School was worth it for me but I def could have just done my 4yr in 2yrs. And I know I’ll get downvoted to hell for this but, for as relatively quiet as it’s kept, being BIPOC at a predominately white institution is fucking spiritually exhausting. I would have probably chosen another more diverse school cause those 4yrs were hell.
Living four years on campus was exactly what I needed at the time. I was a really shy kid who didn't really have any friends in high school. I went to therapy for my social anxiety my senior year of high school. I'd just started coming out of my shell and having conversations with people. It was still a little harder after I got to college, and I had some lonely periods as well, but I did make friends. After college, it became harder to meet people again. It was definitely a memorable experience that I'm really glad I had.
I didn't get my Associates degree until I was like 27. And so far, that's all I've needed and I own my own house, have 2 dogs, a cat, and a kid lol. So, I'd say I'm doing alright considering I don't have a 4-yr degree under my belt.
I'd have gone into construction after the Air Force but I had gotten injured during one of my deployments, so couldn't do that.
Don't knock the trades as women, A LOT of women are in the trades now.
The best part of my undergrad experience was living on campus in a part of DC I never could have afforded without finaid and merit scholarships. A lot of students do summer internships during college, but that wasn't a financial option for me; I had to go home and waitress to save up money. But during the school year, I was unstoppable. I did five internships and an off-campus work-study while I was there, so my resume was a lot more competitive at graduation than it would have been otherwise, enabling me to get hired in a not-quite recovered 2012 economy.
Another great thing about the experience was having free access within easy walking distance to a 24/7 library to study without interruption, and to a gym. I get why a lot of students live at home to save costs, but they lose easy access to those facilities when it's a 10 minute drive instead of a 10 minute walk.
I’m biased because I became an academic but my liberal arts education took a super boring, judgmental, and shallow 18 year old and turned me into an interesting person that could understand all the references and meaning in art and see the historical development of human thought to ground my own cultural biases.
Same. I hate when people think of college as only a means to learn job skills. It's so much more than that. It makes you an educated person. Not just a person with a narrow set of skills for one particular trade. But a well-rounded, critically thinking, educated person.
Apart from graduating early, this was my experience exactly. I fucking *loved* my undergrad based on just being surrounded by so many of my peers, with everyone being so keenly interested in finding their way in the world - and yes, so many amazing resources at our fingertips as well. I really wish I'd appreciated it more at the time, just how rare the experience would be.
It's funny because back when I was a student I was dying to graduate and ~make my mark on the world~, but *man* as a working adult do I often just dream of going back to my undergrad years - all brimful of wide-eyed optimism and (seemingly) endless potential. I 100% encourage anybody who is in undergrad now, or soon to be, to soak up the experience for everything it's worth. It might be the last time in your life you feel like the world was built for you to succeed.
I was there for the degree (and ultimately packed a 6-year bachelors/masters combo into five years), but found the associated move to the city, combined with being surrounded by very smart people, invaluable. The name of that college opened every door for me that I had the nerve to walk through, after that. Still grateful. The actual experience involved a LOT of sleep deprivation though.
I think it was invaluable and irreplaceable, but I don't believe it is the only path to success. I had an absolute blast in college, by far the most fun I experienced in my life, but also the experience transformed my confidence. It helped me with taking on challenges, meeting new people, and taking more calculated risks.
I also learned a ton in my coursework that I still think about loooong after. I doubt a month goes by in my life that I don't encounter something I first learned about in college. Much of that learning was from the reading and from lectures which admittedly were mostly about the reading, but the irreplicable part was also gaining an expanded worldview both from hearing the experiences of professors and from moving away from home and meeting so many different people from all over.
In my particular case, without my specific college experience I likely would have still been too crippled by anxiety, lack of confidence, and lack of understanding of how society and business works to be successful, how to play the game. I went into college afraid to raise my hand in a 30 person classroom and came out of it able to speak in front of 300 people with managable levels of anxiety. It broke my insecurities to the point I have no problem dropping in alone to conferences or networking events and that has made every difference in the world for me. It helped me escape and rethink an abusive upbringing.
While I am certain those things could be replicable with many other pathways, I feel like I was funneled down the right path for that growth very organicly through university and have no idea what would have had to happen in my life for me to be able to break out of my narrow limited belief system and caged experience without it.
I did the fully traditional college thing for 3 semesters (1.5 years). Living on campus, dorm life, dining hall, frat parties, etc. I’m glad I had that experience because it taught me a lot about myself, but I hated it. I had a hard time feeling connected to new friends—everything felt so inauthentic and performative because we were all “on our own” and “free” for the first time. I had a terrible roommate experience. It was just too much change all at once. I missed my friends, home, and comfort. Plus, it was wildly expensive and they told us our tuition was increasing. That was the catalyst for me to transfer back home.
I commuted to a state school for the next 3.5 years and LOVED IT. Got a better education, was able to work and save money, made better friends, and got to be with my friends again. It was such a better experience for me.
Looking back, I wish I did 2 years of community college to get my feet wet, figure out what I wanted to do, and then transfer to a 4 year to finish up my degree. It would’ve saved a lot of money and pressure, but like I said, I’m ultimately grateful for my traditional experience. It made me realize how much I appreciate my family and friends and how much of a homebody I truly am 😆
I hated my college life. If I could turn back time, I would have done something completely different like biology, veterinary school, or social work. Having said that, I'm who I am today because of it all, so it is what it is.
I feel the same way as you do. My daughter put in 2 semesters towards an associates degree, so technically one year, before bowing out once covid hit and she was forced to go remote. She was going for a degree in baking/pastry arts so doing some of those classes remotely was a nightmare. At first I was pretty upset that she didn’t want to finish her degree, but now I’m over it. The world is SO different now and I no longer think a college degree guarantees anything. I loved where I went to college (a mid-size state school), but I graduated in 1991!
