jollystomper
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
- Joined
- Apr 16, 2012
- Messages
- 6,917
I have not read most of this thread. For me, the last thing I was thinking about when I wanted to go to college was FIRE, or FI, or RE, or even retirement. I just thought a degree in a field that (a) I was good at, and (b) was in demand at the time would get me a good job. A good job meant that I could live on my own, save, buy a house, and eventually attract a wife
. FIRE was a happy (and unexpected) long term by-product of those choices.
But I was probably in the minority of people going to college knowing exactly (or a least having a narrow range of) what I wanted to study, and for what purpose. That is, in my opinion, what is most important if one chooses to go to college - one should have some idea of the fields one is interested in, and not "hope to figure it out" while there. That is the situation of our youngest DS, who is in a situation of having enough total credits across high school AP and 2 colleges, but not enough within in a major to have a degree yet.
I am also do not believe in the "follow your heart" philosophy often espoused at high school graduations. If asked my opinion by younger folks, I say "follow the value" - balance between what you want to do versus the skills that you have (or that others indicate you have) that are in demand in the job market. In my case my "heart" choice might have been a radio and party DJ, as I was good enough at it in college to earn money and gain the interest of a commercial radio station. Plus there were many "side benefits" I could have chosen to take advantage of
. But I knew that career had much lower odds for stability than something in the math/computer (before it was named "IT") industry, so I chose the latter and did not look back.
If one chooses not to go to college, there are fields that are not "glamorous" but where one can gain skills that are in demand and, in the long run, support a FI or RE foundation. A couple of youngest DS's friends have become electricians and are doing very well. Two others are building skills through home renovation - they are finding not many young people are going into that field, and there are older people running home renovation companies who are looking to subcontract out to younger folks. They also are tied in to a couple of realtors, so they are not lacking for work.
Ultimately I do not look at it from a perspective of looking at "college degree worth" for eventual FIRE. I look more at figuring out what skill(s) you have, or what you want to do, that has market value, and does that skill require (or will benefit from) having a college degree. If one "follows the value", that increases the odds (as there are no guarantees) to eventually achieve FI and RE.
But I was probably in the minority of people going to college knowing exactly (or a least having a narrow range of) what I wanted to study, and for what purpose. That is, in my opinion, what is most important if one chooses to go to college - one should have some idea of the fields one is interested in, and not "hope to figure it out" while there. That is the situation of our youngest DS, who is in a situation of having enough total credits across high school AP and 2 colleges, but not enough within in a major to have a degree yet.
I am also do not believe in the "follow your heart" philosophy often espoused at high school graduations. If asked my opinion by younger folks, I say "follow the value" - balance between what you want to do versus the skills that you have (or that others indicate you have) that are in demand in the job market. In my case my "heart" choice might have been a radio and party DJ, as I was good enough at it in college to earn money and gain the interest of a commercial radio station. Plus there were many "side benefits" I could have chosen to take advantage of
If one chooses not to go to college, there are fields that are not "glamorous" but where one can gain skills that are in demand and, in the long run, support a FI or RE foundation. A couple of youngest DS's friends have become electricians and are doing very well. Two others are building skills through home renovation - they are finding not many young people are going into that field, and there are older people running home renovation companies who are looking to subcontract out to younger folks. They also are tied in to a couple of realtors, so they are not lacking for work.
Ultimately I do not look at it from a perspective of looking at "college degree worth" for eventual FIRE. I look more at figuring out what skill(s) you have, or what you want to do, that has market value, and does that skill require (or will benefit from) having a college degree. If one "follows the value", that increases the odds (as there are no guarantees) to eventually achieve FI and RE.