The Value of a College Degree in...

ZebraDog · Coal Joined: Aug 01, 2008 Posts: 6

I'm somewhat curious as to how the Peak Oil aware would rate a college education, in various different fields. For myself I'm currently 2/3 through a degree in computer animation. Now due to my age (21) or my feelings in regards to various events that will most likely be affecting me heavily I find that a degree in the arts seems fairly useless. Unless you use a loose interpretation of how one can apply it, or considering the college environment plays a larger role than most of the classes.

Most of the people I discuss this with find that a college degree is important, that piece of paper holds some value, even if the education behind it is questionable. Many of them have also informed me that little of what they have learned was actually used in what they eventually did, so I ask why get the education when it pushes that person into debt and much of what they could have learned would have only required the willpower to spend time at a library. They do have points in that it opens many doors of opportunity that they would not likely have had as well as allowing them to get a higher paying job, and I can concede that point. I just wonder if the pros outweigh the cons if one is to consider what we will likely go through within the near term future of around 10 years (or whatever number you ascribe to).

So what does Peakoil.com think about college degrees. For the students who plan to enroll, those already in it, and any variety of those going for something like electrical engineering for windmills, accountant, geneticist, artist, etc.
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Tyler_JC

There are several threads on this topic already but here's my general take on it (as a fellow university student):

Borrowing large amounts of money (a hundred thousand bucks) in order to study art history or women's studies is a waste of time. I don't care if we invent cold fusion tomorrow, there's no reason to waste huge amounts of money in order to study a useless subject.

Borrowing large amounts of money in order to study mechanical engineering or medicine could be a good idea. But there are plenty of affordable, high quality public universities in the United States (and elsewhere) that can give you an education in those subjects without breaking the bank.

In short, borrowing large amounts of money in order to go to school is not the smartest move. You enter your working years with a major debt load that will prevent you from purchasing a house or starting a family until much later in life.

If your computer animation degree won't lead you deep into debt, I see no reason to abandon ship this far along in the process. I'm not familiar enough with the career prospect of a computer animator in order to judge, but it seems like something that could be easily outsourced to India.
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joeltrout · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Sep 19, 2007 Posts: 1317

I suggest Petroleum Engineering or Geology at a state school or local university.

Oil companies are desperate for young professionals and are making ridiculous offers for graduates.

I was just at Summer NAPE and at the luncheon I was sitting with some guys from Texas. Their company was offering geology graduates over $90k. For a bachelor degree NOT a master degree graduate.

joeltrout

mos6507

When I was dabbling in computer animation 10 years ago people were just looking at demo reels. They didn't really care about education. With artistic stuff it's all demonstrable talent. If you can pick it up on your own as a hobby and get good at it, it's probably a better way to go than a formal education in it.

Companies like Pixar like to hire people with classical artistic experience (you know, drawing, painting, sculpting). They probably value an art degree more, but a REAL art degree, not just computer animation.
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mos6507

joeltrout · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Sep 19, 2007 Posts: 1317

joeltrout · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Sep 19, 2007 Posts: 1317

I think students going into college should look at what jobs will have strong demand when they graduate.

Oil Industry & Nursing/Medical Care have HUGE needs now and in the future.

joeltrout

neocone · Heavy Crude Joined: Sep 23, 2006 Posts: 250

I think university education at the undergrad level can be all done online. All you really do is go to lectures where a professor or his assistant will talk about the book they wrote or just spill a lot of info that you need to learn anyways afterwards.

I found out that my best grades then were when I learned on my own. And the internet can truly let anyone study anywhere.

Universities can specialize in post grad research and more specialized subjects.

High school could also use a bit of technology to make it cheaper and better.

Alas, so far only the MIT has published all its undergrad lectures online for all the world to use for free.

ZebraDog · Coal Joined: Aug 01, 2008 Posts: 6

Well the degree is in Media Arts and Animation, so I suppose it isn't strictly limited to computer animation. There is a certain level of design concept, traditional pencil and paper skills, traditional animation, and the whole gambit of Gen Eds. The thing is with the current focus on Peak Oil I seem to be pushing myself towards abandoning something which could prove useful in the future, and difficult to come back to should I quit at this point. Those around me constantly stress the importance of having a degree, and don't seem as concerned about the education behind it as they are with the issue of having the paper. There is some value in being able to show an employer that you are dependable and reliable to finish what you start.

Alternative fields that I've been looking into were electrical engineering (North Dakota is trying to pick up students before they graduate in that field) or possibly get an appreticeship at a greenhouse and begin running a nursery. The rapid (or imperceptible) change that will likely occur within the coming years suggests that I should focus more on my local community and traditional skills over academic pursuits and expensive education.

I think ultimately I will abandon this Art pursuit and focus on agricultural know how. Thanks again for the various opinions which clarified the discussions in my head.
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mos6507

mos6507

Ainan · Heavy Crude Joined: Feb 18, 2008 Posts: 309

I'm working on a degree in Computer Science. To me it is a ticket out of my doomed country. Fortunetly student loans are run by the state in the UK and I shouldn't have much problem with them tieing me down.

If however, I was to choose my subject again, geology/engineering(civil/mechanical) would have been a better choice.
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vtsnowedin · Intermediate Crude Joined: Jul 11, 2008 Posts: 509

MBAs ask How much dose it cost?
BS-PEs ask How dose this work?
BA English majors ask Do you want fries with that?

Ask your school administration if they have a job placement service for graduates and their success rate.
For example the Technical college I graduated from in '75 has a record of placing 99+% of its graduates one year out. They found me a placement in the fall of '75 and I havent missed a paycheck to this day. Back then two years and an associates degree in civil engineering and surveying cost $4500 and some of that was covered by grants.
If I had it to do over again I would have gone for the four year BS degree at the state U even though it would have meant borrowing some money.

skyemoor

Electro-mechanical engineering will help you cover a number of areas, such as HEV/electric vehicle design, and most of the fundamental areas of electrical and mechanical engineering. That's my degree, and at one time I was involved in the robotics on the Space Station. Math and physics are the primary underpinnings.
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Pretorian

The shittiest dentist makes more money than the brightest ornitologist alive, thats all I am going to say.