college is such a waste of money!

soccerchica604 · December 2011

With student loans about to kick in and trying to pay for our wedding, I just want to say that college is a fricken waste of time and money. I still have yet to find a job and yet they expect me to pull money out of my behind and make payments... I shouldve never gone to college....everything I have learned about teaching has been through experience...not from college...what a waste!

Simply Fated · December 2011

Yeah, the economy sucks and it's hard for everyone to get jobs now. Especially for teachers. In my area it's like they're slashing teaching jobs left and right.

Hopefully it gets better for you really soon!

staciakoz7 · December 2011

You might be able to defer your payments a little longer. I know I was able to defer them another couple of months. You may want to check it out.

vicki0508 · December 2011

Look into deferment, temporary forbearance, and income based repayment. And paying for your wedding should come second to paying back your obligations.

redheadfsu · December 2011

If you are not employed, you can defer until employed (usually, of course double check with them).

Also, looking into the federal refinance program/direct consolidation (income based repayment is great!). Plus, if you do this and work for the government for ten years they forgive your loans.

DeadUtopia · December 2011

I know it sucks, but at least you do have that degree to back you up even if it is a pain in the a$$. I quit college because I got a nice little bank job which, of course, died with the economy. Now all I have is 1 year of community college under my belt which makes me look like the biggest sort of slacker and all I could get was fast food thanks to that so now I can't afford to go back. Don't forget to count your blessings

chelseamb11 · December 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_chit-chat_college-such-waste-of-money?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:14Discussion:a44513e1-f81b-414d-9653-16b00a302468Post:dea114f1-d55d-49c3-baa8-796ef4e86f14">college is such a waste of money!</a>:
[QUOTE]With student loans about to kick in and trying to pay for our wedding, I just want to say that college is a fricken waste of time and money. I still have yet to find a job and yet they expect me to pull money out of my behind and make payments... I shouldve never gone to college....everything I have learned about teaching has been through experience...not from college...what a waste!
Posted by soccerchica604[/QUOTE]

okay you contradict yourself here. YOu say you haven't found a job yet. But then you say everything you've learned thusfar about teaching is from teaching....

Higher education is never a waste.

ETA BTW when you do find a job, check if your school is on the list of low income schools from the gov't. Usually after 5 years of working at one, your loans are erased. And agreed with checking on extending the loan to later.

xoEmilyRose · December 2011

You're telling me! I've had these thoughts several times, actually. Every person I tell though they say that at least you have an education to fall back on... there are many people who didn't go to college, and had wished they did especially in an economy like this.

I'll be graduating in a few weeks (woo hoo!) and I'm lucky to have a job, but it's not in my field. While I'm underpaid and overqualified, it has benefits and I can't really complain about that - although I am frustrated that it's a job I could've gotten without a college degree, and I am not putting my degree to use. I'm very sorry you don't have a job and it's stressing you out, like the other PP said, try to work with the loan companies about deferring payments. Hopefully you'll be able to find something soon.

NcsuPsych · December 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_chit-chat_college-such-waste-of-money?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:14Discussion:a44513e1-f81b-414d-9653-16b00a302468Post:dea114f1-d55d-49c3-baa8-796ef4e86f14">college is such a waste of money!</a>:
[QUOTE]With student loans about to kick in and trying to pay for our wedding, I just want to say that college is a fricken waste of time and money. I still have yet to find a job and yet they expect me to pull money out of my behind and make payments... I shouldve never gone to college....everything I have learned about teaching has been through experience...not from college...what a waste!
Posted by soccerchica604[/QUOTE]

Yes this may be your opinion, but realize the economy is in rough waters right now and when it gets back on the right track, you'll need that degree to teach. I bet you wont be whining about it then.

Do as others have suggested as far as seeing what you can do about your payments. Your loans should come before a big party (which is exactly what a wedding is). You signed the loans, you get to pay them back. That's how loans work, just so you know.

I'd suggest start looking into PT jobs that could help you out. Retail, fast food, sit down dining, nanny. . there are many jobs out there. Just because you can't get the job you want right now doesn't mean you can't work to pay back your loans in the meantime.

