Did you attend a college or university?

[Pilgrim]

Were you fortunate enough to attend a college or university? When did you attend and at what age? Where was the school located? What was your major/minor? If you finished a graduate program, what was your field? Are you working in your field of study?

I was born in Ames, IA (home of Iowa State, mentioned by the original poster) and moved to Pullman, WA (home of Washington State University) when I was 10.

I earned my bachelor's in Broadcasting at WSU in 1973 - went out and worked a few years - came back to the area and earned a Master's in Adult Education in 1979. That got me into a faculty position and a career in higher education.

In 1985 I moved to Bryan/College Station, TX (Texas A&M University) where I supervised a Radio/TV unit and soon decided that I needed a Ph.D. if I was going to stay in the university "biz". I finished that degree in 1997. It was a busy time because my wife and I had two kids during that time and I was working all over the state of Texas while chipping away at my Ph.D. coursework and research. I have been enrolled in college earning one degree or another for a total of 17 years since age 18. My last degree was earned at age 47.

Unfortunately I was rather badly out of place culturally at A&M, but fortunately the doctorate was my ticket to my current position in Fort Collins, CO at Colorado State University. my wife says I am MUCH easier to live with now that I've escaped the frustrations I encountered in Aggieland. At CSU I run distance education programs - an outgrowth of the interest I developed in distance education while producing national satellite teleconferences at A&M. So my current position is directly connected to my undergraduate study through a series of steps.

And I'm President of the WSU Alumni Association this year; it's the fastest growing alumni association in the entire United States, and I'm having a great deal of fun in the position. Those of you in the Pacific NW know that there IS something special about being a Coug - and we never let others forget it.

So to me, higher education isn't just a great advantage my parents helped give me - it's something I've pursued on my own, and it has become my life's work. My thinking may be highly skewed by my choice of career, but it's clear to me that a college degree IS a necessity for most good jobs, and will become even more badly needed as our economy keeps shifting from manufacturing to knowledge-based jobs. I have two daughters in college and they're both maintaining GPAs in the 3.5 to 3.8 range...making mom and dad proud.

Certainly, a college degree is not a reflection of anyone's intelligence or capability - just look at some of the wonderful people on this forum who don't have degrees. However, having that credential does constitute a step up - or even a basic qualification - in many fields. That's one of the major reasons that my current work - distance education - has exploded in popularity over the past couple of decades. Most of those engaged in distance ed are working adults who are earning a degree for a step up at work, or as a tool for career change. They aren't about to leave their home and go to campus, but they can still earn a degree or get professional training.

 

[Barbigirl]

A lot of successful people don't have a degree, and a lot of people with degrees aren't successful. All the time and effort I put into getting an engineering degree didn't amount to a hill of beans, financially.

I completely agree with you.

I crammed a two year General Studies AA from Truckee Meadows Community College (Reno, NV) into six years...in between...
1 semster flunk out UNR
1 semester traveling in Europe
a wedding, buying a home, having a baby and working at least part time for most of it

I make more than my ex husband and my sister who both forked over the dough for a master's program.

Oh wait, I paid for his master's program. [huh]

 

[Johnnysan]

Yes, I've met bright people with just a high school diploma and engineers who were knuckleheads. I don't quite agree that life is as simple as getting out of it what you put into it. If an education is an investment, shouldn't you get more out of it than you put into it?

I don't want to take this too far off-topic, but for me, a financial return was not the primary motivation for going to college. Yes, I hoped that it would make me more marketable and therefore, by extension, able to command a higher salary. But, it was mostly about self-improvement and challenging myself to succeed in an endeavor outside my comfort level (i.e. - academics.)

The boost I got in self-confidence and in a renewed appreciation of my abilities have far outweighed any professional or financial gain that I have ever received from having a degree. And, more importantly, has caused me to want to continue learning throughout my lifetime.

 

[Pilgrim]

I think that when you're a traditional age college student (18-22), that the experience is one that helps socialize you and allows you some time to learn how to handle a higher level of independence from your family without putting you completely on your own. You are generally learning a skill or field that will provide a basis for at your initial career, but I think socialization is an important benefit for young people. That's a benefit that our distance education students don't getm because they're earning a living at the same time they study...but it works.

OTOH, adults generally engage in college study for different reasons, and they are almost always goal-oriented.

It may be personal interest...
It may be professional interest or development...
It may be career-oriented (stepping up or a new career)
It may be an interest pursued in early or traditional retirement

But the socialization aspect has generally fallen away. Adults generally have purposes to invest energy, time and money in education. However, there are many ways to learn things, and formal courses are only one way. Most of us continually are learning new things whether or not we're in formal courses - that's one of the things that helps us develop and grow as people.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Certainly, a college degree is not a reflection of anyone's intelligence or capability - just look at some of the wonderful people on this forum who don't have degrees. However, having that credential does constitute a step up - or even a basic qualification - in many fields.

