College is a Waste of Time

[Winnow]

I should clarify. The piece of paper you pay for at the end of your degree does hold value because our companies don't like to think outside the box so they hire those who go through the motions to get a degree. My argument is more that the cost of a degree doesn't jive with the actual quality of the education you receive. A degree where you receive a quality education is the exception to the rule.

The title of this thread is misleading. College isn't a waste of time. I partied my ass off in college. They were some fun years!

[Avestan]

Yeah I think it really depends.

If what you want to do is party - save your money and travel (or just drink). I believe that for people who understand the value of what education can provide, college is still a very smart move economically (unless you choose to be an artist).

I partied in college, but I also made good grades and almost never missed a class. I had fun within and without collegiate academics.

If I have one complaint it is that college has become "what you do" when you finish high school instead of being more of a conscious choice made by individuals because they are genuinely interested in academics or a specific trade.

There is this amazing social stigma attached to thinking that college is not for everyone and that is the real tragedy here. If you loathe studying anything - don't go to college. Life is not over without a degree. Depending on what you want to do - it may be harder - but is isn't over.

[masteen]

The lack of vocational programs in our educational system is a huge issue. As it is in this country, unless you're politically connected, a lawyer, financier, medical professional or working for a non-US-standard company, you would almost certainly be better off elsewhere in the developed world.

We've seen a brain drain in biotech due to Dubya's faith-based science policy, I am willing to bet we're going to see similar exoduses of educated professionals as the USA continues to be squeezed.

[Sueven]

I think Avestan is right about most of this.

College CAN be far from a waste of time. It can be incredibly valuable. If you want it to be valuable, I think there are three things you have to do.

One, you need to go to a good school. I'm not talking Harvard only-- most big state schools should be fine. You need good professors and resources.

Second, you need to actually care about school and actually work at it. The stuff they teach you in college is fascinating and hugely useful, even if you're a stupid humanities / social sciences major like I was. The problem is that most people don't bother to learn it, and nobody forces them to learn it.

Third, watch your fucking wallet. Get yourself in-state tuition. Move to the state first if you have to. Apply for financial aid. If you are going to take out loans, for God's sake, figure out where you can reasonably expect to work after graduation, and how much you can reasonably expect to make.

College is a complete waste of time if you just want to party and get laid. Save your money and get a job in a bar in a college town if that's your goal. Shouldn't have much trouble.

But if you devote yourself to it, you can get a lot out of it, both in the intangible well-rounded well-read person sort of way, and in the concrete professional advancement way. Many of the skills I've learned come from working directly with professors, and many of the professional opportunities I've had come by virtue of the recommendations of those same professors.

That said, there are an awful lot of people going to college, and most of them are not getting anything out of it. There are a whole host of problems that have created this situation. The perception that college equals guaranteed social mobility. The stigma placed on many non-college grads. The easy availability of federally-backed loans. A culture that venerates and views college partying as a rite of passage. Grade inflation. A glut of undergrad capacity.

Most people shouldn't go to college straight out of high school. At least take a few years off to figure yourself out first. Travel a little if you can afford it, but not the whole time. Work. Have adventures. What's the big hurry? You'll be a hell of a lot wiser as a 21 year old freshman than you are at 18. You'll get laid a lot more, too.

Finally, pointing to Gates, Jobs, Zuckerberg, Branson, et al, is meaningless. They're incredibly driven brilliant visionaries. Any incredibly driven brilliant visionaries reading this, feel free to skip college.

[Aabidano]

Second, you need to actually care about school and actually work at it. The stuff they teach you in college is fascinating and hugely useful, even if you're a stupid humanities / social sciences major like I was. The problem is that most people don't bother to learn it, and nobody forces them to learn it.

This and the last paragraph are likely the most important bits.

[Winnow]

I'm recommending that out of high school, you move close to a college campus that looks like fun, don't attend it, but party for a few years as if you were in college. After two years, decide what you want to do.