I don't have a job either and while there's a slight chance I may get a job come spring, it's not the highest paying job (even though I'll love to do it because it's what I truly want to do), I still will be grateful that I went to college, worked my ass off through it and got my degree. It's something that I did, for me.

monkeysip · December 2011

I totally sympathize, but at the same time, have to completely disagree.

Yes, I'm soon to join the bunch of college-degreed unemployed. I mean, I'll have my masters in 10 days, but all I want to do is teach, so my masters is "useless" for that because schools don't really want to hire MAs because they have to pay them more.

And no one is hiring teachers anyways. God knows when I'll find a job.

At the same time, however, statistically speaking, college-degreed people still have a better chance of finding a job, and a higher paying one. When the economy sank, people with college degrees had to get lower skilled jobs, but people without college degrees became completely unemployed. It's sucky for everyone right now.

Also, I can't in good conscience say that my time and money in college (especially my undergrad school) was wasted. Will some (or a lot of ) people with less education than me make more money than me? Sure. Will I be in debt for a long time and have a hard time finding a good job? Sure. But I learned a lot more than just skills and facts in college. I feel like I really learned how to use my brain, how to think about more important questions in life, and how to explore new ideas. I honestly feel like some of my professors and classes made me a better person.

In case anyone thinks I'm saying that my college education makes me better than other people, I have to add that I'm sure people who didn't go to college learned just as much, but in different ways. Those people have probably been working for a lot longer and have a ton of experience and wisdom I have yet to gain. My college experience made me better than who I was before, not better than other people.

tldh · December 2011

Good luck finding any job without a college degree at this point and even better luck finding a teaching job without a college degree. Even if you aren't in your chosen field for a while, at least you have a chance of having some income. Whether you realize it or not, you still have a leg up on people who didn't go to college.

AmethystMSU · December 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_chit-chat_college-such-waste-of-money?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:14Discussion:a44513e1-f81b-414d-9653-16b00a302468Post:0cbb9c89-e328-4e1e-9a79-10c3fb9bb1b6">Re: college is such a waste of money!</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to college is such a waste of money! : Sorry you are having a hard time finding a job, but college doesn't guarantee you one. Of course you're expected to pay your loans back. You borrowed that money and signed on the dotted line. Take a few deep breaths and try to relax for a bit.
Posted by ILoveMilkDuds[/QUOTE]
This.

I wouldn't have my career or my current job without my bachelor's and master's degrees. I'm a CPA; you can't be a CPA with a HS degree. Hell you can't be a CPA in most states anymore with just a bachelor's.

Another PP made a good point that just having a degree gives you a leg up on the people who don't.

Cynthia1207 · December 2011

I have a Bachelor's degree in a field I'm not interested anymore. Waste? Not so much.

I actually get paid a higher salary just because I have a degree as opposed to people who don't. You also learn to analyze, think and manage your time way better than anyone with a high school degree.

No matter what, a college degree is never a waste whether you work in the field or not. There is always something good that comes out of if.

FutureMrsSheeler · December 2011

Hmmm.. can't say I agree with you on that one. You knew you'd have student loans and you know its a bad economy.. you just have to try a little harder to find jobs and network like crazy. Also, your college's Career Development Center should help you with locating jobs.

StephBeanWed61502 · December 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_chit-chat_college-such-waste-of-money?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:14Discussion:a44513e1-f81b-414d-9653-16b00a302468Post:ae2a9d80-ecab-4a95-821a-b15e2cf55737">Re: college is such a waste of money!</a>:
[QUOTE]Good luck finding any job without a college degree at this point and even better luck finding a teaching job without a college degree. Even if you aren't in your chosen field for a while, at least you have a chance of having some income. Whether you realize it or not, you still have a leg up on people who didn't go to college.
Posted by tldh[/QUOTE]

This is so true. My dad owned his own business for 25 years, had to close it because of an illness, and is now getting turned down for close-to-minimum wage retail jobs because he didn't go to college. It's true that college doesn't guarantee you a job, but getting a job with no college at all in this day and age is next to impossible.

