College degree or not?

[MrsPete]

I firmly believe that a college degree is worth all the time and energy it takes. Most people don't need to attend the expensive, big name schools, so there doesn't always need to be a large price tag or loans attached.

My parents always told me they didn't care if I got married and stayed at home but they sure did expect me to finish college first! You don't know what can happen. Your husband can die young, become unable to work for whatever reason, and on an on the "what if" scenario can go. I finished college, two MAs, and worked for almost 17 years before staying at home. But, I do have a career to fall back on.

I do NOT believe that survival depends solely on the amount of money a person can make. You should LIKE what you do and have a passion for it. If you don't, it is just a job.

Dawn

I was going to say this, but you've already done it for me!

As the mother of all girls, I want them each to earn a degree -- a degree in something that will lead to a good job, something that can be more than just a piece of paper. And I want them NOT to have student debt. I'd LIKE that they work a few years to get a bit of experience, which makes the degree more valuable.

Once they've done that, I don't care a bit whether they work or not. If they do these things, they -- and their children -- will be much safer, knowing that they CAN support the family if tragedy should strike. Whether they choose to work or stay home (in good times) is a choice. Their college experience will make them each a better version of themselves, and that will not be wasted, even if they don't actually use their degrees much.

 

[Colleen27]

I said this on the other thread, but my opinion depends on how the degree will be paid for. There's no reason not to get a degree if loans aren't a factor, IMO. It is student loan debt that muddies the issue.

I know several women who really hate leaving their little ones to go to work every day but who cannot afford to make their student loan payments on one income, and I don't think that someone who wants to be a SAHM should put herself in the position of having that much debt. It is too likely to interfere with that goal in the long run. There are other ways to be marketable and have a satisfying career without incurring the costs of a four year degree.

I'm a long-time SAHM with no plans to rejoin the workforce at all, and I hold two associates degrees - one in IT which I used prior to having children and one in general studies that I earned in preparation to transfer to a 4 year university. I would like to finish my degree eventually, but since it is something I'm doing purely for myself without any career/professional path in mind I really can't justify the loans I'd have to take out to do so.

 

[lady_bug_888]

I am a SAHM with two children DS 7 (technically my step-son but I've been raising him since he was 3...other mom is not in the picture--unfortunately ), and DD 10 months.

I always knew that I wanted children and that I wanted to stay home with them while they were young. I did all the right things for my chosen life path: I went to University and got a degree letting nothing get in my way, I met a wonderful man, I got married and then I had my DD (ok so when I met my man I pretty much became an instant mother).

My degree is in Education and I have had several temporary contracts but have yet to be offered a full-time continuing contract due to budget cuts and the basic instability of the teaching profession especially for new teachers.

I was lucky enough to finish my degree with only about $8K worth of loans because I worked up to 4 jobs at a time during University to pay my way through.

All that said, I sometimes feel like it was a waste of time to go through all I went through just to be a SAHM. I think it is a normal thing to feel when you put so much of your life into something. Also, I live in Canada and up here we get up to a year of maternity/parental leave from the government yet because my work had been so unstable in the year following the delivery of my daughter, I did not qualify for maternity. That was a real slap in the face to me! I could have worked 40 hours a week at McDonalds and made LESS money than I did working 12 hours a week as a substitute teacher--which is what I did at the time--and then I would have qualified, but I had a rough pregnancy and I needed to bring in enough income to help my family and at the time I didn't have to pay for daycare as my hours coincided with my DS's school schedule.

I think I've moved on from feeling like my degree is a waste of time because 1) I can still substitute teach when my husband is home and contribute in a financial way to my family 2) If my family was ever on hard times I would have an easier time finding a good paying job than someone without a degree--whether it's in my field or not 3) I have something to fall back on if needed. No one can say what the future will hold so having the ability to be able to support me and my children is worth more than anything...including my very valuable 'piece of paper' from the University.

 

[smidgy]

That being said, I plan on going back to school in the next year or so and finding a degree in something that I will enjoy. I would love to go to school to become a teacher, but at 31 and only going back part-time, I worry that I am too old to commit to that much education.

there was a letter to Dear Abby a few years back, and I wish I had cut it out. I will paraphrase:
let's say the letter writer was about 54 years old. she always wanted to go to school, but her chosen field would require 8 years of school. "abby, in eight years, I will be 62 years old!"

Abby's answer, "how old will you be in 8 years if you DON'T go to school?"

