Granddaughter is off to college

The wife and myself went with my Granddaughter and her parents to a college about 100 mi from home..She is living on the campus. This is the first time from home for her without her parents. She should do good. My mother tried to get me to go to a jr college. I wasen't having anything to do with that. I tried for 12 years to get out of school, I sure wasen't going back. At 70 now, looking back I doubt I would have done much different. Except maybe spending more time talking to Mom, and Dad about the old days. How many college guys here? Stan

I went to work out of high school. worked for a year and went back to study electronics. went to a technical institute. worked full time (2nd shift) and went to school full time for a while and it was tough!I got an associates degree in electronics engineering technology. It has more than paid for itself over the years. I have never regretted going back for a better education and I have encouraged lots of young people to further their education. would do it over if I had to!!

frank

1978 to 1982 night school. Got a BA in Business management. Money got tight had to quit. Never used it and rarely asked if I have any college education. I don't regret it but it was kind of wasted money. GI benefits covered some of it but it still cost me out of pocket.

My first wife wanted me to go back after the kids where out of the house. I did not think it would have gained me anything. She thought it would have helped me on some of the boards I used to be on. I know some of the bank big shots looked down on us loan board guys that did not have fancy degrees.

I fiddled around for 2 yrs after hs doing odd contractor work. Finally went to 2 yr program, got out and made same amount as before! Was supposed to get married, got dumped, went back for 4 yr degree, BS degree and thats what it really is. Got out again and made not a whole lot more! In hind sight I probably coulda made the same money im makin now without school. But I met my wife (and a whole lotta other girls) and learned a few things. Besides its too late now. My only regret is that if i had applied myself in HS I could've been anything. A doctor or lawyer or something so I wasn't broke now.

Send her to college Chief, and keep her there!
Things today are not like they were in days gone by.
My company, and many others, will not hire anyone without a degree or
years of experience.
How are you supposed to get years of experience if no one will hire you?

My favorite college joke:
I got my AS so I could assemble Sh_t
Then I got my BS so I could Bull Sh_t
Then I got my MS so I had More Sh_t
Then I got my PHD so I could Pile it High and Deep!

JD, don't sell yourself short. You impress me as a man who could be teaching business management in college.

I'm one. Got my BS in mech engineering in '79, then went back to grad school in '83 for a year. Dropped outa that grad school, went back to work, enrolled in another grad school that my employer paid for, dropped outa that one. That's why they call it gradual school, you gradually realize you don't wanna go to school anymore.

Took some correspondence courses while in the Army, from U of OK and U of MN. Got back from overseas, finished the BS Degree in Animal Science at the U of MN in 3 1/2 years, while working part and full-time. Started farming from scratch two years later. Machine shop jobs were an excellent experience, more than loading trucks and making bullets. Always considered the degree an insurance policy in case I bombed out of farming. Helps to do college when young and single. And especially when you know what you want to study- not like today"s kids, no idea what to study, and student loans are available....so they go. And drop out.

College man here, I'm entering my senior year at California University of Pennsylvania with a major of Conservation ecology, and a minor in biology and leadership. I love school.

BS degree in Ag Engineering, with minors in Economics and Journalism. That was a great combination that helped me during my working years. Just straight degrees are often too narrow for many jobs.

I tried living on campus but didn't care for it much as I like quiet. I took a room in a widow's house off campus for a quiet place to study and avoid the disruptions of the other students. That worked much better for me.

My mom said I had to go to college for something so after I graduated from high school in 2003 I went to a community college and took their masonry program. Then in 2008 I went back to college to get an AS degree in criminal justice, been doing it on a part time basis and will be finished next summer I hope.

Colleges are part of what is wrong with this country. Schools crank out degrees and people with head knowledge but with no idea how to apply that knowledge. As a career auto technician, I have seen it many times, a new kid comes in all excited, just to find out the problems are not always cut and dried like the labs in schools. They work for a few days to a week and are gone. Colleges exist for one thing only, collect money.

