Useless college classes (earnings, GED, financial aid, semester)

[dcashley]

Originally Posted by TylerJAX

Getting a degree in Liberal Arts is useless. I probably learned everything that you did in college by reading the encyclopedia every now and then while majoring in a the field that will earn me a lot more money and give me a solid basis for starting my own company.

I retired on an annual income indexed to inflation of $120,000 after taxes. I have no debt what-so-ever. In my top earning year I made $350,000.

I got a BA with a major in philosophy, with a minor in sociology. Liberal arts education made it possible.

[drjones96]

Originally Posted by LiveTodayLez08

What are some classes/courses in college that you feel you would have been better off NOT taking and/or felt were a waste of time and money?

PE- Complete waste of time. I was already in excellent shape and knew far more than the scope of that class. There are several other general credits like this that just seem to be part of the college system's way of collecting more money by making you more "well rounded".

Otherwise I think just about every course I took served some purpose for educating me. My major (Aerospace Engineering) was pretty purpose driven so as long as you followed the curriculum to a "T" you wouldn't get hung up taking a bunch of useless nonsense. If you decided to venture off in your own direction I could see how you could get yourself involved in some classes that could be seen as worthless.

[dcashley]

Originally Posted by drjones96

PE- Complete waste of time. I was already in excellent shape and knew far more than the scope of that class. There are several other general credits like this that just seem to be part of the college system's way of collecting more money by making you more "well rounded".

Otherwise I think just about every course I took served some purpose for educating me. My major (Aerospace Engineering) was pretty purpose driven so as long as you followed the curriculum to a "T" you wouldn't get hung up taking a bunch of useless nonsense. If you decided to venture off in your own direction I could see how you could get yourself involved in some classes that could be seen as worthless.

...but few people are physically fit...the purpose of college PE is not to make you fit...but to educate you that there are options...a lot of people need to learn that exercise can be fun...the GE requirements must be constructed around the "average" student, not the most gifted.

[tribecavsbrowns]

Originally Posted by TylerJAX

Getting a degree in Liberal Arts is useless. I probably learned everything that you did in college by reading the encyclopedia every now and then while majoring in a the field that will earn me a lot more money and give me a solid basis for starting my own company.

If this is true, then:

a) being directed to the right material,
b) discussing the material with other smart people,
c) being forced to condense and/or expand your knowledge through written work, and
d) having that work evaluated by an expert

are all worthless.

Are you prepared to argue that?

[dcashley]

Originally Posted by tribecavsbrowns

If this is true, then:

a) being directed to the right material,
b) discussing the material with other smart people,
c) being forced to condense and/or expand your knowledge through written work, and
d) having that work evaluated by an expert

are all worthless.

Are you prepared to argue that?

He would probably argue that Ph.D's don't know or can't find the "right" material (a).
He would probably argue that you can't find "smart" people in colleges because if they were truly "smart" they wouldn't be there. (b).
He would probably argue that "writing" about what you know, or think you know, doesn't help you "think" through and exercise "thinking" abilities (c)
He would probably argue that colleges have no "experts." (d).

People who are angry like that are just not the right people to go to college. There are lots of well paying trades. I met someone yesterday who didn't even graduate from high school, but is an underwater welder. Makes a lot of money. Sure it took him 18 months to learn his trade--but now he is pulling in more money than a college professor. So, people who don't want to learn how to think have options. They just need to recognize what their life-long desires are--and then pursue them.

[K-Luv]

Originally Posted by dcashley

I met someone yesterday who didn't even graduate from high school, but is an underwater welder. Makes a lot of money. Sure it took him 18 months to learn his trade--but now he is pulling in more money than a college professor.

Underwater welders can, and often do, make hundreds of dollars an hour, but those that do it 'full time' have a very short life expectancy.

[dcashley]

Originally Posted by K-Luv

Underwater welders can, and often do, make hundreds of dollars an hour, but those that do it 'full time' have a very short life expectancy.

There are lots of other trades. I never meant to suggest that everyone should be an underwater welder. I meant to say that there are LOTS of options: diesel mechanic, toyota mechanic, pipe fitter, waste water worker, painter, photographer, hair stylist, sales, ... on and on and on...

If someone doesn't like college, there are many options open. To say, "I gotta get my degree or I can't get a good job" is just baloney. To say, "I want to get my degree because I value learning how to think" is appropriate. ...especailly if along the way you end up with a good trade: Accountant, Engineer, Teacheer....etc etc.

[Puru]

Originally Posted by K-Luv

Underwater welders can, and often do, make hundreds of dollars an hour, but those that do it 'full time' have a very short life expectancy.

Underwater Welding sounds like a scary job! My SO graduated from a Votec school for welding (which he loves) and conservation (which is very useful for him, especially since where he lives it was mostly all about heavy machinery) and I think it (the school) has done more for him than college would have (not to mention he just couldn't afford college).
I think I'd be very worried if he was an underwater welder though.

[dcashley]

Originally Posted by Puru

Underwater Welding sounds like a scary job! My SO graduated from a Votec school for welding (which he loves) and conservation (which is very useful for him, especially since where he lives it was mostly all about heavy machinery) and I think it (the school) has done more for him than college would have (not to mention he just couldn't afford college).
I think I'd be very worried if he was an underwater welder though.

Your SO is a perfect example of what I'm talking about. There are lots of good paying trades. If someone doesn't want to go through the rigors of a college education--they don't have to. But if someone chooses to do so, they ought to attempt to ask themselves why the GE programs are designed the way they are.

[LauraC]

Originally Posted by mimimomx3

Why on earth do students with no desire to major in a math related field (medicine, architecture, engineering, sciences) need to take Algebra, Calculus or Geometry?

I can tell you I was not a math major in college and did not go into a math field but of all of my classes high school and college, Algebra was what I used most in the real world both in my career and in my personal life. I was surprised, too.