How important is education in your SO?

[flc]

For the OP, I think compatability is also about having intelligent conversations on multiple topics. Having an college education does require you to research and form opinions based on facts not just emotions. I require those attributes in a partner so I am more likely to be compatible with someone who has a degree than not.

 

However, getting an advanced degree generally makes little difference in these areas. So I am not going to be more compatible with someone who has a PhD than a BS.

 

Also folks the advanced degree may differentiate you in some careers areas but for most experience plays a bigger role. I routinely hire technical people for medical and scientific software positions. If my choice is a PhD versus a MS or BS with 5 or 10 years of experience I am going to take the experienced candidate every time. So if you want an advnaced degree do so because it excites you and you want to learn more not because it is going to make you wealthy.

[Mimolicious]

Much like you want someone with a Masters or higher, I want a woman who didn't coast on her parents money.

 

You're not helping your cause here Marsle, just saying.

 

I have to chime in on...

 

I am part of the first generation in my family to have a college degree and to work for Corp. America. I paid for my own college. Married someone who Mommy & Daddy had college funds for, yet he holds a degree that will never use, went to Barber school, has his own business and makes crazy cash. My kids- FULLY LOADED 529's!!!

 

It is a parent's responsibility (one of them)to provide the highest level of education possible for their children. I will provide for my kids, what my parents couldn't provide for me. Just like Marsle's parents funded her education. What's the problem with that?

[Ihavenoidea]

It's "their" not "there";)

Ok, with that said- they have "jobs" not "careers".

 

by definition then they have careers. and yes I am aware I typed the wrong "there" and meant "their" but i dont care lol

[donnamaybe]

Intelligence and common sense have always been much more important to me than a framed sheepskin hanging on the wall. I know many highly educated idiots.

[Ihavenoidea]

Intelligence and common sense have always been much more important to me than a framed sheepskin hanging on the wall. I know many highly educated idiots.

 

this wins hands down.

[Mimolicious]

I think this is a good comment as far as salaries I agree. My oringial was to get my Masters in Engineering Physics and there were plenty of Physic Engineering positions at NASA, problem was is I made twice as much as them with no college degree.

 

But I will agree that education can be important and should be basic but ti should never be a turn off or dealbreaker

 

I was a recruiter in NYC. An EA/PA in Finance started at $65,000 plus o/t, bonus, full benefits, 401k, etc... Some don't even required an AA or BA. Just 5+ years of experience assisting a senior banker. A Special Ed teacher in NYC- which requires a Master's makes $32,000.

 

Demographics plays a huge factor in salaries, demand and career field. Don't try to be an Astronaut and live in CT. LOL!

[Ihavenoidea]

I was a recruiter in NYC. An EA/PA in Finance started at $65,000 plus o/t, bonus, full benefits, 401k, etc... Some don't even required an AA or BA. Just 5+ years of experience assisting a senior banker. A Special Ed teacher in NYC- which requires a Master's makes $32,000.

 

Demographics plays a huge factor in salaries, demand and career field. Don't try to be an Astronaut and live in CT. LOL!

 

Oh I agree. My ex was a Speech Language Pathologist with a Masters and made 45,000 a year and I made over twice that as a Netowrk Administrator.

[Engadget]

I have to chime in on...

 

I am part of the first generation in my family to have a college degree and to work for Corp. America. I paid for my own college. Married someone who Mommy & Daddy had college funds for, yet he holds a degree that will never use, went to Barber school, has his own business and makes crazy cash. My kids- FULLY LOADED 529's!!!

 

It is a parent's responsibility (one of them)to provide the highest level of education possible for their children. I will provide for my kids, what my parents couldn't provide for me. Just like Marsle's parents funded her education. What's the problem with that?

 

There's nothing wrong with parents helping their kids, BUT like Marsle said, a degree/education may say a person is more ambitious, etc. etc. Coasting on your parents dime makes you lazy, and unable to support yourself. Not qualities I look for in a person. I'd much rather someone who's worked their whole life, rather than someone who barely had jobs and went to school.

 

Real world experience > College

[VertexSquared]

When it comes to helping my future kids, I take Warren Buffet's view:

 

"I want to give my children just enough so that they can do anything, but not so much that they can get away with doing nothing."

 

I have ZERO problem with people getting help from their parents. I'd want the best for my kids, too. But, to me, "wanting the best for my kids" also includes teaching them hard work and to have self-motivation and goals. Despite my academic/career successes, I do not want to force any given path down my children's throats. I'd rather simply foster their natural interests to their fullest extents.

 

What I do have a problem with are people who don't do a damn thing, leech, and then look down on others for not being as privileged, or by mistakenly thinking themselves superior.

