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Is College A Waste of Time?

Discussion in 'General Support and Advice' started by twospiritlycan, Oct 26, 2013.

  1. I wanted to earn an education in music, but my family thought it wouldn't be a good idea. Are certain degrees in college just a waste of time?
     
  2. ShadowSpirit26

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    Well every degree is useful and important in it's own way, but if you want to get into a music career, a degree in science would be useless. See what I mean?

    Once you figure out exactly what you want to do, then look online for degrees that would be useful in that field. College is not necessary for all aspects of life, but it could help. Im going to college in a few months, and I can't wait. Another thing to think about though, is that it's always good to have a back up plan even when your 100% sure you won't fail. For example, if you were getting a major in music, a bachelors in another subject that is either different or complimentary to your major would be a good idea. You could also just get a bachelor's and an associates, or two bachelor's, and so on. Hope this helped.
     
  3. gravechild

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    It's never a waste of time if you generally enjoy the learning experience and have realistic expectations. Some people go in hoping it'll lead to a higher paying career, then end up with thousands in debt; others don't know what they want to do with their lives, and decide to do something instead of nothing.

    I'm majoring in something often deemed "useless" or "esoteric", at best, and while there are many sites dedicated to explaining what career paths are possible, I'd also be okay finding employment outside of the field, because that's not what I'm studying for. I generally like the opportunity to interact with and discuss topics with professionals in the topic, to share with others who want to know more, and to keep up-to-date with the newest findings. Yes, a lot of it can be learned outside of school, but without that focus and depth provided, it would take me a lot more time and effort to end up in the same place.

    Ultimately, it's about what you can and are willing to do with your education that counts, not what others think. For me, it's a life-long passion, so any time spent in the classroom can only help me find personal fulfillment in the long-term. The question you should ask yourself is why you're doing it, what you hope get out of it, and how the opinions of others matter, when it's your desire to study music?
     
  4. apostrophied

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    Music degrees aren't useless, you can use them to teach! Obviously, if your master plan is to become a world-famous concert musician and nothing else, well, maybe that's a little, er, ambitious. But everyone needs music teachers, and you can teach from home. Caveat: from personal experience, I can tell you that although it pays well per hour, you're always limited in the number of hours you teach (after school, evenings, Saturdays, and Sundays if you're really tough, but you'll have to find something else to fill your weekday mornings). As a result, most music teachers aren't exactly rich (but you can do okay).

    So I wouldn't say it's a waste. :slight_smile:
     
  5. fortheloveoflez

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    Generally speaking, there are degrees that are more employable than others. In the United States college is a very expensive thing. I don't think college is a waste at all if YOU take advantage of what it has to offer by going to class, talking to professors, putting a descent effort, networking, going to school fairs etc. You just need to be realistic about what that degree will get you in the end.

    But even if you don't who am I to judge?
     
  6. Caleb93

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    I'm currently in the process of making this same decision. I've already completed a year of college, but I had to drop out for this semester to work so that I can afford to go back.

    I think it really depends on your situation. College isn't for everybody. If you or your family happen to be well-off and paying for school isn't an issue, then going to college is probably a good idea. If, however, you can't afford school without taking out a bunch of loans, then I would definitely consider other options. In this economy, you're not guaranteed to get a job that pays well, even if you have a degree. Do you want to run the risk of piling up student loan debt and then getting stuck in a low-wage job? Depending on your chosen career field, it might be worth the risk. But for others, maybe not. Definitely something to think about.
     
  7. TeaLover

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    It's only a waste of time if you're doing something you don't like or want to pursue after. There will always be this question of how will you get employability and if it is worth it. If you have a passion for something, I believe you have to follow it because if you force yourself into something else you won't feel fulfilled.
     
  8. apostrophied

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    What do you plan on doing with your degree in music? If you want to teach to make a living, I'd say go for it. However, choose the most affordable college you can get, as teaching music is not the most lucrative business ever (but you can make an ok living off of it if you work hard and gain experience). If you want to become, say, a concert pianist, well, that's a stickier one. Unless you're in the top 0.5% of pianists out there, chances are you'd be [financially] better off doing something else...

    Take it from a piano teacher whose mom has a music degree... It's not an easy field, mind you there are no easy fields anymore I think.

    Good luck!
     
  9. ioden

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    That depends on the goals that you set up and the things that need to be done to achieve it. I don't know the music industry very deep, therefore I can't give you an accurate answer. But in my case, as a poli sci student, my future degree works because my carreer is very research oriented, and degrees (PhD, MBA, etc.) are very appreciated in the research world. I don't see, however, that a politician needs a degree as much as a political scientist. Politicians such as Malala Yousafzai are making great political changes without having or needing such degrees. Anyway, it still helps for a politician to study poli sci since you get a good scientific knowledge of politics, though that knowledge can be acquired elsewhere. So, your goals and the things that need to be done to achieve will tell you if you need it or not.
     
  10. Chip

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    In the US, a huge part depends on the cost, who's paying, and how much student debt is involved.

    I think the schools do a terrible job of explaining to students that, unless parents are footing the entire bill, or there's a lot of scholarship money the student is going to take on a large amount of debt.

    At many better private colleges and universities, it can be $50,000 a year all in for tuition, room/board, books, etc. So that's about $200,000 for a 4 year education. And if you take loans for a large part of that, you might, after work/study jobs and other contributions, end up financing $150,000. That's debt that you can't discharge or get away from, even by declaring bankruptcy. So you're stuck with it for life, until you pay it off, and the interest rates can be anywhere from 4 or 5% per year to 16% per year or more.

    So what you have to look at is, what's your earning potential, and what's the job outlook with the education you're seeking. Schools are cutting non-academic programs left and right, and music and arts are often the first things to be cut, so finding a job as a school music teacher may not be easy. Even if you do, starting pay for teachers isn't very good (sometimes as little as $12-14/hour), and if you're paying off $150K of student debt, you're going to be living in your parents' basement, taking on a second job, or in a tiny apartment with 3 or 4 other people in order to make ends meet between your student loans, rent, food, and basic expenses.

    That's really the test you need to apply. While there's certainly value in having a degree in political science, religion, music, drama, dance, and the like... the likelihood of finding work in your field that will be enough to pay off a large student loan, plus allow you a decent standard of living is pretty slim, so it would probably not be a wise idea.

    Now... if parents or someone is paying everything for you, or you're going to a really inexpensive school, or you have another way to pay for everything, then it's a different story. But I find that most people don't really think through what it means to be in that amount of debt and unable to discharge that debt.
     
  11. ioden

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    ^That's very true!
     
  12. Case

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    I don't believe it is a waste of time. I never thought about college until my senior year because I didn't think I was college material. I had a mentor that pushed me into applying and find grants to pay for most of it. Even though I may not be working in the trade now that I went to college for, I'm' still grateful I went through the whole experience. To me, college is a life experience that you shouldn't miss. I met life long friends and became apart of things I never would have imagined. It's not just about the degree to me. It's about everything else. I do have debt, but to me it was all worth it. If I could go back I would definitely change my major, I had no idea what I wanted to major in at 17, but I'm happy that I did manage to graduate in 4 years with my BA. If you asked me 7 years ago if I thought I was going to college, I would have said 'no way'. I didn't have the grades or the money. But I did it, and I'm grateful. It wasn't a waste for me.

    I know college isn't for everyone, it wasn't for my brother. But if you feel that it is worth it for you, then go for it.

    If you have a passion for something then you are one step further then a lot of people headed to college who are undecided.

    I say go for it, but that's me. Good luck in what ever path you choose :slight_smile: