Degrees VS Self Education

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Do you think that educating yourself can be as much of an education as getting a degree in some instances? I took almost the full 3 years of an English degree but couldn't complete the last year due to having become increasingly obsessed with the internet and chat, and I have always found I learn better on my own as long as I can talk out the information with another person to consolidate it.

I know that in terms of jobs, a degree is countable whereas self education wouldn't hold much validity, but I am sure you can pretty much cover psychology, for example, on your own, provided you have the correct array of textbooks and resources.

You probably could even cover more in your own time than you might on a degree, having the choice of what to focus on.

I know of people that have a college degree that are far from knowledgeable on much of anything. I also know of people without a college degree that make me feel like an uneducated fool at times. The degree on its own means little more than "I was able to make it through school." It means they passed the classes. It does not mean that they necessarily understood the material, or learned very much of it.

I wouldn't say that psychology would be any easier than any other subject, or that any subject would be any harder than another. With the right tools, one can learn just about anything. Now this of course does not include areas where hands-on experience are necessary, such as in the case of laboratory courses. It may be possible to get that experience outside of an academic setting, but it will not be as easy.

College can provide a feedback system and a safety net for the learning process, letting you know if you are understanding the material, and offering assistance if you are not. With sufficient drive, the setback of not having those could be overcome.

I think self education is often more valid, and that it's very sad how backwards our current culture is in this respect.

Well, I cannot really take a degree right now in the area that interests me because of the financial support I am on and because of the costs of living etc if I were to go off my support and go for a student loan instead, but I have noticed there are so many psychology books out there, as in the proper university recommended textbooks, that I am sure I could get a fair ways on my own considering I did it at A-level and found it very interesting.

My mother now has about 4 degrees, but she has the means to afford them and the social skills to get on well in that environment.

I wish employers would stop relying on degrees and start looking more into just how skilled the prospective candidates are... I think so many just look for that piece of paper and later find out that the individual has no skill of application of their knowledge.

Have you considered doing an Open University degree course? I'm not sure how much they cost but I think they give grants/discounts to people who aren't in full time employment.
They do other courses too, just for interest, not just full degree courses.

Might look into that... I have heard of them but wasn't sure if someone on incapacity benefits could apply for assistance.

http://www3.open.ac.uk/courses/about/p6_1.shtml

Now I've been having a look at their site, I'm thinking of doing a study course myself, lol.

Depends. If you're one of the very best
minds, in a particular subject, self education
IS sufficient. On the other hand, there comes
a point where some guidance can be very
helpful. As long as you're not too arrogant
to accept it.

I came in through the back door so to speak. I was obsessed with Archaeology. Long story and I won't bore you, but basically I gave those in power positions offers they couldn't refuse. I did the work and they put their names to it or used my ideas. I had been ground pounding for some 15 years and knew stuff that hadn't been written. Then it got to the point of going pro, I had the connections to do it by then, the references. That's when I got to pick my mentors. And they were and maybe still are known as The Catholic Mafia (almost all trained formally by an outstanding teacher at Catholic U), turned the Archaeology world in certain areas on it's head. I fit in like a glove.

I would have liked to have done the school thing for it. The GI bill gave me the opportunity, but I didn't understand the real world of Archaeology either. School has always been a bit of a disaster for me. I just had to find another way. I let my obsessions do the work, like I really had a choice.

Archeology is another area that fascinates me. They have a school of archeology here in Southampton along with a pretty major Archeological team and society. Keep meaning to join as I have long had an interest in ruins and relics. We have around 9 medieval wine vaults here, along with much of the original walls, some dating back to the 12th century.

They were all pretty sure I would just one day fall over dead in a unit. Would have been nice, I was anal about keeping my walls straight, the unit would have been perfect. Actually what did me in, was I started drinking again, stress on the road. It's a very gypsy like life style, different week, different state and I burned out. That's contract Archaeology, what they teach in school is different. I had to retain them.

But that's a great way to start, there are good and there are bad amateur groups. Some very active and some would just rather hear speakers and not get in the field. I hated office work, till I got high enough to do the interruption, but even that was rough, I couldn't write back then. When I started running crews in the field, I had to be two steps a head of the rest, have their work laid out and do my own. I would probably been better off just being the grunt and leave the politics alone. But, it isn't the way I tick. The people themselves that are attracted to that type of thing are great. I had an on the road family and we really were family, craziness and all. I wasn't the only one of the spectrum and none of us knew it. It just plain didn't matter.

Had I been a bit younger, the world was open for traveling. It is a trade you can take most any where. I had invites to your part of the world, not easy as yours tends to be somewhat closed to those not trained there. South America had opened for me. The South Pacific had been opened to me. I and my Wife traveled together, she was one too. When she left the field, she wasn't fond of the idea of me spending a year or so away, so I didnt do some things I would have liked to. I have always said it would take a special person to live with me for any length, it's true, it took and Anthropologist to last this long.

Follow your dreams. Coming in the back door, you have insights to things those classically trained don't see.

I feel that a college degree would be more important.

Tim

I would never argue they aren't Tim. My mentors had degrees up the wazoo. If you can get them do it. Makes the path a lot faster then the way I did it. But I had fun all the time I was, too. That they even paid me for what I would have done for free, never escaped me and even then I still did a lot for free. I had about reached as far as I could without a degree and my interest in what you are, was a driving force to where I wanted to go next. Lithics, full time. I didn't understand why school and I don't get a long, I better understand it now, but I still don't think I could do it on a full time basis.

This is why they could be considered important.

Not necessary, but definitely makes life easier.

Well...I say that, but I'm still jobless with two college degrees.

Guidance and formality are not quite the same.

More important for what?

There's no question that a college degree, in today's social/cultural/business climate, is better for employment. . .

But, novel idea here, what about education?