Higher education right after highschool? F×ck that

[Barney048]

I would advise my fictional children against doing their studies for 3-4 years after finishing highschool. Why? The majority of people work in a field completely unrelated to their degree or well at least half. So if u are stuck with student loans till retirement at least be sure that you are happy with what you're paying for. Many people also drop out quickly.

Over here higher education is free, or at least ur "first two tries" are, but I'd still advise my kids against doing their studies right after highschool.

At 18 you're basically just a kid who knows nothing. You pick the field of study based on no real life experiance. Most people just do it randomly, are influenced by those around them or choose a major the wrong reasons.

3-4 years after highschool will mean the world to you. You'll know if higher education even is for you by then and what you really want to study and build a career in. Ofcourse that depends on how you spend those years. Will you use them for personal growth and self-discovery or treat them as a vacation?

I personally regret going in blindly right after highschool. I felt pressured because everyone around me was going to Uni and because my parents had high expectations of me... so i just chose something randomly. 

[shadowrider]

 I always tell people to consider vocational school, at least for those that like working with their hands. The world will always need mechanics, welders, machinists, carpenters, plumbers, and definitely HVAC repair. If school isn't for you, it wasn't for me, take a job as an apprentice. Starting out I worked in petrochem plants and even a golf course trying to find what I liked and was good at. But I took the time and chances to find something I didn't hate doing and that would afford me a lifestyle I was ok with. Take chances while you're young and try different jobs. Then if you want a degree you'll be better prepared for the work it will take and probably more determined and driven because you've seen some of the other options.

[beanbean]

We definitely all our not the same and it takes us all to make the world always find your own path don't base it of anyone else

[Cebakes]

On 6/17/2024 at 10:10 AM, shadowrider said:

 I always tell people to consider vocational school, at least for those that like working with their hands. The world will always need mechanics, welders, machinists, carpenters, plumbers, and definitely HVAC repair. If school isn't for you, it wasn't for me, take a job as an apprentice. Starting out I worked in petrochem plants and even a golf course trying to find what I liked and was good at. But I took the time and chances to find something I didn't hate doing and that would afford me a lifestyle I was ok with. Take chances while you're young and try different jobs. Then if you want a degree you'll be better prepared for the work it will take and probably more determined and driven because you've seen some of the other options.

Your advice is spot on. College is not for everyone. It’s becoming more and more difficult to find good plumbers, HVAC , electricians and other skilled tradespeople. 

With experience, it’s possible to earn $100K+, go into business for yourself,  and even hire others.   I was in a long-term relationship with a woman whose son went to a three-year trade school.  He wanted to quit after the first week, his father said he could, his mother said she would pack his belongings and put them on the curb, and I told him he would be making a Herculean mistake.  I also called him a p****.  He is now 28, married, four kids, has a house, several acres, and making about $125,000 a year with Amtrak.
 

 

[Andriel_Isilien]

Going to college was always a good idea until everybody was doing it. I definitely regret the time and effort I put into the degree.

[Little kaiya]

University and College certainly won't be for everyone but for some folks it is absolutely the right decision. I went into University right out of high school and for me there couldn't have been a better decision. I'm a senior strategic advisor for government and what I learned has been critical in my success. It wasn't the courses themselves though it was the skills I learned. It was how to balance working, studying and making money. It was writing skills. It was how to piece together different data sources.

It may not be for everyone but that also shouldn't be held against those who did go directly there and received huge benefits that ked to successful careers. I knew what I wanted and I personally regret nothing.

[Cebakes]

On 6/22/2024 at 6:39 PM, Little kaiya said:

University and College certainly won't be for everyone but for some folks it is absolutely the right decision. I went into University right out of high school and for me there couldn't have been a better decision. I'm a senior strategic advisor for government and what I learned has been critical in my success. It wasn't the courses themselves though it was the skills I learned. It was how to balance working, studying and making money. It was writing skills. It was how to piece together different data sources.

It may not be for everyone but that also shouldn't be held against those who did go directly there and received huge benefits that ked to successful careers. I knew what I wanted and I personally regret nothing.

College absolutely adds to the maturation and social development of  most young people attending universities.  Looking back, I should have used my college time better. I was in a frat and a little bit of a partier. The 70s and early to mid 80s were pretty wild times.
 

