To Degree, or Not To Degree. That Is The Question.

One of the hottest topics of today seems to be whether or not a college degree is really necessary. The current heightened activity in this dialog… or rather, monologue… is happening for several reasons. Hopefully, the fleeting political rhetoric will soon die down now that the U.S. elections are over, but every four years we revisit the concept that somehow education is a right even though there is no constitutional guarantee or legal reason to substantiate it. We also are working through a tough employment situation in this country where recent graduates may be hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt due to student loans and can’t find work. This gives credence to the idea that education should be subsidized even though nobody seems to know how to pay for it or even if those in debt are the most deserving recipients. It also seems that the most passionate arguments come not from students but from parents and educators. These are important voices in helping young people decide on how to carve out their futures, but these opinions are far from being unbiased. Having only tradition to tell us that higher education really means something is not a concrete answer. This does not help the young thinker make an intelligent decision about the facts in order to separate myths from reality.

We do not have a classless society. Logic would tell us that a culture that values diversity and abhors the concept of second-class citizens would see that using formal education as a measure of worth should not work, but it happens. Often this parallels the bias toward classes of people selected by their economic situation. If we back off and look at the forest instead of the trees, it may be difficult to tell if education level is determined by money or the other way around. When you hear an opinion supporting one or the other, look at it from their perspective, but first you should fine-tune your crap filters and inject a sense of reality.

Degrees are not a reflection of intelligence. Regardless of socio-economic status there are morons in mansions and geniuses in the ghetto. Money may determine who can afford to go to the so-called “best schools,” but a degree does not make the moneyed more intelligent nor does it nurture work ethic. While the evidence is anecdotal, my personal recruiting experience has taught me that motivated students in small colleges who struggle with finances while getting an education are often better candidates for employment than those going to an Ivy League school on daddy’s money. A 4.0 GPA means something regardless of school, but doing it while working part-time says more than a grade.  

The economy is often an excuse for failure. I read about an unemployed new lawyer who was very outspoken, and of course very litigious, because the debt incurred in getting his dream degree has not paid off. I doubt that he will ever wake up from this self-imposed nightmare. To avoid this situation young people have to balance the output from their bodily organs: apply the information coming out of the brain equally with the emotions coming out of the glands. Whoever told this kid he should commit his life to the law should have explained that the odds of reaching the top are about the same as graduating from Pop Warner football to become a pro football player. This does not mean giving up dreams! It means staying awake and conscious while setting goals and not expecting to wake up and be handed that dream job.

Parents are notorious for perpetuating old myths about education. Every dedicated parent wants the best for their children. This is a great resource of information for young minds… if it is from conscientious adults that listen and evaluate needs and desires rather than expect genetic cloning to become reality. Much advice is based on the parent’s perceptions about opportunity. A survey asking about the one most important thing for a young person to become successful, a college education won out over social skills, work ethic and on-the-job skills.

Educators are great sources for bias in decision making. In researching this topic I did not find one article or paper by educators who recommended anything other than “do what I did” to arrive at success. My take is this: Once the decision has been made that a college degree is the best route for someone, these sources are invaluable for giving expert advice on making the best next choices. Recognize that these people have dedicated their careers to the purpose of educating us and giving us the best chance for success… IF we are on the right path when we get that advice.

Employers inflate job requirements. My first question to a hiring manager is “Does this position really require a degree?” The answer is always “Yes.” My follow-up question is “Why.” This gets a lot of stammering around and incredulous looks. Breaking down the logic about degree requirements means drilling down to factual evidence rather than taking it at face value. Obviously, technical and scientific positions need formal education to reach beyond the labs and into the field, but some barriers are still artificial.    

At best the answer to the degree question is an opinion rather than a fact. This would not be so problematic except for the fact that budgeting a huge slice of your life to education is too important to leave it to chance. Since it is also a very personal choice, each person needs to look at all of the internal forces that can bring forth a dynamo or a demon depending on environment influences. Consider that three-fifths of all jobs lost during the recession paid salaries at a middle income level… three-fifths of all NEW jobs created during the recovery pay low wages. Food service, retail and employment services account for 43% of new jobs while better paying industries have been slow to come back. Meanwhile, college costs began to rise faster than the inflation rate in the mid-1990’s and continues to get worse. There is over a trillion dollars of outstanding student debt and the default rate on student loans is 13.4%. Tomorrow, all this data will change.

Research shows that the growth of the brain through learning improves a person’s ability to do problem solving, think critically, plan, and control impulses. Brain development also impacts short-term memory. Nowhere is there any research that substantiates a ticket-punch degree as a stimulant to the brain. The best reason to continue formal education is to learn.