Is university needed for future success?

Options
needernt
needernt Posts: 675 Member
Do you think the cost, the stress and all the hardships people go through towards a degree would worth the result?
I mean I've seen more successful people around without going throw all this and they look healthier and happier than many college nerds.
«1

Replies

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,618 Member
    Options
    A university, no. A learned skill and a desire to want to work, yes.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png
  • needernt
    needernt Posts: 675 Member
    Options
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    A university, no. A learned skill and a desire to want to work, yes.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    So why people spend their time and money and suffer exam stress to get something which is not needed.
  • PewterSky
    PewterSky Posts: 9,225 Member
    Options
    I think it depends on your profession and field of study, it also varies by country. For instance, in my country it's pretty difficult to get a decent job without a Bachelor's degree (most times they won't even consider you, unless you're highly exceptional with a lot of valid experience). How useful is that degree is highly debatable.

    Academics and sciences require more theoretical studies, my own degree was in fashion design. Personally, I know people who didn't go to fashion school and they are far more successful than me. But success is based on many factors, all interlinked so it's kind of difficult to pull them apart really.

    If I were to redo it, I would still go to university because I actually learned a lot of stuff there, and I apply that knowledge in my work today. Granted there were many things we were taught which will hold no use in future.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    Options
    needernt wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    A university, no. A learned skill and a desire to want to work, yes.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    So why people spend their time and money and suffer exam stress to get something which is not needed.

    You misunderstand. A university degree is a useful asset to have in it own right, it doesnt guarantee success, but having one will increase the chances of you getting a better paid job and having a career. Im also a fan of increasing knowledge and thinking ability in their own right.

    For certain professions a degree would be essential and opens doors. Dr, lawyer etc, so if you want into those professions you need one. I wouldnt put too much stock in how happy you think people look and link that with whether to have a degree or not.

    The question these days is whether a degree is worth the cost for what you want to do? You might have another skills set.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,134 Member
    Options
    Speaking as someone who has 2 degrees and no job in her field, no. If I could go back into the past, I'd tell myself to skip college/university.
  • RiverMelSong
    RiverMelSong Posts: 456 Member
    Options
    PewterSky wrote: »
    I think it depends on your profession and field of study, it also varies by country. For instance, in my country it's pretty difficult to get a decent job without a Bachelor's degree (most times they won't even consider you, unless you're highly exceptional with a lot of valid experience). How useful is that degree is highly debatable.

    I agree, over here (the Netherlands) it's pretty much impossible to get a job in my field (archaeology) without a masters degree and a million years of experience.
    I have a BA in archaeology and an MA in heritage studies. For me it was worth it because I have found that I have a certain advantage when looking for jobs because I have a masters degree.

    This isn't a yes or no question though. It all depends on what your personal ambitions are.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    Options
    Btw many people go through getting a degree without stress or hardship, get great jobs and love going to uni.
  • PewterSky
    PewterSky Posts: 9,225 Member
    Options
    999tigger wrote: »
    Btw many people go through getting a degree without stress or hardship, get great jobs and love going to uni.

    Yep I quite liked studying in university. I often reminiscence about it with friends, it was so challenging that it kept me at the top of my game. Granted there was temporary stress and hardship but work has more of those in my opinion.
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    Options
    Depends on your measure of success.
  • needernt
    needernt Posts: 675 Member
    Options
    As yet it seems some people do better under systematic education. But for some others it might not be the best possible way.
    I am totally an advocate of knowledge and skill for success. But maybe it's time to rethink the old-school way. Particularly if we put the life of Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, etc. into perspective and the fact of availability of knowledge through internet for everyone.
  • in_it_to_thin_it
    in_it_to_thin_it Posts: 432 Member
    Options
    I have a degree, and would encourage my children to take their education as far as they can.

    Do i use my degree? Nope! I sit on my sofa and draw for a living! Sometimes passion over takes education, and if that can pay a wage, I say go for it.
  • kickassbarbie
    kickassbarbie Posts: 286 Member
    Options
    I'm thinking the same atm... is it worth the stress and expense?

