Is College A Waste Of Time And Money?

Bryan Caplan, author of 'The Case Against Education', explains why he believes the current education system fails and why the US should instead push for vocational education.

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[crystalevans]

One thing that is lacking in this country is paid apprenticeships. In many European countries, students who do not want to study can learn a skill by getting an apprenticeship. In the US, students are pushed into college, many end up dropping out and owe thousands of dollars in student loan debt.

[knallekalle]

You shouldn't go to college/university unless you want to get a "licensed" job, like psychiatrist, surgeon, pharmacist, lawyer etc. Besides these types of professions, college won't do you good. It's all about knowledge and skills, not formal education.

[jacklonghearse]

Go to college if you want to work for the man. Start a business instead if you want to be the man.

[jeffreymcgaw]

If you go to college and get some pointless nonemployable degree, yes.

[primeprodigy]

We’re just here because we hate college

[mylifeisamememylifeispathe]

I don't know and it's too late.

[elrey]

For most people the current form of the college experience is damaging. Some topics are outdated by the time the degree is earned such as computer courses.

Also student loans are the greatest scam in American History. The system is so broken.

[ronniep]

I have a computer science degree and have been an IT professional for 15 years now. The degree was pointless, I learned everything I needed on the job.

[alfredomant]

I'm at that point where I can't handle anymore college and the stupid subjects teachers try to show as "important" .
I'm literally learning nothing useful 🤯

[Alex__]

The thing I hate most about college are the “Core” classes. Waste of my time. It’s only mandatory because profit. The higher education excuse is bull.

[ja]

1) option 1 Go to community college first save money, transfer to a state college and get a stem degree. 2) go to trade school. 3) start a business. It's not that hard don't go to a rich expensive school. Rember it's not what you know but who you know. So.mske connections in school don't just chill like you did in high school. And don't major in art

[blackjack]

He's right but who doesn't know that already? The problem is precisely that we don't have a choice. We have to go to college. There are no reputable vocational schools to go to or other mentorship programs in mainstream higher education. Once we drop out of college its almost game over unless we want to be an artist, celebrity, or designer. (which the success rate is grim) Or the few that become billionaires and millionaires from starting their own company in tech or other fields.

And people love to blame millennials saying we whine too much and don't want to work hard. Thats actually not the case. Many people I know feel trapped in a cage because they want to be learning practical skills that are relevant in the real world but professors wants to go on and on about theories and bullshit that they accomplished 30 years ago. Funny thing is we go to class and waste our energy and time doing school work and in an amateur way study what we really want to know on our free time. I learn so much more reading a textbook at home then to go to class and listen to the professor all semester. How sad.

[bakabaka]

I never went to college, I went to trade school. Pipe welding since. 6 figures easy. No debt, Just pure money!

[husidnsoosicucyt]

I’m 15 in 9th grade and I have to do a paper on somthing and this is the topic I chose lol

[Mariofan]

I'm starting med school to become a psychiatrist next year. Therefore, education is the best thing I can get to get my family out of poverty.

[mintyjun]

Them: College is a waste of time
Me: ok
Also them: *must hire a college graduate*

[not.supermario]

I think what's sadder is the fact that I know some people who have good college degrees and are working dead end jobs. One girl has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and was hired at a major company that manufactures HVAC equipment. She works as a cashier at a grocery store and says her degree was worthless anyway.

Yeah. And somehow we're blamed for whining and not willing to work. Well, there's people with degrees whining about not getting a job.

Follow your damn heart people. That's all I can say. I dropped out of college two years ago and I don't regret it.

[alexisbrad]

Most college graduates like myself started entry level at 11_$12 an hour. That's just sad. Some managers and supervisor at Walmart start at $15. And here I am a college graduate barely making 11 as low paying bookkeeper 😓😓😓 stuck at my mama house

[meteorcat]

"Education, education, education..." is all I'm hearing, but I really got to ask why can't we just go and pay to take an exam for the theory on a specific subject whenever we want, and gain a "degree"/Certificate that way?

Like, are we seriously gonna look the biggest problem in the face and ignore it for what it is? The time that goes into said "college education" and what we actually receive from it? Not to mention the style of it and to which people it gets marketed to. People fresh out of high school.

If we take these brats, who literally know nothing about how the world well and truly works, and suddenly make them attend a 180 degree style of learning where they have to be super hard-working and basically not have a life outside of getting good grades, only listening to what's being said and making them piece together what's being said on their own accord along with social pressure to not ask questions in class in large groups, then I'd say this fails pretty hard, and isn't really education anymore.

This year, I went to attend college due to various reasons, but I am also making it my last year. I wholly and fully tried, but the style of rapid paced classes with very little emphasis on making sure your students have each individually understood a subject and or form of question, is not something I condone. The only thing that does is induce extreme amounts of stress in students, not to mention ones that aren't even over 20.

[BhagyanagarRE]

With a Masters in banking and finance... The very first day I walked into office and I was introduced to team I was going to work with.. I understood what a waste of years was my formal education was.. Man, I was working as an financial analyst and guy sitting next was a bachelor in technology (computer science engineer) with an executive MBA...

We see many commerce and technology graduates working at call center's..

PS : if you are a student, pls focus on adding different skills to ur curriculum.. Don't waste time in ur college campus with buddies... Becoz in job market Skill and experience as the last say..