Does any one ragret going to College?

Frozinballz

Frozinballz

Member
This question is for anyone who has graduated or gone to college for a couple of years...Does anyone ragret going and feels like it was a waste of money? Did it payoff (regardless of degree)?

I'm between that rock and tree of becoming a bum and deciding if pouring money into an education is worth it or not.

I'm ready to transfer to a 4 year and so far the 2 years of community college unfortunately hasn't helped me get better at my 1000 different hobbies.
 
4 year colleges are not always the answer. It does not promise you a job or a starting salary of 60 grand a year.

I have a career and did not go to college or trade school

Look into trade schools, they are cheaper, and there are far better chances of landing a good job out of school.

I know more people that are solidly employed after an 18 or 24 month trade school, than everyone else that went to a 4 year school.
 
I didn't go to any sort of school after high school. I just started working right away. It was a great decision for me. Most of my friends that went to school were out of work for ages after they graduated. Others got jobs in fields that had nothing to do with their degree. I don't really know what kind of advice that is but I would say just go with your gut.
 
I busted my ass for 4 years in school, got a whole bunch of scholarships, came out with little debt, and now work a desk job making very, very good money that also allows me the freedom to take pow day mornings off, and I pretty much never work more than 40 hrs a week unless I want to. I'll be able to do this job, with pay constantly increasing for as long as I like because it isn't a physical job... Additionally when I do blow myself up biking or skiing, I am not a leach on society that is forced to take workers comp or unemployment due to my voluntarily dangerous hobbies... Again because of my desk job.

Additionally, due to my education I can find work in a number of fields should I want to change careers- something that cannot be said for trades.

If you can make it work, I highly suggest getting a quality bachelors degree in a useful major. It's only a few short years of busting ass, for a big safety net, and much greater chance at financial stability.
 
I Did the undergrad and masters thing. Not really doing what my wall decorations are focused in but they are there. Education is good, Don't do it for money latter in life or what ever, do it because you want to learn, that's the only way its worth it. Study what you dig and things will work out. I also highly recommend working through out school. So many kids are graduating and never held a real job. Shit I roofed for a summer, It sucked but it made going back to school that much nicer. Employers want to know that you can handle a job not just regurgitate a text book.
 
I started off college with a lot of negative feelings towards it. I was in a major that I hated. The only reason I went to class/did work was so that I'd keep my scholarship but I had absolutely no interest in anything I was learning about and thought going to college was a huge mistake. Then this year I got into a program that I really enjoy and now I love it. I enjoy going to class and studying isn't really studying. I'm interested in it so I actually want to learn the stuff. I don't learn it to do well on a test and it makes it so much more enjoyable. I feel like I'll actually use it in the real world and that gets me all stoked haha.

I guess I'm not in a position to say i regret it since I'm still here but I've set myself up so that I can take it wherever I want. I have a high GPA and can go on to get a higher degree if I need to or I can switch concentrations without having a negative impact on anything. It's a good set up in my opinion and I don't think I'll have much regret(aside from the shit hole of Buffalo, NY).

Isn't the first 2 years of a CC more like completing general education courses? If so, I wouldn't base your entire college experience off of that because gen eds fucking suck. Maybe you can take a year off in between transferring and work an entry level position somewhere in your field just to see if that's what you want? Give yourself some time to figure out what's best for you and roll with it.
 
13687892:Sconnie said:
Sounds terrible.
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For some people sure. But, I could have just as easily guided my current career in a direction that would have kept me outdoors and out and about. I preferred the perks of a desk job instead- it's not that a college degree means I had to get a desk job haha
 
13687906:californiagrown said:
For some people sure. But, I could have just as easily guided my current career in a direction that would have kept me outdoors and out and about. I preferred the perks of a desk job instead- it's not that a college degree means I had to get a desk job haha
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True. I work an office job right now and back in high school I'd have said fuck that. It's not that bad though. 3/4 of the time spent is actually in the office, the rest is out traveling or working with venders, sponsors etc. It's honestly a nice balance. The routine of being in the office and the comfort/predictability of it combined with some spontaneity of not being there and the break from the usual routine is a nice mix. I couldn't be in the office 24/7 but it isn't totally awful. I get it isn't for everyone but I don't know. It's better than it's made out to be sometimes in my opinion haha.
 
Definitely do not regret my college experience, it was by far one of the best times in my life and I gained plenty of life experience from that time. My degree is just a piece of paper with my name on it, doesn't really do THAT much for me, but the experience was priceless. I think a college education these days is pretty useful, regardless of major and it will help anyone further their career in the path they choose to take.
 
