Most people on this site are looking towards earning a bachelor's degree or better (masters, doctorate). But, is it really necessary? Without a doubt, the answer is no. Allow me to explain.
I have spent the past year applying to medical school. I am quickly facing the realization that I might not get in, and I will be done with my bachelor's degree come May. That is terrifying to me, for a multitude of reasons.
First, I turn 21 in September, at which point, if I am not in school full time, my insurance and all its wonderful benefits gets dropped. While my situation probably isn't as tragic as some student's loss of insurance, it's pretty important to me.
In addition, the reason I would not get in this year is certainly not my stats. I have the highest Science GPA possible, and very close to perfect overall GPA. My MCAT score is in the 95th percentile of all test takers. As such, when I considered applying for a Master's Program and asked one of my professors for a letter of recommendation, he said he wouldn't write it. Not because he doesn't know me well enough to write me a good letter; he did write me one for my initial medical school application, and I have no doubt it was a good letter. Rather, he won't write it because he doesn't think I should go for additional education before I get into medical school (as he has no doubt I will eventually get in). Instead, I should work.
Well, therein lies my problem. I'm young. I have very little work experience, and will have a degree that is very difficult to get a job straight out of college with. Do I regret my choice in major? Of course not... I love biology, and cannot imagine loving another subject as much. That's part of the reason I want to go into medicine in the first place.
Which brings me to my point. My four year degree isn't going to mean a whole lot trying to get a job in a health field. Sure, I could maybe manage to work in a lab somewhere for the next two years, but I really can't foresee myself enjoying that. So, what's a girl to do?
Get a certificate. I can be trained in 8-11 weeks to be any number of professionals. And guess what? Those classes aren't offered at a university. They're offered at a community college. The type of institution people go to when they can't afford a university right out of high school.
The community college around where I live now offers a phlebotomy certificate program. With certification, they can make between $11 and $20 an hour, and are always in demand. Of course, few people would want a career making less than the poverty line, but it's something for undergrad students to do to pay the bills.
For a year in community college, you can get a certificate to become an administrative assistant. Right out, they make about $35,000 a year. After a few years, this can go up to over $40,000. If you're bilingual, you can start at over $40,000. Not bad for a one-year degree, hmm?
Many of the certificate programs take a year, maybe a little more, and offer somewhere in the $35,000 range for base pay. Certainly, someone with a four degree will earn more, but you can always go back to school while working from that certificate program. And, you know, not everyone can be a doctor.
So, before you assume that you must have a four year degree to succeed in this world, check out some of the other options available to you at your local community college.
Needing a degree varies from field to field, so it's definitely worth looking into, since there's no point spending fifty grand on a degree that could have gotten you the same pay in your field as a $3000 certificate program.
For some fields, though, you do benefit more from having the degree. Sadly, it's not necessarily from what you learned, but the degree itself. Technology fields, for example, have a lot of people that have taught themselves a great deal of things. Also, some of the certificates have lost their value (*cough*A+*cough*). Employers need an efficient way to determine whether or not someone actually knows what they're doing. That generally equates to whether or not one has a degree or one of the higher level certificates that are nearly as involved as a degree.
-- quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
I'm going for a graduate certificate in public health, rather than a masters. Maybe I'll go for a master's later, if I decide I want to be a practictioner or I want to teach at a university. Right now, I just want to be better prepared to work as a nurse in Public Health, and I was pretty excited to find out I can get a certificate for that.
I think the difference from your certificate though is mine's going to take a year. :-/ 17 credit hours. And I'm going to have to petition for in-state tuition. But I can still work as a nurse somewhere while I'm going to classes.
Thank you for posting this blog. A lot of people don't go for the community college option, not because they don't know about it, but because there is a lot of negativity surrounding it--mostly that it's not as good. It's good to see the positive point of view.
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I don't have a certificate yet. I was just looking into it, because pay as a tech without certification sucks. And if I actually want to live on my own, that pay isn't going to cut it.
~C
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I think that it definitely depends on your passions. I am interested in Mechanical Engineering or Computer Engineering. For that there is not a cert. to get. They hire you if you have a degree. In the end it depends on your intended career.
I second that. I guess the important thing to keep in mind is your goal. First, you should have one. Then do research to find out what is required.