 

[taaren]

I have a degree, and am halfway through my Master's atm. DH makes a few dollars more per hour than I do with no degree, but some specialized training. We know that either one of us can support ourselves and our son should something happen to the other and this was very important to both of us when we met in our mid-20's (although it was important to my grandmother and mom, too, despite their 55+ and 35+ year marriages - grandmother has a degree, mom does not).
Getting my B.A. was very important to me for its intrinsic value, despite the fact that it is in the arts, it has come in handy. I, like a PP's daughter, worked in technical theatre through my 20's. If you want to work for a college, and I contracted to a few CC's in California, they pay you more if you have any degree. When the state decided that furloughs were going to be the way to make their budgets the last two years and DH and I were looking at smaller paychecks for both of us, I was able to find extra work substitute teaching, and they will not let you into the classroom if you don't have a degree.
However, my mind is sharper for having gone through academia and I have a better sense of the world and my place in it. DH is an avid reader, but he sees the difference that my master's is having on me and has mentioned that when I finish this degree, its going to be his turn to go and get one despite the fact that our incomes will be fine without it.
Getting educated is never a waste unless you decide to not use it, in a meaningful (not necessarily secular) way. And education doesn't have to be formal, but the formalities can have unexpectedly pleasant byproducts.

 

[mommymeg]

Jumping in with my thoughts.
I never went to college. Married my highschool sweetheart and had a baby at 19, 2 more children and two homes before age of 30. I was a SAHM for the first 10 years, then decided to go back to full time work two years ago. I quickly moved up to administrative supervisor at a mental health office and we live very comfortably with two incomes in our household. Neither of us have degrees.

However...I am trying to put the bug in my kids ears now, not to pressure them, but to encourage them. Going to college is a way to spend some much needed attention on yourself. I regret not getting the life experience and mind opening opportunity that college offers. I hope to find the time one day to school myself, just because now that I've learned so much about psychology, I'd like to move into treatment.

With the job market so swamped right now, having a college degree definitally is an advantage, but I do believe and know that I am proof that you can make a living without one. A degree doesn't guarantee you anything, but an education stays with you forever and can enrich your whole life in many ways other than financially.

I'm very proud to say that my 14 year old is actively pursuing a college path with honors high school courses and research on career paths and different universities. She is aiming for Ivy League and I know she can do it if she really tries! It's never too early to start!

 

[kydisneyfans]

I have a Bachelors degree and make in the 40s.
My wife does not have a degree and makes in the 50s. She does have specialty certifications in the medical field.

The irony here is that she is a college instructor.

 

[java]

Personally I think the degree is worth it. I have not worked in 15 years but when I started looking now I was offered more lucrative opportunities than what I believe would have been available without my degree.

However, I don't believe college is for everyone.

 

[Virgderon]

Not everyone should go to college. Some people struggle mightily just to get through high school. To be ready for the future, however, everyone should have some specialized post high school education that leads to a career path. Trade schools come to mind.

Since we sent most of our manufacturing jobs to other countries, there are sadly less options for those without a degree.

Only about 28 % of people in the United States have a college degree, but there are so many jobs that require it- even those that did not in the past.

Not to get political, but we need to figure out higher education in this country. We need a better educated work force, but so many people can't afford it and take out staggering loan burdens to do it, or just don't do it at all. My thought is that colleges should be 2 year programs, and everyone should go to 2 years of community college, just like they go to the local high school.

Those who really don't have the skillset to handle college work could get job training in those 2 years, and those who do could fulfill their gen eds without breaking the bank.

That way, 17 and 18 year old kids are not mindlessly signing on to a path that will lead to $50,000 and $60,000 loan burdens- the implications of which many of them don't understand.

Just my opinion. I know that will never happen!

 

[sk!mom]

I have a degree and have worked for all but 3 of my years as a mom. In my view an Education is never a waste.

A better question to me, is whether an education that will bring a lot of debt is a waste? In many cases, I would say that yes, it is. Those loans, just like any debt, sometimes take away later choices- maybe you can't be a stay at home mom and keep up with the loan debt.

It is always wise, to consider the future pay level and anticipated debt level when choosing a shcool and degree. I personally know several people who are benefitting from their degree but could have done just as well with a less expensive degree. I'm a teacher and have coworkers making the same amount as me and paying high student loans from their expensive private educations. I went to a State University with a great Scholarship program and graduated with no debt.

 

[juliebean]

I am a SAHM to 2 beautiful, , and young kids and I do NOT have a college degree. But I wish I did. I am always fearful of the unknown and the fact that if something happened I don't know how I would provide for my children.
That being said, I plan on going back to school in the next year or so and finding a degree in something that I will enjoy. I would love to go to school to become a teacher, but at 31 and only going back part-time, I worry that I am too old to commit to that much education.

You can absolutely do this! I went back last year (I'm 38) part time - about 10 credits or 3 classes a semester. It's not hard to juggle 3 classes and SAHM w/3 kids, including a preschooler. I usually do one science class in person one or two evenings a week and 2 non-science classes online. Most colleges offer english, math, and so many more classes online now. This might not work for all your classes, but it helps make my schedule more flexible, especially at the beginning. Most bachelors degrees are 120-30 credits, so if you can do ten credits a semester, you could be done in 6 or 7 years. If you can bump it up to 12 or 13 credits, you could be done in 4 or 5 years.

