Motivation for college: education or salary?

[Minimalist]

a maximum of 500 euros per semester in Germany

That's what they charge for text books over here. Of course, education is becoming a "business" dominated by for-profit corporations which is a whole other part of the problem in the US.

[pineapplebunnybounce]

Why must it be an either or? Can't it be both?

People who go in for education for the sake of education have their reasons. People who go in for money have their reasons. Who's to say what's right and what's wrong. Why would it be a waste if you're in it for the money? it would be, if you don't get money in the end, but idk if anyone here has tried job hunting with a high school degree and no job experience any time in the past 2 years. It's not looking good for people without degrees. And I've had better job offers as I come closer to completing my degree. but say i don't get a job after graduation, i still wouldn't see my 4 years in university as a waste. I learned a lot of interesting things, a new language, met interesting people, worked on cool projects, and went studying abroad for a summer. What else would i have done if I didn't go to a university or some sort of school? Probably be a waitress or a salesgirl somewhere, because i don't really have any skills to fall back on.

[pocaracas]

It is possible to get a degree on something you like and make money with it.
I keep telling myself I should have gone into economics or management... I'd be earning so much more...but also working crazy hours.
Instead, I went with what I liked...physics... and I'm earning enough to sustain a family with 3 kids and still manage to put something into savings.
Oh... and that meant 5 years of college, plus a 5 year PhD(I had a fellowship for this). And college cost, at the time, something like 400euros per year (now it's closer to 1800 euros).
For some reason, in Portugal, public university gets more respect than private ones... perhaps it's related with the "pay to win" detail.

[Angrboda]

Well, I was steered towards math and computers because of my abilities, and I'm not sure I would know how to make a better choice if I were back in those shoes again. Part is that I had no overwhelming interest in doing anything on the one hand, and being the type of person who enjoys and thrives at most anything on the other. At the time, I suffered from chronic depression, and as my grades slid off the continental shelf, I found myself spending a lot of time on philosophy, women's studies, and poetry, and only modest efforts toward my dual major of math and computer science. I do think college is an important atmosphere for learning, something that can't be duplicated by self-study. Learning a language through self-study is slow, laborious, and considerably less effective. But the same goes for other subjects, as you are forced into acquiring, pondering, and learning topics and viewpoints that you would never study on your own, or as successfully.

I became cynical at one point and decided that the primary purpose of college was to weed out those who couldn't stomach all the bullshit and obediently jump through all the hoops. Particularly in the technical fields, you will learn the bulk of your job skills after college and in your first few years on the job. Still, I believe in the value of a well-rounded liberal arts education, even though I don't have any arguments or data to support the notion. It is said, however, that a college graduate earns an average of $3,000 a year more than a high school graduate, not to mention what happens with higher degrees. Over the course of a 50 year stretch of employment, that's an extra $150,000 for retirement. I don't know that you can sneeze at that.

One thought does occur to me, however, regarding the relative merits of technical versus non-technical degrees. At the university I attended, there was a bit of graffiti I encountered, and it said, in the language of mathematics, that, "the limit of IT (Institute of Technology) as GPA (grade point average) goes to zero is CLA (the College of Liberal Arts)". And it was quite accurate; only the best and brightest survived the rigors of coursework at IT, the rest settling for the liberal arts college. For better or worse, the ability to quantify performance in the technical disciplines is greater than that outside them, in the soft sciences and the liberal arts. This likely has two effects, both related to the lack of equally rigorous metrics of performance. First, it will allow the mediocre and underqualified a better chance of passing through the system without being weeded out. Second, it is likely to attract a disproportionate number of those for whom the lack of tangible metrics is attractive (whether they are free spirits, non-conformist, or scoundrel). Thus, I suspect, but don't know, that it's possible the rate of incompetence is higher in the arts and the soft sciences, than it is in the hard sciences.

Speaking of my own field in particular, philosophers as a whole have a lowly reputation. A friend who I roomed with once confided in me that she had started taking classes in philosophy, and one day she looked around her, and she was tempted to ask the rhetorical question of her peers, "Were you born this way, or did you have to work to become this stupid?" My own thoughts are that there are plenty of stupid people in philosophy departments, on both sides of the lectern. Whether that's just a bias or overly harsh judgement, I don't know. (I've even come to view one of my favorite philosophers, Dan Dennett, with something of a jaded eye.)

Still, I look back on my life, and I wonder. Despite depression, flunking out of college, nearly flunking out of high school, and spending the bulk of my adult life disabled and not working, it is only in the last year that I've made my most significant breakthroughs. And a lot of that has been spurred by a late life kick of learning spurred on by my association with atheists, skeptics, humanists, and other secular people. I don't know if I'd have made the same discoveries if I'd been successful in computers or mathematics, and in hindsight, my druthers today would be to do basic research in higher mathematics; even if I'd chosen to pursue philosophy early on, who knows what would have occurred — I might have slumbered in the dogmas of this or that well educated niche.