I am not currently employed in my field of study but I sincerely enjoyed college and don't have any regrets about going to college myself. It taught me a lot about myself and how to deal with problems.

However I do see a point in not going to college as well. I know a lot of people who went to trade school/ apprenticeships and are doing great.

School isn't for everyone. Smart people can sometimes do poorly in school for reasons other than intelligence.
 
hopefully done with my undergrad by the winter/spring, but don't really regret it despite some of the enraging bullshit you have to deal with sometimes.

im more focused on work experience + a degree vs. getting more pieces of paper for my wall. not that its a bad path to choose, I just don't want to get a degree and then have absolutely no experience with what I am doing or have no familiarity with having a job. i don't want to have my thumb up my ass whenever i get my first "real" job or whatever, so to speak.

do people still think its the guaranteed ticket to a well-paying job and that employers will be lining up at graduation to hand you an offer sheet? that's a bit wishful imo, im starting to realize you really gotta get yourself out there into real-world situations and that's what employers really give a fuck about, a degree is just the cherry on top.
 
also trade school might be a good choice as well. schools definitely not for everyone and some of my closest friends have been bumming it up/liftying/workin the grills and skiing every damn day this year which doesn't seem like a bad choice either.

kinda wish i went to trade school sometimes. while we do have tons of great people and minds in STEM fields of work, its kinda crazy to know we might have a generation of kids who don't know how to work with their hands and build things. everyone shits on people like construction workers and mechanics but rely on these people when all your shit breaks down.
 
13687928:DeebieSkeebies said:
also trade school might be a good choice as well. schools definitely not for everyone and some of my closest friends have been bumming it up/liftying/workin the grills and skiing every damn day this year which doesn't seem like a bad choice either.

kinda wish i went to trade school sometimes. while we do have tons of great people and minds in STEM fields of work, its kinda crazy to know we might have a generation of kids who don't know how to work with their hands and build things. everyone shits on people like construction workers and mechanics but rely on these people when all your shit breaks down.
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Yep. Its crazy how trade school is looked down upon but in 20 years that might be the job thats booming as the next generation comes through. High demand, low amount of workers.
 
13687921:Tinga said:
School isn't for everyone. Smart people can sometimes do poorly in school for reasons other than intelligence.
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True that. Just like anything else thats hard, you have to put a lot into it and have to want it to do good. Not everybody wants it
 
13687987:Frozinballz said:
Yep. Its crazy how trade school is looked down upon but in 20 years that might be the job thats booming as the next generation comes through. High demand, low amount of workers.
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i guess ive never thought trade schools were looked down upon. Why does everyone say this?
 
13687899:Mingg said:
Then this year I got into a program that I really enjoy and now I love it. I enjoy going to class and studying isn't really studying. I'm interested in it so I actually want to learn the stuff. I don't learn it to do well on a test and it makes it so much more enjoyable. I feel like I'll actually use it in the real world and that gets me all stoked haha.
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This is what school should be like for everyone. Everyone should find what they love so that classes, essays and homework isn't actually work. Thats what wrong with high school is they force us to take classes that most of us won't use in real life (Chemistry). All schools should have more dedicated classes to what people love to do so that the dropout rate decreases and people look forward to heading to school everyday. Also imagine how low the stress levels would drop and how many people would save themselves from trouble.

/rant
 
13688021:ben_collins said:
This is what school should be like for everyone. Everyone should find what they love so that classes, essays and homework isn't actually work. Thats what wrong with high school is they force us to take classes that most of us won't use in real life (Chemistry). All schools should have more dedicated classes to what people love to do so that the dropout rate decreases and people look forward to heading to school everyday. Also imagine how low the stress levels would drop and how many people would save themselves from trouble.

/rant
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Lemme guess, youre in high school or recently graduated?
 
13688021:ben_collins said:
This is what school should be like for everyone. Everyone should find what they love so that classes, essays and homework isn't actually work. Thats what wrong with high school is they force us to take classes that most of us won't use in real life (Chemistry). All schools should have more dedicated classes to what people love to do so that the dropout rate decreases and people look forward to heading to school everyday. Also imagine how low the stress levels would drop and how many people would save themselves from trouble.