I'll be done in 2 years (I'm getting a nursing degree) and I'm so excited to get back to work, expecially doing something that I feel is important to our community.

My husband went to college at 27 (after realizing his knees were not going to hold up to decades of working on machinery) and got a degree in mathematics. He literally makes more than 4 times what he used to after 8 years in his career, sits in a nice office and can work from home if needed, and doesn't have to worry about the wear and tear on his knees. Best investment he ever made!

 

[MSSANDRA]

There are so many phases to one's life and not getting a degree just because one of those phases may not require it does no sound very smart to me.

I am a huge fan of stay at home mom's and did so myself for a short period, but that time passes and in reality most mom go back to work once the kids are in school. Even the best laid out plans change. Sometimes stay at home moms HAVE to go back to the work force and having that degree can be a life-saver!!!!

 

[Orlando Vic]

An education is never a waste.

I couldn't agree more!

Any self-improvement/self-development effort is worthwhile...and sends a positive signal to one's children.

 

[pxidst119]

I am a SAHM with a bachelors degree. I don't feel that it was a waste, just that it's on hold. I know I can go back to add to it with a graduate degree without having to start from scratch. Being a SAHM is such a short time out of my overall working years. I will be using that degree again before I know it.

I worked all through college and was able to live at home so I don't have loans. If I had the loans that my sister has, I might be singing a different tune.

 

[tar heel]

I would not be the person I am if I had not gone to college. Encouraging me and providing a way for it to happen -- I'm the first person in my family to get a degree - is one of the greatest gifts my parents gave me.

I worked full-time for eight years. I then went "mommy track" for 20 years during which I worked part-time and/or freelanced. I've now been back in a full-time career for four years.

A degree increases your options and is pretty darn close to essential in 21st century America. Going to college was as natural and expected for my kids as going to high school. We would never encourage them to go to schools we/they can't afford. The University of North Carolina has 16 campuses, all of them among the best bargains in the nation, so they have a lot of choices.

 

[kyra's mommy]

I think most of us would agree that the choice to go is a smart one and being very, very careful of what you pay for tuition is equally important. It doesn't seem like anyone so far feels like they shouldn't have gone to college, only that they shouldn't have taken out loans, or gone to a private school. If you are wise and realistic then it's a great investment. I know a chiropractor who is around my age (late 30's) with a 50k plus student loan to still pay off. So, if you go to community college and then a state university and you don't pick up and then drop classes that you've paid for then it's probably a good idea. Also, I think this goes with the territory, pick a degree that can be easily used for different careers.

All of that being said... I only have an AA degree, I never finished my last year of my four year degree. However, I have an amazing job as a flight attendant and because I have worked their for 16 years I make $60 an hr. I'm lucky, but I do feel like I can't leave my job and that bothers me.

 

[CoP Luv]

DH and I both have degrees from top schools, luckily with no debt once we graduated. While we do not have kids yet, I think the plan is that I will be a SAHM once we do in a few years.

Education is never a waste. I think that we are both in great jobs making good money to set us up so we can live on one income without much hassle. Our degrees helped us get higher paying jobs, and also provided us with more than just 'book education'; going to college allowed us to live on our own to some extent and learn how to endure some of life's problems with an adult mind.

 

[SnowWtch]

I'm glad I did get my bachelors degree. The type of job I have requires you to have either a Masters or a bachelors and at least 2 years experience. DH however has a degree in Biological Illustration and it's a useless degree for this area. He hasn't had a job in 2 years b/c he has no qualifications for most jobs in this area. Sometimes it isn't a case of having a degree or not but a case of is it a useful degree to help you get a job.

 

[marie1203]

I guess we are in that position right now. We got married when I was 21 DH22. He knew he wanted to go to college but didn't know for what, until the Haiti earthquake. Know he wants to be a Doctor but plans on doing thru the military since he already has time in service. I had a good paying job in the hospitality field. I move up very quickly and got the job over people with bachelor's degree on the field because I knew so much about the system and the resort. In fact I train my boss twice. I was offer another promotion but I decided that is not the career I wanted to stick with and now I am going back to school to hopefully become a Vet. We know that when we have kids we want one of us to stay home. But that is in the future and I am not just going to give up a career because one day I might have kids. Even when we do have kids I think I will at least work part time and have my mom helps us out. As many said before don't know what is going to happen in the future and if something were to happen to DH at least I know I can provide for myself.

 

[js]

As others have said: Education is NEVER a waste. My dd is in a college prep HS and ds will also be going to college.


Haven't read all the responses, but let me ask you if you have children, specifically, girls.

That being said, to the OP (really her neighbor):

Why send our daughter's to college?