Is College Always Worth It? John Stossel says NO!! What say you?

[Mr. Magoo]

Intellectual activity in what ever form is looked down on in United States society.  

It is the reason public school students are not doing so well...It's not the teachers, (my sister is an english teacher) rather it is getting the students to "drink from the trough" so to speak, when they don't want to. 

not that simple stud.

[sync pulse]

not that simple stud.

Ahh but it is,...throughout popular culture,...reason, art, literature, science, and music is looked down on.

[LurkerNoMore]

Depends on why you go to college and what you go to college for.

Let's face it, spending 4 years pursuing an art or music major just doesn't justify it if you have to take out student loans.

[MCWAY]

Depends on why you go to college and what you go to college for.

Let's face it, spending 4 years pursuing an art or music major just doesn't justify it if you have to take out student loans.

Those will be the ones, flipping burgers and bussing tables, AFTER they graduate.

[LurkerNoMore]

Those will be the ones, flipping burgers and bussing tables, AFTER they graduate.

Exactly right.  That is why college for them is a waste.

Now some other professions and careers that college provide are not.  And you can't get them without college in the first place.  In that case, college is worth it.

[Agnostic007]

As far as expecting to make more because you went to college.... you may, but you will have a large debt in most cases that offsets the income.

Also depends on what career path you think you are taking. For some college is a must, for others, it's a nice to have, and the rest, a waste of money and time that could be spent elsewhere.

I suspect the heyday of college has come and gone and trade/tech schools are the new paths to success.     

[MCWAY]

As far as expecting to make more because you went to college.... you may, but you will have a large debt in most cases that offsets the income.

Also depends on what career path you think you are taking. For some college is a must, for others, it's a nice to have, and the rest, a waste of money and time that could be spent elsewhere.

I suspect the heyday of college has come and gone and trade/tech schools are the new paths to success.    

Not quite!! A number of kids are foregoing the big university route and going to community colleges first, while working full or part time and staying at home. Remember that a lot of those loans cover the cost of room and board. I remember in the early/mid 90s, when I was in school, that a semester of college with 15-16 credit hours cost about $2,500; $1,600-$1,800 of that was dorm fees and the 19-meal plan.

I was covered with my full-ride scholarship. But, I remember seeing the prices and being in disbelief.....that is, until I saw the bill of my buddy from Philly. His per-semester cost (for the same number of credit hours) was over TWICE as much as mine was.

[Agnostic007]

Not quite!! A number of kids are foregoing the big university route and going to community colleges, while working full time and staying at home Remember that a lot of those loans are to cover room and board. I remember that a semester of college with 15-16 credit hours cost about $2,500; $1,600 of that was dorm fees and the 19-meal plan.

I was covered with my full-ride scholarship. But, I remember seeing the prices and being in disbelief.....that is, until I saw the bill of my buddy from Philly. His per-semester cost (for the same number of credit hours) was over TWICE as much as mine was.

You're right about the community college path. I forgot that one. It is now common for kids to get a couple years out of the way there before going to a bigger college or just finishing up there. 

[tu_holmes]

You're right about the community college path. I forgot that one. It is now common for kids to get a couple years out of the way there before going to a bigger college or just finishing up there. 

I think it's actually a much smarter route.

I went to an expensive 4 year university straight out of High School, spent a year and a 1/2 there and realized that my major at the time wasn't really what I should be doing.

Moved back home for a couple of years, went to a community college for a year and then went back to a different 4 year university to finish a degree that ended up to be better off for me.

[Agnostic007]

I think it's actually a much smarter route.

I went to an expensive 4 year university straight out of High School, spent a year and a 1/2 there and realized that my major at the time wasn't really what I should be doing.

Moved back home for a couple of years, went to a community college for a year and then went back to a different 4 year university to finish a degree that ended up to be better off for me.

Good point. And why pay premium prices to get the small stuff out of the way?

[MCWAY]

You're right about the community college path. I forgot that one. It is now common for kids to get a couple years out of the way there before going to a bigger college or just finishing up there. 

I know the costs have SKYROCKETED since I was in school. But, you can pay for tuition and books, at a community college (or even at a big university, if you live in the same city as that school), if you stay home.

[tu_holmes]

Good point. And why pay premium prices to get the small stuff out of the way?

Calculus is Calculus.

No point in paying 1000 dollars a credit when you can pay 60 or whatever the community college rate is these days.

Plus, when you're 18, you really have a lot of life to live before you "figure it out".

[Agnostic007]

Calculus is Calculus.

No point in paying 1000 dollars a credit when you can pay 60 or whatever the community college rate is these days.

Plus, when you're 18, you really have a lot of life to live before you "figure it out".

Hell, I had it all figured out at 18.. I just don't know what the hell happened between 18 and 25

[tu_holmes]

Hell, I had it all figured out at 18.. I just don't know what the hell happened between 18 and 25

I think I got my shit REALLY together as far as education and career is concerned when I was about 22.

[LurkerNoMore]

I finished my masters at age 22 and I had friends from high school that were not even finished with their associates yet.  Some just dropped out, some just started late.  Very few of the ones that were in college when I graduated actually finished.  Very sad too because like myself, a good number of them had scholarships. 

Looking back to compare myself with the rest of my graduating class (of 200+ people), I can think of only maybe 5-7 that are doing as well as I am due to going to college.  There are 3 more that are doing better with no college (set designer in hollywood, took over family business, one received lawsuit settlement from accident)

[MB]

Not all college degrees are created equal.  Choice of major determines whether a college degree is worth it. 

[LurkerNoMore]

Not all college degrees are created equal.  Choice of major determines whether a college degree is worth it. 

Exactly my point.  However, in many cases the tuition for college credits are the same no matter what you study.  (Excluding grad school) 

Going 80K in debt with student loans to be a teacher making $34K a year is ridiculous.