What can you do with a college degree?

This post has been on my heart to express over the past several months. Many of you may not agree with what I'm going to say, and others are on the same page!

So, what can you do with a college degree?

Let's go back in time for a minute...

Growing up all you hear is that you need a college degree in order to attain a stable and providing job/career for your future! From your parents, church members, teachers, friends, employers at part time jobs, or even the news going to college to get a degree is what is being thrown at you practically your E N T I R E  L I F E. Let's be honest, you were always asked when you were little "what do you want to be when you grow up". I know for me it changed from being a teacher, to a model, to a teacher again, to a doctor, to my latest desire - a physical therapist. We all know you can't be any of those just by graduating high school (ok, well maybe the model).

So, along with many other peers my age, I honestly believed if I went to college and graduated with a Bachelor's degree that I would be able to use that degree to get a decent job. Much to my surprise that isn't the case in today's world. Before, if you had a college degree you were pretty much set. I mean you would get hired simply based on the fact that you had furthered your education, and you stood out from those who didn't. Also, if you went to a graduate level, then you could get an even better job/career for yourself. However, that isn't the case today. I've figured out what earning a college degree really means.

1. Ticket to graduate school
A college degree is a great tool to use when looking into graduate programs, most of them out there require a four year degree from a college/university. When you graduate from a masters or doctorate program in the field you want, then you're pretty much at the top of the work force for you field of interest. You'll have an easy time looking for jobs & getting hired. Oh, but just a heads up a lot of programs want a certain GPA from you, along with a certain amount of volunteer/experience hours in that field, a high GRE score (which if you don't test well with standardize tests then sucks for you), oh and you are only competing with thousands of other applicants for about 30 spots (some programs have more, but Physical Therapy averages 30).

2. Debt
Ahhh yes, this lovely four letter word, debt. Unless you were blessed enough to have parents who  either saved up a college fund for you, or just have extra money laying around so they can pay off your tuition, you're in the boat I'm in. This is the boat where it's been more than six months since graduation and you get a lovely loan payment reminder each month. See all colleges have different tuition rates, scholarships, grants, etc. I chose to go to an out of state, private-Baptist college, so unless I was a genius in high school it was hard to get aid (to be honest, I really had no idea about the effects of tuition, and how vital scholarships were. If I would have been better informed, I may have stayed in state, but God had me at CSU for a reason, so I can't complain). So, if my husband and I pay the minimum amount of my loans each month, then in about 8 or so years, we will have them all paid off. Oh, and I'm not talking about a small $50 payment, you see, my loans in college pretty much covered the ridiculous $8,000 room & board at CSU. So I lived in the dorms for 3 years, plus had extra tuition outside of room & board that needed to be covered so you do the math.

3. A pretty display
Just about any office you go into you see documents hanging in nice frames on the wall. Most of the time it's just what graduate school they graduated from, or it could be degrees from a Master's program and an undergraduate program as well. That's just what you do in todays world, you put your degree(s) in a nice frame, and hang them on a wall either at your work or at your home. So yeah, your college degree can fit nicely next to your chick-fil-a calendar, and your wedding/family portrait...awesome!

4. Hard work
During your four (maybe more) years at college you learn what hard work is all about. I think our parents have a swayed perception of what we actually do at college. Some either think their children are partying their time away, or studying in the library every chance they get, or changing the world. But honestly, students are learning how to incorporate all aspects of college into one. You learn that you aren't in high school anymore, so you kind of actually have to do more work, you have to start papers ahead of time, start studying for tests days/weeks in advance, learn to become organized and know what assignments from 1 of your 6 classes have to be turned in on what days. You're also fitting in time at the cafeteria, learning what the best coffees are (because most of us don't have the ability/determination to do assignments days in advance), trying to get involved in intramural sports, find a church or worship group to attend, and make time for your friends. Which in the end, somehow you manage to survive, you turn in every assignment, project, paper, and take every exam and final, you're able to work a part time job (or two), and realize how you're still alive after only sleeping less than 5 hours a night.

5. Memories
Anytime you think or look at your college degree, you're flooded with memories over the past 4 (or more) years you spent at your college. I know for me, I look back at how Keven and I were able to hang out every day (since dating long distance in high school, this was something new to us). I remember moving all my stuff into my dorm, learning to share a room and bathroom, going down the hall to hang out at someone's room, eating disgusting cafeteria food, going to the beach any chance it was warm out, playing outdoor volleyball with friends, going to the movies, going to half off apps at applebees, meeting new friends, attending new classes, figuring out the good and the bad professors, going to java city late at night when I knew I still had a long way to go with studying, having suitemates come into our room and watch law & order, go to an awesome friends house and bake a bazillion items for a club soccer fundraiser, fire drills at 3 AM, battling the parking lot until you got the upperclassmen decal, going to Wendy's for a date because their food was 10 x better then at the cafeteria, having all of your girl and guy friends within walking distance of each other, and many more. College is one of the best places to make memories, some may be bad, but all the good ones out weigh the others.


So, did I happen to mention in that list a stable career anywhere? Nope. Honestly, what is stated above is what a college degree can give you. It can't give you a full time job with benefits in your major, which is what you're told you can get when you graduate college. I have a handful of friends from my graduating class that actually have full time jobs using only their college degree. Want to know what their majors were? Business, Religion, Education, and Nursing. The first two I may be know one or two who were able to use their degree to get the jobs they want, others in their field are still searching while working 1-2 part time jobs. The other two all were able to find jobs with their degree.

My advice to those of you who are yet in college or haven't graduated from it. I would take a serious look into education or nursing. From what I've gathered through my facebook newsfeed, even other people from different colleges with these two degrees have been able to find full time jobs as a teacher or a nurse. Or, start looking at graduate programs because honestly you will not be able to get the job you want with out that next degree.

My friend works as an enrollment counselor at CSU. A mother brought her son in to tour the campus and find out more about the school. They both had concerns about the job market post graduation, and what the best majors were to go into. My friend simply stated "Honestly, in todays economy, a college degree is now equivalent to a high school diploma. So he's more than likely going to have to go to a graduate school in order to have a job when he gets out". This mom did not like what my friend had to say, and accused her of being a liar. But, honestly, it's true. I've been looking for jobs to use my fancy college degree in since graduation (May 2013), and all the jobs that I would be qualified for want either more years of experience, or more certifications/degrees on top of your bachelors degree. I never thought that once I graduated college, I would be applying to jobs that require only a high school diploma, because apparently that's all I'm qualified for. I mean, I can't even get hired as a secretary for an office because I don't have 5 years experience. A lot of people have to apply to a broad array of jobs outside of their major, or have to find two part time jobs just to make ends meet. For example, I was at the movie theater with my family watching FROZEN, as we were leaving they wanted me to get a refill of the popcorn and drink. The concessionsist and I started talking, and he had told me that he had graduated from college a year or two ago, and hadn't been able to find a full time position using his degree. So he had to take a part time job at a movie theater, in order to have some income while he still looks for a job.

I'm very thankful I had the opportunity and ability to go to college and earn a degree. However, I'm just very frustrated at how awful the economy is. I had this idea that once I graduated, I'd have a successful job, be able to pay bills, and save up to buy a house. Instead, my husband has a full time job (somewhere way outside his field of study), we have just enough to pay bills and provide for ourselves, and there's not saving up for a house.

God has done wonders to always provide for us, and for that I am truly thankful.