Who Are We - Education

[New_Adventurer]

In 1983 while traveling in Belgium we stayed one night in a hotel. We looked like a mess, 15 pieces of luggage, a 5 year old, hot, tired, sweaty, and dirty; the hotel clerk kind of sneered at us. He gave me a registration card to fill-out. When I gave it back to him he read it and after a few seconds (about when he read the Profession line) he stood up straight and clicked his heals. Thereafter he was overwhelmingly gracious to us. Apparently the term Engineer impressed him. My wife was watching from the other side of the lobby and when she saw his reaction she almost laughed out loud.

Education can pay off in subtle ways.

[Maverick]

Having been educated in the UK, I'm not too sure what the various levels of Overpond education are. I left school at 18, having chosen to sample the real world of work before carrying on studying & I never really left. There's a wide ranging list of vocational qualifications plus the odd thing I studied for the fun of it, Counselling, for example. When I was in my mid 30's I did do an IQ test & am pleased to say I have one!

The picking up of qualifications can be fun but does not, I feel, cover the whole of what education is. School of Hard Knocks & the University of Life are all real & I wonder if a degree actually helps a lot when dealing with some of life's crunchy issues. Then again, I haven't got one, so how would I know?

Englishman, so far I've found in my three years of college that I've learned more from college but remember more from the School of Hard Knocks and the University of Life. Not to mention that I've found that I learn almost anything better when it's something I really want or need to learn and not rote memorization for exams (which I call "read and regurgitate"). With many things I learn better by teaching myself because I can go at my own pace, in my own time.

I want to get my Bachelor of Science degree and get out of formal education for a while (maybe forever!), but I want to always be learning.


These are roughly the levels of US education:
1. High school diploma, or GED (General Educational Development) for those who never finished high school but take a test to show they have the education level of a high-school graduate
2. Associate degree, roughly equivalent to 2 years of college (which tends to knock out the "basics" of college like English and history courses, and also shows that one has the gumption to keep going for a...)
3. Bachelor degree, roughly equivalent to 4 years of college in a specific field of study (like engineering, nursing, etc.; I'll have mine in 3.5)
4. Master degree, an advanced degree pursued after a Bachelor's
5. Doctorate degree, to earn the title of Doctor (this is sometimes just called a PhD or "Doctor of Philosophy" degree)

There are also certifications required for certain jobs and other education routes such as technical schools for aspiring plumbers and electricians. Some people who can't afford a four-year college will attend community colleges that offer inexpensive college courses and get their Associate, then use that as leverage to transfer into a larger university where there could be financial aid to help them earn a Bachelor.

[Englishman]

Thank you, Maverick; your explanation of the differences between our education systems is very helpful. I've never made it, formally, beyond 'A' levels which we take at 17/18. I find myself in total agreement with you about the nature of study. Those things I have wanted to discover have always held my attention more thoroughly; although it must be said I do suffer from an oversized Curiousity Bump & enjoy the gaining of fresh knowledge & insights. All my later life qualifications have been work based & some of those really gripped me; driving, acting & counselling being the biggest biters.

I suppose the biggest biter of the bunch has been the outworking of my faith. Bible study, formal & personal plus the chasing after God until He is found followed by the outworking of that knowledge into my daily living. That, alongside the SHK & UoL stuff, have taken me on an awesome journey which, I am delighted to say, is not over yet! I am intrigued to see how Paul's cry in Ephesians 3:18-19 "... to comprehend with all the saints what is the width & length & depth & height - to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge..." Now there's an educational programme worth some study!

[Maverick]

Those things I have wanted to discover have always held my attention more thoroughly; although it must be said I do suffer from an oversized Curiousity Bump & enjoy the gaining of fresh knowledge & insights.

Me too!

I suppose the biggest biter of the bunch has been the outworking of my faith. Bible study, formal & personal plus the chasing after God until He is found followed by the outworking of that knowledge into my daily living. [...] I am intrigued to see how Paul's cry in Ephesians 3:18-19 "... to comprehend with all the saints what is the width & length & depth & height - to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge..." Now there's an educational programme worth some study!

Amen!

[natman]

The picking up of qualifications can be fun but does not, I feel, cover the whole of what education is. School of Hard Knocks & the University of Life are all real & I wonder if a degree actually helps a lot when dealing with some of life's crunchy issues. Then again, I haven't got one, so how would I know?

Englishman,

In my (not-so) humble opinion, and although I took the time and money to get a degree, I believe that the primary purpose of a degree is so that personnel managers can more easily categorize job applicants for mid and upper-level positions. A degree often makes it easier to get a foot in the door, but does not guarantee success.

I was responsible for hiring lots of engineers and technicians in the past, and I found that many of the BEST were not degree-ed at all, but rather, had a love for the "art" of design and technology. I also found that many of those who WERE degree-ed did not appear to have the ability to reason through some of the simplest applications without being led mostly down the way. However, I did note that my degree-ed hires were more likely to move up the ladder, unfortunately into areas where their degrees applied even less. (I found that many successful engineers that do well with technology and design inevitably get promoted management, where they typically are more deficient. )

[Englishman]

Natman,

I have a horrible feeling you're right. Many job adverts here request a 'Degree Level Qualification'; whether it's in a relevant subject seems purely coincidential. The possession of a degree does seem to make it easier for someone to be slotted into a salary scale. I'm not sure it makes one any better at a job.

I do spend time & effort in trying not to be cynical about this; it robs one of so much joy but it is an ongoing struggle. Educating someone in a particular field, seeing them, hopefully, flourish in it & then see them moving into 'management' where it's often assumed those, for example, engineering skills will make them good with people is frequently akin to watching someone cut off the tree branch they're sitting on. You know it's going to be messy.

[varv]

I have two diplomas of higher education. And my profession is based on these diplomas. I'm a psychotherapist

[Fcclarkson141]

Masters here and I have taught at the college level.

[Dracofyre]

I have an Associate of Science degree, BA in Biblical Studies and an MA in Linguistics. I'll let you figure out what on earth to do with that combination.

[Dracofyre]

I have a BA in Biblical Studies from Wheaton College and an MA in Linguistics. Most of my current reading is in those two areas, and some news.

[BillP73]

Bachelor degree in law