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Since many jobs only hire college graduates even if the duties are stuff that basically any idiot can do, did you choose to go to college simply to get into the door of a job that makes a livable wage?
I wasted money on one semester of college. I graduated highschool with a bad GPA, and don't even remember what my SAT score was.
I went through an electrician apprenticeship and make a "livable" wage with good benefits for a small house in a quiet safe neighborhood, for a family of 3. It may not be my end-all but it's a good start to my work life I'd say.
I'm still considering going to get a bachelors, but not until I know what I would want it for.
EDIT: To be more clear, I only took the SAT, and paid for a semester of college precisely because I felt pressured to and was offered no alternatives at that time.
Last edited by Cheesesteak Cravings; 09-22-2014 at 03:57 PM..
I don't think it ever crossed my mind not to go, it was basically an expectation. I didn't feel forced to, as I wanted to, but my parents must have put it in my head that that was the proper path to success. I'm glad I did
Nobody forced me to do anything, but when I was in prep school, the expectation was clearly that everyone was supposed to go to college. Part of the normal flow of events.
I think I also went because it was what you did in my parents house and if all your courses fell in the Honors/AP/CP tracks. But truthfully I think I would have been very well served by a gap year or the military or something. I made it through and earned a masters a few years later. But in hindsight I was really scattered with little focus or appreciation of the opportunities I had.
I think schools/guidance counselors should really provide more examples of people who postpone/return to school and how they were able to make those decisions. I think many of us are either bright or prideful enough to make it through without truly dedicating ourselves. If I had half the focus in undergrad that I did in grad school I really think I would have aced everything. As it was I literally had semesters with half As/half Cs & a couple of Ds. My GPA looked typical but someone reading the actual transcript would have to wonder how someone could pull high grades in some of the harder courses on campus and bomb what looked like gimme classes.
In college you learn how to learn. Its a part of 'hardening', like how you subject delicate materials, ex: glass, to high heat to make it stronger. Such hardened materials are not easy to break under pressure. Our minds are molded the same way by putting us under extreme stress & see who is strong enough to make it. When you have been through juggling different subjects & go 48hrs without sleep studying for finals, then office work is a breeze. Only then it seems like any fool can do your work because it becomes so easy for you. Compared to how hard I worked in college, office work is like taking 1 class per semester. I dont use all the subjects I took to earn my degree but the deadlines, stress, frustrations that I learnt to manage in college come in handy everyday. You get into the habit of learning, become competitive & grow in your career. College is about building this habit. I would highly recommend it. Companies invest in college grads, not because of the subjects, but the learning skills you develop in college & your commitment to finish what you started. They can train you to become an expert in a subject but the skills & commitment needed to become an expert in that subject are built in college. Sure there are successful college dropouts like Bill Gates but he is a Harvard dropout, which is like 5times better than an average university graduate.
Forced? Not really. In retail I could have probably moved up further but frankly there were limits and once you get to be salary how would someone have the time to get a degree? The company screwed around with standards to the point where I looked around for a few months and went back full time. Some tried to argue with me to stay or continue part time but when pressed why they could not give me any real answers. The health care was bad, the dental was not accepted by my dentist, the industry has no real new growth (since closed stores).
Since graduating I make significantly more then if I would have stayed. Better pay, better benefits, better working conditions and better treatment.
I don't remember. I think it was because I felt I have no other option to pursue what I meant to do. I regret it everyday of my pathetic excuse for a life.
I went to college because I knew having a degree in Finance would make my life easier financially. It has paid it's dividends many times over.
I'm curious, what decade did you go to college in?
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