I know: there's already similar threads which cover the topic of college. The sole purpose of this thread is to get figures from the poll which accompanies it.

I have attended two different universities in my life, and both times did I drop out. I studied History at the first one (completed the freshman year), and then English at the second one (did not even complete the freshman year). I do not ever plan on attending university again, so I voted 'no' in the poll.

Dropped out of a 6th form and an art college. Its simply too hard for me, I want to get into work and do nvq's instead.

I'm almost certain I'm never going to go to university as in attending lectures and stuff like that, but I wouldn't rule out possibly trying an Open University course at some point in my life.

Indeed I did attend college. I was a rare person who actually graduated in 4 years

University where I live is more of a social training facility in order to become a model citizen. Everything they teach at university can be learned on your own and at least 30% is propaganda or subjective values which exclude people like me. I certainly don't intend to ever set foot in an academic institution. It goes against my values and my nature.

University used to be a conservative bourgeois tradition, like in the days of my grandfather and his father. It wasn't so much about competition or "the market". It just signaled a certain class and upbringing and you went there to become a doctor, a lawyer or to study greek and latin basically.

Today the academic world is split between the marginalised and dying conservatives, the dominant liberal middle class and the intellectual leftists and propaganda people. All other people are effectively socialy excluded.

I don't fit into either liberal, wannabe conservative or the palestine-hugger category so for me there is no place in the academic world.

My world view is more spiritual. I believe in science to a degree but I'm not interested in the world as it is today. Someday I might self study a very narrow scientific subject and become good at it, but I'll never go to university.

Things which interest me are biology, genetics, weapon/arms engineering, cosmetic medical science, anti aging science, eternal life etc. Everything else is worthless to me.

I go to college because it gives me something to do and doesn't make me feel as worthless,. If I dropped out I know that every time I went to a family gathering they would just give me the eyes that say, "failure." Plus, my sister graduated in the top 6% of her class, I should at least be able to graduate.

I've went to two colleges, and I'm currently attending the second one. The first college was a couple hours away and the one I currently go to is five minutes from my house. I honestly couldn't stand living with roommates, I really just wanted to get a studio apartment by myself, but I told myself I had to experience the "dorm life." When I wasn't in class, I was in my dorm the entire time and my "jock" roommate constantly gave me grief over it. I originally went to the first college with the intent of becoming an automotive technician, I've always had an interest with working on cars, but, after taking the classes and also interning at a dealership, I learned it would be best to keep my hobbies separate from my career. So now I'm attending college with no major. I told myself that I would get a Bachelors though, so that's what I'm going to do...I have a long ways to go

Can you elaborate on what exactly put you off? I'm interested if it is related to my experiences when modifying my car (just as hobby in my case, wasn't looking to do it as a job).

I want to go to college more than I want to go to High School. I'm just looking forward to learning about something I want to learn. Also, 700th post. Yeah!

Yea sure. I've been into cars ever since I was kid. I drive an 01' Miata, I've lowered it, put racing rims on it, I even had a competition bucket seat and steering wheel on it for awhile, and I would also go up to the mountains regularly just to see how fast I could go. Also, I was even co-founder of a growing car club in my town, but our club activities started dying down around the time I started college. Sadly, I've taken off a lot of the aftermarket parts because I plan on selling it in the near future. I say all this just to point out that I definitely had a keen interests in cars before I decided to do it as a profession.

Anyways, during high school I interned at a Honda dealership as a service tech for about 8 months and had a lot of fun. I even worked there part-time for a few weeks over the summer as a lube tech and had a lot of fun. I decided to go to a college that had a renowned Honda program and, honestly, had the most fun I ever had in school. But near the end of my first semester at that school something hit me. I really thought hard about it for a long time too. I thought to myself, "If I go through with this program I'm in for the long haul. Do I really want to wake up everyday and work in a garage 9-12 hours a day for the next 20+ years?" The answer wasn't even "iffy," it was a definitive "no I don't." I finished and passed the remainder of that school year, but moved back home afterward.

I love working on my car, and if I had the money I would be modifying it and working on it constantly, but I don't want to work on other people's cars. I had fun doing the internship and working over the summer because I knew that it was coming to an end. I knew that "in a few months it's summer vacation" or "in a few months I'm off to school." An ideal long-term career for me would be an office job of some sort where I can make enough money to fund my hobbies.

Sorry for the long reply

This got me thinking of a good thread topic for the 'pics' section.

Cool, thanks for the reply. That mitigates some curiosity for me but I'll not derail this thread further...

I also like to learn things I want to learn but university doesn't teach me things without asking for a lot in return. They demand that I adapt into the "shaping of citizens" mentality, that I accept a lot of socially and politically correct garbage, that I behave a certain way etc. They don't just offer structured ways and means to gain knowledge without asking a lot of the student.

I couldn't care less about the rules and regulations, the social demands and connection to society of academic institutions. Knowledge is knowledge, it shouldn't involve social conduct and political values.

