Personal Experience?

[Iolaus]

Between "gaming the parents" and habits that precluded doing my best in school, I wasted about five years off and on in community college before giving up and entering the workforce proper. 20 years later, I had lots of life experience, and the knowledge that I didn't want to work with my back for the rest of my life. I wouldn't exactly call that 20 years wasted, but I'm back in school now trying to do what I didn't do then.

I still don't know what I'm going to do, that's why I'm in community college, working on transferable undergrad stuff, but I do know that I wasted a lot of potential by waiting 'til now to do this.

You're right, a little real life experience is a good thing to have, but devoting 2 or 3 years to a trade school, and then working at that trade "for a little while" is more likely to lead to working that trade for life, and wondering what could've been (teacher?). I got lucky, and got a chance to go back; most never do.

You don't have to start college knowing where you're going to end; part of a college education is to explore new things. There are a lot of careers that you don't even know exist yet, and others that may not exist until you create them! If you've got the chance to go for the degree, go for it! Explore your options while you can. The world is full of people who could've and didn't, don't be one of them.

[The Wizard of BC]

And remember Mike, there is always a place here for you learning kiltmaking if you want it.

[macwilkin]

You don't have to start college knowing where you're going to end; part of a college education is to explore new things. There are a lot of careers that you don't even know exist yet, and others that may not exist until you create them! If you've got the chance to go for the degree, go for it! Explore your options while you can. The world is full of people who could've and didn't, don't be one of them.

Listen to this paragraph, Jewddha -- Iolaus speaks the truth here. I started university thinking I wanted to be a high school history teacher, then changed my BS in Education to a BA when I wanted to go on and get my MA in history so I could be a FT park ranger -- then I accidently stumbled onto the Library profession, and now I am looking towards a master's in library science as well as my MA in history.

As someone who makes their living in the education field as a librarian and a teacher at our local community college, I must say that education is NEVER a waste of time, period.

You might want to start out at the local community college first, and complete general education classes -- that way you can decide what it is you want to do and where to go as far as a major area of study -- and most community colleges also have technical programs as well.

My father has been a warehouseman for over 30 years. He went for two years at the local university, but didn't finish. I think now he wishes that he did -- that's why he insisted that I do the same. I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with learning a trade, but an education is a gift that will last you a lifetime -- and whilst there are plenty of classes I took that I will never use in my work, I'm sure glad I took them, if nothing else, for the experience. I'll never regret them, even the classes that I did bad in, because of that.

Cheers,

Todd

[davedove]

Education is never wasted, provided you actually do get the education and not just party all the time. I went for three years studying architecture before I figured out it wasn't for me. I took off and worked for a year then went to another school and got an accounting degree. Then I enlisted in the Army for three years because I couldn't find a job where I lived. Were the first three years studying architecture wasted? Some would say so, but I learned some new things, about architecture and myself. And the three years in the Army were not wasted either. I learned valuable skills and it led to my job as a civilian Army accountant.

That's not to say that time off can't be helpful. From what I have seen, very few people straight out of high school finish with the same major as they started. Also, that time off can bring extra maturity and an appreciation for education. At the school where I got my Accounting degree, many of the students were a little older and many had already been in the work force. They were more serious and knew how an education can help.

[Mike n NC]

Hey Mike, it seems there aren't many comments on trade schools here so let me toss in my two cents worth.
I went directly from HS to a Junior College...Big mistake!! A year later I joined the Navy. While military in nature, Navy schools are much like trade schools; they leave off the trimmings and serve up the meat of the knowledge. Throughout my carreer I attended several different schools and worked in those fields. One thing I found was that I was trained to a much higher degree than my non-military counterparts, a BIG plus when I retired and entered the job market. Had I to do it all over again, I would do it exactly the same way.
I did return to college at the age of 40, more settled and ready to learn as shown by the 3.94 gpa I carried. Now being on the hire/fire end of the business world there is one warning I will add about education; It is only as good as the amount of common sense you temper it with. A couple of points to consider:

It is rare to know what you want to spend your life doing when you haven't done anything yet.

Give yourself some time to experience different work fields.

Those that are pushing you on to college have good intentions BUT...they don't have to live your life.

Should you choose college at some point I strongly discourage the liberal arts route. Most of those jobs are entry level only and require a masters degree for advancement. I will qualify that by saying there are exceptions. Our own Todd is a fine example.

My bottom line is this; I will hire a skilled tradesman over an out of work english major any day. (and will pay him more!)

Oh yeah, at the age of 54 I'm planning to start back to school to add on the classes I need to become a CIH (Certified Industrial Hygenist, MS level)

Mike

[Eujeankilt]

I went to college right out of high school. I floundered for a few years, then figured out how me and the system worked together. I will echo some of the other comments here about changing majors. I changed three times, once in my senior year.

I would disagree with Mike n NC though. I got a liberal arts degree and it has served me well. It was not a ticket to a job but more of an initiation to learning. I got a fairly well rounded education, learned how to learn and realized how much I didn't know or how much there is to learn in the world. I didn't use my degree direclty in any of my past jobs. Mike n NC is right though, that a degree without experience is not a meal ticket.