And that's what I find so frustrating, frankly. Consider -- my book is found in the communications/broadcasting section of the libraries in just about every major university in the United States (and a number of others around the world). Professors at many of these schools have also helped themselves to my articles and essays for use in their classes, and have written to me for research advice. I've been a primary source in at least one PhD dissertation. And yet, I myself am not considered qualified to even sweep the floor in any of those same classrooms where my work is freely used.

I tell ya, if I didn't appreciate irony, I'd be dead by now.

 

[Patrick Murtha]

Certainly, a college degree is not a reflection of anyone's intelligence or capability - just look at some of the wonderful people on this forum who don't have degrees. However, having that credential does constitute a step up - or even a basic qualification - in many fields.

In general, the fields of work that have the highest barriers to entry -- including specific educational requirements -- also have the highest average pay. That is simply the way that our economy works --credentials do count. They are one of the heuristics we use to assess ability. As Barbara Ehrenreich points out in her book Bait and Switch, professions that are not organized around multiple barriers to entry (professional exams, licenses, and designations as well as general degrees) suffer from a lack of job security as well. This helps explain why writers, say, make so little on average and have such little security.

Credentials or the lack of them in the individual case may not indicate very much, and certainly a lack of credentials has often been overcome where the standards of a profession permit it. But on the other hand, there are no highly-paid surgeons out there (at least, I hope not) who do not possess the requisite undergraduate and advanced degrees, specialized trainings and certifications, continuing professional education, etc.

We may say that we wish we lived in a society that did not put such weight upon credentials, but I don't think we usually really mean it (although we may regret this emphasis and think it unfair in the individual case, including our own). Educational credentials are an increasingly necessary heuristic in a highly specialized and technical society.

 

[RedPop4]

I have a Bachelor of Arts from Loyola University in New Orleans, Louisiana. Attended from Fall 1984 and received my degree, in Spanish, May 1988.

Received my Masters of Library and Information Science from Louisiana State University (LSU GO TIGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) Started in Summer of 1995, took off a year for the birth of my first son. Finished in August, 1999.

 

[jake_fink]

And that's what I find so frustrating, frankly. Consider -- my book is found in the communications/broadcasting section of the libraries in just about every major university in the United States (and a number of others around the world). Professors at many of these schools have also helped themselves to my articles and essays for use in their classes, and have written to me for research advice. I've been a primary source in at least one PhD dissertation. And yet, I myself am not considered qualified to even sweep the floor in any of those same classrooms where my work is freely used.

I tell ya, if I didn't appreciate irony, I'd be dead by now.

I don't know how different things are in the US, but here you would certainly be allowed to teach in your field of expertise - the book alone qualifying you as a "specialist". Where you would run into trouble is gaining a full professorship for which you would need the credentials. Most post secondary institutions here are quite amenable to allowing faculty to improve their credentials and upgrade their skills where and when appropriate, some even subsidize their faculty to do so. So, if you've ever thought of a move to the slushy north, let me know and I can get you started on a job search.

For the record, I did not come from a rich family; I was the first person in my family to complete a university degree and only the second to finish any post-secondary schooling at all. I paid my own way and worked very very hard to do so, making a lot of sacrifices along the way. It was well worth while to me. I've started saving for my son's education because it will only get more expensive and higher degrees will only become more and more important over the coming decades. I want him to have the opportunity to get an education without having to fight for it as hard as I did.

One more thing: I started my PHD but left it when I saw friends taking jobs where ever they could, no matter how underpopulated, snowy or generally unpleasant. I wanted to work in a location of my choice (more or less) and not be in the position of an itinerant fruit picker running after work. So for me, the investment stopped paying out, and continuing with the PHD would have been more time and more money (but mostly more time) with very little worthwhile return. My friends are all (mostly) tenured now, and happy, but still in the same little, frozen, boring patches of compromiseville that they ran to five years ago. Sometimes more education can be too much.

 

[pgoat]

Got my BA in History/Art History 2002 from UCLA, with a minor in French. History/Art History is not a double major in my case. It is a single one.

Currently enrolled in law school, just finished my third semester (of six)! :beer: :beer::beer:

congrats MBH! You're halfway there!

Just curious is your school on LI? (I grew up in Suffolk County)

 

[surely]

hmmm. this might be embarrassing

1959 BA UofMich.;
1962 LLB Columbia Law School; 62-64 worked on JSD in comparative law; 1965-80 hiatus
1980-82; mba
1983-87; PhD (ABD) U.of Wash 1983-87 in Business, Gov't & Society.
1987-2000; hiatus
2000 on I've been into fitness, earning certificates and I just started a fitness business. Been thinking about going back to university to study kinesiology

whew

 

[pgoat]

MLS, CUNY Queens.

I like City colleges. It was nice to pay my way through and not owe anything afterwards! I was paying off my BS for several years.

 

[Mid-fogey]

If you...

I completely agree with you.

I crammed a two year General Studies AA from Truckee Meadows Community College (Reno, NV) into six years...in between...
1 semester flunk out UNR
1 semester traveling in Europe
a wedding, buying a home, having a baby and working at least part time for most of it

I make more than my ex husband and my sister who both forked over the dough for a master's program.

