Why do people think all youth need a college degree??

Question

i'm 20 yrs old and never went to college, had no intentions of it. i'm now married and have a rather successful job. i see on this site that many people keep telling the younger ones to go to college first. i believe schooling isn't everything you can still be successful

all i want to know is why people think we should? is it that important?

Answer 1

I suggested that college is not for everyone in another post and was given plenty of thumbs down, but the truth is right here in your story. (A girl wanted to start a family, boyfriend made her cry everyday saying that she has to go to college and get a job first even though they were plenty capable of having children financially) Anyway, not everybody who goes to college becomes successful and a business degree is just asking to never have a steady job in your life. (Business majors average 10-14 jobs in their lifetime. Many of them are not advancements in pay, but just another job.) And there are plenty of people who never went to a four year college who are very successful and actually love what they do for a living!

When my children are older, I will ask that they pursue something that interests them and if my daughter grows up and wants to be a wife and stay at home mother, I'm certainly not going to tell her to change her mind. She can work on something she is interested in while she looks for this person she wants to spend her life with. I never want to force college down their throats. I want them to become successful, but college is not the only way to do that and everyone's definition of successful is different.

Answer 2

Someone should at least have a college degree or a good job if you take the family route. No, a good job is not a stock clerk making 8.50 an hour a shop rite. Sometimes young people don't understand how much easier their life would be if they had a degree. They only know working at cheap jobs so they say "Hey, I want this." And totally disregard the fact that they could be making ALOT more money.

And most people that don't go to college at eighteen are going to not end up having a good job. The only way I would ever let one of my children not go to college is if they were going into a trade school. If they had no education plans their butts get booted when they turn 18.

Answer 3

I was always told that you need to if you wanna make dec $ so I'm starting college monday :(

Answer 4

What's the job you do? Maintenance work? Probably four figures?

The fact of the matter is with this economy even a BA means very little on the job market. To have a real successful job, you have to have extensive education, which means college.

I'm double majoring, and though it's a buttload of work, I'll be making six figures by the time I'm 30.

Answer 5

Not everyone is lucky enough to get a successful job without collage. Collage is like a opening more opportunities to get a successful job.

Come on, now. I'm telling you this at 15..

Answer 6

Because, for the most part, they do.

In this economy, the better the education you have, the better you'll have it. It's not just about money, it's also hire-ability and job security. If a company has to downsize, they're most likely to cut the kid with the college diploma as opposed the the person with the BA.

Like Draugwen, I'm also double majoring, one for my career in a field I love and the other because I also love it and would like to have that as a job option as well. I'd rather get married and have children much later in my life when I know for certain I will always be able to provide and won't have to lean or struggle too much with finances. I also want to have the knowledge I get in college. There's a reason you have general education requirements like Soc and the sciences. I'm a fan of knowledge and different topics, and it gives me confidence knowing what I'm talking about in a myriad of topics.

I worked for LA County for over a year and I was the only person working there who was going to college, including my superiors in their 40s, and it was very obvious at times that I had more education than them and that led to a lot of bitterness, because they were working the same job since their early 20s and I was going to be making double their salary once I got my Masters.

The fact is, this isn't a country where someone can easily get by on a small amount of education. To be truly successful, financially, emotionally, and mentally, college education is of the utmost importance.

Answer 7

I got a lot of pressure to go to college too.  I tried it for a while, but was very unhappy.

My husband and I got married at 19, and were surprised and blessed with an unexpected pregnancy.  I became a stay-at-home mommy and wife, and I've been happy ever since.  Our oldest daughter is 3 now, and our 2nd daughter is 5 months old.  Yes, we make financial sacrifices, but its worth it to us.  It wont be long before both our kids are in school and I can start working again.  In the meantime, we feel its important for us to raise our own children, rather than pay someone else.  Their childhood is such a small portion of our lives, and we want to enjoy it and make it the best possible.  And we dont feel like a degree and lots of money is really all that necessary.  We have everything we need, and plenty of things that we want.  

If a person wants to go to college, by all means, do so!  But there are still those of us who like to go about things the "old-fashioned" way, and just settle down and have families.  I dont see anything wrong with that either!  Maybe someday I will feel called to a certain area of study and career, but right now the only thing I feel called to do is be with my family and give them a great start in life.

Answer 8

un fortunally there is very little that can be done without a collage degree , i mean these days graduates are stuggeling for jobs

*edit* the family route means you HAVE to have money , babies are expensive !

Answer 9

Depends on career rout.

To be an educator (teacher), in medical field or government/fed employee (IRS/bank/accounting for example) requires college degrees and higher education.

Most jobs now require an A.S degree at least in larger and surrounding cities.

It is true that money shouldn't always be a deciding facter but you have to look at the environment and economy.

No way can Walmart or McD's or any clothing retail store can afford my $150 a week in diesel/gas, morgage, schooling and basic living: food extra bills etc.

So depends on each individual/family life style, location and desire of career.

