my own place.

That lasted 4 years until I got involved with (and later married) one of my assistant managers and I was released from my duties there. Desperate for a job I took anything that would hire me and ended up running a coffee shop inside the corner grocery store...within 2 weeks I was made the assistant deli manager, and about a year and a half later I took over as the deli manager. I've been there for 8 years now and absolutely love my job. It sure isn't what I expected it to be, but running the deli & bakery (& a recently added coffee shop) really comes naturally to me and I have a lot of fun doing it.

I've never really considered going back to school (my mother wishes I would)...I truly find that I gain more from my experience than I could learn in a classroom and I have a lot more fun doing it this way. I'm not sure if this is what I'll be doing for the rest of my life or anything, but I just keep on going ane make the best of whatever gets tossed my way.

[PIMguy]

The point is, like John said, that life will do what life will do. I kinda feel the same way about college....these days it is basically High School for those that can afford it. It doesnt really help. Its more of an expectation than it is a place to get ahead.

Good luck Amanda!

I just want to address this point. I completely understand what you are saying, and it applies to many pursuits in life. But there are some occupations that just require a college degree. I went to college and got a degree in Civil Engineering and, 16 years later I am a practicing Professional Engineer. I enjoy the work, the pay is good and I could not have done it without the education.

So it depends on what you want to do. If you want to be something specific that has specific entry requirements then you probably need a degree. If you want to pursue an occupation where the entry requirements are more vague (and I don't mean that in a bad way) then you may not need the degree. I won't sit here and say a college education is absolutely necessary for success, but please don't say that a college education "doesn't really help."

[Miss Filangi]

PIM, I don't think anyone is arguing that. When people go to university or college because they are told that's what they're supposed to do... rather than going to school to pursue a specific career, then you are in danger of making a huge mistake.

Obviously, if you plan to be a doctor, lawyer or cop, college is required.

Nothing is worse (and more useless) than a 4 year degree in basket weaving. You were one of the smart ones that knew what you were doing.

[mrpayroll]

I just want to address this point. I completely understand what you are saying, and it applies to many pursuits in life. But there are some occupations that just require a college degree. I went to college and got a degree in Civil Engineering and, 16 years later I am a practicing Professional Engineer. I enjoy the work, the pay is good and I could not have done it without the education.

So it depends on what you want to do. If you want to be something specific that has specific entry requirements then you probably need a degree. If you want to pursue an occupation where the entry requirements are more vague (and I don't mean that in a bad way) then you may not need the degree. I won't sit here and say a college education is absolutely necessary for success, but please don't say that a college education "doesn't really help."

Like I said before I would rather have the person operating on me, to have gone to at least medical school, before they cut with the scalpel!

Chris

[mrdobolina]

You make a good point, PIMguy. And I definetly wasnt trying to play down college as an arena where technical degrees are not available. I went to a college that had a great engineering program, a great accounting/business/finance program, and a great ag/bio/sciences program. But a large majority of the undergrads, and a large majority of the people I knew, were liberal arts majors. Just going to college because their parents paid for it, they could live on their own, and they could party.

I still stand by the college as high school statement. Even in HS, there were students who were specialized and knew where they were headed. I would bet, PIMguy, that you were great at math and physics, and continued to be good at them in college, thus the engineering degree.