47 upvotes, 7 direct replies (showing 7)
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I don’t think influencers have a huge impact on me personally it’s more due to how college is structured. This may be just me but going 100k in debt in 4 years just seems like a waste especially if someone is like me where they coasted in HS making average grades which doesn’t help. Shoot me back 40 years when college was actually affordable and I wasn’t spending 1k out of pocket on textbooks and online access to do my homework(this is actually a thing now). Right now I’m just trying to decide if I really do need to go to a 4 year school to get into my profession of choice(IT).
Comment by youngluck at 01/04/2019 at 21:33 UTC
54 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Yeah. It's very hard to predict where the completion of a structured education will get you in 4 years. Historically, the trend is leaning on the knowledge you acquire during that time, rather than where you acquired it from. That's also largely due to the accessibility of knowledge these days. You don't know me, I'm just a stranger on the internet, so I probably would take this advice very very cautiously... Hell, I didn't go to college at all so I'm not even really in a position to determine whether a 4 year education is good or bad.
Comment by MNGrrl at 02/04/2019 at 01:12 UTC
5 upvotes, 0 direct replies
IT person here. No you do not. A degree is only useful getting into one of the big tech companies like Google. Which you absolutely should not do, whatever your age. They're a meat grinder.
Get a job in tech support. Everyone starts there. And on day one add it to your resume and start hunting for a step towards your next job. Certifications help sometimes. You will have a hard time getting out of support. This is your full time job now: getting a job in the field that's not entry level. A degree makes it a little easier, but not a lot. Most smaller companies won't care. If you can jump that divide and get out of support, you're fine then. Take any opportunity to do so even if it doesn't lead towards the specialization you want. It's a lot easier to move from one to another than that initial climb out.
Comment by lol_alex at 02/04/2019 at 11:06 UTC*
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Your US college system is fucked. Another example of "letting the market take care of it" not working at all.
25k per year for a mediocre degree at a mediocre college? Go study abroad, you will come out ahead in terms of total cost, life experience, and probably quality of education as well.
EDIT to qualify my comment: I am in Germany. College cost me 1000 Euros per year, but that included library access, free public transport, subsidized lunches, and public health care. So 24k difference. That means you could pay 2k per month for housing and living expenses. But - you need maybe half of that if you live frugally and share an apartment. You do not need a car.
Comment by [deleted] at 02/04/2019 at 05:18 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I am completely opposed to the standard that everypone should attend a 4-year college or university in order to get a decent job or to avoid being judged and discriminated against by peers, employers and parents. Not only is college ridiculously unaffordable, but there is NO guarantee that you will immediately afterward land a job that provides enough income to live comfortably and pay your massive student loan debt at the same time. It is not a joke that most college students live on Ramen and may be forced to continue that diet until loans are paid off. Wouldn't it be great if they offered "College Lite" so you could take and pay for only the courses necessary to perform your chosen profession and skip all the BS liberal arts crap and "required electives". (I think that is an oxymoron, don't you?) Why must we pay to support the athletic teams and the arts if we have no intention of being a part of those activities? I am a fan of the arts so don't judge. I'm just making a point. I could go on, but the bottom line is that universities could slash costs for students in a huge way if we were allowed to only use and pay for what we actually want or need. Let's face it, not everyone is cut out for the rigors of a 4-year university or interested in the particular career directions they offer. What would we do if there were no plumbers, auto mechanics and electricians? Why do employers require a college education for positions that could be done by an applicant who is highly qualified and experienced but has no diploma? Unfortunately, the sad reality of today is that a degree of ANY kind will open doors that would otherwise be closed, but I still suggest you weigh the costs and benefits carefully and make a choice you can live with and still maybe afford to change directions a few years down the road if you want. Not that I'm at all passionate about this subject🙈.
Comment by youngminii at 01/04/2019 at 21:30 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Get a diploma (1 year of study), an ITIL cert and another cert of your choosing. Get an entry level IT job and you’ll be able to get a foot in the industry.
Some of the best techs I know never had any tertiary education.
Comment by bl00is at 02/04/2019 at 15:25 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Could you do community college for 2 years and transfer to university for your bachelors? It could save you tens of thousands. College is crazy expensive now. There are sites where you can download free textbooks though, check those out if you can. I can’t remember the names right now. Good luck!
Comment by sixt9stang at 01/04/2019 at 23:23 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
When it comes to IT I don't believe a 4-year college is needed. If you spend the money and get the 4 year degree that is great! You will still start in an entry level position but you may move up faster. If you like the idea of moving up faster and maybe moving into more of a manager or leadership role earlier in your career, a 4 year school might be right for you.
I would suggest that you try to work part time in the industry or even doing some different internships during school. It will not only help with your experience but will help you figure out which aspects of the IT field you like best.
Myself, I went to a 2 year tech college and then started working at the bottom. It has been just about 18 years since I graduated but a little over 2 years ago I started my own business. I am by no means rich. But I do set my own hours, am not stressed all the time, and get to spend tons of time with my kids while they are young.
Anyways, like u/youngluck said, we are all just strangers on the internet so definitely take my advice with a grain of salt.