Most people don't even think about it but when you enroll and become a student you accept hundreds of unwritten and written rules on who you should be as a person, what your goals and values should be, what your relation to society should be etc. I can't ever fit into that sort of thing. It's not who I am.

I partially agree with Sol. Knowlege is knowlege and if you want to get it, you can get it by your own self.
My impressions on university. What I dislike most is that I have to study with a lot of other people which I hate. I end up ignoring them and always avoiding being in their sight. I hate that university is the place with most people I've seen in my life in one place (except airports and Prado when I was "touring" Europe as a kid). With so much people it's impossible to function normally, at least for me. The transport to there is even worse.
People say university is good because it gives you freedom. I started questioning what kind of freedom I have in university once I got there. For my first exam I had to buy all the books the professor who was conducting the exam itself wrote. I remember most of the people failed the exam exactly because they didn't buy those books. Needless to say, they were written horribly. I myself bought one of his eight books and got depressed right after reading the first page. But that's not my point.
I didn't want to go to university to begin with. I decided to apply because I didn't care at the moment. Right now I'm not even attending the lectures. I've gone to 4 lectures since the begining of this year - this year will be my last one because I don't want to take this anymore. School, university and jobs make people stupid as much as television does.

every time i try to go something else happens for me in life. like the first time i found out my mother had cancer, and i was passed over for a promotion i'd wanted so i switched jobs and the new schedule wouldn't allow it. the second time i tried i had the chance to move away with a freind who later revealed that he didn't take our plans as seriously as i did and didn't have any money saved up naively thinking that we could just move somewhere with no skills and make it. i did go to beauty school when i turned eighteen dropping out halfway through because i lost my transportation and the school was out in the middle of nowhere.
i'd like to go because i'd love to do something else with my life but i still don't know what to study and don't want to spend tens of thousands of dollars chasing a useless degree. anthropology? art? philosophy? sure those are subjects which interest and excite me but it would be crushing to see me unable to find employment and have to take a min wage job again after all that. i can't think of any profitable subject that would interest me though.

Yeah, why isn't there a "did attend" option in the poll?



Mask - Considering that you don't have to choose a major (which doesn't have to determine your career path anyway) until the end of your second year of college, it's easy to walk into any college or university's career center or "prospective students center", tell them you're interested in applying, and add that you want to decide what career path would be the best fit for you first. Not only will this improve your chances of getting in should you choose to apply but it's also free career advice from people who are paid to help people find good jobs. There also tend to be community agencies (non-profits) that give career advice; I've used these but gotten better results from talking to career counselors at universities.

Yeah I was kind of wondering that myself.

I went for a while but I was completely disinterested and spent most of my time screwing around in the computer lab. I didn't see how the little bit I was learning combined with my social problems would ever let me get any kind of decent job so I quit.
I really hate the whole "college-industrial complex" scam these days. All that shit isn't necessary for most jobs. You spend 12 years in government schools. If that's not enough to get you ready to be trained for most any job than what's the point? I really respect people who didn't go to college or dropped out and went on to make a lot of money.

I attended college but I just couldn't do it. Too much social interaction with strangers and I hate boring academic work.

Yes, I would like to one day attend. I could probably attend my local college now if I really wanted to, but I want a whole course rather than just a few classes I find interesting. I want the paper and the knowledge, you know... do it right. So, I don't know.. guess that's something to consider for the future. I'd like to get a job before I start thinking about that route.

i want to enroll but i have to pass my ged test first. ive grown tired of my life. i have to do something before i die. attending school seems like the best answer. get a degree in something and get a crappy job that pays enough to get by on and die. my master plan and college is the door that im gonna use to get there. the ged is the reinforced gate that i have to get pass in order to get to the door...

I am in my final year at university. It's indulgent intellectualism that can get really snobbish, but I'm doing fine and I'm almost done with my degree anyway so I'm not dropping out.

I went to college and graduated with honors in about 4.5 years (10 semesters?). I studied math. I enjoyed the academic part, avoided the social part. Now, it's over.

I did the college thing. Four years. I graduated with honors and received a B.A. in history. Guess how
much good it's done? Unless you major in something useful, like C.S., then there's really no reason to go.
I know I didn't learn diddly. Reading Wikipedia for an afternoon is more productive. I mean sure, you get out
of college what you put in, but only to a point.

Pretty much the only time I left my dorm room and lovely pet roaches was to go to class, then I'd go
straight back into hiding.



Math is sexy. Nothing like the smooth, supple curves of a Klein bottle to get my Mobius
strip all up in a knot.

senmee - I have a mobius strip on my nightstand haha. I could always count on math to make sense when people didn't.

Basically I'd say if you plan on playing the game, getting a job, joining the rat race, trying to be "successful" go to college.
If you're gonna play your own game, start a business or something don't go. College can only teach you to be part of the herd. It's a really attractive idea but not suited to most people, especially if they have social problems.
If you don't want to play any game and just get by like me definitely don't go.