I can't believe I'm paying for a useless degree

[sv2007]

This fall I enrolled in a bunch of classes at my local community college to get a music AA degree. I don't know, I guess I have too much free time.

It all started when I started teaching my son piano earlier this year; that get me back into playing piano and I took a intermediate piano class during the summer at the community college (even got an A while missing about 30% of the class and never showed up for labs; but I've had more advanced classes 20 years ago).

Anyway, this fall, I've signed up for a few more classes since the fees cost more than 1 class; i.e. I feel it's "cheaper" to take more than 1 class. And since I'm taking more than 1 class, why not target a degree?

As for my son, I've enrolled him into a piano class (the teach actually was a graduate of this community college, and we had a chat about my summer piano adventure; she's lived here all her life! Never left town.)

I hear about retired folks going back to school; now I'm one of them : )

[QuarterMillionMan]

Welcome to the club. I've ranted in a prior thread that I too have a worthless degree but there are a lot of us in this club. But good for you for aspiring to continue your education even if it's worthless degree. Music sounds like your passion so more power to you.

[disneysteve]

I don't think there is such a thing as a useless degree. You're getting educated. That's never useless. Just because you might not put that education to use in an income-generating way doesn't mean it was a waste of time or money. If you're enjoying yourself, that's great. And you never know where that might lead in the future.

[Gailete]

I suspect that most people who have gotten degrees might think of them as useless. My college bachelor's degree is in Religious Education. I never expected to make a penny off of it since I was planning on becoming a missionary. Don't know any rich missionaries! Life intervened and I never got to use that degree in that sense but did put it into use in my local church with Sunday School classes, Bible school, etc. My nursing degree I did put into use for 14 years before I couldn't work anymore. But I love to learn.

I know other students would have thought I was even weirder than they suspected but I like going to school, loved to read and learn, and don't think any degree is wasted money unless you didn't bother to go to classes and learn anything. College taught me to organize myself and my time. I always had at least 2 if not more work-study type jobs plus typing, babysitting, etc. as I worked my way through. I would have others ask me how I kept up with everything since they didn't even have one on campus job and couldn't keep up with their school work. Other than the fact I was a fast reader, it was just pure organization and a very simplified form of tracking what I had to do each semester, and each week and day. The notebook that I tracked all that in I still use for my grocery lists 40 years later!

If nothing else, college taught me to be a good worker, get to work on time, do a good job at what I was doing, etc. Pretty much every job I ever had out of college needed those traits and I got promotions because of them.

SV2007 - By the way my husband has traded piano lessons this year with a young man in exchange for him cutting the grass! So you never know where you can go with the knowledge you may be gaining. This young man has exceptional talent and had never had a lesson. He took what my husband told him practiced it, and came back with the lesson well learned! What every teacher hopes to see.

[QuarterMillionMan]

This is the link where I posted about my useless degree. The tread was started by Disneysteve about "disturbing comments about college." Check it out.

http://www.savingadvice.com/forums/general-discussion/71385-disturbing-comments-about-college.html

[Gailete]

This is the link where I posted about my useless degree. The tread was started by Disneysteve about "disturbing comments about college." Check it out.

http://www.savingadvice.com/forums/g...t-college.html

Well that was an interesting thread! One of the most disturbing things I saw in relation to college, was going to a yard sale once where the lady had LOTS of stuff that we wanted so a lot to total up. Which also meant that we were there long enough to chitchat with the lady and her grand-daughter. Turns out she was having the yard sale to help raise money for the GD who was going to college. So we ask the GD what major she was going for. Math she replies, "I want to be a math teacher." Then we watched as this person about to train as a math teacher took three tries to total our bill until I finally had to help her! Perhaps her struggles will make her a better teacher, I don't know, but I sure wasn't seeing in talent in the area that she is going into.

I've seen and known several young folks that go to college for art and until I heard about their major I never knew they were in the least artistic! Then you hear of colleges that have to give remedial courses in math and reading because the students really aren't ready for college level courses. Or even remembering back to my own 12th grade English class where the teacher was the football coach and we got maybe a months worth of 'English class' in the 9 months and within a month of graduation, he had one of the guys read something out loud. It was painful to listen to and I felt embarrassed for the guy. Here he was in 12th grade and was functionally illiterate. That was many years ago and I know things have just gotten worse.

I'm a huge believer in life long learning and could have gone into many different college majors if I had even known about them.

[Singuy]

I don't think there is such a thing as a useless degree. You're getting educated. That's never useless. Just because you might not put that education to use in an income-generating way doesn't mean it was a waste of time or money. If you're enjoying yourself, that's great. And you never know where that might lead in the future.

I beg a differ. I believe if you are paying for something that comes free generally, you should get some kind of value behind it. A degree is nothing more than a piece of paper showing the the world that you learned such subject. If this piece of paper can generate an income, then GREAT! You got your moneys worth. If it doesn't, then it's no different than a gold star your mom gave you when you were young.
If you are truly interested in a subject, there are many free resources you can study till your hearts content. You get to study on what you enjoy..and not 60% of what you enjoy and the other 40% being fillers and busy work shoved down your neck for a degree completion.

Most of us need to put up with the cost, time, inefficiencies and monotonous busy work just to get a degree that CAN generate an income..if not then what why are you in it for? Before youtube and high speed internet, what you are saying is pretty valid..you couldn't just learn what you want for free and effectively. Now I can tap into lectures from University of Berkeley...all while eating some popcorn in my pajamas. And no, courses that requires you to be hands on cannot be learned from online video.