I am going to school for Occupational Therapist. After recieving Masters from university, I have to apply to the state I will be working in, which cost money and a requirement to have a degree to apply.  Have A.S in child development special education (what I minoring in).  Any job to do with children requires at least 6 units of classes to be an Aid non-teaching and 24 units to be a pre school teacher.  Having a B.S degree in most states to do student teaching/sub for the actual district.

All examples.

Youth are ever so changing with each generation. Today's youth is more lazy and non thriving for success.  They are our future and have to help direct them.

Higher education is one way to direct them to be able to get a good job that most require at least an A.S degree now.

EDIT:

My husband graduated high school and never went to college.

He went into military and has no interest in college. I will be using his GI Bill for University next year for the OT program (expensive...ouch...major downfall why people don't want to attend).

He has enough units as military requires to give classes (for their job in the service). With his MOS (Job) he can get out with making at startin pay over $100,000 a year.

So no way I am bashing those who don't go to college who can't make a good living. It can happen but some have to go certain routes or find that right job to do so.

College route is not for everyone and I agree; however, more and more professions are requiring to have it and I get scared for the future generation.

Answer 10

I believe that all my dreams will be achieved if I will finish my studies.

I am a BS Business Administration maj. in Human Resource Management student. After that I will study BS BA maj. in Maritime Studies. It depends to your country's economy and your determination. Of course we need knowledge in everything we do.

What's your job?  

Answer 11

I agree.  My husband can go to college, but I want babies.

Good for everyone who goes to college, but I want a family.  People say they have dreams of doing things- Mine is having babies.

Both of my parents did not go to college, but they both worked.  They had 6 kids (I'm the last one)  We had to give up some things we might have wanted, because yeah, we weren't loaded with money, but it taught us to work harder for what we wanted.

I think the most important thing was that my parents loved each other and gave us what they could.  I'm not bitter, in fact I'm grateful, and think I turned out a bit more down-to-earth than I would have if we had money.

Oh, and of my 5 siblings?  The 2 that actually completed college are unemployed right now.  the other 3?  Have jobs

Plus I saw a study about women seeking higher education and having less kids.  Your fertility drops around 35, so I don't want to be stuck in school or a career thats going to get in my way of having a family.

Answer 12

Well its good to have in your resume and if you are going to do it you would want to get it out of the way and do it before you have kids and financial responsibilities first. I only started my business degree this year and I am 23 with one child and one on the way, I am mainly doing it for my self esteem as I don't even need a job (assuming my relationship survives lol) All I can say is that it's very hard to do it when you have been out of school for a while and especially when you have kids and a family to raise and no childcare! I wish I had done it straight out of highschool. Though these days tradesmen are getting paid more than a lot of 'educated' people, so I really don't think there is a right way, there is a place in the workforce for all skill levels and types.

My fiance is a graduate engineer, he has two degrees and studied for 5 years and earns $85,000 at the moment, plant operators (non qualified workers) earn $110,000 so there you go. Although my fiance will be better off for money in a couple of years, $110,000 isn't low income by any means

Answer 13

i agree with you, i dont want to go to college. i dont have any intentions to go and i dont think i ever will.

my moms side of the family did go to college (but my mom dropped out)

and my dads side of the family didnt go to college (and neither did my dad), and both families are doing good.  Even tho my dad didnt go he is the only one who works in our family and supports a family of 5. So i think my family is doing good considering no one went to or finished  college.

Basically, i agree. college isnt everything.

Answer 14

my mother in law at 16 left school.  she worked her job for 23 years after her babies were born. she struggled her entire life. Her job that was minimum wage one with no respect.  Her company left her behind for cheaper labor and she had no credentials worth anything to hire.  she had to go to a harder labor job at 55 and she'd never worked so hard in her life!!  But she wanted to keep her home!!!  She was miserable and dog tired.. hope it never happens to you.  And if you think that..oh, well.. she was 16.  well.. a few years later, her husband who was 18 and worked his job the entire time..  his job is up and leaving too!  How will you be when you are 50 something?  Will you be a desirable hire? Will you be able to keep your home and not get everything lost in the mix..  Have something you can stand on!!!  Always reinvest in yourself!  Ive worked a miserable job on minimum wage for 10 years now..no benefits. no insurance..  and no relief.  If im not there, i dont get paid.  I barely make enough to scratch by and this year was one of our worst ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Yesterday hubby scratched out a check for $16 because he missed a few days with nothing to back us up because we had to spend our money-our savings, on school supplies and our broken down vehicle and fuel!.  And we are nervous on how we will manage the next few days with our cupboards so bare and mouths to feed.  Its scary.  Who wants to live like that if they have a chance to make it better!!?  I just pray that Im able to scratch gold out of hay and make miracles for the meagerness that is available.  pray for us.  Pray for an ample check from my meager pay too!  Ive been sickly because of all this stress.  Its not worth this pain.  Get your education and strengthen you income!!!!!  peace be with you.