With tuition costs rising, there is a new  debate over whether a degree is worth the expense.  We’ll discuss the pros and cons in a roundtable discussion.

Thomas Frank of College Info Geek and Martin Boehme from Powlyglot join us to discuss who should go to college, how to skip pre-reqs, and why college vs not college is not the only question we should be asking.

Thomas has been out of college for a little over a year.  While he believes the actual classes were not that helpful, college does give you a unique opportunity to make a lot of contacts that you can use for the rest of your life.  Contacts that can help you find things like a job, or a place to live in a new city.  While contacts can be made outside of college, you’ll likely never have access to so wide a variety again.

Martin was  able to save some time and money by skipping  some prerequisites.  Speak to the professor and inquire if you can test out.

A lot of these debates ignore that there are options that are not so black and white as going to college or not.  You don’t have to go to the most expensive or prestigious college that will have you.  According to CNN, nearly 30% of people with associate’s degrees are out earning those with bachelor’s degrees.  The associate’s can also be tens of thousands of dollars less expensive than a bachelor’s.

College should not be the default immediately after high school.  There are many options out there so spend some time researching them before you take the plunge.

Show Notes

College Info Geek:  Thomas Frank’s site to help you get the most from your college experience.

Powlyglot:  Martin Boehme’s website that will teach you a new language.

Uncollege.org: An alternative to college.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices