College- Worth it or no?

by bsbear
37 replies
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Senior in high school here, in my town college is the norm, and people can usually afford it. But I know in a lot of other places people stray away from it due to the large price, and bad job market currently.

Part of me wants to drop everything, and go full force into selling SEO, and try to make a living that way. What do you guys think?
  • Profile picture of the author marktwins
    Best Idea.. You can continue your education at your interested area through distance and keep your efforts on SEO.
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  • Profile picture of the author MilkerFocus
    It really depend on what you feel.
    From my experience, I hate my lecture.
    I hate traditional education.
    Seems, they charge me a lots, and what they teached are so outdated.

    I rather focus on internet marketing and find a coach to guide.
    It's effective and cheaper comparing with the college.

    So I did not continue my study.
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  • Profile picture of the author kenmichaels
    College just teaches you how work for the man.

    I went, most of its not applicable in my life.

    I do however, have fond memories of some great parties.

    BTW, i am not suggesting that you go, or don't go. i am just saying
    for me, it was pretty much a waste.
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    • Profile picture of the author ThomM
      Originally Posted by kenmichaels View Post

      College just teaches you how work for the man.

      I went, most of its not applicable in my life.

      I do however, have fond memories of some great parties.

      BTW, i am not suggesting that you go, or don't go. i am just saying
      for me, it was pretty much a waste.
      I had just the opposite opinion on college (sort of).
      I wouldn't of had a landscape business or a long successful career in landscaping without it.
      But with me the key was not being concerned about a degree and focusing on learning. I also waited many years between high school and college.
      I did notice the highest dropout rate was with those who went from H.S. directly into college simply because that is what they thought you where suppose to do.
      I told all four of my girls not to go to college until they experienced life as an adult and only then to go if they found what they wanted to do for the rest of their lives and college was the only way to achieve it. One went right to college from high school and ended up with a masters degree in childhood development. She worked one year in the field, got married and is now a stay at home mom.
      So basically I think with college it's all in how and why you want to go.
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      • Profile picture of the author Kay King
        I did notice the highest dropout rate was with those who went from H.S. directly into college simply because that is what they thought you where suppose to do.
        For years it was said the best and most motivated students were those who had been drafted and served 2-3 years in the military before coming to college. They had grown up and took the education seriously - they had focus on what they want to do in life.

        If your parents are able/willing to finance all or part of higher education - I'd advise doing it to study business/finance/accounting if you plan on working for yourself in the future.

        If you are talking student loans to go to school - when you don't have a specific educational goal....forget it.

        I think there are too many students living on students loans because they can't find jobs and chose school instead - and that's going to be an economic crisis for them in the future.
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        • Profile picture of the author bsbear
          Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

          For years it was said the best and most motivated students were those who had been drafted and served 2-3 years in the military before coming to college. They had grown up and took the education seriously - they had focus on what they want to do in life.

          If your parents are able/willing to finance all or part of higher education - I'd advise doing it to study business/finance/accounting if you plan on working for yourself in the future.

          If you are talking student loans to go to school - when you don't have a specific educational goal....forget it.

          I think there are too many students living on students loans because they can't find jobs and chose school instead - and that's going to be an economic crisis for them in the future.
          That's exactly what I'm going into. Entrepreneurship and hopefully a bit of finance.
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        • Profile picture of the author ThomM
          Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

          For years it was said the best and most motivated students were those who had been drafted and served 2-3 years in the military before coming to college. They had grown up and took the education seriously - they had focus on what they want to do in life.

          If your parents are able/willing to finance all or part of higher education - I'd advise doing it to study business/finance/accounting if you plan on working for yourself in the future.

          If you are talking student loans to go to school - when you don't have a specific educational goal....forget it.

          I think there are too many students living on students loans because they can't find jobs and chose school instead - and that's going to be an economic crisis for them in the future.
          Funny thing there is (well not really funny) back when I was in high school those subjects where taught there.
          When I entered the 9th grade I was given the options of either college prep or business. If you choose college prep you took courses like Biology and Algebra. If you choose business you took courses like Business Math which covered business accounting, home accounting, etc. You also learned how to set up and run a business.
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          Life: Nature's way of keeping meat fresh
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          As you are I was, as I am you will be
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          • Profile picture of the author bsbear
            Originally Posted by ThomM View Post

            Funny thing there is (well not really funny) back when I was in high school those subjects where taught there.
            When I entered the 9th grade I was given the options of either college prep or business. If you choose college prep you took courses like Biology and Algebra. If you choose business you took courses like Business Math which covered business accounting, home accounting, etc. You also learned how to set up and run a business.
            I would kill to have those courses at my highschool... whatever.

            I still think highschool should teach you more 'lifeskills' than stupid things you forget over the summer.
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            • Profile picture of the author ThomM
              Originally Posted by bsbear View Post

              I would kill to have those courses at my highschool... whatever.

              I still think highschool should teach you more 'lifeskills' than stupid things you forget over the summer.
              Yes they should, except it should start in grade school.
              We also had to learn about civics in high school.
              I know it is still somewhat taught, but not to any degree close to what I had to learn.
              But it was over 40 years ago when I was in school.
              In fact I started Kindergarten in 1958 and left high school in 1969
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              Life: Nature's way of keeping meat fresh
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              As you are I was, as I am you will be
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  • Profile picture of the author Azadelkhan
    I have been against college for a very long time. I have had experience in several other businesses. I have had an Electrical contracting business and I had my own real estate brokerage office with two partners at one time. I have recently found IM and I love it but the I am currently working on my RN degree. I have gone through some good times and some hard times. One thing I have learned is that business can have an unpredictable side to it. Unless you are making great money in IM as it is, Finish a college degree and what you do with it is up to you but it will never go away.

    Sorry about the book.
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  • Profile picture of the author oliviasrodriguez
    My college experience is great. I enjoy a lot. I'm studying and doing part time job.
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  • Profile picture of the author RyanEagle
    It depends on what you feel. But as for my opinion, it is also important if you finish college and get your diploma before getting a job. You can also do part time job while studying though. Just finish college and later on you will realize, it's all worth it
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  • Profile picture of the author Dan Riffle
    This question always opens a can of worms. There are two very vocal sides. Neither of them can truly answer the question for you. What's "worth it" to one is an absolute waste to another.

    There are many facets of college that will not directly correlate to whatever you end up doing in life. Note I used the word "directly." Taking a course in psychology may have nothing to do with computer programming, but it may give you insights in how to manage people or deal with office politics.

    Personally, I'm pro-education. I've got the Bachelors and Masters to go along with that statement. Both have helped me immensely in my career and I couldn't be doing what I am now without those pieces of paper (and the knowledge that came along with them through a haze of beer bongs and panty-chasing).

    Would college do the same for you? Who knows. I'll tell you this, though: it's very easy to be undereducated, but it's pretty difficult, generally speaking, to be overeducated.
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    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
      Banned
      Originally Posted by Dan Riffle View Post

      This question always opens a can of worms. There are two very vocal sides.
      Indeed so.

      I've always been very vocal on one of those sides (and might even be about to do the same thing again).

      I'm used to being in a fairly small minority, here, of course. That isn't my problem. My problem is that I really find the (apparently widespread) idea of assessing the value of education in terms only/mostly of its earning potential so alienating, unfortunate, misguided and frankly weird, that I'm not even sure I should participate in these discussions any more, because that's how most people discussing it here look at it.

      To be blunt (), the idea of someone not going to college because he's in a hurry to "sell SEO", in particular, strikes me as so ludicrous as not really to be worth trying to have a serious conversation about it at all, because within the frame of reference of "earning potential" and financial considerations, it's barely even possible to discuss it intelligently.

      Open disclosure: I'm biased in favor of tertiary education - I'm a Ph.D. student.

      I offer three further points only ...

      (i) education is what remains with you for all the rest of your life, after all the "stuff you learned" has been forgotten, and that's what it's all really about;

      (ii) as Dan rightly explains above, it's very easy to be undereducated, but it's pretty difficult, generally speaking, to be overeducated;

      (iii) you hear and see huge numbers of people regretting that they didn't finish/start college, but (apart from in this forum, where, in my opinion, many members have highly atypical and unrepresentative views of the value of education), you very rarely see or hear anyone saying how much they regret staying at college and getting their degree, and there are reasons for that.

      I wish the OP well, whatever he decides. Let's face it: if he's going to forego his higher education to "sell SEO", he may need a lot of luck in this life, one way and another.

      And it's over and out, from me.
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      • Profile picture of the author myob
        "Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe."
        - H. G. Wells
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        • Profile picture of the author thunderbird
          Originally Posted by myob View Post

          "Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe."
          - H. G. Wells
          There tends to be a strong denial among people about the strong link between the advancement of knowledge and war.

          HowStuffWorks "Do wars drive technological advancement?" Answer: Yes
          "But wars can also have beneficial effects on economic and technological development. In general, wars tend to accelerate technological development to adapt tools for the purpose of solving specific military needs. Later, these military tools may evolve into non-military devices."
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          Project HERE.

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  • Profile picture of the author Augzie
    If you know what you want to do then NO college is not worth it.

    If you don't then go through college and learn so you at least have a backup
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael Ten
    It can be... DEFINITELY.
    In a search engine look up, "highest paying college majors"... without quotes or with...

    Here is the best one that I found:
    Full List - The 20 Best- and Worst-Paid College Majors - TIME

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  • Profile picture of the author thunderbird
    What's the asking buy for the college and do you anticipate it going up in value if you decide to resell it in the future?
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  • Profile picture of the author paullrob
    If you are going to go to college, go for something specific. Going for broad degrees such as a management degree or a marketing degree is almost a complete waste of time now. Trust me, I learned the hard way.

    If you want to learn a specific profession than college is alright but if you just want to make some good money, invest your money into your own business and learn to build it like you mentioned.
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  • Profile picture of the author kasei
    It all depends on what you want to experience, but college may be from great benefit to you, not only because of the education but because of the contacs you could make there.
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    • Profile picture of the author CasinoKiller
      Being a college student myself, I would say go. Although I don't really care for college either, but you have to learn how to "work the system" as I like to call it.

      In college there are so many contacts you can meet, people to network with, and things you can learn from people that are involved in your field of interest, mine being business admin & entrepreneurship. Although you can network online, I believe face to face networking builds the best relationships, but that's just me.

      The only reason I also advocate for college is to have a backup plan, you have to think accident. What if SEO venture doesn't go as planned? At least you have some knowledge that you learned from college to help you get back up and start from the ground up as a wiser person.

      All I can say is, go with what's in your heart, not your mind.

      Hope I helped a bit
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  • Profile picture of the author Sarevok
    If you want to study a hard science, mathematics, accounting, or something that's high paying and in demand, go for it.

    If you want to study something soft and not worth bank, then forget it.



    Just my $.02
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  • Profile picture of the author Jessie Stevens
    For me:

    I studied to become a Veterinary Technician (2 year degree). The school advisors said that I could make $15-$30 per hour. Yeah Right! People wanted to hire me to work for $7.50 an hour With A College Degree. I spent 2 years in school doing odd side work just to pay for school and car insurance (car was a gift for graduating homeschool high school). I paid $12,000 to only make $7.50 an hour. By the way, part of my homeschool education was working with my parents at their businesses (pharmaceutical chemistry lab and auto body repair shop).

    I should have listened to my parents when they told me that college would be a waist of time and money. They never went to college and are both successful business owners. By the way, my parents refused to pay for college expenses, that is why I did odd jobs online.

    Now I work part time online and part time at the vet office.

    And yes, back in the day you could learn how to be a pharmaceutical chemist On The Job...that is why my parents were against going to school. My parents are very smart people but allowed me to make my own choices in life. I failed and should have listened and now I am paying for my mistakes. Lesson learned.
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  • Profile picture of the author XenG
    Education is worth it. When you get to finish a course, you'll have more choices when working. When worst things happen in your business, you can always have something to back you up. Besides, education is not just about finding work, it's about molding yourself to a better person. It's always a pride for parents to see their children complete their schooling.

    Plus, you can use your educational expertise online as well.
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  • Profile picture of the author WebPen
    GO.

    And don't just go for the simplest major either. You don't have to become a rocket scientist, but don't go to college just to sail through as easily as you can.

