No College for Me

Ouch.. that sucks.. but I insist you try the army (you'd better run for a desk job if I were you)

well, good luck on anything you do. Nothing else I can give to you.

Tell that to a lot of other countries out there. The United States complains about not having free higher education, yet we want to bitch whenever someone mentions increased taxes. It's like no one can be pleased.

Believe me, no one in the U.S. can be pleased; we're always complaining about something. However, the problem lies in our standard of living, not about the actual taxes, but I digress.

The college tuition and miscellaneous expenses are simply too expensive in the U.S. compared to other nations that have lower college rates or those that are completely free of charge. One year in one college can amass over $50,000 with all expenses included, which is fucking ridiculous. Take $50,000 times 4 years and you get $200,000 for one Bachelor's degree that doesn't even work in the job market anymore. Having a Master's is literally the new standard, and that's another two years at graduate school, so add another $100,000 and your total education is $300,000, which is enough to buy a whole house in New Jersey.

For a piece of paper that isn't 100% guaranteed to help you earn a job, especially in these economic times, sometimes I think college is really overrated.

Isn't that the beautiful thing about democracy? No one will be fully pleased at any given point. Everyone has a few problems with someone or something.
However that may be, I don't know how high your fees are, but the situation in Germany is quite bad aswell. You may max. earn 400€ next to your usual BAföG (where you have to pay a certain 50%+ percentage back to the state) which is barely enough to make a living. Problem is that you end up paying 500€ studying fees + AStA fees/ semester + books, so in the end for completely overcrowded seminars (a room for 60 people - used by 130 people. Great stuff I tell you!). So yes, we are quite frustrated over here aswell.
I hope you'll find a way to continue your studies, I am certainly going to try to finish of my university time as quickly as possible... *sigh* back to Old German Linguistics and Literature for now, gotta get that crap memorized pronto.

Oh it definitely is overrated. We instill the idea to our kids that "each and everyone of us is special" and this nonsense, when quite frankly there has to be someone who is the gas clerk. We lie to our kids and tell them every single one of us is destined for great things, and we should all go to college and get our triple-grand a year when we have our career! Yay! That sounds fantastic! Until a good portion realize that they aren't cut out for college because they don't have the grades or simply don't have the money, the really chilling fact is they are fine. Not everyone is destined for college, not all of us are "special", and yet that doesn't mean we can't be a productive member of society.

It's bullshit. We flat out lie to our kids because we want to desperately compete with other countries because the United States education system is slipping and has been for decades. I mean what is next? We brainwash the kids into thinking they have to go to college? Because it seems like we are already practically there.

@Tsurayu: however, there is a big difference between people with high school education and people with college education. Sure, it's a difference in intelligence, but it's the people with intelligence that stay ahead in the ballgame and make the rules. In retrospect, my knowledge has exponentially increased ever since college because I'm learning stuff that's going to earn me my bread and butter. (accounting/business) As I'm going through my studies, I'm much more aware of the world and its issues and condition. I don't think college itself is overrated, just the prices that they're shoving down our throats to obtain such knowledge.

That's fine, I'm not trying to say that college isn't one of the best options, but so many think it's the only way. I don't know about everyone else, but I was never told that it's okay to not go to college. Teacher, faculty, counselors... never bother to say to students that it is okay, that not everyone is going to college, and that you aren't a failure if you don't. I've seen so many of my friends who didn't go either and they think they are failures. It's bullshit. We never tell our kids that it's okay if you don't go to college, it's okay if you aren't a doctor or a lawyer. It sickens me. You can have a good life, a productive life and maybe even be happier than a person with +4 year college education.

We push, and push, and push our kids, but never stop to tell them that ultimately it is their choice and they are just as "special" just as "important" if they never step foot on a college campus.

Ugh... I could rant about this forever, and I know that isn't the case everywhere, but it sure seems like the majority.

Being a chef is not like being a doctor or lawyer where you need a piece of paper to call yourself that... not yet at least. Besides, most people I know in culinary school (there's one down the street from my office) worked in the business for a few years before going. A lot easier to pay to learn when you've been paid to learn for awhile first.