Of course I recommend everyone to have an AA degree at a cheap community college just to be proficient for the real world..and if you want to complete xyz knowing that it's useless but can pay for it with peanuts..then go for it. I just don't want to hear anyone crying about their 6 figure student loan debt in some useless major coming out of an expensive private university..where you lost your scholarship 2 semesters in..now blaming the government for a lack of jobs.

[james.hendrickson]

Guys - one thing to bear in mind. Without a Bachelors degree, its very hard to get hired for a lot of good jobs. I spent a ton of time doing contracting work in DC and the Federal regulations are pretty strict - most jobs funded by Federal contracts require a minimum of a BA/BS.

[disneysteve]

Guys - one thing to bear in mind. Without a Bachelors degree, its very hard to get hired for a lot of good jobs. I spent a ton of time doing contracting work in DC and the Federal regulations are pretty strict - most jobs funded by Federal contracts require a minimum of a BA/BS.

That's true, but not really relevant in this particular thread. OP is not taking classes for career purposes but rather just personal fulfillment.

That said, I know retirees who take college classes but they do it on Audit status so they aren't going to earn a degree no matter how many classes they take. Plus they pay a very minimal price to take the classes. OP, maybe you should look into that option.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

I've looked into taking classes just for learning. If I had more time. AA are a cheap way. I'm still looking to get into something different.

I will say I've met more than a few moms who stayed at home and went back for nursing AA degrees and got jobs that way. Small investment for big returns.

So it's not always what you spend or why you spend it but what you get back from it.

[disneysteve]

Before youtube and high speed internet, what you are saying is pretty valid..you couldn't just learn what you want for free and effectively. Now I can tap into lectures from University of Berkeley...all while eating some popcorn in my pajamas.

This is actually a really good point. If you are just looking to learn new stuff and you don't need a degree for employment purposes, there are phenomenal resources available today that didn't exist even 10 years ago. YouTube, TED talks, etc. My daughter has taught herself video editing with free online resources. I've taught myself how to do various repairs by watching YouTube. I've even used free online videos to brush up on some of my medical knowledge when I started doing Urgent Care work where I needed to be able to do things I hadn't done since residency 25 years ago. In the past, I would have needed to find a live CME course, take time off from work, and spend hundreds of dollars to get that same knowledge.

Of course, there is something to be said for the social and interactive nature of a classroom. Especially for seniors and retirees, I think it's good for their brains and souls to get out and have intellectual discussions with a group of like-minded people as opposed to just sitting alone at home watching YouTube. So I still see value in paying to take a class.

[sv2007]

If you are truly interested in a subject, there are many free resources you can study till your hearts content. You get to study on what you enjoy..and not 60% of what you enjoy and the other 40% being fillers and busy work shoved down your neck for a degree completion.

Colleges want to train a well rounded person with general education requirements. I actually found it very good to have the general ed. as I was able to take some painting, piano, and especially geology classes. In fact, if I can do it all over again with today's knowledge, I'd pick up more classes in LAS. But back then, I really loved physics and math and all things engineering; an unbalanced person <-- that's what I'd say today. But it doesn't really affect the ability to do a job.

But when people think certain fundamentals are unimportant; this is where they can get into trouble. Colleges fix this by having requirements in the major field. For example, a CS major should know something about computers like how they work down to the device physics level (ok, maybe many only go down to the logic gate level, but still). If a person thinks this type of learning is busywork, then it is very dangerous as it weakens the future ability to perform job (or ability to expand on the job).

[Singuy]

But when people think certain fundamentals are unimportant; this is where they can get into trouble. Colleges fix this by having requirements in the major field. For example, a CS major should know something about computers like how they work down to the device physics level (ok, maybe many only go down to the logic gate level, but still). If a person thinks this type of learning is busywork, then it is very dangerous as it weakens the future ability to perform job (or ability to expand on the job).

I was only referring to learning as a hobby and not using a degree for a real career (since you know it's useless to begin with). I would think you are allowed to learn whatever you want since your career is not depended on it.

I am equating paying for a degree in something you know is useless to learning it for free on youtube..and picking your own curriculum. Since no job will be the result of either one, and the end result is to gain knowledge..then I find them to be equivalents.

[sv2007]

That's true, but not really relevant in this particular thread. OP is not taking classes for career purposes but rather just personal fulfillment.

That said, I know retirees who take college classes but they do it on Audit status so they aren't going to earn a degree no matter how many classes they take. Plus they pay a very minimal price to take the classes. OP, maybe you should look into that option.

I'm not sure how the more hand-on classes can work well for auditing; plus it generally requires instructor approval, but it is also generally free. However, you don't usually get to take tests, which I like/want.

The cost is very minimal; the summer class costed $90 (course) + $150 (fees, parking was the biggest part : ). This fall quarter, I'm taking 3 classes total came out to $420.

The people I met in summer were pretty interesting, most don't work and live at home; a few working while attending school; most are late- 20's (which I'm actually surprised by it, expected younger). The instructor was interesting, he actually owned a piano store in the bay area 15 years ago. I showed off my son's piano skills when mom and son stopped by. I was rusty as heck, but clearly the class material was below me.

[disneysteve]

I'm not sure how the more hand-on classes can work well for auditing

They may not. The one friend I have who does this is mainly taking lecture and discussion type classes.