<p>We stress so much over the right college, paying for it, etc. But does it even pay to send kids to college, since many of them can't find jobs after graduation. I read this today: The Questionable Valuie of a College Education Investor</a> Uprising - Noreen Seebacher - The Questionable Value of a College Education </p>
<p>What do you guys think?</p>
<p>Even the article states that:</p>
<p>The average college grads will have a net gain of $550,000 over their lifetime (even factoring in the cost of college attendance) compared to those with a high school diploma, but it’s not a guarantee. Work-life earnings tend to be much higher for undergraduate majors requiring numerical competencies (computers and engineering) than other fields of study (education and liberal arts), the study found.</p>
<p>Depending on what you actually pay for your education and the resulting job, I can see where it might not pay for some people. But I would think that in general it’s still worth it. The graduates may not have jobs now but the question is what kind of jobs will they have ten years from now? </p>
<p>If they do end up in better paying job, was it worth for the five years they worked part-time and the tuition they paid? I think a lot will be how much they liked the kind of jobs that you can get without a degree. (I’m saying that all jobs that require a degree should, I’m just saying that’s what the situation is.) </p>
<p>[Facts</a> About the Income of Graduates](<a href=“http://www.ohe.state.mn.us/tPg.cfm?pageID=948]Facts”>http://www.ohe.state.mn.us/tPg.cfm?pageID=948)
[Education</a> pays …](<a href=“http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_chart_001.htm]Education”>http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_chart_001.htm)</p>
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<p>I agree. I know six adults in real life who are working to get their college degree now due to reaching a ceiling in their job. All of them are planning on sending their kids to college right out of high school. A couple have done so already.</p>
<p>A student may not actually use their degree for their job, but sometimes having that piece of paper means quite a bit.</p>
<p>Personally, I’m one that values a college degree for more than the piece of paper, so my guys are going anyway and I don’t really care if they end up using their degree or not. Of course, I say this knowing they are academically capable. If there were academic issues, I might choose differently. My oldest is in college and loving it. My middle son goes next year. My youngest is eagerly looking forward to it.</p>
<p>But we’re also not paying 200K nor taking out that much in loans. ;)</p>
<p>Definitely agree that it’s more than just a piece of paper. I was a history major and my son is leaning towards classics–ancient Greek just isn’t in demand they way it once was.</p>
<p>And taking out reasonable students loans can be a good investment. My husband and I couldn’t have gone to school (state university) without the loans. Because of the loans, we can afford to send our son to a private school with him getting a merit award and taking out only a federal loan. I think people get into trouble when they take out more than just what they can get through the federal program. The only way to finance a $50,000 a year tuition strictly by loans is by taking out private loans and that’s not something easily paid back. BTW, we’ll finish paying off our loans this month, my son’s freshman year in college and anyway you want to calculate it, it was worth it.</p>
<p>The question cannot be genral. The question could be only if college worth to you or not. It totally depends on your personal goals. So, how strangers like us to answer personal question without any kind of background in regard to your circumstances and goals? Some are going to college to get married. They are looking for specific type of spouse and some even narrow search at specific colleges. Others have unlimited resources and going for general education, worth it or not is completely irrelevant to them, they can quit at any time if they wish so. Third are going to get UG degree that is required by Grad. School, Law School, Med. School…, they cannot skip college. Third are going because their employer is paying, why not? I am example of this. Still another group (majority) is going to gain employment in positions that require at least UG degree (again, I have position, that I would not be hired for if I did not have UG degree). There are many reasons for going to college as well as there are many reasons for skipping it. There are definitely no general answer that fits everybody. BTW, yes, the best is to go for free (3 out of 4 of my family members got UG degree for free, 2 - employers paid, 1 - Merit awards).</p>