[Ihavenoidea]

I still dont see why people look at degrees as an accomplishment or a sense of ambition. Its like youth sports, everyone gets a trophy now.

 

Bachelors degrees are almost the new highschool diploma where most people nowadays have them or are getting them.

 

The thing is to me; ambition is wanting to be the CEO of a major company, climbing mount everest, actually doing something ambitous. I just dont see whats so ambitious about doing whatever everyone else is doing.

 

I need like 8 more classes for my degree how am I less ambitious yet I want to go climb Mt Everest and open my own IT Consulting Firm.

 

EDIT: I still wont finish those 8 classes probably either, I asked one of my professors if I have to walk or if they can just mail it to me because I thought the whole system was dumb. LOL thats just me though

[VertexSquared]

I still dont see why people look at degrees as an accomplishment or a sense of ambition. Its like youth sports, everyone gets a trophy now.

 

Bachelors degrees are almost the new highschool diploma where most people nowadays have them or are getting them.

 

The thing is to me; ambition is wanting to be the CEO of a major company, climbing mount everest, actually doing something ambitous. I just dont see whats so ambitious about doing whatever everyone else is doing.

 

I need like 8 more classes for my degree how am I less ambitious yet I want to go climb Mt Everest and open my own IT Consulting Firm

 

Going to a good school is ambitious in itself. Requires a lot of hard work and preparation.

[Ihavenoidea]

I am a unique case then.

 

However what do you really mean to gain from going to Harvard Business School or UMUC, they will both equally give you a job.

 

IN my last college class they said resumes were for getting an interview and HR spends no more than 30 seconds on a resume. I cant verfiy that but it makes sense, having Harvard and UMUC wont make a difference the only difference may be the networking.

Edited June 8, 2010 by Ihavenoidea

[VertexSquared]

I am a unique case then.

 

However what do you really mean to gain from going to Harvard Business School or UMUC, they will both equally give you a job.

 

The upper-tier schools have a lot more resources, more expansive and connected networks, world-class faculty, talented students, and generally lots to offer location-wise. Yes, both schools will get you a job, but one will provide more opportunity to push yourself intellectually, which in turn allows you to pursue better jobs.

 

A lot of those schools also have killer career centers. Through my school, I was able to leverage my hard work and knowledge into landing my current job in a down market, making six figures after graduating at 23. I don't know many others who can say the same -- I wouldn't have gotten here nearly so quickly without my school.

Edited June 8, 2010 by VertexSquared

[Ihavenoidea]

ok but what do MOST poeple do, they go to college graduate at 22, get a job, some continue to higher education but MOST people after gradutiang work a 9-5 job for the next 40 years and retire.

 

this could be argued as the norm, so how is this in anyway ambitiuous.

 

I cant see a 20 year old kid going to Berkley in physics in anyway ambitious, thats cool for the kid but certinaly not ambitous

[sweetjasmine]

The upper-tier schools have a lot more resources, more expansive and connected networks, world-class faculty, talented students, and generally lots to offer location-wise. Yes, both schools will get you a job, but one will provide more opportunity to push yourself intellectually, which in turn allows you to pursue better jobs.

 

A lot of those schools also have killer career centers. Through my school, I was able to leverage my hard work and knowledge into landing my current job in a down market, making six figures after graduating at 23. I don't know many others who can say the same -- I wouldn't have gotten here nearly so quickly without my school.

 

Yeah. In addition to faculty and resources, it's all about networking. If you want to be an i-banker, a Princeton, Yale, or Harvard degree and a good GPA will automatically get your foot in the door unless you're totally incompetent. Someone at a school that isn't so prestigious, connected, and flooded with recruiters has to work ten times as hard to stand out among the applicant pool.

[roseeee]

I think just like you and education is important for me,I think there will be more things in common when both are educated and not just one! but maybe it most matters in marriage and less in relationship.

[jthorne]

I am interested to hear how important it is to otheres. Is it an age thing? I know that when I'm online dating, the first thing I check (after their picture) is their education, is that so awful?

Nope not awful at all. Education is often an indicator of future earning potential. The happiest relationships typically occur when the partners earn pretty much equally.

 

Wouldn't be a dealbreaker for me though. I've seen some guys with Doctorates that don't have the common sense to pour piss out of a boot(or whatever the saying is.)

[jackson30]

Interesting thread, seems to have broken down into people with degrees saying it's important and those without commenting that it's not very important.

[Engadget]

Interesting thread, seems to have broken down into people with degrees saying it's important and those without commenting that it's not very important.

 

To clarify I have a degree, and think it's overstated. Same with "earning potential" and money in general. Those things don't even factor into who I date, at all.

