College is worthless?

Not really. But I have found it funny that since entering the workforce over a year ago from college (B.A. in Advertising), that the first thing everyone in the industry tells you is "Forget everything you learned in college."





Practical and real world experience definitely is more worthwhile and useful than college classes and textbooks. Don't get me wrong, college is important for personal development and building a foundation, I just find it funny how you pay thousands of dollars for a piece of paper called a diploma just to be told to forget everything you bought it for (class wise) haha. I did love college though and wouldn't give any of the experiences back for anything.





Anyone else ever get told that advice? What did you get told?

College is worthless?
"Forget everything you learned in college" is just an expression, not meant to be taken literally. What it really means is that the real world isn't always "by the book". By in order to understand the basics of a given field, you often rely on the fundamentals you've already learned. The point of the expression is the get you to grow beyond textbook thinking and to apply what you've already learned to a new playing field.


Actors often memorize the script and then "forget it" so things seem more natural when they speak. Musicians laboriously learn scales, so that when they play they don't have to think about them. This is the same idea.
Reply:You can't even get you foot in the door for most good paying jobs today without SOME form of higher education.





Before my BSEE...20-30K per year





After my BSEE...100K/year Plus 401(K), profit sharing, bonuses, 5 weeks of vacation, pension, respect, professional co-workers...and NOT to have to worry about stuff like price of gas, insurance, food, etc.





When I want something, I just buy it, instead of leasing, financing, etc.
Reply:Yes, I have heard that. And in cases where you didn't get a degree that is technical in nature (i.e. Engineering, Accounting, IT, etc.) there is some truth to it.





Look at it this way......college might open some doors for you that might not otherwise be open. But a dumb college graduate that can't adapt to the real world doesn't do well in the job for very long. A smart person with only a high-school diploma can go further with the right breaks.





(NOTE the distinction here between intelligence and education. I know a bunch of dumb college graduates that couldn't reason their way out of a paper bag if they tried.)





By the way, before you throw rocks at me, I have both a bachelors and masters degree.
Reply:That just means that REAL Life is not Textbook.





Hopefully that Degree taught you to Think, not just Regurgitate Facts. That is what the Job wants: Someone who can put all that Learning, All those Experiences, the Facts, the Math, the History, the Volleyball....together Today to figure how do we get 10,000 units of Reject Brassieres to Seattle in 24 hours in order to make room for a Charity Press Conference.