Do you have a college degree?

lol! Trade school all the way. Not everyone is destined for college. I have an electrical engineering degree and did quite well. But I'm wired for that career.

I wish schools would bring back wood, metal, automotive shops. These are badly needed trades and the art of each skill is disappearing.

Getting a PhD in literature would be for someone who wants to be a literature professor. That isn't representative of what most people who go to college would do.

The problem is that a four-year degree is required for many jobs, but realistically those jobs could be done without one. College used to be about education for education's sake. Now it's a "job factory", but it doesn't really even do that. It just saddles people with debt and unrealistic expectations. I for one think college should go back to be about learning, not about how much money you expect to make afterward. Of course then it wouldn't cost as much because there wouldn't be as much demand...

My job is marginally related to what I studied, but not entirely. I have no student debt and I'm happy with my line of work. I wouldn't do anything differently. I still remember much of what I learned, which I chose to study because it was what I was passionate about.

College is worthwhile for many .. but $200k debt to do it is kinda nuts unless to be a doctor, lawyer, etc with very high income potential. Trades are a very viable alternative these days.

There are many ways to get some or full tuition paid .. National Guard (my younger son), G.I. Bill, employer tuition reimbursement programs, government programs that offer tuition for commitment to work government job for a period after graduation, scholarships, grants etc.. You don't have to go the $200k loans route.

Exactly. I have a niece with a liberal arts PhD and massive debt. My cousin's grandson has a VoTech certification and works fulltime welding, making $75/hour.

Perhaps depends upon that career you strived to achieve....your interest...the field in which it applies...what you need to legit get there. Lots of variations. Much respect to all electricians. Wish my dept level matched but you know ... I'd still buy any of them a drink a kick it. 😎

Well it's definitely smarter to not have the debt but I can tell you the route that I want to get mine my job paid for me to go to school through tuition reimbursement so when I got out of school I had no debt whatsoever and still had a great degree from a great School

I have a bachelor's and have used very little of what I learned

fortunately I lived at home and it was a lot cheaper in the 1970s

if I had it to do over I'd get some trade school

Where do you earn that much as an electrician ?????

PS ... I'm in the trades

I have a Bachelors degree in construction management. It paid off.

I confess I would not have bothered getting degrees in America. Between the student debt and the questionable hiring practices it pays better to be a plumber or sparky..😷

Also it's funny that you said he's an electrician cuz my degree is in electrical engineering

Is he anywhere near New York City or will he be anywhere near New York City if he is with his skill set I can get him a job very easily paying a nice Hefty sum

Trade school

Nope I barely got my GED lol

Message me when you get a chance

The latter

2 yesrs of Film photography, but that was years before digital cameras

The only thing a PhD in anything qualifies you to do at the end of it all is to become a University Professor. There is otherwise nothing you are qualified to do after having received a college diploma or a university degree.

Trade school on the other hand, qualifies you to do something very specific as you've pointed out with your son's experience.

in todays society unless you have a career goal that requires college a trade is a good option

In this day and age, go with the trades. The left has corrupted education and now graduate students with a useless degree that can't get them and entry level job.

Literature degree isn't the way to go anywhere so,,,

Those college degree jobs are the first ones AI is going to take.