University A neccesity? - Page 3

Empyrean

17082 Posts

January 05 2011 03:27 GMT

#41

Of course, you do have to take into consideration the vast number of people who didn't go to college and also failed. Basically what it comes down to is this: if you are hard working, have a good work effort, and are willing to sacrifice, then you will be successful whether or not you go to university.

Initial_H.C.

Canada560 Posts

January 05 2011 03:36 GMT

#42

It's what's necessary for you to make your life comfortable. Some university degrees are useless compared to others. Then it's how you use that degree to make your life comfortable. But there are so many other ways to have a comfortable life. Just look ahead at what you want to do and the process that is necessary to make it to that place.

Darpa

Canada4413 Posts

January 05 2011 03:44 GMT

#43

There will always be people who are successful without university degrees. But if you look at the vast majority of very successful people in the world, they have degrees. That doesnt necessarily mean the degree made them successfull (it probably helped out though). But generally speaking the people who have degrees are the people with the drive to make themselves better. A degree will help you along this path. And you cant be a professional without one. But if you truly do not want to go or cannot afford university, there are ways to still be successful. It May just be harder, and it might be a different path than you are expecting.

That said, Get a degree, I have one and I dont regret it in the slightest, it makes any career change or choice that much easier to attain. Your resume looks prettier, and even if the job you are applying for has nothing to do with your degree, having a degree pretty much says "hey, Im not stupid, and I am responsible"

jackarage

Canada104 Posts

January 05 2011 03:46 GMT

#44

I think it depends on what's your definition of success.

KevinIX

United States2472 Posts

January 05 2011 03:50 GMT

#45

It's not necessary, but it really helps you find a good job. Many universities have connections with past alumni and interviewers. That alone helps a ton. A degree in a field is also a nice piece of proof of your expertise. Plus, you can learn a lot in University classes. Having a professor and peers to talk with really does help you learn.

AppLeCheesE

33 Posts

January 05 2011 04:04 GMT

#46

On January 05 2011 12:27 Empyrean wrote:
Of course, you do have to take into consideration the vast number of people who didn't go to college and also failed. Basically what it comes down to is this: if you are hard working, have a good work effort, and are willing to sacrifice, then you will be successful whether or not you go to university.

Even that isn't true. What should be taken from your words is: "Nothing is certain".

Everyone in a way is unique, some people are capable of operating and live successful, fulfilling lives while those same type of people; live a horrible life.

ziggurat

Canada847 Posts

January 05 2011 04:05 GMT

#47

You definitely don't need a degree to make good money. Even great money. Work your way up, you can get education while you work as you develop your career.

University can be very valuable. But go there with a plan. Take something that will teach you employable skills. Lots of people have gone to school in philosophy or geography or whatever and ended up wasting time with no real career benefits.

Many people feel (and I agree) that there is currently a "higher education bubble":

http://washingtonexaminer.com/node/470261

teh leet newb

United States1999 Posts

January 05 2011 04:05 GMT

#48

Just look at data and think about it logically. Assume that you're average. Unless you're a genius/extremely entrepreneurial/have some sort of lucky break, you can be considered about average. And on average, people with a high school education make $30,400/year, compared to $52,200/year for people with a bachelor's. You can talk about examples of people without degrees being successful, but the honest truth is that it's much less likely.

(Source: http://www.earnmydegree.com/online-education/learning-center/education-value.html)

Empyrean

17082 Posts

January 05 2011 04:09 GMT

#49

Have you tried looking at http://www.google.com/search?q=is a college degree worth it?

heroyi

United States1064 Posts

January 05 2011 04:10 GMT

#50

Having a degree from a school of any kind will, generally, set you up for at least a better lifestyle than not having one.

However,

There are tons of people out there who are successful with not having degree under their belt who are living a comfortable lifestyle. My parents did live a comfortable lifestyle without having a degree for 10 years( reason I say did is because the economy has yet to pick up thus we are still struggling). I knew people whose friends, with no degree, live a nice life from their own business (pressure washing cleaning company, lawn mowing business, etc.)

You need to realize, as most have said, that YOU decide how comfortable YOUR lifestyle will be. If you work hard, you will find a way to be happy. You just need to find a way. That is the hard part. There are option available always. Always.

If you feel that having a degree is the way to go but you can't, then put a hold on your life till you built a strong foundation (obviously last resort and confident with your decision). Better to have your units in position and ready then to just rush in to the base uncoordinated.

GiantEnemyCrab

Canada503 Posts

January 05 2011 04:11 GMT

#51

it depends what u want to do, whether u want to go under skills trade, u wanna a professional career, or u wanna be the mcdonald guy serving burgers

if u want to be big u gotta get training in something or else ur gonna have to work a minimum wageer

Empyrean

17082 Posts

January 05 2011 04:14 GMT

#52

To OP, would you mind filling us in on more information? Such as your current situation (where do you live, your responsibilities/obligations, etc.) and where you want to see yourself in five, ten, or more years?

bubblegumbo

Taiwan1296 Posts

January 05 2011 04:26 GMT

#53

University is necessary, don't believe in anything else some of these people say otherwise. Not everyone can be like Bill Gate and drop out of college/Harvard and become successful. Having an University degree is like having a high school degree now, everyone has one and it's a bare requirement to achieve for almost any job that is not based on minimum wage.

