[jasonraymondson]

I am preparing to watch a new year of freshmen coming in, and I can't help but wonder if they would not just be better off finding a job and making themselves indispensable .

There is no guarantee of a collapse, so I imagine that by taking on this much debt and without the ability to get a job, I wonder how many of these incoming freshmen will find themselves working at some haliburton camp

[Prince]

Even if dire situations are blatantly obvious, how many college kids would believe it anyway? They are too wrapped up in their $200/month gadgets to know what is good for them.

On that note I often wonder how these kids can afford this lifestyle. When I was in college, I lived very poor, and even with my parents' help and a steady part-time job I didn't have money to buy new computers, ipods, $50+/month mobile bills, and trendy fashions (in fairness cell phones and ipods were just becoming mainstream when I finished in 2001). Are they burning a debt hole in their future, or are Mom and Dad naively paying for their kids' posh lifestyle?

Is college really worth it? It's hard to say. Some degrees will be in demand regardless of how the world turns out (think medicine and nursing), but most others face true tests in the years ahead. I think it becomes a point of diminishing returns for most. However, if college grads are fighting for $10/hr jobs after graduation, perhaps a degree will help over someone with no degree at all. I shudder to think of that possibility.

[Kylon]

Depends, are you getting a degree in something valuable? Or is it something like "Latin American Studies" or "Women's Studies"?

If your degree actually has usefulness(engineer, carpenter, farmer)(outside of being a tool of the system(such as being a lawyer)) then I think education is great.

Remember, when TSHTF, the government decide to reallocate your resources in the "Name of th people". Now, if you have a bunch of material goods that can easily be reallocated, then your screwed, if you've got a huge amount of valuable education, they can't take that from you.

My philosophy is this: Learn from the Jews, they've been screwed over more times in history than anyone can count. The way they've dealt with oppressive majorities has been to acquire large amounts of education and skills, and to have assets that can be easily hidden, transferred to other uses, and are easily transportable.

However, stashing isn't a bad thing, so long as you don't let everyone know you've got it. Like any other frowned upon activity(which it may be in the future, just look at what's happening to rice hoarders in Indonesia) you want to make sure people don't know about it. IF your an idiot you'll get caught. The trick is to hide it, and not gluttonize(you don't want to look to healthy or chunky or people might catch on).

Also, books are a good investment I think, because the resale value of non-collector item books for the government is virtually nill. If the knowledge in those books helps you survive, or betters your life then they make a good investment right?

This is just my opinion.

[RedStateGreen]

Education is always beneficial.

On the other hand, right now might be a good time to learn a trade or something practical like horticulture (although putting shovel in soil is the best teacher on that account).

[eastbay]

This question seems to be asked about each week around here. Why can't we reach a final answer and be done with it? I mean, there're only two possible answers. 1. Yes, and, 2. No.

It's not all that complex. The homework is complex, but the choice isn't.

[jasonraymondson]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('RedStateGreen', 'E')ducation is always beneficial.

On the other hand, right now might be a good time to learn a trade or something practical like horticulture (although putting shovel in soil is the best teacher on that account).

[Ludi]

I would probably not personally recommend college/university. But then, I went into a field that didn't (at the time) require a college degree (I found out after getting one) - motion picture special effects.

For me, college was mostly a way of making the transition from a town of 1500 people to Los Angeles...

[jasonraymondson]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', 'I') would probably not personally recommend college/university. But then, I went into a field that didn't (at the time) require a college degree (I found out after getting one) - motion picture special effects.

For me, college was mostly a way of making the transition from a town of 1500 people to Los Angeles...

[Hawkcreek]

--

[jasonraymondson]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Hawkcreek', 'I')f you are smart, you don't need college. You will keep educating yourself every day and probably find yourself doing something you enjoy.
If you are kind of dull or dumb, you need college, or some kind of certification to show that you know something.
Not saying that college is for dumb people, just saying that if you are dumb, you had better have as much organized education as you can stand.

[Prince]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('jasonraymondson', 'I') had thought about changing my major to something useful like electrical engineering. But I have stuck with something that is going to keep me from finding work.

* that is a hint for the 96 cent question

[Hawkcreek]

--

[jasonraymondson]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Prince', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('jasonraymondson', 'I') had thought about changing my major to something useful like electrical engineering. But I have stuck with something that is going to keep me from finding work.

* that is a hint for the 96 cent question

[bodigami]

it depends on the debt you're going to obtain from it and the possible usefulness after PO.