College or work?

[Beef Boss]

Honestly, I'm caught in a hard decision I'll have to make once I graduate. I can't decide if I want to go to college or just find a good paying job. Sure, it's good to attend college for a better job, but it's not for everyone. Everything has prepared me for college, I'm in post secondary with networking. But, call me lazy or whatever, it's just high-school for me has been such a drag. I used to love school, math and science were my favorites but as it went on... It just got tiring.

 

(oh wah a high schooler complaining what's new)

 

Sure we can get a good chance at a job with a college degree, but actually working somewhere is important too. 

 

So for those of you who haven't attended college, would you or do you regret that? 

And those of you grads, are you happy you attended? 

 

College speakers don't do a great job, they barely talk about the college and college life. They talk about emotional things to buy you into it without actually introducing the school. 

 

Or do you think I'm dumb for not wanting to necessarily attend college? 

[Drak3]

I make nearly 40K a year. I'm 21 and didn't go to college. Been working hard since after high school.

 

Sure, I could be making 80K a year after 4 years of college, but student debt would render my quality of life as if I were making 25K or less, assuming I even got a job in an over saturated job market.

[Beef Boss]

7 minutes ago, Drak3 said:

I make nearly 40K a year. I'm 21 and didn't go to college. Been working hard since after high school.

 

Sure, I could be making 80K a year after 4 years of college, but student debt would render my quality of life as if I were making 25K or less, assuming I even got a job in an over saturated job market.

That's just it, technology jobs are such a saturated market... I feel like all the classes I've taken will just end up useless. I don't know... 

 

It's just school now feels like a push over. I'm busy with my own life, my life problems and work... It's like school for me holds me back more than anything. 

 

I just don't think I'd like it... 

[GDRRiley]

Well I'm a senior in High school so Im working on my college apps. Ive decided that If I don't get into 1 of my 4 (Ive got a 5th but they need to give me some money if I'm going there) Community college it will be. 

This is mostly down to my planed major of AeroSpace Engineering, if I was doing something related to tech I would get my AA and a lot of certificates. 

Some info about my parents.

Spoiler

So both my parents attended college and got the same major, one added on later and became a teacher and is about to get her masters. (Teaching has horrible pay for so long especially in many states). My dad on the other hand, has a really bad habit of losing jobs at the exact wrong time, so would he be making the same right now yeah, but there was a time when his paycheck alone was what the house ran off of banking my moms entire check. 

 

I get it tho, its a hard tossup. 

[ARikozuM]

Both. You can go to college and go to work at the same time. I'm the manager at a pet store and making about 31K a year after taxes and going to school full-time. You can do it. You may need to find an employer that can work with your schedule, but it is doable. 

 

I did have to quit my 2nd job at the vet clinic since graveyard/ER shift pretty much killed any time I had for sleep. Then again, I didn't really have a mentor there except for my best friend, so nothing of value was lost. 

[Drak3]

1 minute ago, aki adaki said:

That's just it, technology jobs are such a saturated market... I feel like all the classes I've taken will just end up useless. I don't know... 

 

It's just school now feels like a push over. I'm busy with my own life, my life problems and work... It's like school for me holds me back more than anything. 

 

I just don't think I'd like it... 

Since you're mechanically inclined, there's quite a bit of selection where I'm at.

[bleedblue]

College was the best time of my life. Met a lot of new people, learned a lot more than I could have on my own, even got to explore my country and others on school sponsored trips.

 

Got a great job I love in my field with great pay straight out of graduation. I also have 0 student loans.

 

I make a lot more than all my friends who worked after high school.

 

Do I regret it? Hell no.

[comicsansms]

I am going to say, go to uni.

If your parents support you - it's a no brainer.

If you get goverment loans (Like HECS-HELP), once again it's a no brainer.

If you have to pay right out of your own pocket, maybe work a couple of years so you can get a decent loan.

 

[DVA]

Hi, I am. College graduate. Very recent actually. My starting pay is $43,000 a year. My job is a product developer for a lighting fixture company. 43,000 may not seem like a lot to some people, but that's my pay straight off the bat. 

 

Some jobs don't require a degree and make great money, but they tend to be more hands on and getting more physical. 

 

I sit in my office chair with cold AC and take breaks whenever I want. If I want to leave 2 hours early, I can. I'm hourly, not salary. So my paycheck depends on me. If i want OT, i get it. Simple as that. 

 

There are give and takes. Think about them. As someone else said, they make nearly 40k at 21. I am 24 making 43k. But remember that is STARTING, I still have a lot of time and my pay cap will be well into 100k according to my current boss. 

