For those that went or graduated from college/university...

[ramos 5,000+ posts]

Bro when you were in college it was just called 'party'.

True, but I gotta pretty piece of paper with the facsimile of someone's signature on it though //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[bubbagumper6 5,000+ posts]

College is a means of attaining an education which first and foremost is done just to improve yourself, not just a means of making money. There's a lot of people in college right now for the wrong reasons, and they are what's wrong with the system. But believe it or not, there's still professions where you NEED the information you learned. I laugh every time I hear someone say "You don't use anything you learn in college, you learn everything at your job." You have got to be kidding. That is the single dumbest statement I've ever seen. I guess it could be true if your majoring in Political Science or Fine Arts or some BS but when your getting a medical/engineering/etc degree, you learn real world relevant information that you WILL need to put to use.

 

[Moble Enclosurs 10+ year member]

College is a means of attaining an education which first and foremost is done just to improve yourself, not just a means of making money. There's a lot of people in college right now for the wrong reasons, and they are what's wrong with the system. But believe it or not, there's still professions where you NEED the information you learned. I laugh every time I hear someone say "You don't use anything you learn in college, you learn everything at your job." You have got to be kidding. That is the single dumbest statement I've ever seen. I guess it could be true if your majoring in Political Science or Fine Arts or some BS but when your getting a medical/engineering/etc degree, you learn real world relevant information that you WILL need to put to use.

Couldn't agree with that more. Greatly stated

 

[VWBobby 10+ year member]

Those are not real colleges and should have no baring on this conversation. I see where the confusion is. A real college is accredited. I agree that those silly 'trade' schools are a complete bucket of fail.

I see your point, but I'm talking about ALL major colleges, universities, etc. Not just trade schools, obscure "colleges", or online accreditation.

At least half of my friends are either in college or have taken college/university courses putting them in debt into the double-digits. ($xx,xxx)

They start out with a direction or "major", yet they are tricked/forced into taking extra classes ($$), buying extra supplies ($$), extending their stay (dorm rooms $), etc. Its a nearly never ending cycle.

The exception? People who start out with a clear plan and make a path, start to finish. If you plan on being a surgeon, make sure you take ONLY the courses required for the degree or accreditation. I know a very successful doctor who was able to get out of med school within 4 years, needs to take 2 more for full accreditation. Some doctors (not nurses) won't make it out until 6 year minimum, and usually take 2 more years before they find a steady position.

These are just the people in my life. Could you imagine the 100s of thousands more who are indebted to universities and families who have spent their life savings putting their kids through school? Pay attention to what jobs are going to be most offered, government, enforcement, and other "civilian" military type possessions. Many people I know have recently taken posistions in these fields "because the money is good". Don't fall for the crap they spoon feed us. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/suave.gif.858fc102f7646e678ee8af7e1fbc41d1.gif

 

[bubbagumper6 5,000+ posts]

I see your point, but I'm talking about ALL major colleges, universities, etc. Not just trade schools, obscure "colleges", or online accreditation. At least half of my friends are either in college or have taken college courses putting them in debt into the double-digits. ($xx,xxx)

They start out with a direction or "major", yet they are tricked/forced into taking extra classes ($$), buying extra supplies ($$), extending their stay (dorm rooms $), etc. Its a nearly never ending cycle.

The exception? People who start out with a clear plan and make a path, start to finish. If you plan on being a surgeon, make sure you take ONLY the courses required for the degree or accreditation. I know a very successful doctor who was able to get out of med school within 4 years, needs to take 2 more for full accreditation. Some doctors (not nurses) won't make it out until 6 year minimum, and usually take 2 more years before they find a steady position.

These are just the people in my life. Could you imagine the 100s of thousands more who are indebted to universities and family who have spent their life savings putting their kids through school? Pay attention to what jobs are going to be most offered, government, enforcement, and other "civilian" military type possessions. Many people I know have recently taken posistions in these fields "because the money is good". Don't fall for the crap they spoon feed us. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/suave.gif.858fc102f7646e678ee8af7e1fbc41d1.gif

I know what your talking about but that's not the college's fault, it's theirs. I know people that get in and change majors, screw around, etc and yeah it really bites them in the arse. But if you pick a real major (not a pretend one that's going to result in no jobs) and you take college seriously it's a gateway to a ton of money. I have a friend that's going to graduate at the same time as me (slightly different major) who has already been signed on for a full time job at very large local company. $50k starting, 10%+ bonus at the end of the year, full 401k and benefits, shits crazy.

EDIT: And I don't mean this as in, you should go to college because you'll make more money. I was just saying, if you take college seriously, those student loans won't mean shit when you graduate. Besides, most of them are subsidized by the government and have incredibly low interest rates even AFTER you graduate (usually with NO interest while your in school). Show me where you can get a loan like that in the real world for anything else.

 

[VWBobby 10+ year member]

That's the point though. The colleges and universities set people up to Think that they can't succeed in life without the accreditation. Its still educational debt either way. You still have to pay it back.

Example, I know a city manager who was also a police chief in California. I won't mention the city. I'm married to his daughter. He never went to college, only finished high school. Let's put it this way, he doesn't have to worry about $ for the rest of his life. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

Most people at the top, you will find, have very little or no college education. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif Don't get me started about Yale, Stanford, or Harvard.

 

[bubbagumper6 5,000+ posts]

That's the point though. The colleges and universities set people up to Think that they can't succeed in life without the accreditation. Its still educational debt either way. You still have to pay it back. Example, I know a city manager who was also a police chief in California. I won't mention the city. I'm married to his daughter. He never went to college, only finished high school. Let's put it this way, he doesn't have to worry about $ for the rest of his life. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

Most people at the top, you will find, have very little or no college education. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif Don't get me started about Yale, Stanford, or Harvard.

