Please tell me WHY you go (or went) and WHAT you expect to get out of it? WHAT type of job or career? And most importantly HOW MUCH MONEY do you expect to earn? What skills; talents; attributes; abilities do you expect to exit college with?
(I’ve tried this question before but always get evasive and defensive answers.) And …lest you make any presumptions about me… I earn a healthy 6 figure (approaching 7) income every year. I am a prolifically published author; professional public speaker; web designer; programmer; forex investor; real estate investor; video producer; marketing consultant; legal consultant and have effectively altered legislation in my state. I’ve designed study aids for college students and a number of teaching programs. I could say MUCH more but I do NOT have a college degree …in anything and have taught myself everything that I know (with the aid of courses, seminars; books; classes; independent research; etc!)
By the way …my son is 19, has not finished high school yet and I encourage him to take those few classes and get his diploma because he’s extremely smart. But he is too busy earning MUCH more than most college graduates EVER will in his own candy sales business and he doesn’t see the point. He has over 20 employees now and may hire some college graduates to help him run it eventually.
I expect to get knowledge and the ability to learn more from college – nothing more, nothing less. I could, as well, learn without a college. I find it easier when surrounded by a community of scholars.
The purpose of an education is not, and never has been, to earn more money. The "earn more money" crowd is doomed to fail in that goal and while doing so will dilute the value of colleges for those of us that want to learn for the sake of knowledge. The purpose of college is not to lead to a career – that’s the purpose of a trade or vocational school.
There’s no need to endlessly debate the point – some people simply earn more money than others and that has nothing at all to do with whether they have a college degree but instead whether they have marketable skills or knowledge. It’s just that, as a generality, people with a college degree have more valuable marketable skills. It’s proven and factual – not really subject to debate except by those that want to believe "all people are equal".
Some people gain their skill outside of a college – some inside. Some study and work for a lifetime and never acquire any knowledge that’s marketable. It’s just the way things are.
Sure, there are stories out there of a lot of people that do just fine with no college degree. There are homeless college grads. There are rich grads – and poor non-grads too.
You see, college does not equal money. Wealth does not equal college. It’s good that you and your son have done well without a formal education. Congrats. It’s also good that some people study biochemistry or medicine (not easily learned ‘on your own’) so that they can keep you alive. It’s good that some people fix cars or repair your plumbing. They are important contributors to society too.
Bottom line – you’re discussing apples and oranges. I sometimes walk barefoot and don’t hurt my feet, therefor shoes are unnecessary for everyone? Doesn’t work that way. If you have no need for a college education then that’s ok – some people have a need or desire for one, that’s ok too.
If it’s important though – "How much money I expect to earn": I can walk into any town in the world and have sufficient means to eat and be sheltered. I will have enough to supply all of my personal needs and the needs of my family. I will never be hungry or homeless unless everyone else is in the same condition. This is due directly to my education. What I collect that I don’t need for my own familial support I then give away.
Let me now ask, instead of how much money you’ve collected, what have you done to benefit the society of man? How much of that wealth will you have the day after you die? What will be said of you at your eulogy – will it be "but he had a lot of money, wonder how much I’ll inherit" Is it really important that you earn six-figures? You’re still not the richest person in the world – does that mean you’re a failure?
The other question is why are you so against college education? That’s the only real reason to write what you have written. You won’t ever convince society that gaining more knowledge is a waste of time any more than you’ll convince everyone that life is all about collecting the most gold. We can point to millionaires that never finished high school – do you also propose that we don’t need a HS level education because some people have succeeded without one?
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