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Even in the military as enlisted, they are still looking for military servicemen to have degrees in order to get promoted in a timely manner. I would assume it would be the same thing with police officers the ones with the degrees will essentially make more money in the long term. I could also see one working in the natural gas industry making alot of money fracking, and construction as well especially in suneblt states, as long as you have the will to out in 100% you eventually will succeed.
Absolutely it is. But here is the caveat: Those who don't have the college degree need to have other skills, mostly in technology. That said, the combination of tech skills + a college degree would be even a better scenerio. This may sound simplistic, but I believe it to be true.
I agree with this statement. Too, living in an area that doesn't have a super high cost of living helps a lot too. My brother and brother-in-law are perfect examples of not having a college education, but knowing and trade and being very successful. In my brother's case, rich.
It's not the be all end all but with today's options with getting a degree anyone with any internal drive/perseverance should/can get one. Times change and economies and expectations evolve. Look at how many immigrant/first generation/refugee families that barely speak the language come here and are able to send their kids to college especially with all of the variables/challenges they face.
I have a degree, but the field I'm trying to get into (video game design) doesn't require one; it's all about your skills, and to a lesser extent your connections. I've even talked to a recruiter who said he threw out the resume of any candidate who had more than a bachelor's, because he wanted people who were really passionate about making games, not about academics. Ironically, the generic office job I'm working in the meantime does require a bachelor's (but it can be in anything from French to chemistry to African studies).
Sometimes I think I wasted those four years, even though I did gain a lot of skills and more general knowledge. Bah, at least I had scholarships so it wasn't a burden on my family...
I do want to say, I don't think a degree is as valuable as it use to be. I got my degree in Computer Programming in the 1980's. I did well with it and made a good life for my family and myself. Today, if you go to a 4-year college (ESPECIALLY a private college), you get strapped with such enormous debt that it eats up much of your saving/investing potential over your life. You have to choose your college wisely, choose a major that's both marketable and something you enjoy, and take on as little debt as possible.........Most colleges have gotten too far away from the academics and way too close to political indoctrination and dogma. It's ruined most aspects of what a college education is suppose to be. I'm less impressed with whether someone is "educated" as oppose to how they think, reason, work with others, and do they use wisdom instead of emotions to make decisions. Kids need to learn to think critically for themselves with as little politics attached to it as possible........My wife and I have 2 sons in the military (Army and Marines) and they will use their GI Bills to get their degrees. That's one route someone could take........ I think more secondary schools should have trade classes. Not everyone needs or desires a 4-year degree. An AA, certificate, and/or trade school and apprenticeship is sufficient for a good paying, fulfilling job. My brother did this and now owns a mobile car body repair business in the Charlotte area. He has flourished financially and loves his job....... Living in an area that has good buying power (wages vs. cost of living) helps tremendously. Living in a area that has very high housing costs and being taxed into oblivion will hinder your potential. Not to say you can't do well in an expensive area. But my brother-in-law owns a very successful luxury woodwork business (kitchen cabinets, staircase railings, etc.) here on Cape Cod and my brother owns his mobile car body repair business in the Charlotte area. There is a big difference in their personal net worths (separate from their business assets), even though they have close to the same yearly net revenues........ These are just some ideas and life lessons that have been tried and true in my 52 years of life.
I'll say it again if you learn a trade you can do just as well as somebody with a college degree. Electrician, mechanic, plumber you'll do pretty well.
High School- It'd be pretty hard. You might be able to have a decent life in some parts of the country but not others. Assoicates degree- If its in a useful field yes. Get into a technical type field or something like utility line or the trades and you're doing pretty well.
If you're smart enough to get a college education, you are smart enough to live by your wits alone. Making a good living depends on your ability to game the system, and a degree is not the only manner of doing that..
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