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Most studies show that college-educated workers make far more money in the course of their lifetimes. Still, that evidence isn’t totally cut and dry:
- What do you really learn in college?
- Is what you learned in college really what’s producing the value?
- Or is it simply the mere fact of having a college degree?
- Should there be an alternative to college?…
Currently, there aren't many alternatives. There are college dropouts who either become entrepreneurs or are sickeningly creative and don't need what universities have to offer. There are corporate universities which train employees to master task-specific skills. Master-apprentice relationships do exists, but not really in the corporate world. If you are really resourceful you can self-educate on the web. Computer programmers do that. I imagine, as technology makes resources more available, this option will grow to other disciplines until all the content you can get at a university will be accessible from your computer keyboard.
However, content is only one facet of the "college experience." You also pay (in time and money) for accreditation and the social experience and many other things I can't think about.
Here's the thing...
ReplyDeleteI went through 5 years of college and changed majors once. I received my degree. I'm also asking myself the same questions. Here are my thoughts.
1)You learn to pool your resources to solve problems. You go out and find ways to get things done, whether that requires a quick look over the notes before a test or reading every page for every class and actively participating. It's doing what you need to to get the grades you aim for. Basically, it prepares you to solve issues and and teaches you about your learning style.
2) Yes and no. Obviously in a science, math, or engineering based degree, your college courses help you create value in your field. In other fields, debatable. What really creates value is work ethic and knowing how to access resources. Whether this requires college is debatable.
3) Having a college degree opens a lot of doors. It provides some credibility to the holder as well as is an investment in ones self. As such, it usually means a few more $$$.
4) Quite frankly, I think too many people go to college right now. I feel trade schools are a very good alternative for people. I also feel that high schools should have trade programs. Everything in high school right now is to prepare a kid for college. It's to teach them what they sufficiently need to know to get them into college. I feel that if this were offered, especially in conjunction with a trade school, that people would have more options and feel less pressured to get a college degree for something they really don't need a degree for. They will feel more rewarded for the investment in themselves.
extra) I have my 4 year college degree and question myself every day that I either got the wrong degree or that my degree didn't get me any further ahead. I also wonder if I had been happier going to a trade school or getting a specialized community college program degree.