College often not worth time, money

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review ^ | Thursday, February 24, 2005 | Mike Seate

[Willie Green]

A waitress at one of my favorite Strip District restaurants last week used one of the industry's oldest cliches. She delivered a meal and reminded me that she "really didn't do this" for a living.

Waiting tables, she explained, was simply something she was doing until a well-paying job opened up in the field she studied during six years in college.

While this is rote conversation for wait staff in places like New York and Los Angeles, where everyone with a tray of linguini in their hands is waiting for a slot on NBC's "Fear Factor," it's unusual for Pittsburgh.

Or is it?

The waitress, it turns out, spent all that time and nearly $150,000 of her family's money studying social sciences, but after graduating she became disappointed with the entry-level salary of her chosen field.

"I can make, like, twice what I'd make as a social worker waiting tables," she confided, "so I'm probably going to just stay here."

[jsmith48]

[Lil'freeper]

"I can make, like, twice what I'd make as a social worker waiting tables," she confided

Seems like an English degree would open more doors for her.

[roaddog727]

A BS/BA degree means that you are trainable for future position of increasing authority/responsibility.

Also, the degree which one attains directly relates to one's initial salary level.

If you get a BA in basket-weaving, don't expet to get a salary like someone who majored in Finance and gets a Job as a Jr. investment banker with Salomon Bros.

[technochick99]

The short-sightedness here is surprising. What one starts out with in a career doesn't necessarily predict what you will be doing in 5 years. As I see it, a degree is something that just cuts past another people.

[rellimpank]

--the market triumphs again---

[technochick99]

another people = other people

[MediaMole]

If she'd spent her time studying real science instead of "social science," she could have had a good job.

Putting social in front of any word negates its meaning -- Social Science, Social Work...

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

The difference between science and the fuzzy subjects is that science requires reasoning, while those other subjects merely require scholarship.

ROBERT HEINLEIN

[DarkSavant]

it turns out, spent all that time and nearly $150,000 of her family's money studying social sciences

150,000 dollars for a Social "science" degree. Where did she go? Even the most elite colleges are only around 25,000 a year. That equals six years for her degree. Maybe she can't find a job because she's an idiot.

[PetroniDE]

The second half of this editorial explains the general problem. It is lack of self-motivation/discipline as is the problem. No college degree or other formal education can overcome lack of motivation/discipline.

The second half of this editorial should have been the headline instead of the fluff title.

[PetroniDE]

as is = that is.... damn grammar check.

[American Vet Repairman]

"reminded me that she "really didn't do this" for a living."


Strippers say the same things.

Oh, I'm putting myself through college.

[tfecw]

Thanks for that :)

i went to an engineering school. We didn't even have a social worker degree. I did meet an ancient languages major once at another school. I was sort of like you pay 30 grand a year to learn a hobby. Yes i'd like fries with that.

[Drew68]

If you get a BA in basket-weaving, don't expet to get a salary like someone who majored in Finance and gets a Job as a Jr. investment banker with Salomon Bros.

Well said! Americans gripe about the number of H1-B visas we issue but I can't help wondering if this correlates to the decreasing number of American students who major in hard sciences like engineering and chemistry.

To many American university students would rather spend their college years pulling bong-hits while they major in "Literature of Contemporary Protest" and "Peace Studies" and leave the mechanical engineering classes filled with students named Amir, Singh and Mohammed.

[bobjam]

4 years full time at Bucknell: $100,000
degree: liberal arts
two years later: teaching high school (law degree for a few)

4 years full time at Penn State: $10,000
degree: accounting
two years later: passing CPA exam and practicing accounting

[American Vet Repairman]

"--the market triumphs again---"

BWAHAHAAHA!
The market is no freind to fools.

[Zeppelin]

HAHA I saw that sign! It's from Chuy's! As a Mechanical Engineering major at the University of Texas (Austin), I really appreciate a good slam on liberal arts majors! =P

[yellowdoghunter]

I agree.

[1stFreedom]

Entry level salaries suck... It's true you can make more money doing other things, like working at UPS..

But five to ten years later, it swings the other way.

And if you make it to directorship, it swings big time..

College grads need to have realistic expectations that they will have to put in time to get more money.. If they are too focused on "now" money, then college may not be required..

(But college is a good insurance plan, many white collar jobs require a degree -- any degree.)

Spending $150k on a degree, however, is excessive unless one has definitive plans to excel in school and after. If one just wants a job, then community/state college is fine.