<p>Are degrees ever a “waste of time”?</p>
<p>Every degree encourages you to be analytical, to pursue your interests, meet like-minded people and expand your mind in whatever direction you want to take it.</p>
<p>A degree has worth in itself, it doesn’t have to come with careers attached.</p>
<p>Or does it?</p>
<p>I say get the career one first. Then later if you want to get the other one</p>
<p>You could also do outside learning as a hobby if you are interested in something that won’t get you a job that you want. You can check out library books or watch free video podcasts, for example. Out of the degrees that do lead to what you would consider desirable jobs, you can choose the one that interests you the most.</p>
<p>Of course, any college degree will give you the bragging right that you attended college and give you the “college experience,” as well as allow you to expand you social circle.</p>
<p>I don’t feel like college is ever a waste of time. “Learn like you’re going to live forever” and all that.</p>
<p>I learn for learning sake all the time…library…reading textbooks when there is nothing else to do…nothing wrong with being well rounded.</p>
<p>Personally, I do feel that the academic side of college is a waste of time. However, I do think that it’s all relative to the person. I feel that the stuff you learn in college is going to be forgotten in the next five years (assuming you stop at college and don’t continue to grad school). I mean when am I ever going to use chemistry again? When I’m going to use integral calculus again? I love math (it’s my major), but I honestly don’t see when I’m going to use it again, unless I obviously go to grad school for math. I mean there are things you can take away from college, like learning to tolerate people, networking, etc, but overall, I think the academics are pointless (again, assuming you stop at college and don’t go to higher level education) especially when you can learn what you learn in college on your own.</p>
<p>But whatever. It’s what it’s.</p>
<p>There are people that go to college to get a trust fund, those that go to get a career, and those that go to seek enlightenment.</p>
<p>Personally if I was going just for enlightenment I would either major in something I enjoyed, or just skip college all together and spend the money seeing the world (the good parts, not the nasty or scum filled parts, just the ones with beaches and …</p>
<p>… white people</p>
<p>
Did scholars in their respective fields suddenly cease to exist? Do you really think you can learn anything you want from reading books? Having someone to discuss material with has been as important to me as reading the material itself. Why do you think people who want to go to school for subjects like music and philosophy make their decisions based on the strength of the department? A self-studied cellist would never measure up to Mstislav Rostropovich, nor would an untrained mathematician or philosopher measure up to Gottlob Frege.</p>
<p>I agree with zchryevns, my tutors are highly intelligent writers and thinkers, and my own work could never have advanced on my own.</p>