The other aspect of college that is insane is the cost and ROI. Crazy parents send starry eyed kids to school to get a degree in, say, social work or music. They then spend $100K on an "education" to lock them in a $25K a year career. What sense does that make?

Went to a JR college for ag mechanics. Marilyn could have been a career college student if we would have had the money and lived in the right place. Jim

Got a Associates degree in business administration, then moved on to UH. Was a 5th yr senior, some courses didn't transfer & I had to work 2 jobs to survive, when Uncle Sam decided he needed my help with the VN war. When I got out just never had the motivation to go back to school. Worked 39 yrs for USPS.

Congrats and the grand daughter going off to college. It is a fact that you need at least a BS degree today to get any decent job. My wife has worked with more then one lady who has been denied advancement simply due to no college degree.

St. John"s College of Business Administration,
BS in Accounting Class of "87.

Accounting is a great degree for anyone we intends to work for themselves.

Back when the BB team was called the Redmen and
Lou Carnesecca"s was the coach.

I graduated HS in "79. Did not go to college right away. Was working in a gas station and wanted to be a auto mechanic, have my own garage. After 2 years followed my GF off to college. She got sick and had to come home and I Flunked out. 2 more years later she ran off with one of her college "friends". Learned to never chase after women.
Back to working at gas station. One day slipped and broke my hand in the shop. Got almost $2k from work men"s comp. Used it to pay for my 1st semester at SJU. Back when college was affordable.
Got summer job after Freshman year as a bartender in a Gin mill during the days. So while all my friends were at the beach having fun I started my day M to F cleaning the bar, INCLUDING the bathrooms! WHEW! Worked hard and when one of the nite tenders quit/got kinda fired I started with a couple of nites. Did a decent job and was switched to 4-5 nites a week. Used to tell my Professors to please not be offended if I fall asleep as I work till 4am to pay for school. If they had a issue with that I dropped their class.
Thing was the REAL prof"s who had actually worked before becoming educators understood and even respected my honesty and the fact I was paying my own way.
So after 4 years and my accounting degree, I worked for a small accounting practice in NYC for 2 weeks and quit because it total stunk! LOL.
Got a job(1099 subcontract) installing accounting software. Still working for myself today.
But after 25 years of computers and software I want to get back to working with my hands. I am a pretty good shade tree mechanic and good at diag"ing cars. The computer knowledge helps as today cars are really computers with engines attached.


Pete

Went to Michigan State University straight from High School, got a BS in Dairy Science on the 5 year plan (I worked). I wasn't a traditional student in the fact I commuted from the farm everyday. When I graduated the college degree could get me a job that paid almost what I was making pulling wrenches. Tried to buy a 40 across the road from my folk's place couldn't find anyone that would loan me $13,000 to $14,000 to buy the land (1982), farmed the folks place, ended up selling corn for $1.99/bushel the lowest I ever remember seeing it. Was the degree worth it? Well yes when I joined the Air Force I was able to go to OTS and get a commission, but then again if I'd enlisted instead and served as a 431 I could conceivably have an A&P now and might be doing something I enjoyed a little more and probably have a pension or gotten a better buy out. The cold war taught our military a very important lesson don't EVER win a war, if you do they'll call a peace dividend and lay you off and rob your VA benefit package.

Good luck to your granddaughter! What is her major/minor?

I go to the University of Mount Union as a sophomore. I live on campus but am close enough to go home on the weekends occasionally and help with farming.

My majors are Finance and Management with a minor in entrepreneurship. I am also very involved in campus and actually just had a job offer I refused.

I think if you apply yourself and make sure you know how to apply what you are learning, college is a good choice for most. Yes it is expensive but I know it was the right choice for me.

I am presently enrolled in the school of hard knocks and have been for most my life. Larnin' sumptin new most evry day!

Went to work right out of HS (actually was working while in HS)....74 joined the Army even though a few buddies were trying to talk me into going to school with them.....not me....retired from the army in 96 and joined the workforce. Went to school again in 2001. Got an associates degree then retired completely.....last couple of years been farmin cause I got bored with retired life.

Rick