 

Good luck on your quest. 

[NickPickerWI]

To be honest with you, a lot of this is what you want out of the 1/3 of your life you will spend working. I can only give you my own take.

 

I was mostly a savant growing up. School was easy, I was an overachiever. I had a 4.0 until I got into smoking weed and drinking (was a bit...socially awkward, and this took the edge off). I went into college on a partial scholarship and a 3.8 GPA, to a great 4-year Midwest art school.

I failed out my first semester.

I had no idea that it would be so strict and unforgiving, and I had never built up the dedication I needed to succeed. And, it was a place where I didn't stand out. I was one of *all* of the kids who were just like me, some more so. I was a number, and used to be someone special.

Years later, I kicked drugs and alcohol, and met someone that picked me up onto my feet, gave me a reason to use the grey between my shoulders. I went to a tech college and learned drafting and design. I crushed it, got a 4.0, did amazingly well. I ended up spending $60k on a 2-year degree and getting ripped off, though. But it was worth it, because ten years into my field, I make more than that salaried for a great company I believe in, and that lists high on the stock market.

I look around and see welders who make more than I do for a 2-year tech degree they spent less on. But I love what I do. I don't come home exhausted. I don't come home hot, greasy, achy, and having sweatted my ass off all day. I have the ability to go back to school for engineering if I want to. A big part of why I went into what I went into was because I watched my dad chase high-paying shop jobs, and break his body. He couldn't pick us up or play with us growing up. He busted up his hands, and when I got into playing drums, he was unable to keep playing guitar. I promised I wouldn't end up like that.

A lot of people undervalue what a technical 2-year degree can do for you. But by comparison, a 2-year degree does what a high school diploma used to do 30 years ago. Big money is to be had getting a 4-year degree. If you do nothing past high school, your options are VERY limited for good, high-paying jobs...and it will take you longer to get to them than someone who went the extra few miles to even get a tech degree.

But for me, I don't want big money. I want to be happy doing what I do every day. To be able to come home and have energy for my wife, my kids. That is more important than anything.

So my advice is to chase what makes you happy. If it's a job doing X, and it needs Y degree or certification, perhaps take some time to mentally prepare yourself, but be ready to give it your all when you do it. Otherwise you'll make an expensive mistake like I did. Surround yourself by people who will support that and make you feel like you can. The friends that pull you away from that aren't worth having. I had to learn that all the hard way.

[Drak3]

1 minute ago, Comic_Sans_MS said:

I am going to say, go to uni.

If your parents support you - it's a no brainer.

If you get goverment loans (Like HECS-HELP), once again it's a no brainer.

If you have to pay right out of your own pocket, maybe work a couple of years so you can get a decent loan.

 

It's not a no brainer for those of us in the US. Unless you're going into a medical field, chances are you're not going to be making much money if you manage to get a job in your field. Service job market is over saturated.

 

[dizmo]

If you don't go to college or university, and you're not going into a trade (which a lot of the time still require some level of schooling) you're going to be left behind, and your earning potential isn't nearly as high. Simple fact. My friend does hiring for his department at a power company, and he's had people with Engineering degrees applying for laborer positions. There are so many people that have degrees, that if you don't have one (even unrelated to the field) you're going to get bumped down the list unless you accept a significantly lower wage.

 

Aside from what you'll learn in college, the connections you make are equally, if not more important. A huge majority of jobs are gained by knowing people, not necessarily having the best resume.

 

I wouldn't say you're dumb for not wanting to attend college, as it's expensive, and if you don't know what you want to take it can be a waste of time. However, I'd definitely say it's a necessity this day in age. You could always go for something business related, just to have something on your resume. Usually only takes a couple years.

 

My biggest piece of advice: make sure you research the viability of what you take. Just because it's something you want to do doesn't mean there's enough of a market for you to gain employment. I know tons of people who have degrees they don't use that they spent years getting because the market's simply too saturated.

 

What good paying job were you planning on finding with no post secondary education?

10 minutes ago, Drak3 said:

I make nearly 40K a year. I'm 21 and didn't go to college. Been working hard since after high school.

 

Sure, I could be making 80K a year after 4 years of college, but student debt would render my quality of life as if I were making 25K or less, assuming I even got a job in an over saturated job market.

You can go to a two year technical school and make significantly more than $40k a year. Second year out of post secondary with a 2 year Power Engineering degree and my friend was pulling in $100k+.

[Beef Boss]

1 minute ago, DVA said:

Sit in my office chair with cold AC and take breaks whenever I want. 

