Re: I\'m calling B.S.
Life
<u>IS </u>
Educationus perpetuus!
First, I'm with Guy and Nick and the others who weighed in on the costs....PAY AS YOU GO! Do not under any circumstances mortgage your life for the Degree!
Look at education as a Journey and as with any journey, the lessons happen in many ways and places. Online classes are certainly a blessing these days and something to be embraced, especially for those of us over 40 or restarting our journies!
So, now for my 3 pennies worth on degrees:
I have considered the sheep skin as well. I have a couple of associates in science degrees in business and computers but nothing in the BS range.
In the past 25 years however, not a year goes by that I do not "take" college level courses. Granted I've not gone to any college for them nor have I sat through a bunch of lectures. It has all been independent study.
Anyhoo, before you embark on a journey of matriculation you have to really know why you are doing it.
Are you going to school because:
<ul type="square">[*] Getting a degree would satisfy a deep personal desire?
[*] It would get you a better job? (think twice about this btw as the more "degreed" people there are the less value any given degree will have. The economy is proving this point even more so now"
[*] It is a requirement for the job you want?
[*] The only place to get the basics for what you want to do is through a college degree.
[/list]
These are all good reasons to get the degree. But getting a degree does come with associated monetary and opportunity costs. You want to weigh those carefully.
On the other hand here are some good reasons to give consideration to not pursuing the degree (though you can still pursue an education)
<ul type="square">[*] Everybody has one.
[*] I will own my own company. (Education is still required but obtaining degree first is truly optional)
[*] Everybody says...
[/list]
There really is no clear cut answer. We've struggled with the question in our household for years.
For my wife (Clinical Doctorate) and Daughter (starting out but headed for PHD) the academic, matriculating path is clearly the way they need to go for what they have chosen for their vocations.
For my son, there are lots of college level subjects he needs to master but since he will be writing his own paycheck and since he can do what he wants to do without filling a job application, the prerequisite of a college degree just simply does not exist.
For him, work and night school (or night work and part-time day school) are best for his chosen path.
And, though he may progress towards a degree in the process, matriculation for matriculation's sake doesn't make any sense.
By being a non-matriculating student he can focus on the subjects most important to him and his business first and then, should he choose, round out his "academic persona" with the distribution credits later and complete the degree requirements.
In my case, I think it would be nice to finish my BS and maybe even a Masters. And for me it clearly would be mostly the distribution credits I'd need.
However, there would be little true bottom line advantage to my business to be obtained by obtaining the degree. It is not like I'll give myself a raise!
Seeking the specific knowledge that is applicable makes the most sense and that knowledge is not the exclusive domain of academia.
So for me, reading college level text books (about 3-4 a year) gives me about one semester's worth of "college" education a year. Been doing that since the late 1990's.
If you figure the math that means I've had over 10 "semesters" of college level education since then. That is 5 years of "college" which could arguably equate to a "Masters" degree, just without the sheepskin.
Here is a parting thought. We are all headed to the same destination... the grave.
Make the most of your journey to grow in a way that is meaningful to you and more importantly, in a way that makes you more effective in helping others find peace and joy on their journey.
