Is College Worth It?

[jm2013]

So, I've always had this thing about college. I do not have a college degree but have self taught myself computers, programming and online marketing. I have this thing where I get pissed off when somebody tells me to go to college. Is that normal? I've got a good job and make decent money and carry the knowledge to make what some people would think is a lot of money.

 

On my marketing side I've networked and made friends with self employed business owners making from 15-50k + per month. With that being said, I feel if I dedicated myself to my business I'd be able to kick the tires on it and hit my targets within a relatively short period of time.

 

I think the thing that bothers me the most is people asking if you've been to school and saying no. It's like you're getting judged or something. I almost got a resentment from people telling me to go to college even though I make good money.

 

So I went out to prove everybody wrong. Why blow 100k on a degree when I'm already making good money and now have years of experience? I don't think a college degree in my field would do anything for me but be an achievement I could hang on my wall and be integrated in what people perceive as the normal thing to do. Are these feelings weird?

Edited November 22, 2013 by jm2013

[carhill]

College/University is one path of education; organized, structured, and recognized nearly universally as an educational pathway. Is it 'worth it'? IMO, it depends upon one's personal perspective. Back when I was going to college, engineering school, I paid for my tuition and books out of my own earnings working summer jobs. At that time, tuition was about 150.00 per semester and books a bit less. My summer job paid ten dollars an hour as a union carpenter and I was learning a trade during the summer while also learning to be an electrical engineer. To me, the cost was worth the education received. At that time, entry salaries for electrical engineers were in the 30-35K annum range. Good ROI for the tuition/books money spent, IMO.

 

Did I finish? Nope, got interested in other aspects of engineering and building relevant to auto racing and went off to start my own business. If I had stayed I'd probably had gone on to work for one of the then startups/young companies which now are world recognized companies like Apple, Oracle, Cisco, HP, etc. Maybe life would have been different. Such are the choices we make.

 

IMO, if you have the talent to succeed in life without a formal college education, then that is your path. There's no law that says once you make that choice you are forever banned from availing yourself of higher education. You can take what you want, whenever you want, however it suits you.

 

My best friend has an eighth grade education and chose to attend business management school when he found his young business was growing rapidly. He's now retired and a lot like some of the business people you describe. He never graduated high school, much less college, but chose to access higher learning relevant to his personal needs. I would hazard a guess that every one of his dozens of employees has more formal education than he does but yet it is the one guy without the creds who pays their substantial salaries.

 

Make the choice that works for you. If you find other options to work better, make changes. You're in charge. Good luck.

Edited November 22, 2013 by carhill

[DrSimple]

Why does it bother you if people say you should get an education? Most people won't be aware of what you can do without one in the technology field or be aware of your own self taught skill set.

 

Next time it comes up, don't get angry. Just explain to them why it is a bad choice for you and it won't come up again. Laugh it off!

 

Them: "Hey why don't you go get your college degree?"

 

You: "Technology is such an evolving field that it is quite pointless! I learn a lot more by keeping myself educated on the most up to date information through my colleagues. I save time and money that way, I don't need a piece of paper."