J&K10910 · December 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_chit-chat_college-such-waste-of-money?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:14Discussion:a44513e1-f81b-414d-9653-16b00a302468Post:58140216-b582-4d55-b125-216137c0a409">Re: college is such a waste of money!</a>:
[QUOTE]I have a Bachelor's degree in a field I'm not interested anymore. Waste? Not so much. I actually get paid a higher salary just because I have a degree as opposed to people who don't. You also learn to analyze, think and manage your time way better than anyone with a high school degree. No matter what, a college degree is never a waste whether you work in the field or not. There is always something good that comes out of if.
Posted by Cynthia1207[/QUOTE]

And? (this is not directed at you, Cynthia, it's a rant in general.) I think that's bullshit. I think it's bullshit that people who have completely unrelated degrees have preference over or get higher salaries than people with real life experience in the field, but no degree. The fields that will give equal weight to real life experience are dwindling, and that's really a shame.

That's not to say I don't think the OP is eye-roll-worthy. Because it is. I'm just ranting.

HobokensFury · December 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_chit-chat_college-such-waste-of-money?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:14Discussion:a44513e1-f81b-414d-9653-16b00a302468Post:dea114f1-d55d-49c3-baa8-796ef4e86f14">college is such a waste of money!</a>:
[QUOTE]With student loans about to kick in and trying to pay for our wedding, I just want to say that college is a fricken waste of time and money. I still have yet to find a job and yet they expect me to pull money out of my behind and make payments... I shouldve never gone to college....everything I have learned about teaching has been through experience...not from college...what a waste!
Posted by soccerchica604[/QUOTE]

Yeah but you can't be a teacher without a college degree. Going to college does not guarentee you a job and the teaching profession is very difficult to break into right now. I suggest starting to look at retail jobs or non teaching jobs until one comes along. FWIW FI took 3 years to find a teaching job and it's a split position between 2 schools.

J&K10910 · December 2011

Oh, and to OP--do your best to find a job at least in the teaching/working with kids field. Working at a daycare, as a substitute teacher, or as a teacher's aide. Anything to keep relevant experience and/or get a foot in the door. If you can, volunteer at a school in the district you'd like to work in.

And? As an education student, you should know that you won't find many jobs at this time of year. Most of your jobs will be posted in the spring for the following school year. So don't be overdramatic and get yourself all worked up before it's even really practical to be looking for work. (I assume you just graduated this past summer if you're not in repayment on your loans yet.)

July2012bride · December 2011

I graduated when the economy was at its absolute bottom. I knew finding a job in my field (finance) was going to be difficult given the new regulations being put on the banking, investment and insurance fields. I expanded my search to growing companies that were actually thriving in the bad economy that could use the skills I learned while getting my degree (analytical thinking, communicating difficult subjects in an easy to understand manner, etc.).

I ended up getting my current job because my skillset was perfect for my job at a company that builds websites. They needed someone who could understand difficult concepts and analyze and determine solutions for abnormal problems. Needless to say, if I had been narrow-minded about my job search, I would have never come across this company.

I love my job and I can't think of a better fit. In my time here, I've been frugal and already have paid off all of my student loans (not to say everyone has to do so, but it was a huge weight off of my shoulders and I no longer have to worry about the payment while I'm saving for my wedding.)

You signed the paper when you got your loans, making you responsible for them. You should be focused on paying those off before even thinking about throwing a large reception after your wedding (not that you are even planning to have a large reception, just something to put into perspective.)

There are many options if you are currently unemployed for your student loans to defer the payment your payments until employment. Look into those. In the mean-time, expand your job search beyond your traditional teaching jobs. The skills you learned/have with a teaching degree are highly transferrable to other positions, you just have to think outside the box.

mbody · December 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_chit-chat_college-such-waste-of-money?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:14Discussion:a44513e1-f81b-414d-9653-16b00a302468Post:24ba8c15-549c-4c12-9b7a-9767a154cdf9">Re: college is such a waste of money!</a>:
[QUOTE]You can't be a teacher in most schools unless you have your credentials. No ticket punched = no job. In Maryland, you are required to get a Master's Degree or the equivalent, if you want to teach for more than 10 years. Does it make you a better teacher? Probably not. Does it get you a job? Maybe. Just out of curiosity, did you attend an out of state school or a private college? Tuition is so high if you don't go to an in-state public college!
Posted by CMGr[/QUOTE]
I'm a post-secondary school counselor in a high school, and a lot of private schools and out-of-state public schools give great merit scholarship. They are usually renewable and for high achieving students, it can actually be cheaper than a public-in-state. Of course, it will depend on the school's scholarship program and a students GPA/ACT, but my students and parents are shocked (in a good way) to find this out.

