Why Kids Go To College - Page 4

Gipper · 04-16-08, 12:31 PM

Yes, I have a BBA with a double major in both finance and accounting. Econ became my minor. I found out that the double in accounting was all of 9 more credit hours (3 classes). The difference between my BA in econ and my minor was 18 credits. Far too much cost for far too little benefit.

Scucca · 04-16-08, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gipper

However, I found out along the way that economics is much more academic than vocational, and ultimately doesn't have a ton of uses on the outside except to argue with other intellectuals in some stuffy coffee house.

The nasty capitalists, as suggested by this paper, don't seem to agree with you.

Gipper · 04-16-08, 12:48 PM

Ah, I thought I was through getting C&P'ed to all these obscure passages.

Scucca · 04-16-08, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gipper

Ah, I thought I was through getting C&P'ed to all these obscure passages.

Its awfully simple: the investment value from an economics degree is extremely high, demonstrating how highly prized it is in private business

Gipper · 04-16-08, 01:03 PM

If I had a company with two people wanting a securities job, one with a finance degree and one with an economics degree, I would - ceterus paribus - take the one with the finance degree without a second thought.

Scucca · 04-16-08, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gipper

If I had a company with two people wanting a securities job, one with a finance degree and one with an economics degree, I would - ceterus paribus - take the one with the finance degree without a second thought.

Don't you be spelling your ceteris wrongly now!

Economics originates from philosophy. Whilst modern economics is increasingly taught within business schools, the cross-disciplinary nature is maintained. Flexibility of thought is maintained: with courses ranging from history of economic thought to applied econometrics. Its these skills that are highly prized. In comparison, finance is rigid and the student's mind is not challenged.

SFLRN · 04-16-08, 08:47 PM

The reason (some) economics degrees are more highly valued than finance degrees is because a good number of the top schools (liberal arts especially) do not have (undergraduate) business schools in which to offer finance. Harvard, Columbia, Princeton, Yale, Amherst, Williams and a number of others are examples of this. Despite this lack of Finance as a major they still do quite well when it comes to recruitment for high entry level finance positions (Trading, Investment Banking,). Scucca's point on the flexibility granted by economics (when compared to finance) is another important factor in Econ major's higher return.

Thales · 04-16-08, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikhail

You can do both.Gotta have fun when your young.

Cheers, mate.

Sergeant Stinger1 · 04-16-08, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gunter Krieger

College use to be a place where only the elite with money could afford, but over the course of several decades its opened its doors to just about everyone. With more and more people going to college these days you begin to wonder. Are kids' going to college, because they have ambition and what to do something with their lives or are they simply looking for a good time partying wasting away their paretns hard earned money.

Im a student at GVSU in Michigan (Grand Valley State University) and I feel that for many the mentality is you go to college because everyone else does it and for the partying. Yes college is not neccessary, but in todays mindset your almost considered lesser of a person if you dont attend college and start a career right out of High School. My generation and the generations below me have a different point of view then our parents and grandparents. I hate to admit it, but I truely believe we have become less motivated and more reliant on our parents than any other generation.

College is no longer the place thought of as advancing your career, now it's the place you go after high school to get drunk every night and have fun. You want proof of that mentality?...Look at facebook. Many college students flaunt pictures of themselves chugging beers and holding fifths of vodka. Not to mention the main conversation for many college students starts off with "oh my god, i was so drunk last night..." Drinking and drunken stories are the thing that seems to connect with the majority of kids now. Even from personal experienc...when im at a family gathering with my cousins or talking to someone I dont know on campus the conversations usually center around drinking and partying stories.

What ever happened to the "college is a place to study for a successful and profitable career" attitude?...I can tell you it disapperead a generation or two ago. One thing I cant do though is be a hypocrite and scrutinize college kids for their attitudes and reasons for going to college. Im one of those kids afterall. I love to drink,party,be with my friends and absolutly hate the idea of going to class and god forbid....studying!!!

College is quickly becoming a thing people take for granted. The "my parents are paying for this" and "i dont have to pay off my loans till after graduation anyways" attitude is all too common in today's youth. It's not like our grandparents generation where they had to work to get ahead and break a sweat.