Oh wait, I paid for his master's program. [huh]

...weren't such a little hottie, you wouldn't have been invited to all those parties that got in the way of studying.

 

[pgoat]

hmmm. this might be embarassing

1959 BA UofMich.;
1962 LLB Columbia Law School; 62-64 worked on JSD in comparative law; 1965-80 hiatus
1980-82; mba
1983-87; PhD (ABD) U.of Wash 1983-87 in Business, Gov't & Society.
1987-2000; hiatus
2000 on I've been into fitness, earning certificates and I just started a fitness business. Been thinking about going back to university to study kinesiology

whew

You should be proud!

I know a few people with several degrees and they are not only intelligent and interesting people, they have great endurance!!

One of my favorite professors at Long Island University has like 4 Doctorates! A brilliant guy, fantastic lecturer, and a nice man to boot, very down to earth. My sister-in-law's boyfriend had him for a class some 15 years after I did, and we were both raving about him at a party when we first met!

 

[pgoat]

I have my BA from University of California at Santa Barbara, double major in Linguistics and Portuguese (literature and language).

I did most of my courses at a community college and only transfered to the UC for my final two years.

I graduated 10 years to the month that I finished high school, so I was 28. I worked full time while doing classes for most of that time, also traveled, lived in Brazil for a while..etc.

I also have a Msc from the University of the West of England, in Information Technology. I was 33 when I got that.

I do basically work in the IT area of things...although nothing to do with Portuguese at the moment...Linguistics is useful -every- day..in small ways.

wow - you sound like a buddy of ours - she is finishing up her PhD in Linguistics in Arizona; she's spent a few years living in South America, among other places. I used to do speech therapy; I am curious to see where Linguistics takes her. I know she plans to teach.

 

[pgoat]

I attended Mount Holyoke College in Western Massachusetts and I'd highly recommend it--fantastic faculty, small classes, gorgeous campus. The one drawback is there really isn't any town to speak of, but just hop on the 5 college bus to get to Amherst or Northampton and that problem is solved.

I started at 18 and I graduated at 22 but in January, a semester after my class; I had to take a semester off right after my freshman year for personal reasons.

I double majored in History/Art History only because junior year those were the subjects where I had accumulated the most credits (studio art was a close third). I had no career track in college, as an undergraduate I just took the courses that interested me.

Additionally, I've got an MBA and an MLS (aka a library degree). I'm currently working in my fields of graduate study.

hello, fellow librarian!

 

[Mid-fogey]

This reminds me...

And that's what I find so frustrating, frankly. Consider -- my book is found in the communications/broadcasting section of the libraries in just about every major university in the United States (and a number of others around the world). Professors at many of these schools have also helped themselves to my articles and essays for use in their classes, and have written to me for research advice. I've been a primary source in at least one PhD dissertation. And yet, I myself am not considered qualified to even sweep the floor in any of those same classrooms where my work is freely used.

I tell ya, if I didn't appreciate irony, I'd be dead by now.

...of a great story from my Dad. At Va Tech, a man named Bosco Rasch (sp?) was interviewing for something. The department head was concerned he wasn't well prepared enough, and Bosco asked the textbook they used for a particular freshman course. The department head got one off the shelf of his office and Bosco was the author.

 

[pgoat]

Started at Michigan State University, transferred to Madonna University for my B.A. in Sacred (read: Catholic) Theology.

Spent a year at Wayne State University Law School, then dropped out.

Am currently at Wayne State University Graduate School working towards a degree in Library and Information Science.

cool, Samsa! Another MLS here, just graduated in '05.

 

[Paisley]

A bright, self-motivated person might do well being self-employed. Think about some business that does a good job for you: do you really care how much education the owner has?

 

[pgoat]

Right now I'm a junior at UCLA. I'm an art major and am minoring in women's studies. I started when I was 17 and will probably end up graduating when I'm 22.

I'm thinking about going to grad school for Information Studies with a specialization in Archival Studies.

Hi P T - just curious; did you see a program for the Archival Studies? Is it an MLIS Degree?

 

[pgoat]

And that's what I find so frustrating, frankly. Consider -- my book is found in the communications/broadcasting section of the libraries in just about every major university in the United States (and a number of others around the world). Professors at many of these schools have also helped themselves to my articles and essays for use in their classes, and have written to me for research advice. I've been a primary source in at least one PhD dissertation. And yet, I myself am not considered qualified to even sweep the floor in any of those same classrooms where my work is freely used.

I tell ya, if I didn't appreciate irony, I'd be dead by now.

Irony, indeed. I put off library school about 10 years ago because I had a great opportunity to run a private corporate library. I had people with MLS degrees working under me! Now that I have my MLS I just have a job.........and my MLS!

Lizzie, I think you should be proud. I know degrees often translate into $$$ but talent and knowledge and creativity do count and they can pay off dividends too.