By Degree Jungle Is College Still Worth It
My parents expected me to go to college. I was to be the first on either side of the family, so it was kind of a big deal. If I had to do it all over again, I would have majored in both Digital Media Arts AND Marketing/Management instead of just Digital Media Arts. Or maybe just did Digital Media Arts as a minor. I also would have not interned where I did. I was supposed to do pre-press and design work, but they ended up sticking me in bindery a lot and I got almost NO pre-press or design experience. I was basically a waste of time.
I had went to a private college, and my scholarships did not keep pace with tuition increases at all. When my parents remortgaged their house, then ended up just throwing in my college bill with it. I was lucky enough to have parents that could, and did pay for my college. I worked two full-time jobs in the summers, and part-time during school to pay for books, food and other expenses. College costs have gotten so outrageous that most families cannot afford to help the student pay.
Did having a degree help me get a job, absolutely, but am I using it ? Nope. If I was using it would I be making a lot more money? Probably. After graduation I couldn’t find a job and since I had rent and utility bills to pay, I took the first job I was offered – barely above minimum wage. I did end up getting decent raises over the years, and eventually moved on to work at the competitor.
My advice to kids still in high school would be to go to a community college for two years,unless you get an absolutely amazing scholarship to a 4 year college. No matter what you are SURE you want to major in now, chances are you will wish you picked something else once you are in college for a while – a lot of my classmates ended up switching majors or even colleges! There is no need to spend a ton of money at University just to find out you don’t like what you thought you were going to major in! Community colleges are much more affordable, and are a good way to test the waters before making a huge commitment!
Do you wish you majored in something else? Are you having a hard time paying for your, our your child’s college?
So true about often changing your mind… there are so many options out there and certainly it is very common here in Australia to change courses, drop out or end up with a degree that has no direct value to the job you end up in. If I had gone straight on to University I would have gone into Psychology. I’m so glad I waited, worked in lots of different industries, traveled and then went back to study Veterinary Science as a mature-age student. I must admit though, it is unlikely that I will pay off my University fees by the time my kids are ready to study! It is expensive here in Australia too…but worth it!