To OP, find a job that is relevant to your line of work. Any experince with children/adolecents or within a school (paid or unpaid) will help you find a job. Also, networking is huge, so volunteer, sub, ect. so you can meet people locally in your field. Also look into loan deferment or forgiveness.

I do agree that a typical bachelor's degree is not necessary for everyone and there are other great educational programs to prepare one for work; however, if you want to become a teacher, a bachelors in EDU is the least amt. of education you need.

No education should ever be wasted.

melminna · December 2011

Let me tell you something - do not EVER take your college degree for granted. It took me 17 years to get my degree. It was promise I made to myself and I kept it. And although I have tons of debt, as I worked full time while going to school full time the last 3 years when I did get it, it was totally worth the student loans I had to take out. That little piece of paper that you think is worthless is more than most people have, and it will get you somewhere. You just have to be patient. The economy is not what it should be. It's an unprecedented economy that my generation (gen x) and my parents generation (baby boomers) have not ever gone through and unfortunately we have to do it. Grin and bear it is what my grandmother used to tell me, who lived through the Depression and knew how to survive.

And although there are plenty of successful people without their degrees, trust me, you will need it, especially as you get older and change jobs, whether you stay in teaching or not. That 'waste of money' could be the very thing that gets you the job over the worldly-educated person. And granted, I truly believe that world education is just as important as formal education, please don't ever say it's a waste of time and money.

As for them wanting you to pay, if you don't have a job, the payments can be deferred for forberance. All you have to do is call the student loan company and talk with them about it. They are more than willing to negotiate.

RamonaFlowers · December 2011

Being potty trained doesn't guarantee you a good job, either. That doesn't mean it's a "waste of time".

Even though neither my husband nor my myself graduated college, and we're doing fine in life, I can never get behind somebody thinking getting an education is a "waste of time".

Cynthia1207 · December 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_chit-chat_college-such-waste-of-money?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:14Discussion:a44513e1-f81b-414d-9653-16b00a302468Post:273908df-0c0d-4697-a349-23565123c968">Re: college is such a waste of money!</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: college is such a waste of money! : And? (this is not directed at you, Cynthia, it's a rant in general.) I think that's bullshit. I think it's bullshit that people who have completely unrelated degrees have preference over or get higher salaries than people with real life experience in the field, but no degree. The fields that will give equal weight to real life experience are dwindling, and that's really a shame. That's not to say I don't think the OP is eye-roll-worthy. Because it is. I'm just ranting.
Posted by J&K10910[/QUOTE]

I simply said it as an advantage to getting a degree. Do I think it's necessarily fair? No but hey, I get the benefits of it so I'm not complaining.

ETA: There is the fact that I live in QC where high school diplomas are not equal to US high school diplomas. We have an intermediate education to get between HS and University so people here with HS diplomas (in our generation) only work student jobs at best. HS diplomas are worth pretty much nothing here. There isn't an opportunity to get experience in the field because that's done with higher education.

The only way here to get field experience with no higher education is to start your own company...and then employers don,t want to hire you because you don't have experience working for an employer.

zitiqueen · December 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_chit-chat_college-such-waste-of-money?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:14Discussion:a44513e1-f81b-414d-9653-16b00a302468Post:dea114f1-d55d-49c3-baa8-796ef4e86f14">college is such a waste of money!</a>:
[QUOTE]With student loans about to kick in and trying to pay for our wedding, I just want to say that college is a fricken waste of time and money. I still have yet to find a job and yet they expect me to pull money out of my behind and make payments... I shouldve never gone to college....everything I have learned about teaching has been through experience...not from college...what a waste!
Posted by soccerchica604[/QUOTE]

Okay, then from now on, every time you apply for a job, don't include your education on the application. Just leave it blank. In fact, don't apply for jobs that require a bachelor's degree at all.