(Noting my aspirations in mathematics, it's also true that I had horrible skills as a mathematician, developed largely as a consequence of neglect over the course of about 5 years. I've often wanted to go back and fix the problems, but am not even sure it could be done.)

[Dragonetti]

I love education and learning new ideas. I have always been drawn to science and mathematics.

I am current weak on those subjects, since my current employment lacks needs for those skills.

[fr0d0]

I used to feel the same TEGH. Not that I don't now, just that the fervour has dimmed. I'm also fighting off an unhealthy obsession with materialism.

I went to art school, taking find art and sculpture. All of my friends in college were Indian origin with mapped out lives motivated by the understandable materialist drive of their parents.

I felt that it was the result of a successful society that it's progeny had the luxury not to have to fight to survive. An old teacher noted too that immigrants had a heathy drive to succeed.

[Kayenneh]

I think I'm doing the right thing by going to university. When I'm done I have an actual profession and after working for three years at a pharmacy, I know I will be enjoying myself at work. My studies have been really interesting and rewarding. I do it for my love of biology, chemistry and medicine and because the market isn't saturated with pharmacists, so the likelihood of me being employed after I've done my bachelor's is high. The money is good, I will never be filthy rich, but I'll enough to make me happy.

EDIT: I love the arts as well, but I could never e.g. play piano professionally. I would be too stressed out about it, so I prefer to keep music and drawing as a hobby

[bennyboy]

Hmmm.

Your chances of getting a job good enough to pay off your student loans are not spectacular. On the other hand, your chance of learning more with a library card and a bit of discipline are pretty good. So at first, it looks like uni might not be the best option, now.

However, university provides social benefits-- parties, dating, etc. yes, but more than that-- you have a chance to work your way into the academic community. Get on your professors' good side, go to as many seminars etc. as you can, and start networking at the first possible step, even before you finish your Bachelor's. Make a name for yourself-- because THAT you can't do sitting in the library. And if you do it with vigor, the connections you make will be worth much more than all your student loans, and will justify the time and effort by providing you with a proper job.

[festive1]

I have a BA in history. I'm going back to college for a BS in nursing and an RN. After recently reviewing my earliest college transcripts, I don't know why I got a degree in history; I did far better in my math and science courses than I did in my liberal arts studies. I've been kicking this idea around my head for the past couple of weeks to try and understand why I did this. I've realized that for as long as I can remember, I was told I need to be a lawyer, or failing that a teacher, neither of which I actually want to do. These were my mom's preferred occupations, not mine. But I adopted them as my own. It's kind of depressing to realize I did this, but I can only go forward.
It's not that I don't like history or even regret my decision to get a degree in this subject. I could get a job as an office drone, but I wouldn't enjoy it. And any office job I got wouldn't pay enough to cover the cost of child care, at least not initially. I want a career where I can work flexible hours, interact with different people, feel like I'm making some small difference, and, preferably, don't have to wear a suit. I could simply take an office job with a nonprofit or other agency, but I don't enjoy an office setting (been there, done that, I hated it).
I would love to study music, but I know I would have to advance a lot to be able to make any kind of a living in that field. I'm with Kay on this front. I love music and playing piano, but I'm not good enough to do so professionally, and I don't want to teach.
I think the arts/liberal arts are important, and should be valued in and of themselves. I don't rank the sciences above arts, they're in different columns, and it takes both to advance society. I do value education for education's sake. The more you know... I also value feeling rewarded and fulfilled from one's job. I think more people should work to be fulfilled, not just earn a paycheck. Which makes what one studies a wholly personal decision, as everyone has different criteria of what would make them feel fulfilled.
The cost of college is high, too damn high! But a high school diploma just doesn't cut it anymore. Which indicates to me a disconnect between the job market and the US's educational system. Either a high school diploma needs to be able to get one a good career or college costs need to come down. Blue collar work has become too devalued in American society. I have a cousin who is a mechanic and works on big rigs. He enjoys his job, it's a necessary function, and it pays well. No matter how advanced of a society we become we will need mechanics, plumbers, electricians, builders, etc. These jobs need to shown as viable options to kids. Technical and vocational schools should be considered and not underrated.

TL;DR: Follow your joy. If you have a job that you love, you never work a day in your life. It takes all different kinds to keep society running, and they all deserve credit for keeping us moving forward.

[Dragonetti]

I have a BS in Computer Science (Tho I do not program much anymore). I currently hold more Network Certification than most people. I current have A+, Net+, Sec+, ITILv3, CCNA R&S, CCNA Voice, CCNA Security, CCDA, CCNP R&S, and CCDP. My goal is to have CCIE R&S and CCNP Security, but I am still at least a year or two away in terms of studying. I do have a considerable high Security Clearance, and I am a Network Engineer for various organizations.

Yes, my education has help in terms of pay. I am consider around the 0.1%, but I am never home! I am usually somewhere in the world that very crummy and dangerous. I usually have to have a firearm, and I rarely shave lately.