A Different Road To Work, Bypassing College Dreams: Is a College Degree More Important Than Experience?

by thezilch Posted 2012/07/30 17:00:00

Related Topics: College, Work, Employment, Work Experience, High School, Student, Graduates, College Degree, Student Debt, High School Graduates, NPR

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357 votes
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	A college degree is the most important	83 votes	23%
	Experience is more important	274 votes	77%

NPR.ORG reports:
With college costs rising and student debt mounting, some high school graduates in Charlotte, N.C., are opting for an alternative route: European-style apprenticeships. One straight-A student has shifted her sights from an international relations degree to becoming an engineer.

european-style apprenticeships straight-a student shifted sights international relations degree engineer

+17

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Heisenberg 2012/07/28 23:13:51

Experience is more important

+7
I wasted my time and my parent's money on university.
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More polls by thezilch

riley.hammond.121 2012/08/24 16:00:38
Playerazzi 2012/08/05 09:27:30

Experience is more important

.... but without an appropriate (and I stress: APPROPRIATE) college degree, you'll likely hit a glass ceiling.

So, do get that degree, but do it right.

The engineer in question should get a degree in engineering. It is quite difficult to learn partial differential equations on your own. And believe me, they are used in engineering.

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Bibliophilic 2012/08/04 23:05:12

Experience is more important

Both, it depends on what one wants to do in life. College has value for most people.

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santa6642 2012/08/01 14:51:38

Experience is more important

Is the best way to go.

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ConLibFraud 2012/08/01 13:40:53

Experience is more important

+1
Those who have swallowed the corrupt education scam need to watch this before doing anything else ...

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Torchmanner ~PWCM~JLA 2012/08/01 12:53:25

A college degree is the most important

GET A DEGREE IN A TRADE!

Most young people don't want to do hard work with their hands anymore and it is opening up a lot of jobs for skilled labor. Skilled labor pays good.

I know that a degree, or even a one year certificate, in a trade will get you into a job to get that experience.

I was in that position many years ago. I got a skilled trade job less than eight weeks after getting my degree. It still works that way. I see it happen.

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the fuze 2012/08/01 11:29:07

Experience is more important

Unfortunately they won't tell you that because then the Higher Education "Industry" would lose all of it's money.

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Phil 2012/08/01 06:43:07

Experience is more important

Once upon a time I applied for a job I saw in the local news paper that I knew I was qualified for however, because I didn't have a college degree I couldn't get that job. Here's the kicker I had done that exact same job at a previous employer for years. If a person has practical hands on experience at any job they should not be turned down for a position.

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Courtney Hammett 2012/07/31 22:52:52

A college degree is the most important

It's taken more seriously.

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keeper 2012/07/31 22:47:41

Experience is more important

If fewer students went to college, tuitions would come down to try to draw the ones attending.

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LisaSmith 2012/07/31 22:39:36

Experience is more important

+1
Now days it is experience.

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Quazimoto 2012/07/31 20:20:23

Experience is more important

Experience, of course.

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dekecds 2012/07/31 19:05:02

Experience is more important

I'm so sick and tired of being stuck between "You gotta listen to your boss" and "You're an experienced mechanic, you should have known better" Give me a senior mechanic over an entry level engineer any day and I guarantee that your profits will rise, your costs will lower, and I will be more motivated!

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mwf122090 2012/07/31 16:57:46

Experience is more important

I have tons of friends that are still working dead end jobs even with their degrees. Every time they apply somewhere they are considered and then passed over for the person with more experience. It's a pretty disappointing thing that they put so much work in for it not to really matter.

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Nekosarethebest 2012/07/31 16:42:44

A college degree is the most important

+1
No matter how muh experience you have, nobody will trust you until they see it on plain paper...

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Patti The Yes Fan 2012/07/31 16:21:23

A college degree is the most important

They want a degree and experience. If you just graduated in said field, how do you get the experience unless you get hired to gain it???

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Ambassador II 2012/07/31 16:19:24

A college degree is the most important

Depends on the type of career one aspires to. You should have provided more options
for answers so as to not try to make such a cut and dried choice, which is inadequate to the question.

Everyone can benefit from education, some more than others. If one wishes to have a career in a field not requiring advanced technical training or deepened understanding,
then experience is the thing most needed. However, we live in a technical and complicated world today and college is the best place in which to gain an understanding of
most such endeavors. Having a "degree" in a useless or poorly defined field is of no help, which is why so many college graduates can't find work, having neither experience or useful knowledge.