@G-Money:
Uh, no. The ones that made the rules for this game where college is treated as the golden teet that gives the milk of life are the ones that're "old money". Whose kids are too damn lazy to get a real job and learn the hard way, so daddy invented a shake 'n bake system where they can justify being parachuted into the workplace as "management". College and universities at first weren't meant for us common peons, but for those with a silver spoon in their mouth. Think about it, most college majors can't get you through shit in life unless you're already provided for. Making a living through liberal arts or fine arts? Yeah right. As for the world view that's taught in colleges: Someone who hadn't left their lecture hall in years because they don't have to due to tenure is not the best source of information on the world. Academia is a separate reality from the real world, and I think one of the reasons why the world is so fucked up is because we give too damn much credit to people that go through this shake 'n bake system and suddenly think they know all.

@Tsurayu: It's more the problem of, "What are you trying to accomplish going to college? What's your career after you graduate from college?" Simply going to college for college's sake and the degree is bullshit and a waste of time and money. I definitely don't agree the hype of not going to college = failure, but there many high paying jobs out there that require college-level courses because lower educational levels simply don't provide such knowledge. And honestly, it's very hard for students to get jobs with annual salaries over $50,000+ without a college education simply because of our high standards of living.

@GatheringSin: I'm implying that usually people with higher-degree education end up making the rules in society, e.g. politics, multinationals. And yes, I think there is a correlation with people who graduate from college and people who are in positions to influence the economy, government, and society. Depending on what you study, college can actually prepare you for life, and I think most of us know that humanities are bullshit unless you're exceptionally talented or creative.

And that's why the world is going to hell in a hand basket. Aside from the problems I mentioned, this blind reliance on products of academia creates the problem of homogenization and group think in the decision making process. Lets face it, higher education is not exactly forgiving on views contrary to their comfort zone. Regardless of race, religion, or creed, after sucking on the teet of academia for a few years, most people come out pretty much thinking the same way.

I will give you that people who come out of the top tier schools think they're the shit. Not so much at the community or state college level.

I don't think it is as difficult as you give it credit for, but whatever I'm not going to go dig around for stuff to back up what I believe.

Well I'll make a suggestion. Note it might not be for everyone, but if you're willing to give it a shot and live in America, go for the military.

I personally am joining the USMC and already have my MoS in line, just waiting to get shipped out to boot camp. And because the GI Bill that is granted to every Marine(other branches of service work too), you will get a good portion, and if you're smart with it, the whole thing.

Basically I can take classes as a part time student while I'm in active duty and ill be getting my credits while paying NOTHING for it. Its a 36 month pay or 48 month pay if you get the 'kicker'. All they do is take a little bit from your paycheck. I think the ratio is, for every 1$ you turn in to the GI Bill, you get 8$ back for your education, but you have to make the payment during your active duty. If you have any question pm me and Ill see if I can hook you up with somebody to talk to. But either way, if you don't despise military life, its not a bad trade-off.

A neet's life is waiting for YOU!

I'm in college, so I'm in no position to say "I know how it feels".

How about this: enroll yourself for a 1~2 month course of something easy, like photoshop or animating, then find a part time that accepts your level of achievement.

I'm studying architecture, and I took advance courses on AutoCAD so I can work part time. It only took a month, and I can gain P500~P5,000+ (roughly $10-$100) depending on the job. If I take 3D StudioMax Courses, which will take just about half a month, I can suck up to P20,000+ ($400+) per perspective, and they just don't take one.

Everyone can have a job if they just put their mind to it.

Wouldn't that discredit your argument?

Let's take teacher salaries for example. Unless one has been teaching for a number of years, your salary is nowhere near $50,000, maybe $35,000. Until after 15-20 years till one can get a $50,000 salary with tenure. On the other hand, a CPA's average starting salary is $52,000. What does it take to become a CPA? A Bachelor's degree, 150 credits, passing the CPA exam, and getting a few years of work under your belt; all of which requires a college degree. Almost any high-paying licensed jobs require college degrees. The only exception is the business field where some lucky (but genius) individuals can start up and manage a company with little to no college experience, e.g. Bill Gates, who never finished his college degree. In the financial field, companies won't even look at you if don't have a BA - forget about interviewing, they'd toss your resume into the garbage.