Did you utilize your college degree (if you had one)?

[mountainsoft]

I'm curious how many folks here actually used the college degree they went to school for. Obviously, you need a degree to be a doctor or lawyer, but I know so many people who spent years going to college (at significant financial cost) and went in a completely different direction for work. In many cases, it seems like a college degree is a "made up" requirement to get a job these days. For instance, my wife never went to college and had a great career. But anyone new coming in her same position (or most lower positions) has to have a college degree to qualify. And yet, my wife said all the new people coming in with the degrees still had no clue what they were doing. The degree didn't translate into actual work knowledge. At a time when student debt is out of control, it seems a college degree is often just a box you're supposed to check off and not something you actually need to do the work.

I went to a community college to study electronics. I was just one physics class (that never had openings) away from receiving my associates degree. The closest I came to using that was fixing microwave ovens for several years. There was nothing in that position that required a college education. I eventually quit that and started a computer software business, something which I had no training for other than a couple computer classes in college. Like who uses COBOL or FORTRAN these days?

Our daughter got a bachelors degree in English. She now works as a receptionist at an assisted living facility.

One nephew studied agriculture in college. He now sells real estate.

One niece studied music in college. She has had a few different jobs since then, none of which involved music.

Another niece studied zoology. She became a stay-at-home mom.

There are many more examples, but I can't think of a single person I know who is actually doing the job they went to college for.

 

[GrayHare]

I'm one. It would be interesting to know the % that do. Probably varies by degree.

 

[TheWizard]

I majored in an engineering field and then worked in it for 40+ years...

 

[Kings over Queens]

Wife and I didn't go to college. She became a stay home Mom and I entered the family insurance business. Over years I gained a high degree of technical expertise and several professional designations.

2 of my 3 adult kids have college degrees in business from Rutgers. One didn't like the business world and has become a union carpenter, and my daughter is in a client facing role supporting a sales team for Mega Corp. They sell information.

 

[Kings over Queens]

I'm one. It would be interesting to know the % that do. Probably varies by degree.

Not all professions require a specific degree but most degrees lend themselves to a profession. Some profession.

 

[ls99]

No.
Got BS in business admin.. Did it on a bet, took 5 years part time, while w*rking full time, the bet which I won.
Then concluded never to have anything to do with business. Stayed with electrics, electronics until retirred.

 

[swakyaby]

Yes
Received a BS in psychobiology. Became a physician.

 

[pb4uski]

Absolutely. BS in Accounting followed by an MBA 9 years later. Worked in accounting and finance my entire 35 year career.

DW was a dental hygenist and later a bachelors and masters in nutrition but spent most of her time as a SAHM but did work part time as a nutritionist for the state.

DD got a degree in accounting and is a cPA working in accounting and finance.
DSIL has a bachelors in engineering and a masters in architectural and works as an architect.

 

[GBcycling]

Degree in engineering. Used directly for about 25 years, then went into program management/business planning and technical sales. Could not have performed in any of those fields at megacorp with my technical degree.

 

[pb4uski]

Degree in engineering. Used directly for about 25 years, then went into program management/business planning and technical sales. Could not have performed in any of those fields at megacorp with my technical degree.

I think you meant without, right?

 

[Koolau]

I used both of my degrees in my c@reer. It's true that both degrees were also a "ticket" to w*rk in a given profession, but the knowledge I had from all those years of study were critical in my c@areer.

 

[Winemaker]

Yes and no. Graduated with a Mining Engineering degree and took a job inthe coal industry for 35 years. Took several credits of prerequisites and master's classes for MBA , but life, kids and a changed outlook brought that to an end. Realized that cashflow was king, went into the residential rental business. I used my experience from w*rking in a hardware store while in HS and college, to do my own maintenance.

 

[Ronstar]

Yes. Quit college (engineering) after 2 years in 1975. Worked in engineering, went back to school for business degree in 1990. Graduated and became part owner of the company in 1992. Used business degree and knowledge gained from business school for the next 22 years until I retired in 2014.

 

[swakyaby]

In my family, all 4 siblings had college degrees. 3 out of 4 went into professions that required a college degree, so 75% utilization

 

[COcheesehead]

Bachelor’s in business. Used it my entire working career.

 

[Koolau]

In my family, all 4 siblings had college degrees. 3 out of 4 went into professions that required a college degree, so 75% utilization

Of course there can be a difference between requiring a degree and using the degree. I'm the first to admit that my degree was a "ticket" to my j*b. One credit shy and I'd never have had that particular j*b at Megacorp. But then, I DID use the degree. As the saying goes: Two things can be true at once.

 

[RetiredHappy]

Absolutely utilized my Computer Science (and Economics) degree to get my first job as an analyst programmer and career progression along the IT field. On the other hand, my MBA was used to impress a hiring manager but does nothing since I was already in management.

 

[Alan]

Myself, my wife, both our kids and most of our siblings had careers using our degrees. All were STEM degrees with the exception of my wife’s brother who got a law degree and became a lawyer.

 

[Tetto]

Started off life with associates degree and Airframe and Powerplant license. Worked in aviation for years while earning mechanical engineering degree at night. Finished career as engineering manager in medical devices.

 

[Original Wally]

Absolutely. BS in Accounting followed by an MBA 9 years later. Worked in accounting and finance my entire 35 year career.

+1. Graduated 1981 w/ Bus/Accounting degree. Took (& passed) the May '81 CPA exam - May 6,7,8. DW Molly was VERY expecting our son- his due date was 04/19/81. I can best remember his B-Day - Monday May 4th - as Molly scared the bejesus out of me. I TOLD her I was booked that week. WHEW!!! Close one. A bunch of us went out for drinks Friday after we were done and she was at home with a 4 day old and NOT happy with me. She eventually got over it. I think.

 

[Lewis Clark]

My bachelor's degree in engineering was needed for my career as a submarine officer in the Navy.

I have two masters degrees and needed each of them in my next career after the Navy.

 

[Koolau]

Son quit before getting a degree (sadly, I forget what his degree objective was since he never really discussed it with us). Daughter got a degree in fashion and is a SAHM. Other daughter got a degree in Med Tech which she used at a blood lab until she got a much better j*b with a firm that does IQ/OQ for industry.

SIL got a business degree and is a trouble shooter in church hierarchy.

DIL got a degree in Art and runs a day care.

 

[Gallaher]

BS in Business minor in biology. Required and used regularly in my career in pharma sales/managment.

 

[shortstop14]

My first degree was an associate degree in Computer Science. After working as a programmer in assembly language for a while, I decided that wasn't how I wanted to spend my career. So I transferred and got a BS degree in Biology, working my way through school as a programmer in the college computer center. The plan was to move on to Veterinary school, but life events didn't allow another four years of college that wouldn't really allow me to work while I attended school. So I got a job as a technical writer for a software company, and then did various analysis and software engineering jobs for 32 years.

Both degrees got me a foot in the door, but I used the Computer Science degree more in my actual profession.

 

[Romer]

BSEE I used to design spacecraft and then a Masters (Company paid) I used to manage a spacecraft program.

My daughter followed the same path with the same degrees and company

Another daughter got a Business degree and then after a few years went back to get a nursing degree and is now a Nurse

Third daughter is a Lawyer, so she used her degree as well