College and University systems throughout the world are all different. I think college in America needs to be reimagined and reduced to three years. Some classes and credits aren’t necessary.  There may still need to be some four year degrees.   These colleges have become way too bloated with administrators and costs. Community colleges and university branch campuses are also a good way to go through college.  As I mentioned before, I am also very high on trade schools.  

My daughter suddenly lost her mom and the trauma was too much for her to go away to college. She stayed home and earned a BS through a Penn State Branch campus. Very proud of her.

Companies in America today are changing their degree requirements. Obviously there are always going to be careers that require very specific and extensive schooling,  but it has become much easier today to get into good companies without a four-year degree.  

 

Edited June 24, 2024 by Cebakes

[shadowrider]

 I totally agree the U.S. school system needs to be overhauled and fine tuned. 4 years of your life and extreme debt is ridiculous for most degrees and disciplines. I think there needs to be more staff with real world knowledge of some of the subjects being taught also. You can memorize and quote all the books in the world but experience will generally trump memorization of theory when the pressure is on. There needs to be a balance of the 2. I think this is definitely needed for mechanical engineering degrees. They should take at least a semester of machining and one of welding so they better understand how things work and how to make things more practical. I have wasted a lot of time over my career explaining to engineers why something either can't be done or isn't cost effective. Only to do it my way and show them so they can change the blueprints on their end. Look under the hood of any newer car and you'll see examples of this.

 A couple of my issues with our system are that they started requiring 2 years of a foreign language to get into certain colleges. There are also the English classes you had to take once in college. You shouldn't be forced to learn another language then be forced to study English in even greater depth unless that pertains to your end goal of profession. To this day I have never had to diagram a sentence or explain what a dangling participle is on a job. I have also only needed to translate a foreign language once or twice on blueprints. And it was a language my schools still don't offer all these years later. So all those hours would have been a waste for me and better spent on learning what I actually needed to know. Does speaking a different language make you more rounded as a person ? Probably. Should it be required of someone who isn't even sure what they want to major in yet ? No. 

 Also congrats to your daughter, that's awesome. I am a firm believer in online learning and community schools. Everyone works at their own pace and being in your own home just seems like a better learning environment to me generally speaking. A friend of mine got his bachelors and masters online and immediately got hired on with a really good company. Another friend went to the local community college and excelled and is now teaching at a medical college. Too many people think you need that ivy league degree but they read the same text books as everyone else and probably have less time to work with you as an individual if you are struggling. 

 College should be about getting the next generation ready for life and work in the real world. You don't need all the extras if you are just going to forget them the day after you graduate. I also think all the extras lead to more students feeling overwhelmed and stressed and leads to more drop outs or anxiety issues. If you know you want to be a marine biologist 2 more English classes makes no sense. It adds stress and work to your schedule and you are literally paying for something you don't want or need. 

 In my dream world college or higher education should be a buffet style plan. You pick the classes you know you need and maybe 1 or 2 that are of interest and you pay accordingly. That would save students a ton of debt and stress and also mean students had only concentrated on their discipline for the last 2 - 4 years. That's a win for the companies looking to hire team members. I would much rather hire someone that spent a couple years honing only their craft than someone that split their time between their craft and say, conjugating verbs. That's my hot take on it anyway.

[Guest Gentleman_Daddy]

I mean the problem is, you're asked to pick your field before you even know what it means. To a certain extent we're encouraged to be afraid to try new careers, given just how important you're work, is comparative to the rest of your life, it should be positively applauded to try new things! I'm not familiar with how the system works in other countries, but I can say from experience, the U.K. does not encourage mature students. Everything from funding to being accepted on a course is considerably more difficult. Rare it is to find someone who is truly fulfilled in their profession. We should encourage and celebrate learning new skills and knowledge regardless of age....<coughs> ok enough old fart ranting.

[LeftyGuitar]

I remember I hated the traditional schooling system. It left such a bad impression on me, I really have no desire to go back to school. Though I have thought about it off and on. I did graduate high school. Of course I graduated right at the peak of the Great Recession (2008). I did teach myself a lot about computers and computer programming though. Too bad a lot of those jobs are being off-soruced as well. There is still a demand for programmers and I.T., but I don't think its as high as it once was. Side note, I really think America needs to re-do our education system, big time!