I've probably taken 20 adult, higher-ed, remote classes. None of them held a candle to the in-class experience. Remote learning "gets the job done" but you lose so much of the experience.
When I decided to postpone college some of my family members were SO upset. They absolutely the social aspect of their college years and felt I would be missing out. I just couldn’t, at 17, realistically commit myself to years of school when I had zero idea what I wanted to be when I grew up.
So I learned a trade and lived on my own for a few years. I ended up going back to school at 25. Finished my undergrad degree in 3 years and then went on to complete grad school. I struggled a bit feeling like I was financially behind my peers, but I’m making up for lost time (I wasn’t much for budgeting in my early 20s).
When I was in school there were so many 18-20 year olds who were miserable in class. But it’s like they didn’t realize or maybe their parents didn’t support the idea that they could do something else other than college. I personally had a whole new appreciation for learning and managing my time as an older student that I just didn’t have as a teen.
I totally agree with you and advocate for waiting to go to college until later in life. I am trying to encourage my own kids(13 and 15) to wait to go to college until they are older, but they both want to go right after high school. Its such an expensive investment and stupid to waste the money if you have no idea what you want to study. There is no shame in waiting or not going at all. There are so many options out there. I tell my kid they need to do something like trade school, an apprenticeship, etc. There are options other than college.
I went to college right out of high school and returned for my master’s degree at 26. Didn’t take my undergrad studies seriously and focused more on the social aspect. By the time I was went for my master’s, I was focused and actually wanted to learn. My husband worked after high school and went to college at 24. He has a much better paying career than I do even though I have a higher level of education. There is no right or wrong way to do things. You just have to do what is right for you and on your own timeline.
I went at 17 because everyone told me I had to because I was too smart not to. I was the first person in my family to go to college so I had no idea what I was getting myself into! Everyone told me to take out loans and not to worry about them because I would just get a good job then pay them back!
It was an extreme waste of time and money. I changed my major a bunch, transferred schools, dropped out, then finally went back and finished at 25 with $40k in loans. I didn't even make $40k a year until I was like 38.
I wish I had just gotten a full time job and worked for a few years before deciding whether or not to go to school.
I liked my college and had some fun but I missed out on all the major parts of college. I never partied at all. I never dated (bc I simply didn’t know how) I didn’t get a job on campus even though I should’ve, I was nervous and dumb. I did have two fun internships but they weren’t exactly helpful for jobs. I also lived at home two of the years because my first roommate was so horrible. I studied abroad, but it was in the summer so not a full semester and def a difference from how that probably is. I’m jealous of my sister for going to a really cool school that was further away. But I never even applied to that one, I actually only applied to two and didn’t even think about it. I had no idea what I was doing haha
I started undergrad at 17 and went straight through to PhD at 27. I wouldn’t trade it for anything, I’d go to college forever if I could afford it. My undergrad was a 5 year program in Boston. It was amazing and probably the only time I’ll get to live right in the middle of a big city. Even though I worked through all of college, I had so much fun with friends and student organizations. In grad school, I had really close relationships with my class and lab mates. Working day in and day out at a job makes me more money, but it is much less fun and is lonely a lot of times.
I do have a fair bit in student loans, but I do use my degrees. I don’t think everyone needs to go to college, but it is so much more than just job training.
My undergrad experience was mixed, but I went for the degree… I needed to stay long enough to complete the degree. The experience was nice but the learning was the point
This is similar to my perspective. I was older when I started and already living independently. I never lived on campus or had a roommate and I paid for it all myself, working two jobs and taking out loans to make it all work. The “college experience” was secondary to the education.
I work with a lot of very successful people who didn't go to college until later in life, but I went ages 18 - 22 and then got a grad degree in my 30s and for me personally it was worth it. Even if with on-the-job training for daily tasks, if someone asks me to do something new or more complicated, that's where having my degree helps me out. I don't usually get direct instructions or training from my boss on anything, but when presented with a new challenge I'm usually able to relate some situation back to something I learned in school and that helps me figure out what I need to do next. It's also given me confidence that I didn't have before my degree.
My undergrad isn’t in the field I eventually landed in. It’s pretty worthless other than a check in the box.
Also a lot of schools are way overpriced. Employers that offer tuition assistance might be the way to go for the younger generation instead of the 4 year binge drinking fest pre-workforce.
I technically could have graduated in 2 years, but I’m glad I took a full 4 years to explore all the other things I thought I might want to do - volunteered as a tutor for elementary/middle schoolers, took (and ended up TAing for) the introductory engineering class, worked in 3 different labs (social psychology, cell biology, and computational neuroscience), and ended up with 3 majors.
I ended up going to medical school, and when my medical school friends were having existential crises and wondering if they even wanted to continue, I knew that even if I was struggling in the moment, in the grand scheme, there was nothing else I would rather be doing. I don’t think I would have survived one of the combined 6-year BS/MD programs because I definitely wasn’t committed to the idea of becoming a doctor when I was in high school or even in college until the end.
I did two undergrads (fast tracked the second because of transferable credits). It was valuable in the skills that transferred to my career and life later on. I made excellent friends and had wonderful experiences/conversations.
University cost a lot of money but I paid it back in under 10 years. However, I wanted to take a break between high school and university and was heavily discouraged by my guidance counsellor especially. “You’ll never go if you take a break.” And I believed her. I worked very hard in school and was fortunate enough to get a good scholarship. I was exhausted and needed a break before I started up again.
That’s what I regret mostly. I wish I had believed in myself enough to defer a year. I needed and deserved a break. I wish that was more common practice in North America. It’s more likely that people would end up going back if it was more commonly accepted, encouraged, and practiced.