    Learn how to learn.
    Learn how to get the discipline to stay up all night working on projects when there's a deadline.
    Learn how to connect with brand new people who you've never seen before.
    Learn some new skills

    All that good stuff.

    College isn't just about the degree and learning to go work for the man- despite what all of the "college is useless" people say.
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  • Profile picture of the author CoachJohn
    Here in the UK I went straight from school to university, and to this day I regret doing this, at least I wish I had taken a year off.

    Both my younger brothers took a year off, both eventually decided to go on to University but they both ended up doing different courses to those originally planned. In addition in the year off they developed friendships and connections that gave them a significant boos after university.
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  • Profile picture of the author hairseo
    college is a must... u should not miss it
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  • Profile picture of the author RenderTheWeb
    I would go. The experience that college has to offer plus the connections that you will make is all worth wild. You can't say no to learning something new, you can also choose a field that can benefit you with your own projects.

    Basically your still young, education is needed, experience is needed, meeting people is needed, this is how you'll expand.

    This my opinion of course. I would go just because of the experience and the possibilities.
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  • Profile picture of the author ForeverMoore
    Great question...and one that is coming up more and more and more because of two things:

    economy and technology.

    You are talking to someone who would not trade their college experience for anything in this world. Friends that I will have for life, living away from home to foster independence, and being amongst the opposite sex without adult supervision!

    I had professors that were not just teachers, but became friends. Gave me killer recommendations while I worked through corporate America. But corporate America is not what I wanted to do and so the college experience had its limits.

    In short, going to a traditional college campus setting is good for social intelligence ONLY. It is good to meet people that don't look like you, act like you, sound like you, or think like you. It rounds you out, especially if you are from a sheltered environment.

    Unless you are going ivy league, the internet is your friend. Specialization in certifications, especially in this industry is what you need to start and examples of result driven SEO clients you have worked with. That's it.

    I knew when the editor in cheif at Forbes magazine said he wasn't pushing his son to go to college because Google was invented, is when I knew the paradigm had shifted......and he went to Yale.
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  • Profile picture of the author Green Moon
    The problem with deciding not to go to college now is that you have no idea what you'll be doing 10, 20, 30 or 40 years from now. There are lots of things that you can do without going to college, but there are also a lot of doors that are not open if you don't have a degree. What is the search engines get so smart that SEO is no longer a sustainable profession? What if apps and giant sites like Amazon and eBay become so dominant that there is little money in internet marketing? What if you just get tired of working for yourself and decide you do want to work for The Man? What if you get bored with SEO and would like to work in finance, accounting, law, education, or many other professions where a college degree is a minimum requirement?

    There are lots of what-ifs that no one can answer. College keeps your options open. If you take a few years to decide, it gets harder, not easier. Will your parents still be willing and able to pay if you come knocking on the door when you are 24 and want to stop working and have them pick up your tuition, room and board, books, etc... Will you have family responsibilities of your own by then that prevent you from taking 4 years off work? Will it mean postponing starting a family while you go back to school.

    There is a lot to think about.
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  • Profile picture of the author Josh MacDonald
    There's no 'bad job market' right now. I've got about 10 positions open right now in a 40 person company.

    People just say that as an excuse for the laziness and inability to keep a job.
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  • Profile picture of the author mikelmraz
    Nah ...........
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  • Profile picture of the author EnterIn
    Hi,

    This is my very first post on the warrior forum and though your question seems to have been dealt with exhaustively, I would recommend that you figured out what your passion is first. Then consider whether or not college will help you do what you are passionate about. But based on what almost every successful business person i know says, college is not the best place to learn business if that is your passion. You don't want to learn theory from someone who has never achieved the financial results you desire.
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  • Profile picture of the author Floyd Fisher
    It depends on what degree you're getting.

    If it's in something like engineering, or programming, or something else that is actually in demand, totally worth it.

    If you're just going for a degree like liberal arts, it's a complete waste of money that would be better off being invested in the stock market.

    If you're concerned about whether it's a waste of money or not, then you need to asses whether your degree is leading to something that is viable.
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  • Profile picture of the author SangGuna
    Which one when u do it..u'll enjoy it..take that man... its important to have a desire for everything u done.. if u not,u'll never archieve anything..
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    Work HARD n SMART...^_^
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