My Super Rant!

[WilyWestbrook0]

It was at Missouri Southern State University, which definitely isn't Harvard or anything - but when you are in SW MO and come from a middle class family, your college options are limited.

[coltsfan23]

My 3.75 GPA was in college (undergraduate and graduate level). I'm almost 24 and graduated from college last year. I took graduate courses until one of my instructors this year told me that going for my M.A. in Community College Teaching didn't have good job prospects. I have since withdrawn and have been job searching from June onward.

Cool, but again, I'm not specifically talking about your position. I'd think that it'd be obvious though that teaching at CC wouldn't have good job availability or pay.

Anyways, best of luck in your search and this wasn't meant personally towards you. I was making a general statement about GPA not being as important as most see it. There are tons of other factors as well. I'm sure people would rather hire someone with a bit lower GPA but who has gone to a better university or who has previous work experience in that field, so GPA is just one of the many factors. Solely GPA won't get you anywhere, especially in the job market currently.

[WilyWestbrook0]

I understand. I did get contact from a couple of potential employers last week who said they were impressed with the GPA, but I only started to get the calls and remarks once I took some clerical skills tests from an employment agency a few weeks ago. In other words, the GPA only helps if you have demonstrated some practical skills along the way as well.

Since graduating, I have come to the conclusion that education is one of the most egregiously overrated enterprises in this culture. Sure, it helps a little, but unless you major in something technical, it only helps your job prospects minimally unless you have other "practical skills" to show. Much of what we consider education can be learned individually without the aid of learning institutions. Learning is great as an abstract tool for personal development, but it's incredibly overrated as a tool to gain employment!

I spent a lot of time and effort to get the GPA I did. Much of that effort may have been wasted; I'm not sure. The degree was also in English, so it's not like I took engineering courses.

At any rate, I hope AThrash gets through school fine, and hopefully I can find employment soon.

[tikitomoka]

geeze, i like school pretty well, but even on a bad day im not ready to move and never come back

[coltsfan23]

I understand. I did get contact from a couple of potential employers last week who said they were impressed with the GPA, but I only started to get the calls and remarks once I took some clerical skills tests from an employment agency a few weeks ago. In other words, the GPA only helps if you have demonstrated some practical skills along the way as well.

Since graduating, I have come to the conclusion that education is one of the most egregiously overrated enterprises in this culture. Sure, it helps a little, but unless you major in something technical, it only helps your job prospects minimally unless you have other "practical skills" to show. Much of what we consider education can be learned individually without the aid of learning institutions. Learning is great as an abstract tool for personal development, but it's incredibly overrated as a tool to gain employment!

I spent a lot of time and effort to get the GPA I did. Much of that effort may have been wasted; I'm not sure. The degree was also in English, so it's not like I took engineering courses.

At any rate, I hope AThrash gets through school fine, and hopefully I can find employment soon.

In terms of your sig..

I'm still in high school, so I'm not sure yet. But the education in HS that leads you to a prestigious college will automatically help you advance and get better job before you even start college. I know that for a fact.

Also, it all depends on the person. An english major won't help you get a job unless you want to go in that area, same w/ a business major, same w/ an engineer major. If you want to go into business, major in that, otherwise don't. All employers don't care for just engineering. If you have the practical knowledge, if you have the education in college, if you have the skills then you'll get hired. I also know for a fact many of the high paying business related jobs require MBAs at least and the better the college, the more likely you are to get that job. So of course education has a lot to do w/ getting the job, regardless of whether those skills taught in college are needed (which I'd still think are needed, especially for a higher level job). Also it depends on your definition of overachieving. It sounds like you are starting to view high school and college as a bit of a waste, but again, it all depends what you make out of it. What experiences did you gain from it, what opportunities did you take at your HS and college to further your career? If all you did was study and/or party, yeah of course it was wasted.

Oh and "slack off and major in engineering." You have got to be kidding. I'm pretty sure that has got to be the HARDEST major out there, second would be going to a top business school.

Have you actually tried majoring in engineering, let alone take AP courses in science? It's probably tougher than you think.. As if you can slack off..

[WilyWestbrook0]

The signature was a bit of frustration, so I removed it.

I got a lot of flack from non-liberal arts majors for majoring in English, so it was a bit upsetting at times (I cannot tell you how many engineering majors view liberal arts majors as universally stupid). Many of those people did not care about doing well in subjects other than their major, whereas I thought it was helpful to do well in all classes. I was mistaken. I did spend too much time overachieving in every subject. I am not a party person - don't find it fun at all, so I spent most of my time just trying to do well in school, as people always say is a good thing. But it isn't as important as many stress it to be, I think.

[coltsfan23]

The signature was a bit of frustration, so I removed it.

I got a lot of flack from non-liberal arts majors for majoring in English, so it was a bit upsetting at times (I cannot tell you how many engineering majors view liberal arts majors as universally stupid). Many of those people did not care about doing well in subjects other than their major, whereas I thought it was helpful to do well in all classes. I was mistaken. I did spend too much time overachieving in every subject. I am not a party person - don't find it fun at all, so I spent most of my time just trying to do well in school, as people always say is a good thing. But it isn't as important as many stress it to be, I think.

Yeah I agree.. Business majors also don't get the respect and recognition they deserve.. until they are the ones that are the bosses.

I wasn't just saying all partying, but also all studying. You also need to step outside of studying and look for potential opportunities to help your career. For example, internships are great. Or study abroad programs. Or many other things that are offered at many colleges. You have to really step it up in HS and college if you want to get a good job now.

[kidman232]

coltsfan23-The teachers think I am a "specials needs" kid which is crap.

Once I graduate, I am never goign back there.

most people tend to not go back to hs once they graduate lol

[WilyWestbrook0]

I did do a required internship as an undergraduate, but I am not sure how much it helped. My internship was at a nonprofit arts center. My primary duties were compiling inventory, proofreading, and writing press releases.

Anyhow, I don't want it to look like I am hijacking AThrash's thread too much, so I started a separate thread on college majors to see how that might go.

[AThrash37DSnyder]

most people tend to not go back to hs once they graduate lol

Thanks. LOL. I am never going back to the stupid town I am forced to live in,