SadAspy
Phoenix
Joined: Oct 14, 2010
Posts: 695
Location: U.S.A.
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 Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 1:24 pm Post subject: Anyone else regret going to college? |
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Okay, I know it's not constructive to dwell on the past....what's done is done, but I just can't help myself. Every day, it seems like I encounter someone who went to work straight out of high school and is now doing fine supporting themselves and living comfortably. I, by contrast, wasted six years in college getting degrees (with a fairly high GPA) that don't impress employers in the least bit. I'm almost 28, living at home, having applied for disability, and can barely get interviews.
I know the aggregate statistics say that the more educated you are, the more likely you are to have not only a job but a well-paying job. That's meaningless to me in contrast to my personal experiences. We really are creating a white-collar underclass in the U.S. and other post-industrial countries. |
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deadeyexx
Phoenix
Joined: Sep 11, 2007
Age: 32
Posts: 773
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| Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 1:31 pm Post subject: |
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I'm not too sad since I'm out of college with a good job now, but I do consider it a lousy investment. At least most people's concept of college where it dominates your life for 4 years. While I went, the part time job I held to pay for college was much more instruemental in getting where I am today than college itself.
Higher education is valuable, but it should be considerably streamlined. Trade schools and classes for specific skillsets are more efficient. |
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Cyanide
Leader of Shadaloo
Joined: Sep 25, 2006
Posts: 2231
Location: The Pacific Northwest
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| Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 3:59 pm Post subject: |
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| I certainly regret the path I took in college... I went to a mediocre school, and studied a (mostly) unmarketable major. If only I could turn back the clock 4 years... |
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blueroses
restless, but going nowhere
Joined: Feb 11, 2007
Age: 30
Posts: 1627
Location: Lancaster, PA
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| Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2011 1:17 pm Post subject: |
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I don't regret going to college, but I do regret getting an English degree. I'm now working in social services and would have a lot more options if my degree was actually in Social Work (or anything else that's useful, really).
I'm happy that at least I worked throughout college, went to a relatively inexpensive state school, took out only modest student loans and had them paid off within about two years of graduating. I know several people who have degrees in liberal arts fields from expensive private schools and are still struggling to pay back their massive debt, while working in low-paying jobs. |
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VIDEODROME
Phoenix
Joined: Nov 21, 2008
Age: 36
Posts: 1737
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| Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2011 1:42 pm Post subject: |
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Well I went to a Broadcasting 1 year Tradeschool for a relatively modest tuition of $7000. I did somehow manage to get into a TV station sitting in a control room during the night shift.
I don't regret the school or career choice, but I wish I had a better direction to move up the career ladder. It seemed like I was stuck in a rut. I thought of moving to a bigger city but people would tell me the extra pay would be eaten up by the higher cost of living.
So I stuck with the one job way to long until I lost the job under new management. |
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Fnord
Enigmatic Threadkilling Metasyntactic Variable
Joined: May 07, 2008
Posts: 18402
Location: Stendec
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| Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2011 1:44 pm Post subject: |
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No regrets about going to uni or the degrees that I earned.
My only regret is that my social skills were limited.
Although I realize that the only reason for attending uni is to earn a degree, the pressure to socialize was nearly overwhelming.
_________________
* Believing in myths allows the comfort of having an opinion without the discomfort of having to think.
* Believing that you're worthless allows the comfort of having something to complain about without the discomfort of having to change. |
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The_Face_of_Boo
A savage
Joined: Jun 17, 2010
Age: 31
Posts: 9657
Location: Beirut ,Lebanon
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| Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2011 1:46 pm Post subject: |
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| Cyanide wrote: | | I certainly regret the path I took in college... I went to a mediocre school, and studied a (mostly) unmarketable major. If only I could turn back the clock 4 years... |
Which is your degree may I ask?
I regret my Business degree.
I wrote a whole article about how useless it can be lol
https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0ARVhYj3gHqDdZGd3aDZteHNfMGZ3cW13eG1t&hl=en_US |
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Meow1971
Sea Gull
Joined: Apr 28, 2011
Posts: 210
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| Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2011 1:58 pm Post subject: |
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I do not regret college although see how I could have made it easier on myself. Not dropping out of high school and getting a GED was a horrible choice. I soooo should have done that.
