[OT] How many of you never went to college?

[Paul_Klein]

I guess college just isn't for some people. After spending the last 3 years at a community college, and acruing a total of 9 credit hours, I have decided that nothing for me is going to change. I've decided college simply isn't for me.

I'm just wondering if any of you out there do not have a college degree, and what kind of job you work at. Are you making decent money? Are you happy?

Thanks, a lot. This is a big move for me (even tho its probably not for the better - my parentd and I are just tired of me wasting their money). I just need a little advice, if any of you have any to spare.

 

[laiyna]

I'm an IT System Manager, and in Holland is a degre required for a lot of intresting jobs. They see a degree as "proof" that you got the potential to learn. Without a degree its very hard to find a desent intresting job. For sure if you want to make more then $1750+ before taxes at 40 hours a week.

 

[Ashrum the Black]

I'm sort of a career college student.

But hey, I'm finishing off my last two classes for my computer engineering degree. I should be done by the end of the year. Yee-haw!

Anyone out there hiring?

Ashrum

 

[Derulbaskul]

I went but never finished. I'm 33, hold a GM/CFO-level position and earn a pretty good income that will allow me to comfortably retire in about 3/4 more years... but I've been extremely fortunate and would strongly recommend to anyone the paramount importance getting that piece of paper.

Cheers
NPP

 

[BiggusGeekus]

I dropped out and had a harder time getting the same kinds of jobs as my degreed peers. When I did get work it would be for less money. I went back and got the degree. Work became easier to find and my income jumped up. That is my experience with un-degreed vs. degreed life.

 

[d12]

Part of getting a college degree is getting an education (learning "stuff") and part of it is getting credentials (the degree, the piece of paper itself). One can go to college and get either, neither or both of these. The piece of paper DOES open many doors. What's important is the question, "Are these the doors I want to go through."

Not knowing you or anything about you I will throw this out: try a different college and a different course of study.

 

[alsih2o]

7 and 1/2 years of college, and NO DEGREE! as an art geek/ art phag i took lots of art history and lots of the "crunchy" art classes, never really cared about getting the degree...after all, noone has ever chosen to buy any of my artwork and then hesitated, asking "wait a minute, do you have a degree?"

it is now several years later and i wish to finish the degree, at this point it will not change my career at all, but i just plain want itnow, and regret not finishing when i had the easy chance.

whether a degree matters all depends on your preferred field, and if you don't know your preferred field, go away till you do, then college will be easy when you have an actual goal

good luck either way!

 

[Desdichado]

In my experience, you can make just as much money and be just as happy without a college degree, but you just don't have as many options most of the time.

My father, for example, recently took a welding class just because he always wanted to do it. Some of the folks in there made as much money as he did (he's a Dean at our local big-time University) and were at least as intelligent as the folks he worked with professionally. Their talents were just different than the academic.

However, they were really, really good at what they did. Not just any Joe Blow welder makes that kind of money. And, in our society, there's something magic about that piece of paper. Even if you make as much money as the PhD-ed academic, you likely won't get the same level of respect. Them's the breaks, though. I don't have any interest in a PhD either. But I do have an MBA.

 

[Wicht]

If you want to do manual work (carpentry, electrician, plumber, weilder, construction, etc) then college is not necessary and in fact will take valuable time out of your apprenticeship. One must realize however, the wages one can earn in those fields is often capped (often by the unions themselves ) and IMO the real money is made by the ones hiring all the others (and even then they put in lots and lots of hours to make that money).

If you want to do "artsy" type jobs, what is mostly required to make vast amounts of money is luck (IMO). As far as I can tell, most musicians, painters, etc, are not raking in big incomes and in fact do that in their "free" time.

If you want a sales job, a degree is not necessary either. But sales jobs are not for everyone and it takes a lot of work to make it work.

If you want any other type of job (for the most part), for the most part, a degree will greatly help you find the work you desire and increase your income.

So. Is a degree necessary. It all depends on what career you want in life.

 

[Furn_Darkside]

I'm just wondering if any of you out there do not have a college degree, and what kind of job you work at. Are you making decent money? Are you happy?

Salutations,

I went to college and now work at one, but I have noticed a disturbing trend which seems to push everyone to go to college. College is not for everyone. I know people my age (mid-twenties) who did not go to college, but have a strong work ethic and a lot of passion for what they do.

They are making "decent" money (they are not in need for necessities, and have money to enjoy life).

Are they happy? Ugh, I have met few people around my age that are happy- college educated and not. I can say they are content and are not miserable.

Life is not easier or harder without a college education. It will all depend on the kind of person you are- there are good opportunities out there.

I wish you all the luck in the world!

Respectfully submitted
FD