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Jimbo 2012/07/31 15:40:30

A college degree is the most important

+1
You're more likely to make more money if you have a college degree. The experience will come after college.

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Sass 2012/07/31 15:23:52

Experience is more important

+1
Book learning really is no replacement for hands on.

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Flowers 2012/07/31 14:49:25

Experience is more important

I think if a person is willing to work and learn, they shouldn't be required to have a college degree.

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Prime Time Lime 2012/07/31 14:44:08

A college degree is the most important

+1
One has a much better chance of getting a better job with a college degree.That has been a fact for hundreds of years.The world is quickly going high tech and people with knowledge of this industry will get jobs not those with life experience only.

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William Weber 2012/07/31 13:54:41

A college degree is the most important

+3
You all say experience is more important, but who usually makes 150k? Those with degrees or those with "experience?"

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luigi1- in god we trust 2012/07/31 10:13:06 (edited)

A college degree is the most important

+4
College grads earn about the same out of school. After several years on the job, the grad will make more money in the long run. The grad will gain experience.

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Rusty Bubbles 2012/07/31 09:39:02

Experience is more important

A college degree is the foundation and experience is what you build upon it

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ed 2012/07/31 09:06:37

Experience is more important

To me having experience is more important

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Bryony 2012/07/31 08:40:16

Experience is more important

+3
You can't go to a job interview if you've had no experience! Its like going to a exam and not knowing what it's about!

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Ameera 2012/07/31 08:15:48

A college degree is the most important

+2
uv got to have both

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Beat Magnum True Hero 2012/07/31 08:11:20

Experience is more important

But... before college "Sorry, this position is for college grads only." After college "Sorry, this position is for experienced people only."

Anyone who says you wasted your time is an armchair quarterback using hindsight and really doesn't know what they're talking about.

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Michael S. 2012/07/31 06:45:04 (edited)

Experience is more important

A degree is mainly useful for getting you in the door (or rather, for getting past the first hiring obstacle), but once you've been in an industry for a while, your experience overshadows it by a mile.

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james.bowman.146 2012/07/31 06:40:39

A college degree is the most important

+2
As far as getting the job done? Experience. As far as your paycheck and job security? Degree.

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Pm 2012/07/31 06:31:33

Experience is more important

Depends on the character of the person.

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Jesferkicks 2012/07/31 05:54:42

A college degree is the most important

+3
Bogus question. More important for what?

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Pam 2012/07/31 05:33:31

Experience is more important

...but try telling that to a potential employer. I have been a nurse for 27 years and they still are on me about the BSN. I have FORGOTTON more nursing than your average BSN.

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carriefan13 2012/07/31 05:27:16

Experience is more important

Ya know, I'm a third year at the local university. I spend thousands of dollars (of my own money) every year towards my degree. However, I'm not in it for the degree, it's all about that experience you can't get anywhere else. College really helps someone find out who they truly are and can help point them down the right path. Is it terribly overpriced? Yes. Is is worth every penny? Absolutely.

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merslix. 2012/07/31 05:06:32

Experience is more important

experience, cause obvs you need experience to succeed

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Marianne 2012/07/31 05:05:12

A college degree is the most important

+1
For many, a college degree opens the door to more opportunities on the employment market.

Also in Europe, the typical apprenticeships lead increasingly to further studies, mostly engineering or trade.

Many students need to work to pay their living. Rising college and life cost might prevent financially weaker people from attending high schools or universities.

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Katherine 2012/07/31 05:01:30

A college degree is the most important

+2

So, the radical left said everyone is entitled to an education. And they pushed to provide everyone with them. Even illegal aliens, to become United States citizens. Now so maaany people have a college education, it really means nothing. Well you need an *advanced* education. Today I heard a politician decrying "for profit" schools. Just like "for profit" health care. Great job of ruining things through perceived entitlements and irresponsible spending. Don't mind me, I guess now we're talking people out of going to college to balance the mess.

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irving escamilla 2012/07/31 04:12:08

A college degree is the most important

+2
I say a college degree so u now what to do

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OhSoNiceMe 2012/07/31 03:47:48

Experience is more important

+2
no college degree could top experience

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Sterling 2012/07/31 03:28:07

Experience is more important

+2
Really depends on what degree you're we're talking about. Overall though experience is more valuable. Good luck getting certain experience without a degree though.

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