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 Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2006 6:16 pm
College, they say, is one of the best investments of your money that you can make. It makes a lot of sense considering that the ideas, facts, and ways to filter and use information is a powerful tool.
However, take it from me, and my generation. There's some concerns to be had.
It used to be that a college degree was an automatic road to an entry-level form of decent employment. In an increasingly global society, however, competition for jobs is getting much more stiff. That means that a college degree does NOT automatically transition you to a successful form of employment.
Lots of the jobs out there created for us now are service-related, low-paying, part-time jobs that don't really require any future schooling.
consider this article, even if you are not involved in college right now.
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/CollegeAndFamily/MoneyInYour20s/FailToLaunch.aspx?page=2
That article will kind of help you understand the importance of doing all those little extra things in your life to make you more attractive an employer once you complete school.
Here's things you need to think about.
- Foremost, think about your future student loans. That is a debt that you cannot escape. Do your research on the job market and its future trends so that you will know what type of degrees are valuable especially by the time you graduate (give yourself 5 years as a reasonable span of time to complete school). Check the government websites on student loans and aid... However, roughly, unless you have served in the military, popped out any children, or are married, you cannot qualify for independant status for financial aid until you are 24. Again, I am speaking on this topic in a very glossy manner.
- Not all jobs and careers are created equal. There are some careers that are paid better than others, and there are plentiful jobs in one area where there is scarcity in others. for example, there's plenty of jobs in healthcare and the pharmecutical industry. But IT and graphic design related jobs are sinking. Be wise about your career choice so that you have a higher chance of attaining decent skills and employment.
- most of the schools in the US, including the community colleges, offer a quality education, public and private. To get the most out of your education, you have to put forth your extra mile in order to read the most, learn the most, visit the library, talk to the proffs, network with the most of your peers, take on internships and co-op work, and use other university freebies and services.
- The only schools you will likely want to avoid is the "for profit" colleges and universities. the education offered at these places are expensive, and they are not likely acedemic. They are likely to be teaching technical stuff, which does not prepare your mind for higher-level thinking skills. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_for-profit_colleges_and_universities by the time you graduate at one of these, your degree may not be competitive compared to a person holding a Bachelors of the same major at a well-known university. This isn't to say that ONCE you are employed with a company, that you can't ask if this company values the education from certain "for profit" schools so that you can take online classes to aquire skills to boost your contribution to that company. Some businesses don't mind the skills aquired from University of Pheonix, but many companies don't value an education from such.
- one cheap route to take is to complete your basic educational requirements of your major at your local community college. After you attain your associates in either the sciences or liberal arts, you can transfer that to a 4-year university and take the majority of your dicipline's cources there. This is a smart decision because you save more money, and in this process you get an associates degree in case you were to drop out of your school for any reason. Plus, you don't even have to bother with pesky SAT and ACT scores if you start yourself at a community college.
- Consider going into the trades if you are interested in some money-making careers. Some of these jobs were considered blue-collar, and can be physical. But they can make a killing. Plumbing and air-conditioning work and other services just can't be outsourced. wink You don't need a fancy 4-year degree for that either.
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Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2006 8:55 pm
I wish that someone had told me, when I was still in high school, about how many different fields of study there are in college. There are a lot of majors and minors I'd never heard of and knew nothing about. Don't limit yourself to the subjects you studied in high school. Go to a large public school's website and just look at how many majors they have. If you don't know what one of them is, go to that department's site and read about it. The more you know, the better educated you'll be when it comes to picking out classes and picking out a major. Also, some majors may surprise you. e.g. there's more to geography than staring at maps.
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Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2006 9:32 pm
adabyron I wish that someone had told me, when I was still in high school, about how many different fields of study there are in college. There are a lot of majors and minors I'd never heard of and knew nothing about. Don't limit yourself to the subjects you studied in high school. Go to a large public school's website and just look at how many majors they have. If you don't know what one of them is, go to that department's site and read about it. The more you know, the better educated you'll be when it comes to picking out classes and picking out a major. Also, some majors may surprise you. e.g. there's more to geography than staring at maps. Thats a good point, Adabryon. Because many 18 year olds starting college have absolutely no idea what feild interests them, I would totally recommend that once they start college that they aim for their first general required classes as opposed to jumping right into a major. Many introductory college classes give you a basic overview of what a feild of study is "all about". Its totally ok to be a little indecisive for a little while. if you decide to change majors later, you will still have many of the required courses covered under your belt. future students should not be afraid to browse their college websites. It is an excellent place to learn not only about majors, and get virtual tours, but also to learn about the free services a university offers.
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Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 8:43 pm
Taken from "The Quarterlife Crisis" book:
People assume that college is a "rite of passage" into adulthood and that 20-somethings have it so easy and fun in their lives. At one point or another, it probably was... a bachelors used to channel you right into a cushy job. Today, though, college does not fully and gently ease you into a transition to the "real world".
- College gives you a false sense of independence. It is established by "parental support and a lot of loans". It's "nice" to say that you can live away from your parents, while you can still have your meals cooked, and your bills paid by someone else. But once you get out of school, you find that college life didn't really prepare you well for living life on your own. Which leads to the next point.
- college = protection FROM the real world.
- Career centers do not really help you as much as you'd think they would. They would help you immensely if there was a way that you could make the school look successful and prestigious, say, if you were earning grants or scholarships. This isn't to say that the career centers at your university are worthless. Far from that. You could assess what interests you so that it gives you an idea of what you want to do, but career centers inadequately connect students with work. No one tells college students that they may need to do menial tasks, or lowly career options such as "admin work" once they get out of school. Also, no one tells the students that their work may completely be unrelated to their major.
* I would still recommend checking out ANY and ALL of the FREE services that your school offers. You cannot hurt at all by using these services, even if they do not adequately meet your needs.
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Posted: Mon Oct 09, 2006 2:54 pm
I have found a very versitile field. I was glad that I was told about it after doing one of those career tests.
Hospitality and Tourism Management.
I can do any of the following jobs with my degree:
Operations Manager (Hotel)
General Manager (Hotel)
Restaurant Manager (Hotel)
Restaurant Owner
Customer Service Representative
Cruise Advisor
Cruise Attendant
Travel Agent
ect. The list is miles long. I could manage anything from a catering buisness, to a wedding hall, to a hotel.
The key now-a-days, I think, is to find a field in which you can bounce a bit before you find the job you enjoy the most.
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Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 6:56 pm
To be honest, I didn't have my meals cooked by someone else, or any of the amenities people talk about with universities.
I live in a cramped apartment, and can feed myself on $40 a week. My loans are on my own head, but I'm in Information Technology --- two $200 certifications and I've got a job right out of this place. And thankfully I never changed my major, but I've seen others who have, and WOW that can screw you over!
I learned to live cheap, walk EVERYWHERE, and have acquired necessary clerical skills that can get me a job to pay the bills while I'm getting certified. I'm not saying that EVERYONE absolutely MUST attend college, but some campuses DO leave you with necessary life experience along with your degree, so it's not all some cushy, overpriced adult daycare.
As per the career centers kind of sucking --- I can vouch for this. I worked in the one on my campus, and all they can do is tell you how to conduct yourself in an interview, write a resume that MIGHT not end up in the trash, and give you a schedule of job fairs.
I've also learned the wonders of the local health department -- cheap/free birth control (and free exams), for a year at a time. And our counseling center is amazing (same goes for the testing center).
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