Deal?

J&K10910 · December 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_chit-chat_college-such-waste-of-money?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:14Discussion:a44513e1-f81b-414d-9653-16b00a302468Post:14b39240-6f6b-438c-88a4-dc465e7ff285">Re: college is such a waste of money!</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: college is such a waste of money! : I simply said it as an advantage to getting a degree. Do I think it's necessarily fair? No but hey, I get the benefits of it so I'm not complaining. ETA: There is the fact that I live in QC where high school diplomas are not equal to US high school diplomas. We have an intermediate education to get between HS and University so people here with HS diplomas (in our generation) only work student jobs at best. HS diplomas are worth pretty much nothing here. There isn't an opportunity to get experience in the field because that's done with higher education. The only way here to get field experience with no higher education is to start your own company...and then employers don,t want to hire you because you don't have experience working for an employer.
Posted by Cynthia1207[/QUOTE]

I didn't say you said it was fair. But I specifically said my post wasn't directed at you. You merely mentioned something that pissed me the hell off. That's why I quoted you.

But it's not just happening there. It's happening here too.

Cynthia1207 · December 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_chit-chat_college-such-waste-of-money?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:14Discussion:a44513e1-f81b-414d-9653-16b00a302468Post:f59fa76c-aca3-42ca-92c4-54be898d21db">Re: college is such a waste of money!</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: college is such a waste of money! : I didn't say you said it was fair. But I specifically said my post wasn't directed at you. You merely mentioned something that pissed me the hell off. That's why I quoted you. But it's not just happening there. It's happening here too.
Posted by J&K10910[/QUOTE]

I know it wasn't directed at me, I just wanted to specify why I said it.

jemmini6 · December 2011

OP - I feel you on the stress of finding a job. When I graduated college, I sent my resume to over 300 jobs and got called for an interview for ONE of them. These were jobs that weren't in my field, and didn't even require a college degree for that matter and I still couldn't get an interview. The job that I ended up working at (where I'm still working) I didn't even apply for, but got through networking connections. (the part-time job I had in college does a lot of business with my current employer and the recommended me when they found out he was looking for a replacement). It's still not a job that's using my degree, nor is it in any way related to what I got my degree in, but it's a job and I'm happy to have it.

However, not once did I ever complain about paying my student loans. I took them out 100% of my own accord, no one forced me to go to college, no one forced me to take loans, and no one is responsible for getting me a job. The job market has always been 'risky' and yes, it was more difficult when I graduated than it's ever been since I started working, but it was still a risk I knew could happen. So when the time came to start repaying my loans, I knew I was 100% responsible for taking care of it (either by paying them as is, applying for a deferment, income based, etc).

So basically, while I completely understand that the economy sucks right now, don't complain about having to pay your loans. If you don't have the money to do it right now, then do something about it (apply for a deferment) instead of complaining about what a waste of time college was.

soccerchica604 · December 2011

Oh wow...anyways, I have a job at a daycare. Pays minimum...I babysitt on the side almost every weekend. Still looking around for teaching jobs...applied for a job that in no way relates to anything I have ever done but pays better than the job I am at. I just thought I would throw that out there for people who thinks I am doing nothing but complaining. And for whoever told me to get a life, my life consists of everything I just listed and that is why I vented...

J&K10910 · December 2011

Again, you're NOT going to find a teaching job in December. FFS. Maybe a long term sub job. Maybe you should wait on the giving up hope until after the actual hiring season for the next school year is over.

RamonaFlowers · December 2011

Yeah, you're still not getting my sympathy. You went to school for an education. You took out student loans to pay for said education. You received said education. You now have the ability to apply for a teaching position, which is something you would not be able to do if you didn't get the degree in the first place.

You may not being doing what you want to do, and you may have to take jobs that have nothing to do with your degree for a while if that's what pays the bills (Or the student loans, that you applied for of your own free will), but that's part of being an adult.

college is such a waste of money!

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