Bachelors Degree, Has it lost its edge and its value?

[unokitty]

Interesting article that asks some interesting questions.

Has there been a loss of faith in the bachelor's as a predictor, in and of itself, of workplace success?

In the current generation is there a lack of work ethic and an attitude of entitlement?

What say you?

Uno

 

[purbeast0]

umm yea. gonna have to disagree with this from the first page.

"A bachelor's is what a high school diploma used to be," suggests Caryn McTighe Musil of the American Association of Colleges and Universities.

not even close to being the same IMO and kind of makes me not even want to read the rest of the article.

EDIT:

ok i went to the 2nd page and they are talking bout high school from the 50's i was thinking more of when i was in highschool (graduated 99).

 

[ChopperDave]

Depends on the school and degree. Anyone with half a brain can earn a degree in business administration. A degree in chemical engineering not so much.

The accessibility of college has naturally watered down the value of a degree. Simple supply and demand.

 

[corwin]

In that a bachelors is pretty much going to be required to work a McDonalds before too damn long yeah, they've pretty much lost their price/performance edge...that said I am just now starting work on mine because it's now required for me to ever get a promotion again:\

 

[unokitty]

What the article says is:

"In 1950, some 34 percent of adults had completed high school; today, more than 30 percent have completed a bachelor's..."

Though, this is a somewhat dynamic statistic. If you graduated 10 or 20 years ago, it may not be relevant to your graduating class.

Still, its interesting that:

"...almost 16 percent of the country's bartenders and almost 14 percent of its parking lot attendants have a bachelor's or higher."

Uno

 

[Retro Rob]

You don't need a degree to succeed. More people would realize that if so much of the emphasis wasn't put on getting rich.

 

[Retro Rob]

The accessibility of college has naturally watered down the value of a degree. Simple supply and demand.

I agree with this.

You can get a degree online!

 

[Exterous]

I'd say that it absolutely has. Too many use degrees as a filter. Oh, if he has a bachelors he's better than those without. Oh a Master's? Clearly a better candidate than a bachelor's degree person. Just cut all the applicants with only a Bachelors degree.

I also see a lot of job listings that will ask for a bachelors degree but don't care what its in - just that you have one. There are also so many places that you can get one these days. Some schools still make you earn it but a lot pretty much give them away. Is your employer always going to be able to tell? Nope.

But if things keep going like they are tuition prices will crush the rise in degrees

 

[vi edit]

A degree is not a replacement for work ethic, personality, and employable skills.

 

[supastar1568]

A degree is not a replacement for work ethic, personality, and employable skills.

Pretty much sums up my thoughts.

 

[Texashiker]

A degree is not a replacement for work ethic, personality, and employable skills.

Not that I disagree with you, a buddy of mine has an associates degree in computers he got back in 1988.

With 20+ years experience, he is being passed over for kids right out of college who have a bachelors degree. When the job requires a bachelors degree, what are you going to do?

 

[EagleKeeper]

It is an indicator that at least one has the willingness to put out some effort.

 

[Retro Rob]

Not that I disagree with you, a buddy of mine has an associates degree in computers he got back in 1988.

With 20+ years experience, he is being passed over for kids right out of college who have a bachelors degree. When the job requires a bachelors degree, what are you going to do?

Sound like they want cheap labor to me. Not uncommon to under-pay qualified people, so don't even hire them.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Not that I disagree with you, a buddy of mine has an associates degree in computers he got back in 1988.

With 20+ years experience, he is being passed over for kids right out of college who have a bachelors degree. When the job requires a bachelors degree, what are you going to do?

Get the BS.

AAs are considered more of a trade school type degree. Specialized but not broad enough to be a full fledged training ground across other disaplines

 

[vi edit]

Not that I disagree with you, a buddy of mine has an associates degree in computers he got back in 1988.

With 20+ years experience, he is being passed over for kids right out of college who have a bachelors degree. When the job requires a bachelors degree, what are you going to do?

Age, asking wages, and a mindset that is pretty well established are working against him. Not a degree.

An employer knows they will be able to milk an extra 10+ hours out of a college grad and pay them less because they are desperate for the experience. They come in with no prior experience and are a fresh mind to mould their way. There are no "we did it this way at XYZ employer and that's a better way to do it".

