Welcome to the Real World

We have all been told it. Many of us have done it, many of us have not.

I'm talking about College.
Pretty much everyone has heard how important it is said to be, and how in this day and age you need one to get a job that pays well.


So, in response my question is simple: What education level have you completed, and how well are you living because of it?
Secondary Question: Would you recommend your chosen(college completion related) path to someone you knew/loved one?


This is mainly US oriented, being I do not know how it works in other countries, but please do add your input as well.

EDIT: Oh lame, this was supposed to include a Poll... My mistake :(

Undergrad right now, 20 years old. I've been through some rough shit (it's a long story that culminated back here at home), but I'm settled for a career-oriented path that I hope will work out for the best. I live in the U.S., so I'm well aware of many jobs and fields that are being outsourced. My suggestion, go for a job that can't be outsourced, like the medical field, pharmacy, government workers, law enforcement, etc. Stuff that's home-based will give you a more secure job.

I've only have my high school diploma. I had decided to take a year or two off in order to save up almost all of the money in that time in order to try and deal a blow to the outstanding student loans I would otherwise have had. However, I never ended up going because I was never able to find a steady job.

Now I'm not honestly sure if I'm even willing to go back should I get a job and save up some money. I'd really like to study Economics, but I just really don't want to go back to school after this many years.

My future is kind of set for me as it is. My mother is dying and with my father's heredity and not-so-great health I'll end up being the Executor and end up having to pay off this house because he will surely pass away before it is paid off. I'll probably just end up paying it off with the insurance money and living here myself. I'll be the only person to have ever owned this house in sixty years.

You would not believe how many people I've met working on becoming nurses. It's really quite surprising, but I can understand why. Very same reason you suggested.



Yeah, it's really hard to start up again. Only gets harder from what I hear, though.
Also I do like your idea about making the money and then going. Lets you get into the working world 'before' you try and make it better... never understood that.
And I am sorry to hear about your parents, that can't be easy at all.

Thank you two for your replies, lets hope for some input from others as well.
*hint, hint* *nudge, nudge*

Well, right now I'm studying up to become a CPA or even a CIA. Layman's terms, Certified Public Accountant or Certified Internal Auditor. I tell you that's no walk in the park, not with the amount of courses I have to take (over 130 credits) and passing the CPA/CIA exam to get the license. It's a field I wouldn't recommend to the general public unless you like crunching numbers and you like to be efficient and neat. On the upside, it's a field with relatively little competition from within and has great job security. The pay is through the roof, even on a starting annual salary it's a quite a bit.

im in college, its not the same here as the U.S
but im in a computer programing related path and theres plenty of jobs
its a career i recomend

Well, as absolutely cold-hearted as it sounds, I never liked my mother. When my parents divorced when I was seventeen I was actually happy, and even now knowing she is dying I just don't find myself caring that much. I know that makes me a horrible son, but I've made peace with that.

And yeah, I've heard going back is hard. My friends all tried to talk me out of it when I told them, but I just brushed it off thinking they were just berating me and underestimating me. Heh, the irony isn't lost on me.

Oh well, I've never believed the nonsense they tried to drill into our brains all they way back in primary school about how every child is "special" and "destined for great things." Fact of the matter is, college isn't for everyone and it isn't necessary to live a happy, and prosperous life. I mean of course it is nice, but necessary? Not at all.

Thank you! Best thing I've read tonight, my friend. For sure worth the rep.

And no, that does not make you a cold hearted person. If you don't like someone, you don't like them. Really no way around it, family or no.

Thank you.

I do find it odd though that my AP Language and Communications teacher, of all the teachers in my school, was the one to so openly admit her own disgust at the fact in front of the class. She of all people should have been like "You have to go to college!" XD

Far outside the U.S. (in Old Yurp) here, but as you asked for an outsider's perspective anyway, I'll chip in for what it's worth:

What education level have I completed?

I have an engineer's degree (approx. M.Sc.) in telecommunications and a degree that is between your (U.S.) M.A. and PhD in one of the social sciences. Currently working (creepingly slow, because I'm lazy) on my doctoral.

How well am I living because of it?

Well, on one hand, unemployment among academics here is staggeringly high, so neither degree will do me any good whatsoever; I'm doing the PhD only for my own satisfaction, and to show up my father (sorry). It does however sustain my livelihood for the time being, because up to the thesis work I amassed enough "credits" to secure one of those (bullshit) "outstanding success grants" - note that it is far from me to boast, I am simply trying to answer your question truthfully.

Would I recommend your chosen(college completion related) path to someone you knew/loved one?

No, definitely not. During my engineering studies I was working a gruesome, soul-rotting but well-paid job; from a monetary perspective, I should have tossed college and continued that instead.
Looking at it from an educational angle, I learned more working industry-related jobs later on than during my engineering studies. The College studies were focused around stroking the professors' egos by memorizing their outdated and valueless designs for the exams, then forgetting them as quickly as possible. Lather, rinse, repeat.
The social science studies were interesting, and many of my professors - some of them international luminaries - were incredibly knowledgeable, humblingly so. Studying under their tutelage was an honour and a joy. However, since social sciences aren't considered economically valuable, the department was short on money, and that showed, always; but the biggest drawback was without doubt the student body, mainly composed of constantly bickering mayflies with an IQ below room temperature.
The one "thing" that I truly value about my college time in retrospect is that my partner and I first met there. That was a beautiful and wondrous gift to me, but you can hardly really credit college with that. Otherwise, it left me even more disillusioned with science as a whole and the education system in specific, and only served to furtherly fuel my crippling despise for your average college student/graduate (especially MBAs, psychology masters and ethnologues).



Ah, who cares about being a horrible son? I know I'll be dancing on my father's grave when that lucky day comes, and damn, does that feel good.

It's the one path I DON'T recommend. I'm sorry, my parents are computer engineers/software programmers who've been in the field for over two decades. Don't you realize that in many financial companies, the first to get laid off was the IT department? A lot of computer skills and jobs are being outsourced to India or Asia where the labor is much cheaper even if it comes with a price of lesser quality. My father was recently laid off for about 10 months before Buddha's grace gave him a job. (He went through four contacts before the job reached to my dad's ears, and then the interview was conducted over phone in less than five minutes.) I'm telling you, the computer field isn't the best place to be.

J answers your questions.

[quote="Xil"]What education level have you completed, and how well are you living because of it?

well, for me i wont, coz my current course is too unstable. i would certainly recommend to him/her engineering courses.