It is still possible to get an "ok" job without any sort of tertiary education depending on the country you live in. The good thing about American schools is that you can drop out and come back again to school as long as you give your school a good reason. Don't worry about stopping school as long as you have a legitimate reason.
Other alternatives are getting certified for other fields(I.T related) or other specializations(technical, culinary schools) that you have to look into yourself.

stalking.d00m

213 Posts

January 05 2011 04:28 GMT

#54

bubblegumbo wrote :

Having an University degree is like having a high school degree now, everyone has one and it's a bare requirement to achieve for almost any job that is not based on minimum wage.

It is EXACTLY the same way here in India. I think Asia is a lot more competitive than people think. Everybody is doing masters here and that too in multiple fields!

Ok back to the question-
No and Yes. The degree is not required to be successful in life IF you are aiming to do something different, something unorthodox but if you are going to opt for normal jobs then a degree is a must for getting a decent job. That's the way the world is.

The safest possible route is to go to university and study. Yeah, no drugs or booze just really focus on studies. There's no point in going to university if you planning on partying 24/7.

InvalidID

United States1050 Posts

January 05 2011 04:37 GMT

#55

It largely depends on what you want to do in life. If you want to be a scientist, engineer, doctor or lawyer then an undergraduate degree is a required starting point. In engineering, many universities have high paying co-op programs where you alternate between semesters of school and work. You come out in 5 years with 2.5 years of experience and little debt if you live within your means(the co-op jobs usually pay ~25$ an hour). Most graduate programs in the technical fields come with stipends for research, and most companies provide tuition re-imbursement for technical employees to go to graduate school part time.

If you have the money and genuinely want to explore intellectual avenues, then liberal arts degrees are awesome for that. The point of liberal arts programs are not to provide technical training, but to shape you into a better rounded person. Even if the degree is not applicable to your field of employment, they can set you up for a number of reasonably decent careers in fields like education and human resources. International relations, with a language, is another great field if you are interested in languages, and you will always be highly employable in that even though it is a liberal arts degree.

It is possible to work hard and get ahead with no degree, but you will need to have a drive and work ethic that really sets you apart from your peers. You can make a decent living in manufacturing, the service industries, and other fields, but you will have no room for career advancement, unless you have the means and exceptional drive to start your own business. The majority of small businesses lose money and fail within the first year, so it is a large risk and dependent on your entrepreneurial ability.

From my experience as an engineer in the manufacturing industry, a non college graduate with 4 years of experience will make about the same as a new college graduate, but a college graduate with 5 years of experience will make far more then a non college graduate with 10 years of experience.

Another thing to look at is the type of work you can expect to do as a college graduate versus as a non college graduate. Do you want to work behind a desk, or do you prefer work with your hands and body? Manual labor/service industry jobs are often hard and exhausting, so it is an important distinction to consider. I know I would last about 10 minutes as a construction worker. You will spend a huge portion of your adult life doing your job, so make sure to set yourself up for something you will enjoy.

dreamsmasher

816 Posts

January 05 2011 04:53 GMT

#56

i would say yes unless you are fairly talented or passionate about something in particular. most people do not really experience this (other than maybe a passing phase etc...).

also its a great time to network, make friends, and think about what you want to do with your life.

Sm3agol

United States2055 Posts

January 05 2011 05:04 GMT

#57

Another thing to look at before you get a degree is how hard you want to work. You can get to just about any reasonable level of income you wish without a degree if you really apply yourself, and be smart about it. Find a job that does an apprenticeship or something of the sort, get paid while you learn, and work up in the ranks of a trade or something. Definitely not the sexiest thing out there, but very possible. I know some plumbers who earn ~$35 an hour, working 50-60 hour weeks. All they have is their plumbing license, and are in a bit of a specialty field.

Abstinence

United States328 Posts

January 05 2011 05:07 GMT

#58

Depends on what you're trying to do man. CS -> the more exp the better.

Ghin

United States2391 Posts

January 05 2011 05:19 GMT

#59

Going to university you'll meet interesting people(and pretty girls) it would be hard to meet otherwise and for that alone it might be worth it. You don't need a degree to survive life though. To most jobs, a degree is just a piece of paper that says you can follow simple directions. There are plenty of jobs that don't require a degree. You should only go to university if you want to have one of those jobs that does require one in the future and, this is the important part, you know what that job is before enrolling. A philosophy degree isn't all that helpful, you won't get hired as an assistant philosopher somewhere.

If you want to go to school, do it, it can be rewarding. But choose a useful major.

AppLeCheesE

33 Posts

January 05 2011 05:30 GMT

#60

I strongly disagree with the conventional ideology of Western people; whom are obsessed with the concept of: going to high school, collage, university, securing a career and always doing what their families, friends and the media tell them to. Why not instead of relying on others to make the decisions that will effect the outcome of your likely to be insignificant life; perhaps make these on your own?

Consider your values; you cannot have everything you want. Even Bill Gates, Warren Buffet and other uber-billionaires are incapable of it; since they used their early years to secure their fortunes. Which of course required them working their asses off; struggling emotionally because of insecurities and depression which were a result of never experiencing the finer things in life; including: travel, relationships (friends+sexual), entertainment, food and relaxation. Unless of course, they enjoyed the power.

So why not, invest the remaining time you have; and live life to the best of your abilities.

Don't take the realism negatively, I mean it because you seem like an honest person; as supported by your willingness to give up opportunity to support people you care about. It is admiral of someone in your position.

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