    Yes you can be successful with no degree though!!! Play to your strengths and work ya *kitten* off and you'll make it!

    I didnt even finish school! And I'm doing pretty well and have a great lifestyle/relatively well paying job, I got a morgage alone at 22 (hopefully paid off by 33!) and I enjoy my job (mostly).

    Thinking of doing a degree atm. I can't decide if paying to go to uni in my spare time is worth it or not! (I want to be a nutritionist when I retire, I've run out of other courses available and still don't feel I know enough to do it professionally!.)

    Love to hear people's experiences on if uni was worth while too!

    Has anyone gone to uni to retrain and found it worth while?
    If you had the money again would you have used it differently?


  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
    Options
    If you don't want to go to college, then don't.
  • blueyellowhorse
    blueyellowhorse Posts: 708 Member
    Options
    Not really, college isn't even guaranteed success.
  • mathjulz
    mathjulz Posts: 5,514 Member
    Options
    zyxst wrote: »
    Speaking as someone who has 2 degrees and no job in her field, no. If I could go back into the past, I'd tell myself to skip college/university.

    Interesting: I have 2 degrees and really no job in my field (I'm a SAHM with a mildly disabled preschooler and other kids; although that may be "in the field" of Human Development) and I never regret either degree. I love education for the sake of learning. On the other hand, I do "regret" the student loans now that it's time to pay them back :lol: but I wouldn't change my choices to get more education.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,618 Member
    Options
    needernt wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    A university, no. A learned skill and a desire to want to work, yes.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    So why people spend their time and money and suffer exam stress to get something which is not needed.
    Knowledge still is needed to succeed in any endeavor one wants to do. You question was a "university needed". The answer is still no, but there are many many people who opt to go to a university for others things than just learning a trade or skill.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png


  • needernt
    needernt Posts: 675 Member
    Options
    I'm thinking the same atm... is it worth the stress and expense?

    Yes you can be successful with no degree though!!! Play to your strengths and work ya *kitten* off and you'll make it!

    I didnt even finish school! And I'm doing pretty well and have a great lifestyle/relatively well paying job, I got a morgage alone at 22 (hopefully paid off by 33!) and I enjoy my job (mostly).

    Thinking of doing a degree atm. I can't decide if paying to go to uni in my spare time is worth it or not! (I want to be a nutritionist when I retire, I've run out of other courses available and still don't feel I know enough to do it professionally!.)

    Love to hear people's experiences on if uni was worth while too!

    Has anyone gone to uni to retrain and found it worth while?
    If you had the money again would you have used it differently?


    Well, when we talk about careers like physicians or lawyers where a degree legally is needed. there is no choice.

    But in many other cases I think university is like "keeping up with Jonses" people go there for prestige and because their school friends are going there. It gives however a temporary satisfaction until after four years when they graduate and encounter with real-life, those artificial motives supersede with unpleasant reality.

    From my point of view, most people go to uni not because they have "goals" in their life, but because they lack goals in their life.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,618 Member
    Options
    "needernt wrote:
    From my point of view, most people go to uni not because they have "goals" in their life, but because they lack goals in their life.
    Pretty subjective then because you really don't know what their goals are. Maybe it might be more so with people who are going to community colleges, but why would any spend over $100,000 and be broke to just hang around college?
    Maybe their goals aren't solidly defined, but they may have aspirations of achieving in there major. Let's face it, only about 5% of population end up rich or financially independent, but may have bad success with relationships and/or friendships. If that's the case, I wouldn't call that totally successful.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png


  • needernt
    needernt Posts: 675 Member
    Options
    I think at this age people are so obsessed with 'Joneses' that they put them before their health and common sense.
    Needless to say, scientists and those who are made to be at uni are exceptions.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,618 Member
    Options
    needernt wrote: »
    I think at this age people are so obsessed with 'Joneses' that they put them before their health and common sense.
    Needless to say, scientists and those who are made to be at uni are exceptions.
    That's just about any teenager whether they go to college or not though. I know that when I was in college at 19, making money was big on my mind as well as having a low profile truck with an Alpine stereo and booming JBL woofers.
    Times change, but people really don't.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png