College Degrees

[anonymous Mac Tech]

Originally Posted by ATTech

I recognize your views and opinions on critical thinking and will get back to you at a later date with my thoughts and opinions.

Yeah, that paragraph is not set in stone as the telling difference between the masses. Just saying that's the most notable difference I see. Of course there are exceptions to the rule. For instance a friend/business partner of mine thinks on a level way beyond my general comprehension most of the time and he never finished college. Of course he did attend college, just didn't finish and regrets the fact he didn't. Also, he has always been an avid reader and has read everything I can think of.

[Nathan]

I have no degrees but I am on my third IT course in my third year at college, and all I've really learnt are things that won't help me when fixing or building machines, like knowing the layers of the OSI Model..

Most of my actual computer knowledge has come from hands on experience.

[Tech Nibble User]

Colleges will never teach you about real-life. Bachelor's degree is like getting a High School diploma in Business Administration.

Originally Posted by lan101

I was just wondering how many of you all have a 2 year or 4 year degree? I've taken classes on and off for the past 2 years towards a 2 year degree and am about half way through it.

More than likely, I will finish it. I was just wondering if what you guys have, if you think it has helped you in any way towards your business? I guess me personally, I haven't really learned anything that really applies to real world computer problems. I've learned a few things sure, but like I said really doesn't apply much.

I was just looking for some insight or any opinions on this matter if anyone would like to share.

Thanks,

Landon

[layoric]

A.S. Human Services
B.A. Elementary Education
B.S. Information Science

All have helped, with their own specialized components.

[ATTech]

Originally Posted by Tech Nibble User

Colleges will never teach you about real-life. Bachelor's degree is like getting a High School diploma in Business Administration.

Wait what? So I should just go to Intel and when they ask for an Engineering degree, I should just laugh and say it wouldn't teach me anything?

[PCSupportGlasgow]

Most of our techs have a Computer Science or computer studies B.Sc degree including myself.

Would say for the IT Support industry a degree not going to teach you the ins and outs of the trade but has certainly helped immensely with everything else. People can take what they want from a degree as they are merely building foundations.


Just done a quick poll in the office and main answer seems to conclude;- it's not the technical side of the degree that is used mostly it's the way it teaches you traits that become second nature to you eg that anything is possible and think out of the box attitude. (i do realize for some people these traits are part of their makeup already but a university education heightens them)

[PDXMicro]

In my experience (i'm only 28 so take that with a grain of salt), degrees show an employer that you have the physical capability of learning. Some people just can't do it. Others do it with very little effort. Personally, I'm happy that I got an Associates in Computer Technology and a Bachelors in Business Management. As my business is not my main source of income, it's nice to have an education background for career goals and upward movement in a corporate environment - not to mention the amount of different job titles I can hold because of my education.

Basically if you're trying to do it specifically for your business, I wouldn't worry about it. Instead, I would take individual classes that you personally cherry picked. Doing so will provide you with knowledge in fields or topics that you are interested in. You will get way more moneys worth this way. However, if you're trying to go to college to increase your employable status and you're not just thinking about your business, I say go for it.

[callthatgirl]

I have a degree in criminology and decided to stay on with computers (I created my own minor "computer software"). What I learned in college was how to multitask, organize and work through processes. I did more side work learning during college than anything I got out of the books/classes.

Example: In my senior year... I had 2 unpaid internships, was an editor of an underground newspaper, supervised the computer lab and technicians at the library, bounced at a bar and was President of the Criminal Justice Club (where I organized group events and trips). And did a bunch of drugs, drank and partied like a rock star.

College gave me the opportunity to learn many skills that have helped me in the past 10 years to be a better corporate brat and now enterprising entrepreneur.

The educated folks don't believe anything they hear without further investigation and usually strongly take the source of the information into consideration. Basically this explains the whole concept of critical thinking. Something society could use a lot more of.

Yes and no. I have done some of the biggest risks of my life and business life without any critical thinking. You don't need a college degree to do what you're passionate about and how to decide quickly on what is a good or bad idea.

Just sayin'.

[gravator]

B.S. in Network and Communications Management in 2 years and 8 months.

One thing of many I have learned from college is that dedication will get you far in life. I have a lot of clients that ask me if I went to school for my biz and they are please to hear I did. I think it comforts the client.

[usacvlr]

College is simply a way to burn through money and avoid the real world for 4 years or so while learning little or nothing that actually applies to it.