My brother is a network administrator for a school district. He makes quite a bit of money (wealthy school district). He has a very specialized skill set that the district needs. He did not go to college, because he did not fit school very well, but he knows computers. He was entirely self taught when he began his career (only about four years ago), but he has since gotten several "certifications" that didn't teach him anything, but that satisfied the school board enough to give him big raises. It's all about knowing how to play the game. Knowing how you define a 'win' is the first step to being successful.
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Excellent post. Imo the main reason so many people fail in the educational/career goals is because they simply aren't aware of the many alternatives available to them.
...I would however encourage everyone to get at least a four-year degree if they are able to. *is trying for a Masters in Social Work, plus perhaps a BA in Photography*
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I'm not saying people shouldn't pursue a bachelor's degree if they are able, but not everyone is able right out of high school, and you can make a decent salary with a certification that takes much less time and much less money. Then, you can save your money to eventually go on to pursue a 4 year degree.
~C
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"if they are able to."
Therein lies the travesty of my roommate, who spent four years and received a BA in Forestry, I think. He would be the first person to tell you that it's not necessary, even if you have the means. He works in construction and has told me his four years in college was essentially a waste.
This was news to me. I always thought, hey!, if you've got the money, you may as well use it to learn. That may as well have been 16-year-old naivety.
Sustainably yers, http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/green-underbelly
I think that in ten years when you're making hundreds fo thousands of dollars a year as a doctor, you'll be thinking that your degrees were pretty necessary.
But not everyone can be a doctor, as evidence by the 50% of applicants in any given year (including me this year, apparently) don't get in anywhere.
We still need people to be mechanics and beauticians and laboratory assistants. And those careers do not require a 4 year degree.
And if I do become a doctor, I probably won't get above $200,000 a year. I'm not going to be a surgeon... I'm going to be a primary care doc.
~C
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But what if its necessary for your dream? A 4+ year degree is something that you absolutely must have to become a doctor. There are no ifs, and, or buts about it. Yes, you could absolutely get your certificate and become an administrative assistance (ie. secretary/receptionist), but it seems to me that you really want to become a doctor. Sure a 4+ year degree isn't necessary for all jobs, I agree, but the underlying factor is that some careers simply will not hire you if you don't have those credentials.
I'm certainly not saying that everyone should forget about pursuing their dreams, or forget about going to college to get that coveted bachelor's degree. I'm merely pointing out alternatives, because many people who graduate with a 4-year degree have a difficult time finding a job. A person with a bachelor's in science, like myself, can expect to get a job for about $26,000 - $30,000 a year out of school, unless they go into a teaching program (which are apparently very competitive). If a 4-year degree is your endpoint, you may be better off going for a certificate in something, as you can get paid rather well in doing so. Not saying you will be better off all the time... a degree in computer science is probably a lot more beneficial than a degree in biology, but it's something to consider.
~C
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It really depends on what job you are wanting to get. Some jobs require a Bachelors degree, such as mine.
Phlebotomy? That sounds interesting, but I haven't the vaguest idea what you would be doing...
And I wouldn't think that $11-$20 is anything for these college students scoff at. That is pretty darn good pay in my opinion.
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Drawing blood. When you go to donate blood or plasma, or get blood drawn for labs, you usually see a phebotomist.
$11 an hour is about $22,000 a year. That's not a whole lot, compared to the rough average of $40K someone with a bachelor's makes. The $20/hour is much closer (even a little above) that salary. But the costs of living factor in quite a bit as well.
~C
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But the costs of living factor in quite a bit as well.
Cost of living and just geographic location in general can be huge factors in pay. For example, my parents live in a small town in a rural area. My mom, with an Associate's in Accounting and now 7 years' experience as an accountant, but because of where she lives, she only makes about $18k a year ($9 an hour, I think). On the other hand, I live in a metropolitan area and still going to college and making over $11 an hour. Now, my job is somewhat of a skilled job (I'm in IT), but even things like retail can start out at $9-$11 an hour here, and fast food starts at like $8.50.
-- quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
I want to be a teacher, and there is no way around a 4 yr degree or more. So really, it comepletely depends on your career and of course, location, location, location.
But you don't have to get a degree in teaching :-) I'll discuss that on another post I'm forming.
~C
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Getting a certificate is a great way to spend your time before you go to med school. There are so many fields where certificates can come in handy. The IT field is one of them, but unfortunately too many people are hiring only temps for IT work.
The health field is probably the best one to get into now since the demand is high and everyone is guaranteed to get sick sometime in their life! It really is difficult to find a field that isn't dying out or moving overseas.