The question is...is college still valuable in today’s weirdly changing world? Now I’m not really asking this question solely out of the hope of not having to pay for college as my kids line up to go through for the next 12 years. I don’t take that lightly though, because if they each take 4 years, that’s 20 years of college we’ll pay for. And yes, we should have been saving all these years, it just seems like it should have taken longer to get to this point.
But all along I’ve been setting them up for 2.5 years and they’ll have to get it done in that time. I think it’s possible. They are smart, I think they can get their degree quickly. And then maybe they can continue on for more. At least that’s my husband’s hope.
But how important is that college education? The debate is on!
- It’s a badge of honor.
- Too many companies won’t look at you or promote you without that education.
- It gives you a longer time to get used to independence & grow up before you go to work for the next 40-50 years.
- You have internship opportunities.
- You might choose to travel or go to school abroad.
- You might find a spouse.
- But here are the things that worry me about college.
- Getting the wrong degree.
Getting through college and never using the education in the type of job you get or don’t get. If you have a vague major or don’t go into a job in that field you’re highly likely to end up in a dead end job. I’m now a stay at home mom, however before I got married I did work at jobs in my field for many many years. But what about women who get married so young, maybe work a couple years and come home to be with their kids. They’ve never had the work experience to carry them far. By the time they (& I) get back in the workplace, it’s changed so much, we are all antiquated! Then we have to go back to school for another (useless?) degree.
I shouldn’t even mention party time, drugs, over-liberal professors!
What about professors with no literal experience in the workplace? Wouldn’t it make sense if we’re putting all these people in the workplace to get some practicality from that? I think apprenticeships should come back. I would love for my kids to learn from what my husband does at work and what the people around him do. That’s value! I’m not talking internship, I’m talking apprenticeship! How retro!
But most importantly, this world is changing so fast. By the time you get in & get out, the things you were majoring in are no longer the buzz words. All the outsourcing out of the country has to be affecting what jobs are reasonable & feasible. What about technology & creativity. Is there room for creativity in schools where it’s a world of right answer, wrong answer? Is the world changing faster than all these colleges can accommodate? Are they really able to set up our kids to handle the world they will come out in?
And if they can, how does a kid who’s never thought about work pick the right path? I’m guessing college can cost upwards of $30,000. Right? That’s conservative. What if it doesn’t work?
Now that we’re looking at sending a child to college, you can’t help but wonder how to guide them so they really do get the most out of that education, so it truly does make a definitive difference in their life, so it’s not for naught, and so it sets them up for success for a lifetime.
And of course the other question is...will they listen?
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