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Cyanide
Leader of Shadaloo
Joined: Sep 25, 2006
Posts: 2231
Location: The Pacific Northwest
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| Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2011 2:48 pm Post subject: |
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| The_Face_of_Boo wrote: | | Cyanide wrote: | | I certainly regret the path I took in college... I went to a mediocre school, and studied a (mostly) unmarketable major. If only I could turn back the clock 4 years... |
Which is your degree may I ask? |
Economics. |
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SadAspy
Phoenix
Joined: Oct 14, 2010
Posts: 695
Location: U.S.A.
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| Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2011 4:43 pm Post subject: |
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| Meow1971 wrote: | | I do not regret college although see how I could have made it easier on myself. Not dropping out of high school and getting a GED was a horrible choice. I soooo should have done that. |
Agree with this sentiment. It seems like the less education you have, the more employers want you! |
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Sweetleaf
Metalhead
Joined: Jan 07, 2011
Age: 23
Posts: 14869
Location: Somewhere in Colorado
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| Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2011 5:13 pm Post subject: |
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| I kind of regret it.....and now its hard to find work because there are no jobs, all I really have to show for the past 3 years is college but no job really so yeah that lowers my chance of being hired anywhere. But right now I don't know what other options there are so I am still in college at the moment. |
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SPKx
Toucan
Joined: Nov 05, 2010
Age: 31
Posts: 281
Location: Toronto, Ontario
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| Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2011 5:19 pm Post subject: |
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| I definitely do not regret my post-secondary education. Even though it's a challenge to find work, having a degree to my name will open up more doors than if I didn't. |
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Bloodheart
Grisha's Gal
Joined: Jan 18, 2011
Age: 30
Posts: 2182
Location: Newcastle, England.
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| Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2011 5:20 pm Post subject: |
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I VERY MUCH regret not having had the opportunity to go to university, I'd kill now to go get my nursing degree at least...
...however, at the time when I left college I was looking at studying either Philosophy or Religious Studies at university.
I have no university education thus I have ZERO job prospects, although I get the distinct feeling that if I'd gone to university to study these, paying all the fees, moved away from home and made my health suffer further, then I'd have regretted going to university as I'd be no better off as there's no demand for someone with a philosophy or religious studies degree. 
Although this may not be the case for you [OP] it annoys me year after year seeing on the news new graduates complaining about lack of employment. I've never known a person leave university to go straight into the job they're aiming for, they all go through periods of unemployment or working rubbish jobs. If they have the qualifications chances are that they are still going to have a chance of getting that job they're aiming for, or at least a better job than most. In the mean time graduates are still finding work; the jobs we're going for - or it's easier for graduates to go back into further education/training.
OP - you may not have found work yet, but you still have a FAR better chance of getting a good job somewhere along the line than most, furthermore you get more respect once you are working. The people you've ran into have had years to get where they are by working hard, because they've had to, and aren't as well-off long-term. We all have problems, I'm not saying you're problems don't exist or to 'suck it up' just to recognise that it will get better and to acknowledge that you are privileged...even if it doesn't feel like that now.
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Bloodheart
Good-looking girls break hearts, and goodhearted girls mend them. |
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Esteban
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker
Joined: Jan 22, 2011
Posts: 70
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| Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2011 9:24 pm Post subject: |
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| I wish I had done a different degree, though I'd probably be better off not having gone to college at all. I'm employed, but it runs out in January, I've come to loathe my field (and my education is useless for anything else) and my job prospects in my field are pretty grim anyway. Basically I'm either overqualified or unqualified for everything. I will probably end up doing a semi-skilled job I did when I was 16 (which pays peanuts, but at least was reasonably enjoyable), and which I could've done full time without going to college. Where I live the unemployment rate is actually higher among college graduates than among the general population. |
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manBrain
Blue Jay
Joined: Aug 27, 2010
Posts: 95
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| Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 3:01 am Post subject: |
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Hi.
I do not regret going to university, as it was the right thing to do at the time (after high school).
I do regret my choice of major (general arts), as I was far better suited to science.
In my area there are many people with degrees, who do not work in the field that they studied in.
Median incomes in this area are also very low.
I have recently re-trained in mechanical engineering, and picked up an apprenticeship (learning in the workplace). This is a cheaper option than college, and the workplace skills are valuable.
I would encourage people who are doubtful about college or university education to investigate trades. These are challenging, often pay well, involve less debt, and reward hard work. |
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