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| Photo by Robert Bye on Unsplash https://unsplash.com/photos/CyvK_Z2pYXg |
Google's plan to disrupt the college degree (6-month certificates)
Is college a worthwhile investment?
For me, it was.
If I had a son or daughter - would I recommend that they get a degree?
Yes,
probably. But I would consider their personality, temperament, learning
style, interests, and their fit for learning via traditional academic
environments vs. non-traditional strategies.
Costs would be my overriding concern.
If
a student has not / will not / can not qualify for sufficient funding
via grants or scholarships - this would be a major factor into any
guidance suggested.
If
a student's only option was to take out loans - I would suggest getting
a 2-year Associates degree first - and then seek to gain some practical
work experience in their chosen field - before deciding to take on more
debt obligations. Frequently, companies will provide reimbursement for
courses taken that are applicable to their job - and this can be a
significant benefit and cost mitigation strategy.
Alternatively,
I would consider suggesting a 4-year service commitment with one of the
branches of the U.S. military - as a possible path to obtain practical
training and experience - in their chosen field (primarily if they would
be able to secure an MOS specialization that aligned with their career
interests). The Coast Guard, being my first suggestion.
Choice of degree, career field - important decisions.
If
someone's goal is to get a PhD in Sociology - I would recommend that
they skip that and pursue a career as the manager of a McDonald's - then they can enjoy direct observation of the many nuanced layers of interaction, across multiple layers of social/class/economic strata - in their natural environment - while working during their shift. And, they can enjoy reading all of the sociology academic papers and textbooks - to
their heart's content - in their free time.
Would you like fries with that?
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