I just feel that college should be tougher on kids like me. You should have to work and prove yourself able to handle college in order to go...not simply graduate from high school (as if thats an accomplishment in this day and age) with mediocre passing grades, an "okay" ACT or SAT score, and just fill out a college app and BS everything on it. But dont get me wrong, there are alot of hard working college students out there that care about the future and are surely going to succeed. It's just that it seems their numbers are slowly diminishing as the years go on. Its no longer "i cant wait for college so i can work to become a somebody" its now "i cant wait for college so i can get drunk and laid at my parents expense"....

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So, are you saying that the 'new breed' kids going to college may be going there just to party?

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How about the Elite, none of them went to college just to party?

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Do you of any that are going to college just to 'party'? Just to 'get drunk?

I don't!
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When poorer parents send their kids to college they are more likely to tell their kids to 'cut the ****' in college because it costs too much to be screwing around in.
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Sad that your college makes you feel that way, perhaps you should change to a 'good' college.
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Any links to 'their numbers are slowly diminishing' or again is it just 'your college'?

Jake Blues · 04-26-08, 02:44 PM

I graduated from high school at 17 and knew that I was not ready for college so I joined the army and got the best experience and better education than my peers who went straight to college,partied too much failed classes and eventually dropped out.

I finished my tour in the military and realized that college actually sounded pretty good.I actually started while I was in the military but it was pretty tough to attend as I was in the infantry and we were constantly being deployed.Lesson number one if you join the military get an MOS that everyone else thinks is gay.While I was *** deep in snow freezing my willy off on the DMZ in Korea the eye glass maker was back at the base getting finishing his BA because they didnt get deployed.The infantry sounds cool and it is very cool as in *** deep in snow!My willy still doesn't speak to me over it!

I came out of the military and attended community college. The courses were easier than university because the caliber of MOST of the students was not as high.This was great because it made me look all that much smarter and I got give me "A"s I call them.Lesson two whenever you get an easy class be happy and don't complain.I once had a teacher overseas where I later went to uni who we had class with three times out of the scheduled which was fine with me because I knew it would be a give me an A class.During that time when he cancelled class I was busy filling the time slot with teaching myself at 40 dollars an hour.Cancel away.Lesson three don't waste your time use it to your advantage.

I would say that most of teachers I had in Uni were masquerading as teachers or were clueless about teaching and that is not to say they were stupid although there were a few that might fit into that category,too.Most just didn't know how to convey information in a way that students could stay interested.My professor that I hold in highest esteem is a scholar and the best lectures and some of the most important lessons in life I learned from him took place not in the classroom but over beer in a pub.Reality,you can probably learn more from books than teachers but you still need the diploma as a stamp of approval for employment.

For all you soon to be graduates of high school.Don't listen to everything your counselors tell you for they know not what they are talking about all the time.Alot of them are drones.They follow the path of least resistance and will tell you whatever is the standard line of shiess is.Mine did.

I have just finished graduate school with 3.9 GPA and I only care because it's a stamp of approval for the real goal,money.Although I spent alot of money getting the stamp.My classes were a joke and none of the teachers impressed me at all.As a matter of fact I had more time in the classroom teaching than most of them.You will be a success if you follow the golden rule it doesn't matter what you do as long as you excel at it.Be the best at whatever you do.

For you real academics a couple of things I would tell you.Become proficient with the computer,do a year overseas and go local stay away from all the other exchange students because that isn't what you came there to do.Besides they are competition for all the local girls/guys you could be entertaining.Do not live in a dorm insists on your own apartment.Dorms are a waste of time.Half your interaction of life will be living as a local,shopping for food,paying bills and learning the rules which you cannot do in a dorm.

Learn and master a foreign language.The more difficult the better.Which may mean more time in country.Even better.I scare scholars/diplomats because of the amount of time I have in the country that I chose.Because they can't spew nonsense.The language ability will give you career options,too.Although my education background is in education I work in retail and get paid top dollar because of my language ability.Although,I don't make six figures it isn't unheard of in retail.

Think outside the box college is just another step in your lifelong stairwell of life.