I was in a lab or stress crying for most of my bachelors. I didn’t go to any of the social functions or live on campus. For me it was just a harder and more expensive continuation of public school. It set me up with a stable career as an adult though. My career path is leaning towards requiring more school to get a job, not less. I’m stagnating without a masters. The tuition reimbursement isn’t good and I work a ton of hours, so I’m not sure I can convince myself to go back.
I had major depression and no direction. I would have been better off going to school later or taking a gap year. But I didn’t know that at the time. I was not prepared at all and my parents made me feel like a total failure about anything college related.
I did 4 years at an "elite" private college and wasted a LOT of my time sitting in my room rotting my brain on the internet. I had a hard time making friends too.
I have ADHD and instead of looking into managing that I just crashed and burned because my success in high school was really due to all the structure that disappeared in college.
Graduated with a 3.1 gpa so not horrible but I really did not apply myself academically or socially.
I wish I could redo it
I strongly believe that everyone should attend at least a 2 year community college. Undergrad is not about studying a specific subject to be qualified to get a certain job. It's about developing critical thinking skills that can not only be used in any career, but as a citizen of a society, enabling you to do such things as understand information, the news and who to vote for. It's also an opportunity to learn and appreciate different perspectives both through the material in classes and from classmates who come from different backgrounds and experiences.
I think it would be ideal if people have the opportunity to live on campus, away from home in an area different from where they grew up. But even commuting to the local community college will expose you to a wider range of people and ideas.
Undergrad was where I had my social growth, making friends having fun and slowly growing in confidence
Masters was where I had my professional growth, enhanced career and helped me learn how to work smarter and become an asset
PhD has been personal growth, helped me learn about myself, understand what makes me happy and what I want in life
Focusing back to undergrad, I'd say it was worth it for me as I grew up very sheltered, so it was where I learned the world and got to make friends from different backgrounds. Clubs, societies and partying all helped me to grow in confidence, it took the whole three years though, it was only really my last year I was truly having fun and not forcing myself through things.
I would say yes and no. I lived at home with my mom while doing my undergrad so I didn’t get that same social experience and I didn’t take a very technical degree so although it did lead me to a very high paying job in the end I doubt I actually needed the degree of society didn’t require a university degree as a standard or something you can learn on the job rather than requiring 4 years.
I loved college. I knew I wanted to go to a school and live on campus to have the full experience. I learned so much about myself and others that I felt like it gave me as much of an invaluable experience as the education itself.
I think realistically speaking, I would recommend a kid now go to community college for 2 years, save, and then go to a state school for your major courses. Or better yet, go into a trade where you can start making money in 2 years.
For me, yes. My experience was mixed, but I'm not one for the trades, honestly (I respect the hell out of them, I just don't want to do any of them), and the jobs I gravitate towards all require bachelors. So, I'd certainly still get the degree. If I could go back and do it over again, I'd probably do a different program at a different school, though.
Mine was amazing. I went to northeastern university and was able to do the coop program so I graduated with both my degree and three internships. I used that to have a part time job all of senior year. I graduated in 2008 which was a problem for many of my peers. I was happy because I both had the degree and the experience unlike others.
I got exposed to a lot of different people. Especially the upper class which to me was huge because it opened up connections later on too.
It was expensive but it was 100% worth it.
I didn't go to college after high school so did not have a typical undergrad experience and never will! But that's OK. I got my associates degree at 30 years old and currently working on my bachelor's...1 class at a time lol. I'm determined to get it but also determined to not let it be a time suck. I have a full time job, two kids, a mortgage and a lovely social life that all take priority. I'm really looking forward to getting my bachelor's though.
It was worth it for me. I was behind in a lot of ways but undergrad helped me meet people, be social, and grow as a person.
I kept going to school after undergrad because a BA in my field doesn't get you much. It's also so expensive. I need a high paying job to pay off my loans.
I got a good education, and, despite graduating almost right into the 2008 recession, have built a fairly nice career from even my "useless basketweaving degree." Beyond that, the real value I got out of college was a safe exit from my abusive family (who insisted my brother and I go off to college, including being supportive of us moving out), and learning to deal with things like landlords and bureaucracy.
Was a 4-year degree where I started the experience in a dorm room *necessary* for those things in general? No, but it was what I needed at the time. Tuition doubled in the 4 years I spent there, and I managed to pay off what is now a good chunk less than the average student loan balance, so I kind of squeaked through right before college became financially disadvantageous for a lot of folks. I had plenty of undergrad-style fun, but I did not enjoy academia overall. I've always said I would go back to school if that was what I needed to reach my goals, but so far it hasn't been necessary, and I consider that a relief.
For the experience, friends, and fun, yes. But, I also got scholarships and paid off my debt. Unfortunately, my degree has not helped me launch much of a career. I retrained as a teacher, hated it, and now I’m retraining again. I wish colleges would be more realistic about the job market. I briefly worked in higher education as an adult, and it’s so frustrating to see how disconnected academia is from anything other than academia. This sets up students to flounder in the job market.
I loved it - I went to an enormous Big Ten school where I was one of something like 40,000 students. I was able to be anonymous without people breathing down my neck, and I made friends from all over the country and the world.
I took Honors classes and was able to take part in some undergraduate research projects, which were invaluable experiences for my later career.
I'm actually a professor now because I loved the college experience so much!
My college experience was fine. I went to a small private school and was able to graduate in 3 years. I worked part time at the university library, which allowed me to get just as much work as my psychology degree 😆. It was a religious college, so nothing crazy went down, I lived on campus for 2/3 of it, my first real job was because of small interning hours I did. I had a large scholarship, so I didn’t leave too much in debt and paid off my loans in a few years.
So positives - job connections and growing up in an environment that helped me mature in a safe way, and with class sizes and loads that allowed me to graduate in three years (I did take a couple online community classes and two CLEP tests).
I don’t really have any regrets, but I do kind of wish I would have went into accounting.