While it's true there are a lot of successful people out there who didn't go to college, I think perpetuating the idea that you don't have to go to college but can still do anything you want is a farce. It's not possible to enter a high level skilled position without a degree. Show me a doctor that didn't go to college, or an engineer, or a lawyer, etc. Yeah maybe you could start a business or something but your not going to become a brain surgeon by doing a lot of reading at the library. Like Spider Monkey said (and I rarely agree with him) most companies won't even look at you without the degree. They don't do that because they want to support some great college cash scam, they do it because they're looking for truly educated people and that's what college is (or is supposed to be). It's a standardized way to turn uneducated peons, into specialists, the degree is only there as proof. If you have the degree but didn't learn anything your going to have trouble holding onto a job for very long.

 

[VWBobby 10+ year member]

I am a computer engineer. I build my own machines, perform component level repair, etc. I have not gone to college. I started at age 16. By age 18 I was making $18/hr + benefits. At 22, I got married, moved out to the coast and bought 2 homes, and eventually 2 businesses. I'm not tooting my own horn as much as trying to prove that it doesn't take a college education to succeed in life.

If you want to be a doctor, lawyer, or any profession that REQUIRES an accreditation - yes, you need to go to college, unless you start your own practice. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif Then you have to pass the bar/exam to get your accreditation.

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

You dont have to get a college degree to be successful. There will always be exceptions, like less educated people becoming successful, and more educated people not succeeding. But generally speaking, having a degree opens up opportunities that otherwise would not exist. No single example refutes that conclusion.

 

[bubbagumper6 5,000+ posts]

I am a computer engineer. I build my own machines, perform component level repair, etc. I have not gone to college. I started at age 16. By age 18 I was making $18/hr + benefits. At 22, I got married, moved out to the coast and bought 2 homes, and eventually 2 businesses. I'm not tooting my own horn as much as trying to prove that it doesn't take a college education to succeed in life.
If you want to be a doctor, lawyer, or any profession that REQUIRES an accreditation - yes, you need to go to college, unless you start your own practice. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif Then you have to pass the bar/exam to get your accreditation.

I hate to burst your bubble but none of the things you listed are difficult and you are not an engineer //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif

If you consider yourself a computer engineer then I assume you also know how to code in several different languages?

 

[VWBobby 10+ year member]

So you know how to perform component level repair (soldering) or design a computer system that will not overheat when overtaxed? Yes, I have programmed in Basic, C++, Assembly, Java and HTML. I am not a programmer though. I like to build hot rod gaming machines and business computers/servers.

 

[bubbagumper6 5,000+ posts]

So you know how to perform component level repair or design a computer system that will not overheat when overtaxed? Yes, I have programmed in Basic, C++, Assembly, Java and HTML. I am not a programmer though. I like to build hot rod gaming machines and business computers/servers.

What kind of component repair are you talking about? Yes, I know how to properly cool even a high end gaming system.

What kind of programming experience do you have? I'm not talking about a C++ for dummies program, in order to be considered a computer engineer (aside from actually having a degree) you need to be fluent in those languages and able to actually write functional programs, not just "Hello World".

I've built computers in my time (including overclocked gaming machines), mostly just for fun, and designing them is not that difficult. I will admit, I'm sure it's a very lucrative business. There's a LOT of people out there just too lazy to put in the work to learn how to design a system so I'm sure you make good money. I'm not trying to insult you in any way or tear down your business. Becoming an engineer is something I've been working extremely hard at for the past 4 years, I've learned a load of stuff, but I still don't consider myself to be an engineer. I know there's a lot of problems with the education system but fighting it doesn't make anything easier.

 

[Flipx99 5,000+ posts]

I have a few questions for anyone that wants to answer them.
1. What degree do you have (BA, MS and what field)?

2. How long did it take for you to finish each degree?

3. Did you hate or love school?

4. Do you have a career in the same field as your degree?

5. Are you happy with your job and money made?

6. Did you feel like school was a waste of time?

1. BBA in Finance, MA in Economics

2. 4.5 years, 2 years (extra summer due to internship allowed me to take no other classes)

3. I like school

4. Yes

5. Yes, Yes

5. No

 

[VWBobby 10+ year member]

This is distracting from the original point of the post. Component level repair is replacing components on motherboards (capacitors, DC jacks on laptops, etc). If you are striving to be an engineer, you should've been doing component repairs for at least 10 years by now. Soldering is like welding, it comes with experience and some people will never learn how to solder properly.

When I was programming, this was around 1996. I didn't write much more than screen savers with bouncing circles that worked off of an algorithm to find the edges of the screen and not repeat the same pattern twice. I also tried to develop a racing game in C++. I gave up programming after realizing every program I have thought about, has already been developed. What's the point of reinventing the wheel?

I designed and built a computer that runs on hydraulics (water). In nuclear war, no electronics will function. Your car will not start. However, the computer I designed does not rely on electronics. It performs calculations like an abacus, based on what valves you open and close. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

I also took EFI computers from GM cars of the '94 and earlier (ODB1) to adapt to VW engines that ran carburetors. This requires modifying/building your own harness and flashing the EPROM. I like engineering. I hate programming.

I farm some of my monitor and electronics repair out to another tech (anything I can't diagnose). He has no college education, yet can diagnose and repair every problem I can throw his way. He knows how to reverse engineer the circuit to find the defective component. This is something I'm trying to teach myself, and I'm sure its not covered in any electronics "engineering" course you would normally come across (troubleshooting, diagnostics). The engineers I worked with at my previous jobs could barely run at Hi-POT tester or even solder for that matter. They sure as hell don't know how to diagnose and repair electronics, yet they know how to design a circuit in simulation. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif I think you can see where I'm going with this....