This is the second article debating the importance (or unimportance) that getting a college degree has on your ability to be successful. There are many differing opinions and reasons why it is or it isn’t, and we will try to explore 5 reasons why it’s important, and 5 reasons why it’s not.
With the explosion of the internet, young entrepreneurs everywhere are able to make their mark without having to be part of a big corporation. With that, a lot of the traditional ways of thinking about having a successful career have changed in a major way. No more is it a requirement to go to school for 4 (or more) years, get a entry level job at a corporate employer, and deal with the hustle and bustle of a corporate job to try to get ahead. Times have changed, and having that college degree isn’t the requirement for success that it used to be. Here are 5 reason’s why a college doesn’t really matter when it comes to being successful.
1 - You can start your own business
There are a lot of money making opportunities out there that don’t require a college degree, especially for those with internet savvy (which includes just about all young people today). Some would argue that focusing your efforts on college and getting a traditional job takes away from your time and concentration on starting your own business endeavor. The great part about starting your own business? You get to define the work that you will do and spend your time on.
2 - You learn much more on the job
As much as you could learn in school, there’s really no substitute for on the job experience. As much I might have learned getting my bachelor’s, and now in graduate school, I have to admit that on a day to day basis I don’t use that much of it. On the other hand, my experiences at other positions and jobs has been instrumental in me advancing in my career. Any extra knowledge you can get is a benefit to you, but if you’re able to start your work experience early on, it might be a quicker path to the experience and job skills that you’re looking for.
3 - Many companies are starting to look beyond the resume
While we’re not back in .com boom, there are some companies that are really trying to break the mold in terms of how they hire employees and present their company culture. The emphasis now is moving towards networking, open communication, and agile thinking which benefits those that have the skills but not necessarily the traditional education. There will always be corporate bureaucracy, but as the reigns start to loosen it offers opportunities for those that really know their stuff, degree or not.
4 - Student debt can hold you back
Student debt is one of the best kinds of debt you can have, and any money that you invest into your education is probably money well spent, but let’s face it the more debt you accumulate the more likely you are to depend on a secure traditional job. If college isn’t your way, that money you would spend going to school could be used in many other ways that could get your interests off the ground.
5 - Happiness is in the eye of the beholder
Probably the most important point is that traditional methods for success don’t necessarily spell success for you. I think financial security is important to just about everyone, but there are many ways to achieve that. I think a lot of times we get caught up in a certain formula that has worked for others, and we assume that it’s going to be right for us. Whether it works or not isn’t the real question, it’s more about whether or not that path will make you happy. I went the traditional path, and after lots of learning and working I could see myself taking a different path if I had to start again.
Obviously, having a college degree isn’t necessarily a detriment to being successful, it just may not be required to achieve your success. The key is to be able to way all of your options. There is no one right or wrong way to do things, and now that we’re in the internet age, there are so many unconventional ways to do what you love to do and make a solid living doing it. It’s important to take some time trying to organize your passions and align them with your work. Making a smart decision early can save you some headache and frustration years later. Ultimately the decision on college will depend on the path that you see for yourself. The great thing about it is that you can easily try it out for a semester and stop going, or wait a few years and decide to start going at a later time. Rarely in life are our decisions final, so experiment and find the right direction for you.