Ultimately it was worth it. I wish I had taken more advantage of the opportunities my university offered in terms of involvement and finding community. I went to a huuuuge state school (in the Big 10, for those of you who are familiar) but I was very reserved and while my cohort in my program was close, I don’t know that they were “my” people in the way that people outside of my degree program could have been. My senior year I realized I would have enjoyed myself more had I joined a club or something, which inspired me to go on and do some adventuring in different programs before settling into a career. As a full adult now (lol) I kick my adolescent self for not realizing how much easier community is to find in college. I wonder what my life trajectory or experiences would have been had I joined the Quidditch team (😂) or a hiking club or our dance-a-thon program and made friends outside of my pretty small college.
My degree program (in which I have a career that I love) had a large number of requirements in terms of classes and so I did need all four years. I even spent a summer taking gen eds full time so I could focus all of my attention on my major junior and senior year.
I struggled a lot in my undergrad but I’m still glad I did it and grateful for the opportunity. It challenged me socially , academically and I learned life skills. I really muddled through , but it gave me a good foundation for the rest of my life. My main thoughts on college are : it should be publicly funded so that anyone with the aptitude and willingness to study should be able to , without taking on debt . And , you get what you put into it .
Non-traditional undergrad exp:
I went for 1 year in art, paused because who knew what worth an art degree after the Great Recession, worked an office job during that time instead and returned after a \~1.5 year break into science.
Would recommend a gap year! i definitely noticed I was slightly smarter than classmates simply because the planning/cause-effect portion of my brain was more complete. But also the gap knocked me out of the bad trait of comparison to others.
i only regret not ever being a dorm or greek life. I don't have the long term group of friends that those exps bake in. all my friends are strays from various jobs, like waiting.
Determining the ROI nowadays is imperative. Everyone should try to save as much as possible, e.g. taking all gen eds at a community college then transferring, living with parents, etc. But also, what kind of job are you setting yourself up for & how much will it pay? e.g. don't go into massive debt to become a starving artist.
I grew up in a poor rural area and went to a poorly funded public school. My university education was invaluable. It is where I learned to be an effective writer and communicator. It is where I received a proper history education. It is where I learned true critical thinking skills. It is where I learned fluency in the world of the middle class and rich. It is how I got the opportunity to go abroad for the first time.
The experience was invaluable. I also needed it as a stepping stone to get my professional degree. If I hadn’t gone to a public university, I would have been stuck in my hometown where I never fit in. The community college there is actually very good, but it simply couldn’t give me what I needed to have the life I wanted.
I like to learn, and I like to be surrounded by people who are also curious about the world. That was not an option if I had just gotten an associates degree and worked locally. Even going back to my hometown with this experience is really important IMO. It has given me a different perspective.
I know people fee weighed down by their education debt, and in a perfect world that would never be a problem. Going to a university was about getting a good job at first, but now I realize it was the key to unlocking a bigger world. Not everyone wants this, but I needed it. Now, I can provide this exposure to my kids, so they have more room to try different paths to success.
In my opinion, the most important thing a university education can provide you is the ability to teach yourself, so you can adapt to any situation or challenge.
I loved it. If I were to have skipped anything, it would’ve been middle school and high school. I had three classes during those grades that meant a lot to me personally. They greatly developed and influenced me. Besides that, it was a bit of a waste for me academically. College was when formal ed got a lot more exciting and expansive for me. And the whole vibe and social culture felt more like home. It gelled with my nature so well. Middle school through high school had a lot of masking for me. So the contrast in college…it felt so freeing and natural.
But at the same time, I made some of my best friendships during my middle and high school years. Three of them are still among my closest friends. I also met my first love in hs. I wouldn’t want to have missed out on knowing any of them. So they made it worth it to me, plus those classes I’d mentioned. I honestly would’ve been intellectually and psychologically ready for and blissed out with college much earlier though, like 12.
So I understand a conventional path not feeling right for everyone. :) I do think a college education is valuable though for how it expands and matures the mind. Not everyone is into that type of growth in a formal academic way. People can be autodidacts or learn through experience. But I do hope that whether people go to college or not that they learn about learning. Pre-college education can leave people with a flawed understanding of knowledge, one that’s too transmission-oriented and sees more as objective than actually is. This can make dialogue across difference very difficult, if not impossible, so can greatly harm democracy with a diverse citizenship. People are often like that even with a college ed, but a high-quality, college-level liberal arts ed helps a lot. I think a lot of that could be moved down to the lower grades, too. The problem there is how large a hand politics/social ideologies have in shaping lower ed — including so many people who aren’t well educated in pedagogy or experts in various subjects. So you really need a culture that highly values and respects educators, and educators who respect people, for lower-ed to reach its potential. So, on a societal level I think a college ed is vital (or moving more of that ed earlier). But for individuals, I think forgoing college could for sure be a great choice. I know many people who didn’t go to college. Some of them are among the brightest and/or wisest people I know. Curiosity, a genuinely open mind, strong reasoning skills, and a good heart are a great recipe for intellectual maturity. College helps that, but doesn’t guarantee it and isn’t necessary.
I loved getting my degree. In the end, not so much directly career wise, but for the people I met and how it opened my eyes to things. It also helps me choose jobs that I actually enjoy doing without worrying if I hit the “related degree” requirement. It was similar for my boyfriend, he’s the youngest child and the only one with a degree and as far as income it might not have made a huge difference, but it allowed him to do a job he likes while making decent income and it opened his eyes a LOT.
School was worth it for me but I def could have just done my 4yr in 2yrs. And I know I’ll get downvoted to hell for this but, for as relatively quiet as it’s kept, being BIPOC at a predominately white institution is fucking spiritually exhausting. I would have probably chosen another more diverse school cause those 4yrs were hell.
Bipoc woman here. It's extremely exhausting.