That's another problem. I don't want just a desk job. For the whole year (365 days) I've been working I work inside. Itd drive me NUTS being inside all day. But outside and networking doesn't mix much. I've been considering electrical maybe... But I haven't taken a single class that pertains to it. 

[Guest]

You can go to community college or online school whilst you work. Many towns have apprenticeships like electricians. An apprenticeship & college is 2 educations & you get paid. 

[Speed Weed]

It is a very hard question. I don't have scholarships, and my community college keeps pushing student loan onto me. I am planning to transfer to a big college after I finish my transfer credits, but the biggest problem is the college I am planning to transfer whose tuition is very expensive than my community college. I will need $40k+ to spare alone for my master degree in Computer Science ( assume I can earn it). I probably have to do a full time work for 2 years or more than going back to get my college degree, but my mind might say nah for going back for my master degree. 

[Yoinkerman]

nickpicker has the right of it.

 

even an associates degree puts you head and shoulders above high school kids.

 

If you treat college like a job, you will get 99% more out of it than if you treat it like high school.  I know that's hard when you're young and invincible.

 

FYI, I got an associates in cisco networking and basic electronics and now I make 6 fig.  My job isn't as cush as light designer guy but I also don't break myself either.

[Drak3]

Just now, dizmo said:

You can go to a two year technical school and make significantly more than $40k a year.

Not without incurring a substantial amount of debt or working an area with a substantially higher cost of living. The catch all go to college advice is horrible advice.

 

1 minute ago, aki adaki said:

That's another problem. I don't want just a desk job. For the whole year (365 days) I've been working I work inside. Itd drive me NUTS being inside all day. But outside and networking doesn't mix much. I've been considering electrical maybe... But I haven't taken a single class that pertains to it. 

Come out to Idaho and take up an apprenticeship. Construction here has been picking up rapidly. The contractor we work with is now dealing with 3 different electricians because no single outfit can do all of their work.

[comicsansms]

1 minute ago, Yoinkerman said:

nickpicker has the right of it.

 

even an associates degree puts you head and shoulders above high school kids.

 

If you treat college like a job, you will get 99% more out of it than if you treat it like high school.  I know that's hard when you're young and invincible.

 

FYI, I got an associates in cisco networking and basic electronics and now I make 6 fig.  My job isn't as cush as light designer guy but I also don't break myself either.

Absolutely. Associate Degree/Advanced Diploma/Diploma and Bachelors have very amounts of underemployment associated with them

 

 

WHAT IS UNDEREMPLOYMENT?

Spoiler

The International Labour Organization (ILO) defines underemployment as the underutilisation of the productive capacity of the employed population. The concept is part of the framework for measuring the labour force, with the underemployed being those in the employed population who are willing and available to work more.

The ABS uses a time-related definition for underemployment, and currently categorises people as underemployed if they belong to either of the following two groups:

• People employed part time who wanted to work more hours and were available to start work with more hours, either in the reference week or in the four weeks subsequent to the survey; or
• People who are usually employed full time but who actually worked part time hours in the reference week for economic reasons.

From an economic perspective, underemployment reflects underutilised productive capacity. At an individual and household level it represents lost opportunities for people to engage more fully in work and derive their desired financial and personal benefits.

 

 

APPENDIX - SKILL LEVEL GROUPS

Spoiler

SKILL LEVEL 1

Occupations at Skill Level 1 have a level of skill commensurate with a bachelor degree or higher qualification. At least five years of relevant experience may substitute for the formal qualification. In some instances relevant experience and/or on-the-job training may be required in addition to the formal qualification. 

SKILL LEVEL 2

Occupations at Skill Level 2 have a level of skill commensurate with an Associate Degree, Advanced Diploma or Diploma. At least three years of relevant experience may substitute for the formal qualifications listed above. In some instances relevant experience and/or on-the-job training may be required in addition to the formal qualification. 

SKILL LEVEL 3

Occupations at Skill Level 3 have a level of skill commensurate with Certificate IV or Certificate III including at least two years of on-the-job training. At least three years of relevant experience may substitute for the formal qualifications listed above. In some instances relevant experience and/or on-the-job training may be required in addition to the formal qualification. 

SKILL LEVEL 4

Occupations at Skill Level 4 have a level of skill commensurate with Certificate II or III. At least one year of relevant experience may substitute for the formal qualifications listed above. In some instances relevant experience may be required in addition to the formal qualification. 