Oddly enough, I went to trade school later and my college education (and maturity) put me at the top of my class. Ultimately, I didn't stay in that profession either.

My best advice would be to work for a year or two, live on your own to see what it takes to survive, then start classes at your local community college. (Don't wait too long though, you might get locked into a job.) They are cheaper than universities, are smaller and more close knit and have flexible schedules to fit around work. Once you get your the basics, like Sherry said, you can transfer to a university and take some real world experience with you.

[macwilkin]

I went to college right out of high school. I floundered for a few years, then figured out how me and the system worked together. I will echo some of the other comments here about changing majors. I changed three times, once in my senior year.

I would disagree with Mike n NC though. I got a liberal arts degree and it has served me well. It was not a ticket to a job but more of an initiation to learning. I got a fairly well rounded education, learned how to learn and realized how much I didn't know or how much there is to learn in the world. I didn't use my degree direclty in any of my past jobs. Mike n NC is right though, that a degree without experience is not a meal ticket.

Oddly enough, I went to trade school later and my college education (and maturity) put me at the top of my class. Ultimately, I didn't stay in that profession either.

My best advice would be to work for a year or two, live on your own to see what it takes to survive, then start classes at your local community college. (Don't wait too long though, you might get locked into a job.) They are cheaper than universities, are smaller and more close knit and have flexible schedules to fit around work. Once you get your the basics, like Sherry said, you can transfer to a university and take some real world experience with you.

Thanks for the comments regarding community colleges. I strongly believe in the whole ethos of the community college as "the people's college", since allows so many people from many different backgrounds the opportunity to receive an education in a chosen trade and/or liberal arts as well.

And Mike in NC: I totally agree with you about tempering education with common sense -- believe me, many in academia that I know have not learned that lesson. That's exactly why I chose not to persue my PhD in history! ;)

Cheers,

Todd

[davedove]

And Mike in NC: I totally agree with you about tempering education with common sense -- believe me, many in academia that I know have not learned that lesson. That's exactly why I chose not to persue my PhD in history! ;)

Cheers,

Todd

Having worked in an organization with many PhD's, I will have to say that education is not everything. Many (not all of course) of these individuals were so focused on getting their doctorate that they have not learned about everyday life. While these people are absolutley brilliant in their field, they sometimes cannot carry on a conversation about everyday things, and are completely lost in day to day transactions.

[Jerry]

I went to college, straight out of high school too. I wasn't ready either. After dropping out and enlisting in the navy, I trained as an electronics technician. When I got out 4 years later, I went to a community college and got an AA degree in electronice technology I worked a few years as a TV broadcast engineer (FCC 1st class license) I settled on my final career, an industrial Instrument Technician, specializing in pollution control syatems. That is a great field to be in. However, I would reccomend electrician. Most industries ane going to Instrumentation/Electrical instead of seperate departments. The instrumentation is much easier to learn on site than Electrical. I did because even though I had a background in electronics, I had to learn pneumatics and more about computer control systems. Of course another thing with electrician instead of Instrumentation, is that jobs in Instrumentation outside of industry are few and far between. An electrician can find work most anywhere.

[David Thornton]

I rarely read full threads anymore as a lot of what is posted here is to add to post count, funny but not very useful. This is a very important question and I hope some of this helps.

I strongly encourage university when the question is asked generically. University is a different environment than high school IF taken seriously. No mom’s to wake you up and remind you about class, no monitor to recommend less partying, and rarely is the professor, or grad student, in charge of the basics going to care if you sink or swim. University teaches you to really learn on your own, it opens your eyes to a broader world, and it introduces you to people that will enrich your life forever.

I did well in high school, but I was in a hurry to get it over with so I could race cars, earn some real money, chase girls seriously, and drink some beer. And I got by with it in high school, not in college. Take the basic requirements the first two or three semesters and apply your self in every class, like it or not, you should start to get a feel for what you like by the end of that third semester. Sit down with an academic advisor and plan from there. As an aside, I am going to my advisors retirement party in February; we have remained friends since college.

I KNEW I was going to be a vet when I started, but I fell in love with the study of economics. I have a BS in Econ, Animal Science minor. I don't use the animal science, but I use my education every day.

The trade school, or college, has its place. And this world would be better off if we recognized it. Somewhere in the last 50 years we decided that working with your hands is bad or inferior. Wrong! If you prefer working with your hands, go to a trade school. The happiest people I deal with are trade contractors. The most successful people I deal with are GOOD trade contractors, painters, electricians, plumbers. They set their own schedules, set their own compensation, work as much or as little as they choose. But to be successful requires a commitment to be good, and to under promise and over deliver your service. Don’t take up the trades just because it’s available.

Yes this is long, but it was asked as a sincere question and I hope you found a pearl here you can use. Here’s another. As an employer, I will hire a B student with an internship or other extra curricular activities over an A student and no outside interests. And I am hiring now, but that's another thread.

David