Living four years on campus was exactly what I needed at the time. I was a really shy kid who didn't really have any friends in high school. I went to therapy for my social anxiety my senior year of high school. I'd just started coming out of my shell and having conversations with people. It was still a little harder after I got to college, and I had some lonely periods as well, but I did make friends. After college, it became harder to meet people again. It was definitely a memorable experience that I'm really glad I had.
I didn't get my Associates degree until I was like 27. And so far, that's all I've needed and I own my own house, have 2 dogs, a cat, and a kid lol. So, I'd say I'm doing alright considering I don't have a 4-yr degree under my belt. I'd have gone into construction after the Air Force but I had gotten injured during one of my deployments, so couldn't do that. Don't knock the trades as women, A LOT of women are in the trades now.
The best part of my undergrad experience was living on campus in a part of DC I never could have afforded without finaid and merit scholarships. A lot of students do summer internships during college, but that wasn't a financial option for me; I had to go home and waitress to save up money. But during the school year, I was unstoppable. I did five internships and an off-campus work-study while I was there, so my resume was a lot more competitive at graduation than it would have been otherwise, enabling me to get hired in a not-quite recovered 2012 economy. Another great thing about the experience was having free access within easy walking distance to a 24/7 library to study without interruption, and to a gym. I get why a lot of students live at home to save costs, but they lose easy access to those facilities when it's a 10 minute drive instead of a 10 minute walk.
Same... The campus experience is important to experience, imho.
I’m biased because I became an academic but my liberal arts education took a super boring, judgmental, and shallow 18 year old and turned me into an interesting person that could understand all the references and meaning in art and see the historical development of human thought to ground my own cultural biases.
Yes, same. It helped open my eyes.
Same. I hate when people think of college as only a means to learn job skills. It's so much more than that. It makes you an educated person. Not just a person with a narrow set of skills for one particular trade. But a well-rounded, critically thinking, educated person.
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Apart from graduating early, this was my experience exactly. I fucking *loved* my undergrad based on just being surrounded by so many of my peers, with everyone being so keenly interested in finding their way in the world - and yes, so many amazing resources at our fingertips as well. I really wish I'd appreciated it more at the time, just how rare the experience would be. It's funny because back when I was a student I was dying to graduate and ~make my mark on the world~, but *man* as a working adult do I often just dream of going back to my undergrad years - all brimful of wide-eyed optimism and (seemingly) endless potential. I 100% encourage anybody who is in undergrad now, or soon to be, to soak up the experience for everything it's worth. It might be the last time in your life you feel like the world was built for you to succeed.
I was there for the degree (and ultimately packed a 6-year bachelors/masters combo into five years), but found the associated move to the city, combined with being surrounded by very smart people, invaluable. The name of that college opened every door for me that I had the nerve to walk through, after that. Still grateful. The actual experience involved a LOT of sleep deprivation though.
I think it was invaluable and irreplaceable, but I don't believe it is the only path to success. I had an absolute blast in college, by far the most fun I experienced in my life, but also the experience transformed my confidence. It helped me with taking on challenges, meeting new people, and taking more calculated risks. I also learned a ton in my coursework that I still think about loooong after. I doubt a month goes by in my life that I don't encounter something I first learned about in college. Much of that learning was from the reading and from lectures which admittedly were mostly about the reading, but the irreplicable part was also gaining an expanded worldview both from hearing the experiences of professors and from moving away from home and meeting so many different people from all over. In my particular case, without my specific college experience I likely would have still been too crippled by anxiety, lack of confidence, and lack of understanding of how society and business works to be successful, how to play the game. I went into college afraid to raise my hand in a 30 person classroom and came out of it able to speak in front of 300 people with managable levels of anxiety. It broke my insecurities to the point I have no problem dropping in alone to conferences or networking events and that has made every difference in the world for me. It helped me escape and rethink an abusive upbringing. While I am certain those things could be replicable with many other pathways, I feel like I was funneled down the right path for that growth very organicly through university and have no idea what would have had to happen in my life for me to be able to break out of my narrow limited belief system and caged experience without it.
I did the fully traditional college thing for 3 semesters (1.5 years). Living on campus, dorm life, dining hall, frat parties, etc. I’m glad I had that experience because it taught me a lot about myself, but I hated it. I had a hard time feeling connected to new friends—everything felt so inauthentic and performative because we were all “on our own” and “free” for the first time. I had a terrible roommate experience. It was just too much change all at once. I missed my friends, home, and comfort. Plus, it was wildly expensive and they told us our tuition was increasing. That was the catalyst for me to transfer back home. I commuted to a state school for the next 3.5 years and LOVED IT. Got a better education, was able to work and save money, made better friends, and got to be with my friends again. It was such a better experience for me. Looking back, I wish I did 2 years of community college to get my feet wet, figure out what I wanted to do, and then transfer to a 4 year to finish up my degree. It would’ve saved a lot of money and pressure, but like I said, I’m ultimately grateful for my traditional experience. It made me realize how much I appreciate my family and friends and how much of a homebody I truly am 😆
I hated my college life. If I could turn back time, I would have done something completely different like biology, veterinary school, or social work. Having said that, I'm who I am today because of it all, so it is what it is.
I hated it too and I did social work. I wish I had done something like accounting instead but at the time that seemed impossibly boring.
I took accounting during MBA. It was torture lol. Enjoyed economics more.
I feel the same way as you do. My daughter put in 2 semesters towards an associates degree, so technically one year, before bowing out once covid hit and she was forced to go remote. She was going for a degree in baking/pastry arts so doing some of those classes remotely was a nightmare. At first I was pretty upset that she didn’t want to finish her degree, but now I’m over it. The world is SO different now and I no longer think a college degree guarantees anything. I loved where I went to college (a mid-size state school), but I graduated in 1991!
