Is college really necessary? Should we be pushing our children toward bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees as a prerequisite to success in the career world?
I grew up knowing from the time I entered first grade that I was going to college and I was going to become a writer when I grew up. In the succeeding 12 years of school I neither varied nor wavered from that goal. As planned and expected, I graduated from high school and promptly enrolled myself into the Journalism department at San Diego State University. Two years later, following a serious car accident and four grueling semesters with a full load of academic “solids”, I needed to take a break. A year of selling cheese at the Swiss Colony and developing prints at the One-Hour Photo while I ventured into the world of professional photography convinced me that I needed to return and finish my degree. And so I did. Along the way I also got married and the day before our first daughter was born, I was awarded a B.A. in investigative journalism.
And then like nearly every good journalism student I knew, I went to work in the claims department of a major insurance company. While I was in college I had some great journalism jobs: I worked as an advertising copywriter for a local tourist guide, I was Girl Friday (yes, that really was my job title) for a Better Homes & Gardens Field Editor–my husband is still suffering the aftereffects of that job, and I was an editorial assistant in the curriculum production department of the nation’s sixth-largest school district. I also did occasional writing and photography for a monthly newspaper. But once I graduated, “real” journalism jobs that actually paid a living wage were nearly impossible to find. With an average of 300-500 applicants for every job opening, practicality eventually dictated the insurance company.
And then they offered me law school. They’d pay the tuition and I would join their legal team on graduation. Thinking better of it, I left the world of insurance and became a full-time photographer and part-time freelance writer. And I have never looked back.
Today it is a very different world. Having not so long ago observed my husband as he finished his long-delayed degree and watched my oldest child navigate the costly road of higher education and find work in her chosen field for the employer she always wanted to work for only to find paying both living expenses and student loans nearly impossible, I have begun to ponder on both the necessity and the viability of encouraging my other children to pursue a traditional educational path.
And after a lot of thought and a lot of study and a lot of listening to those successful in the business world, the answer I came up with is “it depends.”
Here are some of the things I think are critical to think about when deciding what type of post-secondary education or training you should pursue. For what it’s worth, I do believe that nearly everyone who is planning to enter the career world needs some kind of training or education in order to be successful in their chosen field. But the form that takes will depend on your answers to the following questions.
- What is it that you plan to do? Are you planning to enter the medical or legal professions or become a CPA or school teacher?
If it is any of those and certain other professional fields than at the very least, a bachelors’ degree is an absolute must. If you are planning to have a career where you work for someone else, especially in a large corporation a degree is likely to be required as a condition of entry. My degreed daughter works for one of the top 50 companies in the US by size and having a degree definitely was her foot in the door for her chosen field.
On the other hand, if you plan to pursue self-employment, a degree may or may not make a difference. Consider Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. Both men revolutionized our world with their computers and neither have earned university degrees.
- Does your career field require specialized training or certification?
Some jobs require specific certifications for entry or for advancement. These certifications are generally obtained through study programs. These programs may be offered by universities, community colleges or training schools. When considering a certification program, check the reputation of the school you are considering and then weigh the cost-versus-time factors. Choose the school that best meets your needs. One way to determine whether a particular training program is up to snuff for your industry is to call a couple of the companies you might want to work for and ask whether they hire graduates of that school.
- Are there entry-level jobs available in your chosen field that include apprenticeships or on-the-job training programs?
Some career skills can be acquired through on-the-job or employer-provided training. If finance is an issue and you don’t want to incur the burdensome indebtedness of student loans, this is definitely an option worth looking into.
- What is your learning style?
Are you looking forward to four or five more years in the classroom beyond high school or does the thought of more papers, projects and exams make you break out in a cold sweat? Not everyone is cut out for the academic life. If you are more of a hands-on learner or perhaps an experiential learner, a traditional academic college may not be the right fit for you. It’s ok to be different. One size does not fit all, especially in the world of academia.
In today’s economy and business climate, a degree is no longer a guarantee of entry into your chosen field, nor is it a predictor of career success. Whether or not to pursue the time and expense of a college degree is something to be weighed and studied carefully and is a very individual decision.
How do you feel about higher education? Is it a “must”? Or is it something necessary only for specific careers. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
this is a great post Marie.. I have a sack full of degrees and use them all but my passion is writing and that did not take any degree I have earned . It is something to think about!
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I’m in the “It Depends” camp. I got my first Ph.D. at 26, and two others later. I haven’t used any of the degrees.
The ones that seem to do the most promoting of the need for college are the schools. The Educational Institution would really be hurting if people followed their passion and purpose, instead of pursuing a degree.
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I am seeing that, too, Elemir. The biggest push for the need to go to a traditional college comes from the traditional education system. I really do think it’s an individual thing and not necessarily in everyone’s best interest, especially at 17 or 18. Some do better going to college a little older and some find it not helpful at all for a career. I do believe education is a never-ending process, I’ve just found it doesn’t always take place in a classroom.
I have similar conversations with my teenage daughters. Brought up to ‘get a job’ as ‘women did not need to go to university’, I studied a Bachelor of Commerce part time, after 10 years work experience. This was only because it was offered by the company, was fully paid for, and 3 days study leave per subject. It provided an opportunity for promotion over someone who had not studied, but little more than that.
An interesting read, by Daniel H Pinks, ‘A Whole New Mind’ who illustrates how the education system prepares kids for a world that no longer exists.
This is why it is so important to do what you are passionate about and build on that – continuous learning.
Of course, if you are passionate about becoming a doctor, lawyer, teacher, etc. a university degree is a must.
Don’t let me get started on an MBA degree – this will start another whole debate.
The statement “One way to determine whether a particular training program is up to snuff for your industry is to call a couple of the companies you might want to work for and ask whether they hire graduates of that school.” is really good advice. My sister works in HR and has stated more than once, in conversations we have had about post high school education, that there are collages she will not, nor will her colleges, hire graduates from. They are not qualified for the work they have “trained” to do.
I have learned after a lifetime of believing that college and a degree are a must… that it really does depend. I haven’t been able to finish college yet because I’ve chosen cosmetology. I’m going to have to wait till I’m done having babies to finish school because I wouldn’t feel safe about having the fumes if I was pregnant or nursing. My husband works in his chosen profession as a networks administrator without a certification or degree but would like to go get a certification as soon as it is possible. But he provides the means for me to stay home and be a stay at home mommy which is the job that I really have always wanted actually. So my mind has been changed a little like yours has. I would definitely have to say it depends as well.
I think the worst decision someone can make is to get a college degree just to fill time because they can’t get a job, or to go to college when they really don’t know what they want to do. Getting a degree in Business Administration, when that field is completely overcrowded, just so you will “have a degree” (not because you WANT to work in the corporate arena) is pretty lame – just saddles you with educational debt without significantly increasing your chances of employment that you’ll be able to stand.
There are SO many options for education besides going to college straight out of high school. Trade schools, military, on the job training, self-education, free online courses offered through several major universities, etc. Most people do better in college if they work for a few years after high school, and take time to really figure out where they want to go in life anyway.
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Excellent post. I listen to Dave Ramsey quite a lot and he talks about being practical about education. It has definitely made me re-think the discussions I will have with my children.
Neither of my parents have college degrees. I was the second child in my family to graduate with a B.A. My husband’s mother has a Masters in Education. And his father went to trade schools for technical training. My husband has a PhD in Physics.
As I look at the different abilities and personalities of my children, I believe that they need to know they have options outside of a traditional 4-year degree. Thank you for articulating so clearly a discussion of education that takes into account different personalities, abilities, and goals.