/rant
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I see your point and definitely agree with your first two sentences. However, I think the classes that "don't matter" have some importance. I hate gen eds more than the next guy but they really are useful sometimes. I know for me personally, I've made connections between two seemingly unrelated subjects which helped me learn more about them. It's a good thing to be well rounded in your studies even though sometimes it is a pain in the ass.

In high school it seems like a drag, but it helps you figure out what you like and don't like and I believe there's a good reason to have a set curriculum. Think about if you didn't have to take science or math or a language etc and you chose not to but later found out you were pretty good at it and regretted not choosing a career in that general field of study? I know it sucks, but learning about all these subjects helps you in the long run.

Luckily in college you really do have more freedom in your courses and while they do get harder, it's not as bad because you generally care about them. You'll still take dumb classes but for the most part it's way better.
 
13688038:Mingg said:
I've made connections between two seemingly unrelated subjects which helped me learn more about them.
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This is going to sound really fucking nerdy and stupid but i dont give a shit. In my junior year of high school, I took a personal finance class and learned very very basic ideas regarding the stock market. And honestly I forgot most of what I learned but my teacher drilled it into our head to diversify investments because if one fails you have the other ones to fall back on and it reduces the overall risk.

A few years prior to this I had one goal in life regarding one sport and my whole life revolved around it. Then I got hurt bad and had to quit and then I had absolutely nothing. No life, no friends, etc. Sort of like if you invested all your money into one investment. It's risky. And when I was learning about stocks I was like well damn you can incorporate this in like your social life. So since then I have tried to diversify my interests and not rely too heavily on one aspect of life or one person.

At this time I was also going into biomedical engineering and I was like, when the fuck will I ever need to know anything I learn in this class? Now that I'm going into finance/accounting saying this concept isn't applicable for the real world would be a lie but ya know...a few years ago i thought I'd never need it.

So like maybe that's a pointless epiphany in terms of school and maybe it didn't help my grades but it was actually a pretty significant life lesson for me and I've been trying to incorporate it in my life since.

/rant
 
13688042:Mingg said:
This is going to sound really fucking nerdy and stupid but i dont give a shit. In my junior year of high school, I took a personal finance class and learned very very basic ideas regarding the stock market. And honestly I forgot most of what I learned but my teacher drilled it into our head to diversify investments because if one fails you have the other ones to fall back on and it reduces the overall risk.

A few years prior to this I had one goal in life regarding one sport and my whole life revolved around it. Then I got hurt bad and had to quit and then I had absolutely nothing. No life, no friends, etc. Sort of like if you invested all your money into one investment. It's risky. And when I was learning about stocks I was like well damn you can incorporate this in like your social life. So since then I have tried to diversify my interests and not rely too heavily on one aspect of life or one person.

At this time I was also going into biomedical engineering and I was like, when the fuck will I ever need to know anything I learn in this class? Now that I'm going into finance/accounting saying this concept isn't applicable for the real world would be a lie but ya know...a few years ago i thought I'd never need it.

So like maybe that's a pointless epiphany in terms of school and maybe it didn't help my grades but it was actually a pretty significant life lesson for me and I've been trying to incorporate it in my life since.

/rant
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Stop...please
 
13688007:californiagrown said:
Why does everyone say this?
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Realistically most people never hear about trade schools unless they go out of their way to. It's not a mainstream choice like 4 year college is.
 
13688034:californiagrown said:
Lemme guess, youre in high school or recently graduated?
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Still in haha

13688038:Mingg said:
I see your point and definitely agree with your first two sentences. However, I think the classes that "don't matter" have some importance. I hate gen eds more than the next guy but they really are useful sometimes. I know for me personally, I've made connections between two seemingly unrelated subjects which helped me learn more about them. It's a good thing to be well rounded in your studies even though sometimes it is a pain in the ass.

In high school it seems like a drag, but it helps you figure out what you like and don't like and I believe there's a good reason to have a set curriculum. Think about if you didn't have to take science or math or a language etc and you chose not to but later found out you were pretty good at it and regretted not choosing a career in that general field of study? I know it sucks, but learning about all these subjects helps you in the long run.

Luckily in college you really do have more freedom in your courses and while they do get harder, it's not as bad because you generally care about them. You'll still take dumb classes but for the most part it's way better.
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I was mainly talking about junior and senior year when people have a general idea of what they like and don't like. And also I wasn't really talking about math and english or a language or history. I see all those classes as valuable. The only class I have a problem with is science because I almost know for a fact that I won't be doing anything with that except for required classes in college or even beyond. But good points tho
 
I know several people that are quite successful with under 3 years in trade school and have been able to switch between several different fields with their skills
 
13688113:uturn said:
I know several people that are quite successful with under 3 years in trade school and have been able to switch between several different fields with their skills
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What trade did they train for, and what different career fields have they been able to switch between as a result?
 