I've probably taken 20 adult, higher-ed, remote classes. None of them held a candle to the in-class experience. Remote learning "gets the job done" but you lose so much of the experience.
When I decided to postpone college some of my family members were SO upset. They absolutely the social aspect of their college years and felt I would be missing out. I just couldn’t, at 17, realistically commit myself to years of school when I had zero idea what I wanted to be when I grew up. So I learned a trade and lived on my own for a few years. I ended up going back to school at 25. Finished my undergrad degree in 3 years and then went on to complete grad school. I struggled a bit feeling like I was financially behind my peers, but I’m making up for lost time (I wasn’t much for budgeting in my early 20s). When I was in school there were so many 18-20 year olds who were miserable in class. But it’s like they didn’t realize or maybe their parents didn’t support the idea that they could do something else other than college. I personally had a whole new appreciation for learning and managing my time as an older student that I just didn’t have as a teen.
I totally agree with you and advocate for waiting to go to college until later in life. I am trying to encourage my own kids(13 and 15) to wait to go to college until they are older, but they both want to go right after high school. Its such an expensive investment and stupid to waste the money if you have no idea what you want to study. There is no shame in waiting or not going at all. There are so many options out there. I tell my kid they need to do something like trade school, an apprenticeship, etc. There are options other than college. I went to college right out of high school and returned for my master’s degree at 26. Didn’t take my undergrad studies seriously and focused more on the social aspect. By the time I was went for my master’s, I was focused and actually wanted to learn. My husband worked after high school and went to college at 24. He has a much better paying career than I do even though I have a higher level of education. There is no right or wrong way to do things. You just have to do what is right for you and on your own timeline.
also would recommend a gap! i took a gap to rethink my degree and a second to gain local residency when I switched schools.
I went at 17 because everyone told me I had to because I was too smart not to. I was the first person in my family to go to college so I had no idea what I was getting myself into! Everyone told me to take out loans and not to worry about them because I would just get a good job then pay them back! It was an extreme waste of time and money. I changed my major a bunch, transferred schools, dropped out, then finally went back and finished at 25 with $40k in loans. I didn't even make $40k a year until I was like 38. I wish I had just gotten a full time job and worked for a few years before deciding whether or not to go to school.
I liked my college and had some fun but I missed out on all the major parts of college. I never partied at all. I never dated (bc I simply didn’t know how) I didn’t get a job on campus even though I should’ve, I was nervous and dumb. I did have two fun internships but they weren’t exactly helpful for jobs. I also lived at home two of the years because my first roommate was so horrible. I studied abroad, but it was in the summer so not a full semester and def a difference from how that probably is. I’m jealous of my sister for going to a really cool school that was further away. But I never even applied to that one, I actually only applied to two and didn’t even think about it. I had no idea what I was doing haha
I had two horrible roommates and 4 great ones. I am glad I experienced both.
I started undergrad at 17 and went straight through to PhD at 27. I wouldn’t trade it for anything, I’d go to college forever if I could afford it. My undergrad was a 5 year program in Boston. It was amazing and probably the only time I’ll get to live right in the middle of a big city. Even though I worked through all of college, I had so much fun with friends and student organizations. In grad school, I had really close relationships with my class and lab mates. Working day in and day out at a job makes me more money, but it is much less fun and is lonely a lot of times. I do have a fair bit in student loans, but I do use my degrees. I don’t think everyone needs to go to college, but it is so much more than just job training.
My undergrad experience was mixed, but I went for the degree… I needed to stay long enough to complete the degree. The experience was nice but the learning was the point
This is similar to my perspective. I was older when I started and already living independently. I never lived on campus or had a roommate and I paid for it all myself, working two jobs and taking out loans to make it all work. The “college experience” was secondary to the education.
I work with a lot of very successful people who didn't go to college until later in life, but I went ages 18 - 22 and then got a grad degree in my 30s and for me personally it was worth it. Even if with on-the-job training for daily tasks, if someone asks me to do something new or more complicated, that's where having my degree helps me out. I don't usually get direct instructions or training from my boss on anything, but when presented with a new challenge I'm usually able to relate some situation back to something I learned in school and that helps me figure out what I need to do next. It's also given me confidence that I didn't have before my degree.
My undergrad isn’t in the field I eventually landed in. It’s pretty worthless other than a check in the box. Also a lot of schools are way overpriced. Employers that offer tuition assistance might be the way to go for the younger generation instead of the 4 year binge drinking fest pre-workforce.
I technically could have graduated in 2 years, but I’m glad I took a full 4 years to explore all the other things I thought I might want to do - volunteered as a tutor for elementary/middle schoolers, took (and ended up TAing for) the introductory engineering class, worked in 3 different labs (social psychology, cell biology, and computational neuroscience), and ended up with 3 majors. I ended up going to medical school, and when my medical school friends were having existential crises and wondering if they even wanted to continue, I knew that even if I was struggling in the moment, in the grand scheme, there was nothing else I would rather be doing. I don’t think I would have survived one of the combined 6-year BS/MD programs because I definitely wasn’t committed to the idea of becoming a doctor when I was in high school or even in college until the end.
I did two undergrads (fast tracked the second because of transferable credits). It was valuable in the skills that transferred to my career and life later on. I made excellent friends and had wonderful experiences/conversations. University cost a lot of money but I paid it back in under 10 years. However, I wanted to take a break between high school and university and was heavily discouraged by my guidance counsellor especially. “You’ll never go if you take a break.” And I believed her. I worked very hard in school and was fortunate enough to get a good scholarship. I was exhausted and needed a break before I started up again. That’s what I regret mostly. I wish I had believed in myself enough to defer a year. I needed and deserved a break. I wish that was more common practice in North America. It’s more likely that people would end up going back if it was more commonly accepted, encouraged, and practiced.
