For Most People, College Is a Waste of Time

[maat55]

I typed a long response to this that disappeared when I hit send. Let me try to recreate it.

I disagree on both points.

I don't think you can ever say that any education is a waste. I have a BS in Biology from a liberal arts college. In addition to my science courses, I was required to take classes in English, foreign language, art, history, philosophy and more. Even though most of those things have no direct (or even indirect) connection to my chosen career, they certainly weren't a waste. They made be a better educated, well-rounded person. College isn't just about getting a job. It is about getting an education. I wouldn't want to be a doctor who knew nothing but science. I think the most interesting people are those who have varied interests and knowledge and I have always prided myself on knowing at least a little about a lot of different things. I credit my liberal arts education for much of that.

As for 4 years being an ambitious goal for college, 4 years always used to be the standard expectation. I remember people being teased and criticized for being on the "5-year plan" or more. Somehow, it has gradually become acceptable for students to take 5 or 6 or 7 or more years to earn a degree. I don't know why that has happened. Considering the rising cost of college, you would think people would want to finish as quickly as they can. We've already made it clear to our daughter that we expect college to be a 4-year endeavor.

I disagree with you, college should be education for a career only. If you want to learn the other nonsense, thats fine, but don't make me pay for something I don't need. Most of that other junk can be learned sitting in your home reading cheap books. I think college is a scam. We can learn the things we need to earn money much cheaper and in less time. IMO.

[disneysteve]

I disagree with you, college should be education for a career only.

Trade school or technical school or vocational school is for those who want nothing more than to be trained to do a certain job, and there is nothing at all wrong with that.

College is for those who want an more well-rounded education or those going into careers that require, or at least benefit, from a broader knowledge base.

[cargirl86]

I disagree with you, college should be education for a career only. If you want to learn the other nonsense, thats fine, but don't make me pay for something I don't need. Most of that other junk can be learned sitting in your home reading cheap books. I think college is a scam. We can learn the things we need to earn money much cheaper and in less time. IMO.

Just because you don't think certain aspects of a college career are necessary doesn't mean that it's "nonsense" or "junk." That may be your opinion, but please keep in mind that some of us worked incredibly hard to attain our college education, and comments like that are a bit insulting.

[disneysteve]

If you want to learn the other nonsense, thats fine, but don't make me pay for something I don't need.

I'm also bothered by the idea that you don't need to learn about anything that isn't directly related to your job.

I decided I wanted to be a doctor when I was in 4th grade. Perhaps I should have been allowed to skip all the other "nonsense" in my 12 years of schooling: English, Spanish, history, social studies, geography, algebra, art, music, etc.

Sure, you could teach yourself stuff, but how many people actually would? How boring our society would be if everyone was just trained to do their particular job.

[rob62521]

Well, here in the middle of Illinois, college was not a waste of time. I went to a school in the Chicago area. It made me grow and think beyond my smaller city. I learned new things both in and out of the classroom. Plus, my town used to be so very blue collar with many factories paying good wages. However, things have changed and most of those industries have closed. My folks never finished high school. I have a master's degree. I make three times the amount of money my folks ever could have made.

[maat55]

Just because you don't think certain aspects of a college career are necessary doesn't mean that it's "nonsense" or "junk." That may be your opinion, but please keep in mind that some of us worked incredibly hard to attain our college education, and comments like that are a bit insulting.

I'm in no way discrediting those who have earned their degree. Yes, they had to work hard for it. My beef is that they had to work more and pay more than is necessary. My daughters were forced to take useless classes with nutty professors preaching gobbldygook. On two occations, they felt the need to drop classes. Just the price in books are rediculous.

IMO, highschool is where you get your English, history, spanish etc. College forces you to take electives, I would elect to save the money and time.

[DebtFreeMe2]

Although I do agree that today’s colleges overall are overpriced (education has simply become another product to be sold) and many of the colleges are overrun with elitists that have a lot of theory in their heads but very little actual experience doing what they are supposed to be experts about.

The truth is that society thrives on measuring sticks. Whether it's the amount of money you make, the car you drive, or the job you have, people categorize and place different levels of significance to each.

In the world of education that measuring stick is the BA or BS degree, does that mean that the person that has a BS in something is better or smarter that someone that has only a high school diploma? NO, but it is the quickest measuring stick people and businesses have, for what you know and what you can do.

As to the fluff classes you end up having to take, I think overall they are a waste of time, but the folks that run the world of education like things like art, so they believe it's important for everyone. I’m sure if my Uncle ran a college, there would be a mandatory class on NASCAR racing, because everyone cares about it as much as he does. Those that build the system get to create the rules.

[disneysteve]

My daughters were forced to take useless classes with nutty professors preaching gobbldygook.

If that is true, that's a problem with that particular school, not the system in general. I was required to take a certain number of credits in certain departments, but it was up to me to choose how I fulfilled those requirements. I was never forced to take any particular class with any specific instructor. It was always my choice, so I chose classes that interested me with professors about whom I had heard good things.

[maat55]

If that is true, that's a problem with that particular school, not the system in general. I was required to take a certain number of credits in certain departments, but it was up to me to choose how I fulfilled those requirements. I was never forced to take any particular class with any specific instructor. It was always my choice, so I chose classes that interested me with professors about whom I had heard good things.

My younger daughter had a class where the instructor never taught anything on the subject of the course. He did try to teach that he was waiting for aliens to come back to earth. I'll get some of the information from my daughter and post it later.

[cschin4]

I think it is time to rethink the entire education system. There is good and bad. There are some degrees that absolutely require additional education. But, I think the luxury days of getting some general degree just for the sake of it are over unless one comes from a wealthy family. There is simply too much useless info in college courses. There is no reason why someone cannot start studying their major from the get-go other than this useless unchanging beauracracy.

[disneysteve]

There is simply too much useless info in college courses. There is no reason why someone cannot start studying their major from the get-go other than this useless unchanging beauracracy.

I'm not sure what you consider useless, but I don't think I would classify any of my college courses as having been useless. I learned something in each and every one of them.

As for studying one's major from the start, I certainly did that in college. I was a Biology major and I had science classes from day one. There is no possible way that I would have wanted to have multiple science classes in one semester instead of the liberal arts stuff in order to get my degree sooner. The workload was tremendous as it was. More science classes at once would have been nearly impossible.