If you have the means to further your education it's worth it. Whether you go to a big university, a state school, a tech school, community college, whatever. You will make connections with people, hopefully learn a thing or two, and ultimately have an advantage in landing a job over others with less schooling. With that being said, experience also is a major factor and should not be overlooked.

There's no denying that there are people who are very successful who haven't had much education. And at the other end of the spectrum, there are people who aren't successful who've had tons of education.

In the end, no matter what anyone says, it does help to have that silly piece of paper.
 
One did HVAC which is an 11 month program most places and was a welder and machinist for a while before starting his own, very successful, HVAC company and now works 4 days a week. His employees make between $20-80 dollars an hour depending on the job they are working on, with little to no formal schooling The other went to school for aircraft mechanics and is now an engineer.
 
13688007:californiagrown said:
i guess ive never thought trade schools were looked down upon. Why does everyone say this?
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I dont think this is very true anymore, atleast where I live in western Canada. The majority of people respect tradesmen.

I am an electrician doing mainly industrial construction, & I could not see myself working a "desk job" I like what I do mainly for the variety & flexibility, & also because there is good money to be made.

However, trades are not for everyone. To make big bucks as a tradesman here, we work long hours, living in camps, trailers or hotels, away from friends & family for weeks or months at a time. But there is nothing better than finishing up a big project with a feeling of accomplishment, & then taking a few weeks or months off & having the money to do whatever you want.
 
13688127:uturn said:
One did HVAC which is an 11 month program most places and was a welder and machinist for a while before starting his own, very successful, HVAC company and now works 4 days a week. His employees make between $20-80 dollars an hour depending on the job they are working on, with little to no formal schooling The other went to school for aircraft mechanics and is now an engineer.
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So the HVAC guy is doing HVAC, but apparently needed no training to be a machinist or welder- so trade school did not prepare him for that.

What kind of engineering is the guy doing? Cause I'm pretty positive he is not an engineer... Like 99.9%. Unless he managed to pass the EIT and PE with no college- in which case he is genius level intelligent.
 
13688135:californiagrown said:
So the HVAC guy is doing HVAC, but apparently needed no training to be a machinist or welder- so trade school did not prepare him for that.

What kind of engineering is the guy doing? Cause I'm pretty positive he is not an engineer... Like 99.9%. Unless he managed to pass the EIT and PE with no college- in which case he is genius level intelligent.
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Regardless, those folks stayed within the same general career field. They did not go into finance, marketing, etc.

Trades prepare you specifically for a field and don't waste time on a well rounded education the way a 4year degree does. This makes the education more efficient, but far less flexible.
 
13687807:ryano said:
4 year colleges are not always the answer. It does not promise you a job or a starting salary of 60 grand a year.

I have a career and did not go to college or trade school

Look into trade schools, they are cheaper, and there are far better chances of landing a good job out of school.

I know more people that are solidly employed after an 18 or 24 month trade school, than everyone else that went to a 4 year school.
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Can definitely relate to this. I only have an associates job and I have my dream job. Don't make a ton of money yet but I'm far enough in my career once I get on with a major airline I'll be living very comfortably
 
13688145:Slush said:
I like Buffalo :(
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Really? I mean I suppose it's not bad if you have something going for ya here but it's just not for me. The school is great but there are other places I'd rather be haha. Are you thinking about going to college here? Or was that just a general statement?
 
No, I went to a good college undergrad right after HS the education was great and it was a blast. I wouldn't turn that down if you are a middle class kid who is expected to attend college.

However grad school classes are a different story. I made a huge mistake taking some just to be ambitious/look successful.

So- when I went to take those classes mid 20s I wasn't doing it for me it was to get my mom and gf off my back and come across as ambitious and all that bullshit. For some of them I was commuting really far with no car. Anyways here is what happened I went to take 3 classes for a certification. 1 of them I signed up for the wrong class. The lady teaching the wrong class gave me an F. It was 2011 and the Bruins made their Stanley Cup Finals run and these classes were pretty short only a few weeks. I had to skip somefor the games and travelled to Vancouver for the game 7. Professors mad jeally and butthurt I went so failed me. Anyways I can't go there now because an F in grad school fucks your gpa up beyond repair. So I basically burned a bridge/closed a door because I felt the need to do shit for other people. So sometimes its better to chill out and just worry about where you'll be skiing next winter and stuff and do school when you want to.