 

I feel like the only person who thinks money is an afterthought, and I only need money to live. People who obsess over it baffle me, and I hate the materialistic mindset so many people in the US subscribe to, it disgusts me.

[jackson30]

I feel like the only person who thinks money is an afterthought, and I only need money to live. People who obsess over it baffle me, and I hate the materialistic mindset so many people in the US subscribe to, it disgusts me.

 

Most people don't make money doing what they love so making good money gives you the time and resources to do what you really love.

[Lakeside_runner]

Interesting thread, seems to have broken down into people with degrees saying it's important and those without commenting that it's not very important.

 

...and then you have the ones with degrees who say it's not important and those without degrees who say it is important.

 

I think, part of the importance of a partner with degree for people who have a graduate degree is the whole grad school experience.

[bluewolf17]

Wow. LS has a lot of members with PH's and masters. Sexy time.

 

I get the feeling that some are commenting here merely to be defensive. I don't think that was the point of the OP. If you don't think that education is important in dating, then good for you!

 

Leave the nerds to me. . This is just another preference, in the hundreds of preferences we all have in dating.

[bluewolf17]

Firstly, I'm not going to apologize for having parents who facilitate and encourage my college education. I'm fortunate, and I know that. The work of my parents have granted me these privileges- they aren't gifts, they've been earned. Secondly, they're irrelevant. You're bringing in factors into this argument that have no significant attachment to the topic at hand: the value of education. I'll tell you on thing, my parents would have been DISTRAUGHT had I not graduated from college. Why? Because they work HARD. Both of my parents have been switched to the midnight shift. My mom works 12 hour days. My parents absolutely earn their income, and they CHOOSE to invest in me. Whether that be my college education, cell phone, rent, whatever. The point is- my parents have done it "your" way. Yet daily- they reinforce me to earn an education.

 

Why? Because like it or not- education is valued. In my opinion, rightfully so.

 

Thirdly, no. I never said "education = learning," I was simply referring MY education as "learning". It's not as likely you're learning as much as someone in school, I'm sorry- I think it's completely outrageous to make that statement. Sure, life is an experience in itself, and you learn something new every day..yadayada- and I'll even give you that A LOT of occupations can be mastered by experience alone... but your last statement, and several after- are exactly what I disagree with. I'm going to school to be a veterinarian. Sorry, but "experience" isn't good enough. That's foolish to say.

 

Engadget does however, make a great point. Your "learning" can be fostered by a lot of outlets other than your class. I'm not arguing ANY of the above-- I'm arguing the collegate environment sponsors and encourages learning, more than purely earning your keep by "experience".

 

Maybe my "experience" is a lot different from the people posting. Like Norajane said, I have learned A LOT from my schooling. I am a TA for statistics, have conducted over seven studies (one being cross cultural). Furthermore, my time at college has enabled me to: participate in competitive swimming, Honors programs, etc. I consider all of these investments, and have overall made me a very well-rounded person. I am smarter. I am more confident, in better shape, and recognized by academic scholars. My friend on the other hand? Floated through and graduated after 3 years with a business degree. It's absolutely what you make of it. I absolutely believe these benefits can be achieved elsewhere--(I read classic novels in my spare time) but the resources are less readily available and realistically- aren't granted with as much employment.

 

I agree with you Marsle. You don't have to apoligize for anything. The importance of education in dating is important to you, and there is nothing at all wrong with that. I feel the same way.

[tigressA]

To clarify I have a degree, and think it's overstated. Same with "earning potential" and money in general. Those things don't even factor into who I date, at all.

 

I feel like the only person who thinks money is an afterthought, and I only need money to live. People who obsess over it baffle me, and I hate the materialistic mindset so many people in the US subscribe to, it disgusts me.

 

You're definitely not the only person. I feel the same way. I get so annoyed with my family saying it's "so important" for me to get a "good job". What's a "good job" for most people? One that pays a whole lot of money. As long as I have enough to live without struggling, I'm happy, and that's all I require from my partner in terms of earning potential also.

[VertexSquared]

ok but what do MOST poeple do, they go to college graduate at 22, get a job, some continue to higher education but MOST people after gradutiang work a 9-5 job for the next 40 years and retire.

 

this could be argued as the norm, so how is this in anyway ambitiuous.

 

I cant see a 20 year old kid going to Berkley in physics in anyway ambitious, thats cool for the kid but certinaly not ambitous

 

Sure, "most" people might graduate with a Bachelors and get a 9-5 job in a general sense. But not everyone graduates with the same Bachelors from the same school and winds up in the same job, nor do they have the same skill sets and opportunities. Some routes are more rigorous than others, but are more rewarding in different ways. It's often considered ambitious to do what is difficult.