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When people make this kind of assessment they seem to be implying that because a college education is less surefire than it used to be, that it's useless. This

When people make this kind of assessment they seem to be implying that because a college education is less surefire than it used to be, that it's useless. This is demonstrably false, and a college education is still the best bet a person can make on his or her future. In the same breath people say "all our manufacturing jobs went to China" and "why not go to a vocational school and pick up welding?"

michaelbuddy 11y ago
not so much useless, but really just a negative in so many respects. A massive debt right at the time before you've really even had any personal freedom at all. It's terrible. Though i went to college, I'd recommend people who don't have a wild passion towards a specific subject (if the outlook is cloudy I mean) earn, save and buy a house in cash. And in regards to passion, I don't mean necessary a love for something, I mean a drive to REALLY get good. If you don't have that for school, then work, earn and make yourself a good situation so you can get education with disposable income when the passion comes.
douche 11y ago
The problem is that there isn't a significant differential in price between the institutions that it's really worthwhile to have a degree from, and the ones a couple tiers down the influence ladder. The options I considered were: 1.) Ivy League 2.) Smaller, 2nd tier private college, with incentives for in-state students. 3.) Private military academy, where my Dad went 4.) My main state university. Since my parents were kind of lower-middle class, #1 was mostly covered by financial aid, so the real differences in cost between that and the state university were only a couple thousand a year. The doors that having that name on the top of my piece of paper opens are well worth it. Options that would have been suicidal, financially: A.) 2nd or 3rd tier, out-of-state non-Ivy private school - most are still in that 40-50k price tag range, without the endowments to offer the same financial aid packages. B.) Out-of-state tuition at another state university - again, price tag in the 30-50k range, no subsidy, reduced prestige
PeterisP 11y ago
Are you really sure that "a college education is still the best bet a person can make on his or her future" ? College education has quite a lot of worth, but that worth is much less than it used to be and the price is much more than it used to be. A degree that has some value is useless if obtaining it costs you twice as much as that value.
- incongruity 11y ago
  Well, the ROI calculations still often say it is still worthwhile – for example: http://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21600131-too-many-degrees-are-waste-money-return-higher-education-would-be-much-better http://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21600131-too-man... (which cites: http://www.payscale.com/college-roi http://www.payscale.com/college-roi )
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]

michaelbuddy 11y ago

not so much useless, but really just a negative in so many respects. A massive debt right at the time before you've really even had any personal freedom at all. It's terrible. Though i went to college, I'd recommend people who don't have a wild passion towards a specific subject (if the outlook is cloudy I mean) earn, save and buy a house in cash. And in regards to passion, I don't mean necessary a love for something, I mean a drive to REALLY get good. If you don't have that for school, then work, earn and make yourself a good situation so you can get education with disposable income when the passion comes.

douche 11y ago

The problem is that there isn't a significant differential in price between the institutions that it's really worthwhile to have a degree from, and the ones a couple tiers down the influence ladder. The options I considered were: 1.) Ivy League 2.) Smaller, 2nd tier private college, with incentives for in-state students. 3.) Private military academy, where my Dad went 4.) My main state university. Since my parents were kind of lower-middle class, #1 was mostly covered by financial aid, so the real differences in cost between that and the state university were only a couple thousand a year. The doors that having that name on the top of my piece of paper opens are well worth it. Options that would have been suicidal, financially: A.) 2nd or 3rd tier, out-of-state non-Ivy private school - most are still in that 40-50k price tag range, without the endowments to offer the same financial aid packages. B.) Out-of-state tuition at another state university - again, price tag in the 30-50k range, no subsidy, reduced prestige

PeterisP 11y ago

Are you really sure that "a college education is still the best bet a person can make on his or her future" ? College education has quite a lot of worth, but that worth is much less than it used to be and the price is much more than it used to be. A degree that has some value is useless if obtaining it costs you twice as much as that value.

incongruity 11y ago
Well, the ROI calculations still often say it is still worthwhile – for example: http://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21600131-too-many-degrees-are-waste-money-return-higher-education-would-be-much-better http://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21600131-too-man... (which cites: http://www.payscale.com/college-roi http://www.payscale.com/college-roi )
deleted 11y ago
[deleted]