The final aspect of this fuckup of mine which should make the moral of the story sink in is that 12 months later when my unemployment ran out and I was looking into title 9 extension retraining programs (you can get an extra 6 months of free paper sometimes if you retrain) is that this 3 class program and certification I fucked up would have qualified. So I could have gotten paid to do what I fucked up a year later and had my car.

And again I now live 5 minutes away from this school. I f I ever want to do grad classes I'll be driving over an hour each way to some other state school b/c I can't attend the one near my house due to shitty grad course grades which will destroy the gpa. Actions have consequences.
 
13688021:ben_collins said:
This is what school should be like for everyone. Everyone should find what they love so that classes, essays and homework isn't actually work. Thats what wrong with high school is they force us to take classes that most of us won't use in real life (Chemistry). All schools should have more dedicated classes to what people love to do so that the dropout rate decreases and people look forward to heading to school everyday. Also imagine how low the stress levels would drop and how many people would save themselves from trouble.

/rant
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Lol, literally every high school class (chemistry included) is easy as shit and does come in handy in one way or another. even if you don't use it in your career path, you can use it to make at least semi educated votes/opinions on political matters when you get of age to vote. Think of it; we've created a society almost solely governed by science, in which the grand majority of people don't know a thing about science. Take the nuclear weapons crisis, for example. Do you realize how fucking close we were to ending the world as we know it? All because the people commissioning these weapons had no idea of their sheer power. Just sit through the fucking class, it's what? An hour a day for like five months? If you have half a brain you can get a passing grade without doing much work, and you might learn something in the process. Also take this with a grain of salt though because I'm in high school myself and have next to no real life experience.
 
13688093:ben_collins said:
I was mainly talking about junior and senior year when people have a general idea of what they like and don't like. And also I wasn't really talking about math and english or a language or history. I see all those classes as valuable. The only class I have a problem with is science because I almost know for a fact that I won't be doing anything with that except for required classes in college or even beyond. But good points tho
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Didn't even see this when I posted my last reply. What makes you think you'll never use science?
 
13688161:Mingg said:
Really? I mean I suppose it's not bad if you have something going for ya here but it's just not for me. The school is great but there are other places I'd rather be haha. Are you thinking about going to college here? Or was that just a general statement?
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Well as far as cities go, I just enjoy buffalo (only been to that and Rochester and Rochester is crap). Idk why, I just do I guess :P But yea as far as other places to be, buffalo isn't somewhere id go by choice, or really anywhere in NY hahaha. Not thinking about goin to ub, just got an uncle up there and we visit all the time. I just like the feel of buffalo, idk
 
13688420:Jon_Taffer said:
Lol, literally every high school class (chemistry included) is easy as shit and does come in handy in one way or another. even if you don't use it in your career path, you can use it to make at least semi educated votes/opinions on political matters when you get of age to vote. Think of it; we've created a society almost solely governed by science, in which the grand majority of people don't know a thing about science. Take the nuclear weapons crisis, for example. Do you realize how fucking close we were to ending the world as we know it? All because the people commissioning these weapons had no idea of their sheer power. Just sit through the fucking class, it's what? An hour a day for like five months? If you have half a brain you can get a passing grade without doing much work, and you might learn something in the process. Also take this with a grain of salt though because I'm in high school myself and have next to no real life experience.
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I didn't think of it in a political way. Thats actually a really good point
 
13688442:ben_collins said:
I didn't think of it in a political way. Thats actually a really good point
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like i said i have no real life experience so i dont know for sure whether or not it would actually help, its just what ive always figured. also imo science is cool as shit, fuck all the equations and other stagnant shit they teach you (although theyre necessisary for higher scientific education) stuff like time dilation and quantum mechanics is the gnarliest shit to think of.
 
Like most things it really depends on you and what you want to do. I have a ton of friends that regret it massively. They don't use their degrees and the debt is killing them. I gave some friends that used it to get into a good job and don't regret it at all.

I didn't go because I would have regretted it. I really wish community college wasn't so expensive. It's not even cheap. Just cheap ish comparatively.
 
I'm currently half way through my bachelor's and don't regret it at all. Reason is, the career path I have chosen requires a degree and the school I attend is very affordable. However, to have a well paying job you, definitely don't need to go to a four year school or program. Trades are the way to go in my opinion.
 
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