D'oh! SA Makes List of Lowest % of Residents with College Degrees (San Antonio: employment, law school)

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by metromansa

I didn't go to college and I make more than my friends that did. So yeah, these lists are just status quo exemplifiers.

Are you saying that most people that didn't go to college are glad that they didn't?
Anytime I tell people that I have an engineering degree (especially here in San Antonio) I feel as if I'm telling them that I own a restaurant chain.

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by LovingSAT

Looking through jobs being posted in San Antonio and the small pay that is given to those with degrees, what is the incentive?

Sounds like a perfect place for anybody starting out in those degrees.
In the same way, companies know that if they don't pay much, they are only going to get people without experience.

[majormadmax]

Originally Posted by LovingSAT

Looking through jobs being posted in San Antonio and the small pay that is given to those with degrees, what is the incentive?

I don't know what field you are referring to, but in mine there is a clear distinction in salaries based on education level. As a matter of fact, my salary offer reflected the fact that I had a graduate degree, and the differences tend to follow the trends described above.

But I understand there are also areas where degrees are not as critical as they are in what I do, especially in service-based economies such as San Antonio's.

I think this is where the belief that college degrees are not as important stem from...

[HillCountryHotRodMan]

Originally Posted by majormadmax

I think this is where the belief that college degrees are not as important stem from...

I think you hit the nail on the head!

[LindaGrace]

Originally Posted by LovingSAT

Looking through jobs being posted in San Antonio and the small pay that is given to those with degrees, what is the incentive?

Incentive? The incentive is an education. Getting a degree isn't all about money for every single grad. I have a Bachelors in Psychology, a Masters in Higher Education Administration and am one year into a PhD in Leadership Studies. None of my degrees promised me a promotion or a higher rate of pay. I got my Bachelors because it was expected of me, I admit. I got my Masters because I wanted to get a foot in the door at a college campus. I'm getting my PhD in part to improve my research skills, hopefully get published, and then for my expertise to mean something to my employer.

None of this meant I was going to get rich. For me, and for many, the incentive isn't $$$$$$.

[Neshomamench]

Originally Posted by DerpyDerp

Four semesters of calculus and a semester of differential equations were required for my electrical engineering curriculum. I did well and found the classes to be enjoyable but I wouldn't want to crunch numbers for a living.

My mistake in my earlier post was not clarifying my idea of what "America's Smartest Cities" implies. I was looking at it in terms of innate intelligence, not length of education. I wouldn't have bothered commenting had the headline read "America's Most Well-Educated Cities."

You are controverting the core of your first argument. You need to pick a position.

In your first post you take your swings on how well you have done with a fairly low level of education. In this post you take your swings pointing out just how much serious education you have.

You cant have it both ways.

[kevcrawford]

Originally Posted by Dopo

That's like saying... don't go to school, just play basketball and you can be rich like Tim Duncan or Ginobili.
Guess what, only 0.000001% of people that try doing that reach that goal.
And if you don't get picked in the draft, you are going to be washing dishes in a restaurant.

No, it's not. If you find something you love doing and bust your tail to be successful at it, you will. I can point out plenty of folks that have a degree, yet are unsuccessful. TONS.

Successful people are those that make the best of their situation and bust their tail. If they've got a degree, great. If they don't, great.

Too many people look for excuses.

[Neshomamench]

Originally Posted by kevcrawford

No, it's not. If you find something you love doing and bust your tail to be successful at it, you will. I can point out plenty of folks that have a degree, yet are unsuccessful. TONS.

Successful people are those that make the best of their situation and bust their tail. If they've got a degree, great. If they don't, great.

Too many people look for excuses.

What you are saying is true but not supported by the math in terms of odds.

Yes, you can "make it" without a degree. However, it is an established fact that more people with a degree "make it"

So you can argue that "you dont need a degree to make it..." That is a true statement.

"Having a degree gives you a far better chance of making it..." Is also a true statement.

Knowing those two truths, which one would be the wiser choice for almost all people?

If you take any level of "success" in this country.

Professionals
Elected Officials
Small business owners
Government leaders
Fortune 5000 executives
...and many others and of course the obvious ones (Doctors, Lawyers, Teachers, Scientists, Military Officers....who ALL have degrees...)

You will find that most of them have a College education. You will find a few that do not.

Again I ask, which one would be the wiser choice for almost all people?

If you try to be an exception, you also have to realize your chances of failing are much higher. That is what the word "Exception" means.

Having said all of that, I wish everyone the very best of luck in what ever they do and love a success however it happens. There are just some paths that give you far better chances.

[DerpyDerp]

Originally Posted by Neshomamench

You are controverting the core of your first argument. You need to pick a position.

In your first post you take your swings on how well you have done with a fairly low level of education. In this post you take your swings pointing out just how much serious education you have.

You cant have it both ways.

Incorrect, it points out a flaw in the article which is based solely upon the percentage of people with degrees. In the writer's eyes, every resident of San Antonio could be 1 credit away from a degree yet we would still be a not-so-smart city. One more credit and we'd be the "smartest" city in the world. The article should have been about America's most-educated city, not the smartest.

FWIW, I'm not really using any of my university (Go Gators!) education at my current job. Everything I do is directly related to my 4 years of service in the Army in the 80s. I even work with a few buddies I was stationed with all those years ago.

[Neshomamench]

Originally Posted by DerpyDerp

Incorrect, it points out a flaw in the article which is based solely upon the percentage of people with degrees. In the writer's eyes, every resident of San Antonio could be 1 credit away from a degree yet we would still be a not-so-smart city. One more credit and we'd be the "smartest" city in the world. The article should have been about America's most-educated city, not the smartest.

FWIW, I'm not really using any of my university (Go Gators!) education at my current job. Everything I do is directly related to my 4 years of service in the Army in the 80s. I even work with a few buddies I was stationed with all those years ago.

You might have meant a lot of things, but this post is a "I dont have much education and I am smart and make a lot of money"

Originally Posted by DerpyDerp

A city isn't necessarily "smarter" because it has more degrees than another area. It's not as if they hand out a degree to everyone who is of above-average intelligence and I know plenty of people with degrees who are of below-average intelligence. My test scores are good enough for membership in Mensa (if I were so inclined) and I have only an AA degree.

Earnings are always tied to education, either. According to your figures I earn as much as someone with a doctoral degree, while my ex has a Ph.D. and 4 other college degrees and earns half of that as a university professor.

When you felt called out about that, you respond with this, which, again, you might have meant all manner of things but it is a"but I have all this serious education"

Originally Posted by DerpyDerp

Four semesters of calculus and a semester of differential equations were required for my electrical engineering curriculum. I did well and found the classes to be enjoyable but I wouldn't want to crunch numbers for a living.

My mistake in my earlier post was not clarifying my idea of what "America's Smartest Cities" implies. I was looking at it in terms of innate intelligence, not length of education. I wouldn't have bothered commenting had the headline read "America's Most Well-Educated Cities."

That is why I pointed out how you have controverted your position and you have. You are trying to have it both ways.

Now, if you meant something else, that I can understand. I am not always so clear with my own thoughts but instead of fighting the problems with the positions you have expressed, you could clarify them.