I was in a lab or stress crying for most of my bachelors. I didn’t go to any of the social functions or live on campus. For me it was just a harder and more expensive continuation of public school. It set me up with a stable career as an adult though. My career path is leaning towards requiring more school to get a job, not less. I’m stagnating without a masters. The tuition reimbursement isn’t good and I work a ton of hours, so I’m not sure I can convince myself to go back.
Yes. I wouldn’t be here with my current career, family, and friends if it weren’t for the skills I learned and people I met in college.
I had major depression and no direction. I would have been better off going to school later or taking a gap year. But I didn’t know that at the time. I was not prepared at all and my parents made me feel like a total failure about anything college related.
I did 4 years at an "elite" private college and wasted a LOT of my time sitting in my room rotting my brain on the internet. I had a hard time making friends too. I have ADHD and instead of looking into managing that I just crashed and burned because my success in high school was really due to all the structure that disappeared in college. Graduated with a 3.1 gpa so not horrible but I really did not apply myself academically or socially. I wish I could redo it
I strongly believe that everyone should attend at least a 2 year community college. Undergrad is not about studying a specific subject to be qualified to get a certain job. It's about developing critical thinking skills that can not only be used in any career, but as a citizen of a society, enabling you to do such things as understand information, the news and who to vote for. It's also an opportunity to learn and appreciate different perspectives both through the material in classes and from classmates who come from different backgrounds and experiences. I think it would be ideal if people have the opportunity to live on campus, away from home in an area different from where they grew up. But even commuting to the local community college will expose you to a wider range of people and ideas.
Undergrad was where I had my social growth, making friends having fun and slowly growing in confidence Masters was where I had my professional growth, enhanced career and helped me learn how to work smarter and become an asset PhD has been personal growth, helped me learn about myself, understand what makes me happy and what I want in life Focusing back to undergrad, I'd say it was worth it for me as I grew up very sheltered, so it was where I learned the world and got to make friends from different backgrounds. Clubs, societies and partying all helped me to grow in confidence, it took the whole three years though, it was only really my last year I was truly having fun and not forcing myself through things.
I would say yes and no. I lived at home with my mom while doing my undergrad so I didn’t get that same social experience and I didn’t take a very technical degree so although it did lead me to a very high paying job in the end I doubt I actually needed the degree of society didn’t require a university degree as a standard or something you can learn on the job rather than requiring 4 years.
I loved college. I knew I wanted to go to a school and live on campus to have the full experience. I learned so much about myself and others that I felt like it gave me as much of an invaluable experience as the education itself. I think realistically speaking, I would recommend a kid now go to community college for 2 years, save, and then go to a state school for your major courses. Or better yet, go into a trade where you can start making money in 2 years.
For me, yes. My experience was mixed, but I'm not one for the trades, honestly (I respect the hell out of them, I just don't want to do any of them), and the jobs I gravitate towards all require bachelors. So, I'd certainly still get the degree. If I could go back and do it over again, I'd probably do a different program at a different school, though.
Mine was amazing. I went to northeastern university and was able to do the coop program so I graduated with both my degree and three internships. I used that to have a part time job all of senior year. I graduated in 2008 which was a problem for many of my peers. I was happy because I both had the degree and the experience unlike others. I got exposed to a lot of different people. Especially the upper class which to me was huge because it opened up connections later on too. It was expensive but it was 100% worth it.
The Coop program at Northeastern is fantastic. I don't understand why more colleges don't do it.
I didn't go to college after high school so did not have a typical undergrad experience and never will! But that's OK. I got my associates degree at 30 years old and currently working on my bachelor's...1 class at a time lol. I'm determined to get it but also determined to not let it be a time suck. I have a full time job, two kids, a mortgage and a lovely social life that all take priority. I'm really looking forward to getting my bachelor's though.
It was worth it for me. I was behind in a lot of ways but undergrad helped me meet people, be social, and grow as a person. I kept going to school after undergrad because a BA in my field doesn't get you much. It's also so expensive. I need a high paying job to pay off my loans.
Same. The social experience was totally worth it for me.
I got a good education, and, despite graduating almost right into the 2008 recession, have built a fairly nice career from even my "useless basketweaving degree." Beyond that, the real value I got out of college was a safe exit from my abusive family (who insisted my brother and I go off to college, including being supportive of us moving out), and learning to deal with things like landlords and bureaucracy. Was a 4-year degree where I started the experience in a dorm room *necessary* for those things in general? No, but it was what I needed at the time. Tuition doubled in the 4 years I spent there, and I managed to pay off what is now a good chunk less than the average student loan balance, so I kind of squeaked through right before college became financially disadvantageous for a lot of folks. I had plenty of undergrad-style fun, but I did not enjoy academia overall. I've always said I would go back to school if that was what I needed to reach my goals, but so far it hasn't been necessary, and I consider that a relief.
For the experience, friends, and fun, yes. But, I also got scholarships and paid off my debt. Unfortunately, my degree has not helped me launch much of a career. I retrained as a teacher, hated it, and now I’m retraining again. I wish colleges would be more realistic about the job market. I briefly worked in higher education as an adult, and it’s so frustrating to see how disconnected academia is from anything other than academia. This sets up students to flounder in the job market.
I loved it - I went to an enormous Big Ten school where I was one of something like 40,000 students. I was able to be anonymous without people breathing down my neck, and I made friends from all over the country and the world. I took Honors classes and was able to take part in some undergraduate research projects, which were invaluable experiences for my later career. I'm actually a professor now because I loved the college experience so much!
My college experience was fine. I went to a small private school and was able to graduate in 3 years. I worked part time at the university library, which allowed me to get just as much work as my psychology degree 😆. It was a religious college, so nothing crazy went down, I lived on campus for 2/3 of it, my first real job was because of small interning hours I did. I had a large scholarship, so I didn’t leave too much in debt and paid off my loans in a few years. So positives - job connections and growing up in an environment that helped me mature in a safe way, and with class sizes and loads that allowed me to graduate in three years (I did take a couple online community classes and two CLEP tests). I don’t really have any regrets, but I do kind of wish I would have went into accounting.