SKILL LEVEL 5

Occupations at Skill Level 5 have a level of skill commensurate with Certificate I or compulsory secondary education. For some occupations a short period of on-the-job training may be required in addition to or instead of the formal qualification. In some instances, no formal qualification or on-the-job training may be required. 

http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/6202.0Main Features5Nov 2016

[comicsansms]

15 minutes ago, Drak3 said:

It's not a no brainer for those of us in the US. Unless you're going into a medical field, chances are you're not going to be making much money if you manage to get a job in your field. Service job market is over saturated.

 

Any qualification puts you above high school graduates. Going to TAFE (Technical And Further Education) to get a Certificate IV will put you miles ahead of someone who just finished high school and has no formal qualifications.

[Drak3]

Just now, Comic_Sans_MS said:

Any qualification puts you above high school graduates. Going to TAFE (Technical And Further Education) to get a Certificate IV will put you miles ahead of someone who just finished high school and has no formal qualifications.

That only matters for service jobs, which again, over saturated job market in the US.

 

Just saying that going to college puts you above someone that didn't, so you should go, is bad advice.

[dizmo]

12 minutes ago, Drak3 said:

Not without incurring a substantial amount of debt or working an area with a substantially higher cost of living. The catch all go to college advice is horrible advice.

You don't have to go to a top tier school. As I said in my example, 2 years in a technical school to come out with a job paying in excess of $100k a year is not something to be overlooked. Hiring managers will look at people with degrees of any kind as more employable, even if it's unrelated, as it shows you're able to learn and retain knowledge. What makes you think that having a college degree means you'll have to live in an area with a higher cost of living? Those are completely unrelated.

[lmeneses]

13 minutes ago, Drak3 said:

Not without incurring a substantial amount of debt or working an area with a substantially higher cost of living. The catch all go to college advice is horrible advice.

Well, not if you do it right. Get high SAT scores and grades in highschool, and you don't pay squat for college. My brother is studying aerospace engineering for free at USF rn. Never had to pay a dime, and he gets money back. 

[Drak3]

Just now, dizmo said:

2 years in a technical school to come out with a job paying in excess of $100k a year is not something to be overlooked.

Those jobs are few and far between, and typically are in areas where the cost of living is substantially higher. Most people don't come out ahead.

 

3 minutes ago, dizmo said:

What makes you think that having a college degree means you'll have to live in an area with a higher cost of living?

Most high paying jobs that higher fresh out of college only pay as much as they do because of the cost of living where said jobs are. What few that aren't, not a single person on this forum has a chance of getting.

 

4 minutes ago, lmeneses said:

Get high SAT scores and grades in highschool, and you don't pay squat for college.

And what about the majority of the population that doesn't top SAT scores? You say it like anyone can do it. Most people can't.

[comicsansms]

2 minutes ago, Drak3 said:

That only matters for service jobs, which again, over saturated job market in the US.

Service jobs? Idk what that means. I'd assume customer service, call centres and shit like that, which a qualification wouldn't help you much there, because being overqualified is a thing.

2 minutes ago, Drak3 said:

Just saying that going to college puts you above someone that didn't, so you should go, is bad advice.

If you get a Certificate IV in a relevant thing to the job you want, how does that not set you aside from that guy who finished high school? 

 

If I was looking for someone to fill a Finace roll, someone with a Certificate IV in Business Administration would be a safer bet than someone who finished high school, and has no experience in Finance or Business.

[Derrk]

I'm 22, currently in college. I had a similar dilemma as you. I chose to go to college, so i could get a better job. After 2 years, i didn't have the finances to keep going to college and had to drop out for a semester, and then take a lighter course-load the following semester.

 

Right now, I'm working full-time while attending school. And sure, you can make decent money if you don't go to college, especially if you get a job in construction, or comparable (~70-80k). But those jobs are grueling labor. I'm currently making just over 40k and i hate my job. Although college can be difficult/tiring, I can't wait to graduate and get a better job. I work among 40 year old people who also hate their jobs. I couldn't imagine having to work a job i hate my entire life. But for now, the pay is decent, and i need it to make a better life for myself.

 

I think something big to look at is that if you pick a major you enjoy, you can get a job you enjoy after.  College is a lot of fun too, you just have to be able to keep your school life, and social life/extracurricular life in balance. And i absolutely wouldn't say tech jobs are oversaturated. Engineers and programmers are in huge demand. All of my friends in these fields got well-paying jobs right after graduating. One of my friends got a job coding in python, and made 90k his first year after graduating. His employer says he's still short-staffed.

 

College isn't for all people, but if it's a toss-up, I say go for it.