How Has College Benefited You?

[corpsole2]

So, I am about six weeks from finishing my final course for my B.A. in History from TESC, and I am starting to reminisce about the journey I have taken to get here. Mostly, I have been looking at how much I have gotten from learning the dozens of courses I have taken, and the organizational and research skills I have developed for my unique degree format.

Before this year, I could only dream of qualifying for jobs I wanted, but was cut out because they required a degree. When I got my Associate's in September, I could finally start applying for jobs outside retail and construction and landscaping, which was my expertise. Now, with the B.A. on the horizon, I find my options have opened up big time. I know what career I want to start, but the only thing I have to decide is whether an MBA or J.D. would augment it or if I should just go into it now. Oh, well, at least it's a good problem. I have options now, whereas I didn't even one year ago. :-)

How has your college career benefited you? Did you find it easier to get job interviews when you could say you had the important piece of paper? Do you regret getting the degree?

There are plenty of news articles on how a college degree isn't what it used to be, or how one third of college grads wished they hadn't gone, or articles about how "worthless" the liberal arts are in the "real" world. There seems to be this concerted attack from some quarters that college isn't important anymore, or learning for the sake of learning isn't important. But just as there are those who attack college or the liberal arts, there are just as many lib arts grads who have "worthless" degrees and they are doing just fine in their jobs, and many of them say their liberal arts training taught them to think across many disciplines, which made them valuable to their employers.

I will never regret earning my degree in history.

[sanantone]

I got a lot of interviews with my BA in Social Science, but it still wasn't enough to beat out people who had a degree and 10+ years of experience. I'm not old enough to have that much experience. With job market being so bad and the glut of behavioral science majors, many experienced people are applying for jobs that pay entry-level wages. I was able to get into graduate school. Getting my master's degree has gotten me a college instructor job that will help me contribute to educating more underemployed criminal justice professionals. I also got into a Criminal Justice PhD program which, again, will allow me to increase the number of underemployed criminal justice professionals. milelol:

The MBA is best for mid-career professionals who are looking to move up. Other than that, those degrees are a dime a dozen. There are more lawyers than jobs right now. Those who attend T14 law schools will have the best opportunities.

[UptonSinclair]

My studies have allowed me to talk down to people with moronic political beliefs. Screw the job benefits, I just like making people look stupid.

On a serious note, my wife mentioned that she has noticed a difference in our discussions. The biggest impact has been on my vocabulary even though I despise stuffy academic prose.

[Prloko]

My studies have allowed me to talk down to people with moronic political beliefs. Screw the job benefits, I just like making people look stupid.

On a serious note, my wife mentioned that she has noticed a difference in our discussions. The biggest impact has been on my vocabulary even though I despise stuffy academic prose.

Pinky up! cheersmate

[Prloko]

So, I am about six weeks from finishing my final course for my B.A. in History from TESC, and I am starting to reminisce about the journey I have taken to get here. Mostly, I have been looking at how much I have gotten from learning the dozens of courses I have taken, and the organizational and research skills I have developed for my unique degree format.

Before this year, I could only dream of qualifying for jobs I wanted, but was cut out because they required a degree. When I got my Associate's in September, I could finally start applying for jobs outside retail and construction and landscaping, which was my expertise. Now, with the B.A. on the horizon, I find my options have opened up big time. I know what career I want to start, but the only thing I have to decide is whether an MBA or J.D. would augment it or if I should just go into it now. Oh, well, at least it's a good problem. I have options now, whereas I didn't even one year ago. :-)

How has your college career benefited you? Did you find it easier to get job interviews when you could say you had the important piece of paper? Do you regret getting the degree?

There are plenty of news articles on how a college degree isn't what it used to be, or how one third of college grads wished they hadn't gone, or articles about how "worthless" the liberal arts are in the "real" world. There seems to be this concerted attack from some quarters that college isn't important anymore, or learning for the sake of learning isn't important. But just as there are those who attack college or the liberal arts, there are just as many lib arts grads who have "worthless" degrees and they are doing just fine in their jobs, and many of them say their liberal arts training taught them to think across many disciplines, which made them valuable to their employers.

I will never regret earning my degree in history.

I think our society needs to embrace trade schools again. We are already treating colleges as trade schools, why not just cut the two years of LA and get straight to majoring in job?

On a semi-related note, I despise attending classes with people looking to just get the credit. I've attended a very engaging literature course just to have it ruined by a few students just looking for the foot stomps. Only about 4 students wanted any meaningful discussion of what we read. I felt "dumber" for attending the course.

[Imran520]

College gives us better environment to study. It is very beneficial for us.

[sanantone]

My studies have allowed me to talk down to people with moronic political beliefs. Screw the job benefits, I just like making people look stupid.

On a serious note, my wife mentioned that she has noticed a difference in our discussions. The biggest impact has been on my vocabulary even though I despise stuffy academic prose.

I have gotten better debating people on forums. I easily won a debate against a chemist who didn't seem to understand the scientific method and how it's used in the behavioral sciences. He also didn't think the behavioral sciences aren't worth studying even though biological/physical anthropology is used to solve crimes and psychology is used for mental health (psychiatrists and psychologists use the same therapeutic techniques). All of his arguments could have been easily applied to biology, medicine, and even meteorology, things no one would dare say aren't worthy of study.