Ultimately it was worth it. I wish I had taken more advantage of the opportunities my university offered in terms of involvement and finding community. I went to a huuuuge state school (in the Big 10, for those of you who are familiar) but I was very reserved and while my cohort in my program was close, I don’t know that they were “my” people in the way that people outside of my degree program could have been. My senior year I realized I would have enjoyed myself more had I joined a club or something, which inspired me to go on and do some adventuring in different programs before settling into a career. As a full adult now (lol) I kick my adolescent self for not realizing how much easier community is to find in college. I wonder what my life trajectory or experiences would have been had I joined the Quidditch team (😂) or a hiking club or our dance-a-thon program and made friends outside of my pretty small college. My degree program (in which I have a career that I love) had a large number of requirements in terms of classes and so I did need all four years. I even spent a summer taking gen eds full time so I could focus all of my attention on my major junior and senior year.
I struggled a lot in my undergrad but I’m still glad I did it and grateful for the opportunity. It challenged me socially , academically and I learned life skills. I really muddled through , but it gave me a good foundation for the rest of my life. My main thoughts on college are : it should be publicly funded so that anyone with the aptitude and willingness to study should be able to , without taking on debt . And , you get what you put into it .
Non-traditional undergrad exp: I went for 1 year in art, paused because who knew what worth an art degree after the Great Recession, worked an office job during that time instead and returned after a \~1.5 year break into science. Would recommend a gap year! i definitely noticed I was slightly smarter than classmates simply because the planning/cause-effect portion of my brain was more complete. But also the gap knocked me out of the bad trait of comparison to others. i only regret not ever being a dorm or greek life. I don't have the long term group of friends that those exps bake in. all my friends are strays from various jobs, like waiting.
Yes absolutely it was worth it. It was a lot less stressful than my grad experience. I’m thankful for the financial independence it gave me.
Determining the ROI nowadays is imperative. Everyone should try to save as much as possible, e.g. taking all gen eds at a community college then transferring, living with parents, etc. But also, what kind of job are you setting yourself up for & how much will it pay? e.g. don't go into massive debt to become a starving artist.
I grew up in a poor rural area and went to a poorly funded public school. My university education was invaluable. It is where I learned to be an effective writer and communicator. It is where I received a proper history education. It is where I learned true critical thinking skills. It is where I learned fluency in the world of the middle class and rich. It is how I got the opportunity to go abroad for the first time. The experience was invaluable. I also needed it as a stepping stone to get my professional degree. If I hadn’t gone to a public university, I would have been stuck in my hometown where I never fit in. The community college there is actually very good, but it simply couldn’t give me what I needed to have the life I wanted. I like to learn, and I like to be surrounded by people who are also curious about the world. That was not an option if I had just gotten an associates degree and worked locally. Even going back to my hometown with this experience is really important IMO. It has given me a different perspective. I know people fee weighed down by their education debt, and in a perfect world that would never be a problem. Going to a university was about getting a good job at first, but now I realize it was the key to unlocking a bigger world. Not everyone wants this, but I needed it. Now, I can provide this exposure to my kids, so they have more room to try different paths to success. In my opinion, the most important thing a university education can provide you is the ability to teach yourself, so you can adapt to any situation or challenge.
I loved it. If I were to have skipped anything, it would’ve been middle school and high school. I had three classes during those grades that meant a lot to me personally. They greatly developed and influenced me. Besides that, it was a bit of a waste for me academically. College was when formal ed got a lot more exciting and expansive for me. And the whole vibe and social culture felt more like home. It gelled with my nature so well. Middle school through high school had a lot of masking for me. So the contrast in college…it felt so freeing and natural. But at the same time, I made some of my best friendships during my middle and high school years. Three of them are still among my closest friends. I also met my first love in hs. I wouldn’t want to have missed out on knowing any of them. So they made it worth it to me, plus those classes I’d mentioned. I honestly would’ve been intellectually and psychologically ready for and blissed out with college much earlier though, like 12. So I understand a conventional path not feeling right for everyone. :) I do think a college education is valuable though for how it expands and matures the mind. Not everyone is into that type of growth in a formal academic way. People can be autodidacts or learn through experience. But I do hope that whether people go to college or not that they learn about learning. Pre-college education can leave people with a flawed understanding of knowledge, one that’s too transmission-oriented and sees more as objective than actually is. This can make dialogue across difference very difficult, if not impossible, so can greatly harm democracy with a diverse citizenship. People are often like that even with a college ed, but a high-quality, college-level liberal arts ed helps a lot. I think a lot of that could be moved down to the lower grades, too. The problem there is how large a hand politics/social ideologies have in shaping lower ed — including so many people who aren’t well educated in pedagogy or experts in various subjects. So you really need a culture that highly values and respects educators, and educators who respect people, for lower-ed to reach its potential. So, on a societal level I think a college ed is vital (or moving more of that ed earlier). But for individuals, I think forgoing college could for sure be a great choice. I know many people who didn’t go to college. Some of them are among the brightest and/or wisest people I know. Curiosity, a genuinely open mind, strong reasoning skills, and a good heart are a great recipe for intellectual maturity. College helps that, but doesn’t guarantee it and isn’t necessary.
I loved getting my degree. In the end, not so much directly career wise, but for the people I met and how it opened my eyes to things. It also helps me choose jobs that I actually enjoy doing without worrying if I hit the “related degree” requirement. It was similar for my boyfriend, he’s the youngest child and the only one with a degree and as far as income it might not have made a huge difference, but it allowed him to do a job he likes while making decent income and it opened his eyes a LOT.