They can pay less for a college grad, train them how they want to be trained, and get more hours out of them for less.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

It might have lost its edge but given that more and more companies are requiring a Bachelors degree to even review your application, I'd say it is more valuable than ever. My company was even trying to require a BS or BA for admin assistant jobs, which was beyond ridiculous. But hey, I guess General Studies and Women's Studies majors need jobs.

Depends on the school and degree. Anyone with half a brain can earn a degree in business administration. A degree in chemical engineering not so much.

This. I guarantee that my BSEE was much harder to get than a BSBA, but looking back, maybe I was the dumb one for not going for an easy degree.

 

[Texashiker]

Get the BS.

AAs are considered more of a trade school type degree. Specialized but not broad enough to be a full fledged training ground across other disaplines

Changing of the times.

Back in 1989, an associates degree was enough to land a good job. Right out of college he went to work for an Air Force contractor that built flight simulators.

They can pay less for a college grad, train them how they want to be trained, and get more hours out of them for less.

My buddy told me companies like fresh ideas and new blood coming in.

With the flooded job market with college grads, why aren't more people learning trades, such as welding of machining?

I do not have a degree in anything, but with 15 years experience in the welding field, I rarely have problems finding a job.

 

[vi edit]

With the flooded job market with college grads, why aren't more people learning trades, such as welding of machining?

Because that requires real actual, physical work, which many people don't want to do and is the reason they went for a degree in the first place.

 

[Ns1]

meh, i sure as fuck am glad i have mine.

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

My buddy told me companies like fresh ideas and new blood coming in.

With the flooded job market with college grads, why aren't more people learning trades, such as welding of machining?

I do not have a degree in anything, but with 15 years experience in the welding field, I rarely have problems finding a job.

As Vivi said, it's to pay them less and get more hours of them because they need the exp. I'm actually in this situation (just took a job that is paying less than what I can get once I get my degree and certifications so I can get experience knowing full well it's paying about where I should be now, but underpaying once I get the degree/certs).

Trades are great places for jobs, however it's not the American culture. We stamp it in our kids heads that being successful means making 6 figures+/year and being in an office. How many people do you know that tell their kids "I want you to grow up and be a welder/machinist"? Not many. Even of parents in those trades. They want "better for their kids" which has driven people into college and degrees.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

It might have lost its edge but given that more and more companies are requiring a Bachelors degree to even review your application, I'd say it is more valuable than ever. My company was even trying to require a BS or BA for admin assistant jobs, which was beyond ridiculous. But hey, I guess General Studies and Women's Studies majors need jobs.

Depends on the school and degree. Anyone with half a brain can earn a degree in business administration. A degree in chemical engineering not so much.

This. I guarantee that my BSEE was much harder to get than a BSBA, but looking back, maybe I was the dumb one for not going for an easy degree.

 

[Retro Rob]

For what it's worth, I don't have a degree, and really don't want to be stuck with all the debt trying to get one.

How can you get around that?

Get specialized in something! There are plenty companies that want people who can do one thing very well. Work your way up.

Degrees are required for managerial roles and the such, but not for a good-paying job!

Get specialized, work at it, and you'll be just as valuable as someone with a college education.

 

[SP33Demon]

Depends on the degree. Ideally you'd get a bachelor's and then be good enough to have your company pay for your Master's.

 

[vi edit]

How many people do you know that tell their kids "I want you to grow up and be a welder/machinist"? Not many. Even of parents in those trades. They want "better for their kids" which has driven people into college and degrees.

My Dad is a mason. He comes home in the middle of the summer sunburnt, drenched in sweat, and just destroyed after working in the brutal heat in humidity. He's told me on no small number of occassions that I made the right move for an office job.

 

[Texashiker]

Trades are great places for jobs, however it's not the American culture. We stamp it in our kids heads that being successful means making 6 figures+/year and being in an office. How many people do you know that tell their kids "I want you to grow up and be a welder/machinist"? Not many. Even of parents in those trades. They want "better for their kids" which has driven people into college and degrees.

I do not want my kids doing the same thing I did.

But on the other hand, I know several machinist and welders that brought their kids into the skills trade.

As for the OP, its a matter of supply and demand. With colleges cranking out more people with BS degrees, its a matter of time before the job market is flooded.

When the market is flooded, wages go down.