How many people work for Fortune 500 companies? I wouldn't try to apply to a Fortune 500 company without a degree, that's a no-brainer. If that is the mentality that managers have (I'm a manager), then IMO they are missing out on the opportunity to hire GREAT workers.

 

So then you are agreeing the lack of a diploma could set limitations to your career path? I agree the diploma does not make the man. By no means am I saying those with, are any better than those without. I'm just saying what goes on out there.

 

A friend of mine is a very skilled degreed project manager. She just filled out an application and immediately got a rejection notice. It was an on line form and she was quite sure that as soon as it was loaded into the system some buzz word, some lack of skill, over qualification or something else triggered the rejection.

she never got the chance to sell herself.

So then you are agreeing the lack of a diploma could set limitations to your career path? I agree the diploma does not make the man. By no means am I saying those with, are any better than those without. I'm just saying what goes on out there.

 

A friend of mine is a very skilled degreed project manager. She just filled out an application and immediately got a rejection notice. It was an on line form and she was quite sure that as soon as it was loaded into the system some buzz word, some lack of skill, over qualification or something else triggered the rejection.

she never got the chance to sell herself.

 

I've never disagreed that getting a degree couldn't better your chances at getting a good job. My stance is simply you don't HAVE to have a degree to find a successful career making good money.

A college education is not a waste of money, for many reasons. With that said, I think people spend too much money to attend certain schools.

 

For example, you might get a better education from Centre, Transy, or some other $30,000 school. But chances are you'll end working with and/or next to a co-worker with an education from one of our state's schools (Kentucky, Louisville, WKU) and on the same career path. The college education is not overvalued, but you need to be careful with choosing the right school.

 

I realize that there are a lot of Centre & Transy alums on BGP, and I don't mean this as any disrespect towards you. They're both fine schools, but horribly expensive, in my opinion. I know many alumni from both schools, all of which are outstanding individuals and very successful. But the bottom line is that most 18 year old kids cannot afford that type of tuition. So, if you don't get a full ride and your parents/family aren't willing to foot the bill, you're in trouble.

 

Definitely agree with this.

 

NKU is roughly $4250 a semester for instate kids. Xavier, while possibly a better education, is roughly $17,000 a semester. You can get 2 full years at NKU for the cost of one semester at Xavier. Is Xavier a better school? Yeah, probably, but is it worth being ~$70,000 in debt compared to ~$34,000 after four years? Hardly.

The only thing that Liberal Arts schools helped with were getting into Grad Schools. Other than that, businesses don't care. Oh, you went to Miami? That's a nice school, here's your cubicle right next to the guy from Mt. St. Joe right next to the guy from NKU.

The only thing that Liberal Arts schools helped with were getting into Grad Schools. Other than that, businesses don't care. Oh, you went to Miami? That's a nice school, here's your cubicle right next to the guy from Mt. St. Joe right next to the guy from NKU.

 

But even on Grad Schools if I go work for a good company and perform well my experience in the work force trumps the better "named" school when applying.

 

I seriously believe it should be against the law for Schools who charge over 15k a semester to allow kids to major in teaching and nursing.

But even on Grad Schools if I go work for a good company and perform well my experience in the work force trumps the better "named" school when applying.

 

I seriously believe it should be against the law for Schools who charge over 15k a semester to allow kids to major in teaching and nursing.

 

I have met several people within the last year that are paying WAY too much money to go to Brown Mackie College. It's sickening. It doesn't make sense how/why anyone would take $40,000 in student loans to get a degree & a job making $40,000 per year.

You can thank our political leaders for this which ultimately is at the root cause of the debate of this thread. A college degree is becoming the new high school diploma because "we want every child to have an opportunity to go to college." Ugh, no you don't. That is not how the system runs most efficiently. You encourage trade schools and specialized programs.

 

I was thinking exactly the same thing but couldn't figure how to put it into words. When more and more people have degrees they become less valuable thus the push for lots of companies to now require Masters degrees. I've been working in my field for 30 years. At the time I started a Bachelors degree was required. You don't get an entry level job in my filed now without a Masters.

I was thinking exactly the same thing but couldn't figure how to put it into words. When more and more people have degrees they become less valuable thus the push for lots of companies to now require Masters degrees. I've been working in my field for 30 years. At the time I started a Bachelors degree was required. You don't get an entry level job in my filed now without a Masters.

 

You're exactly right. Years ago, some people chose to move forward without a college degree but were able to get by with their high school education. Somewhere along the line, that has shifted and now most jobs require a college degree. The college degree from yesteryear has now turned into a graduate degree.

Since we are talking college and degrees and value and such...

 

College athletes that are not D1 and get opportunities to play at D2 or D3 schools, what kinds of degrees are available for them? Liberal Arts, yes. What about engineering or nursing?

If you get an offer to get a portion of tuition paid at a smaller school that does not offer some of the degrees that land jobs, is it worth it?

Since we are talking college and degrees and value and such...

 

College athletes that are not D1 and get opportunities to play at D2 or D3 schools, what kinds of degrees are available for them? Liberal Arts, yes. What about engineering or nursing?

If you get an offer to get a portion of tuition paid at a smaller school that does not offer some of the degrees that land jobs, is it worth it?

 

Depends on the school. Rose Hulman is nationally ranked as an engineering school. Football team isn't very good, and Terre Haute smells like a paper plant, but the opportunity is there.

Just because you go D2 or D3 or even NAIA you are not limited to just liberal arts degrees. There are schools in the smaller divisions that offer degrees in engineering, accounting, business etc. The divisions have nothing to do with the overall size of the school rather the amount of resources committed to athletics.

Edited March 10, 201412 yr by All Tell