Computer Training after High School. Is it worth it?
 

My son is in high school learning all the computer basics and spends another four to six hours a day on the computer at home each day.

Now he tells me he doesn't think he needs to go to college to learn any more about computers to work on the internet. Says he knows more than me and that he'll have no problem getting a job on or starting his own business on the web. :disgust

I'm sure many of you have been the student in this scenario and some of you like me are now the parent. Any Suggestions ??? :(

Tell him to go to school for Business. He may know plenty about the internet, but you have to be able to manage your money and employees. That's the path I have my son on right now. He is a whiz online but has zero sense about what to do with money.

He probably knows more about computers than most adults. However he still needs colllege. Everybody hirinig, wants you to have spent thousands of dollars, to get a little piece of paper that says you know what you are doing.

Depends what in computers he wants to go into. If it is just a general information technology or something like that don't waste your time like I did.

I went to college to learn about computers. I didn't really.
Basically, the reason to go to college is to get the goddamn degree so you get a job. Sad really.
I know pretty much as much as I would have without college, but now I have the paper to prove it. :(

So tell him to show you some fat paychecks and you may agree with him. Money talks :)

I wonder if a Technical College would be better than the typical four university if a kid is 99% sure the internet is future for him?

It would be less time, less expensive and more concentrated training if someone want to learn how to build a website? But what about learning how to run an Affiliate Program or handle billing and stats? Will he learn that in school? :helpme

Keep the sugestions coming?

Yeah, I think he is lucky enough to know a lot of things about computers at that age. However, there are things that he still needs to learn if ever he plans to pursue his dream of putting up his own business.

I went to a vocational tech school for high school and took computer tech as my trade...but still went and did my 4 year bid in college.

tell him to stay in school. it's always good to have that degree....bitches dig it.

for a small company it means shit... for a large company it means everything

tell him to get certified in a few things "just in case". theres 9 month programs and some 1 yr or 2 yr classes for certification. get a back up plan THEN move on. safety net, my friend.

I've been using computers since the Atari and the PC Jr. and I'm currently taking a computer class :)

(then again, I'm a slow learner........)

I would say regular college while working on the side.
0.1% of the people will make it without a college degree, it's just like making a pro team without playing ncaa first.
Plus there are some very important business basics that you learn in school too.
:2 cents:

You certainly don't need advanced schooling to learn how to do something online. I think it's safe to say that most webmasters started making sites before schools were even teaching this sort of thing. It wasn't until about 2001 that schools started taking web development seriously.

But here in the US we place a huge emphasis on college. If you don't have that piece of paper, then you are viewed as an unqualified dumbass. There is a small web design firm near me who took out an ad for someone who knew HTML and very basic webmastering skills, and they required an associates degree!

Schools generally teach you how to work for someone. Not how to work for yourself. What I mean by that is they may turn you into an HTML, CSS, PHP, etc... expert, but they don't teach you how to build sites that actually sell. They assume you'll have a boss in the real world that will be telling you how the sites should look, and then you implement his ideas.

For instance they'll teach you how to install a message board script, but not how to populate that board with people.

They'll teach you how to design a really nice looking banner in Photoshop, but not one that actually gets a lot of clicks.

They teach you the technical aspect of everything, but not how to apply it to actually make money.... because when you are working for someone else, that's not your task.

However, even if you want to work for yourself you still need to know how to do things. IMHO, as long as you learn them that is all that matters. If you need to go to college to learn how to code a script, fine. If you can buy a book from Barns & Noble and teach yourself, fine. Either way, you now have the ability to code a script. Next comes how to actually apply that script to help make more money, and again, they won't teach that in college.

Then again a degree is something to fall back on that most webmasters do not have. Unforseen events could cause shit to hit the fan for advertising affiliates and online entrepreneurs. That is also something to consider.

The world is running around with over qualified people. The sad thing is that a degree doesn't get you a job, it gets you to the door with all the other aspiring applicants that have a degree. It is then that lifes skills (mostly imparted by astute parents) come to the fore when trying to sell yourself at the job interview.

Don't do a degree for a degree sake. Do it to hopefully learn something or develop skills that you don't have that will help you in your own business or the corporate world.

University (as in Australia) is a wonderful (but expensive experience) and is not to be missed if just from the social interaction. Sadly a lot miss their focus and get all hung-up on drugs, booze, sex or all three together and don't get their degree and just piss all this money out the door. I'm sure the rest of the world has got as crazy as Oz where every one now is getting masters degrees to keep one step of the opposition or to jump the long job queues.

If your child really doesn't want to go to university, then don't push. There is plenty of time in the years ahead.

Just paint the picture as it really is.

Lyn from Oz

good thread

fuck college, if he fails at the online business, get him some steroids to bulk up....a kilo & an ak-47

skool is fore fewls

Sure, you learn more on the internet than in school, but as someone says, he'll miss all the parties,friends, tits and....:winkwink:

Arite I finished hs 2 years ago, I am studying Commerce in Uni, and was working mainstream at first now im checking things out in here.

So, both can be done.

You wont learn how to peddle porn at college - you learn that here :)

I know you are happy with your son but you must tell him the importance of finishing the college. It is not enough that you know a lot of things about the computers but having a formal education will give him the edge.

Going to college is great, if I had to go back to when I was 18 and choose between making good money on the internet and going to school, I don't think I would even consider picking the money route. Once you are out of school you will have plenty of opportunities to start a business, make money on the internet, or do whatever you wish with your life.

tell him to take some entrepreneurship classes to mold his mind into thinking like his own boss :)

Most brick and mortar businesses want a degree in IT or at least some sort of certifications..

I would tell him to stick it out a little, at least an associates...

i would tell him to not even bother about computer studies at college , the market is already flooded with kids with pieces of paper saying that they know stuff , with the market being flooded there is more choice for the employer , lowering the pay rate

i started doing porn when i was in highschool and dropped out, i think if your kid got a head on their shoulders they could do just fine without a shitty peace of paper.

I started working in the porn industry while I was still in high school, I dropped out before getting my diploma. I think that if your child has a head on his shoulder, then he will do just fine without a lousy piece of paper.

lousy not shitty
piece not peace
if one has, then he can do, not they

I think you should go back to school.


Allah Ouakbarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

I think most of you would agree that we are in the Information Age and that knowledge is king. Therefore I believe that I need to expose my son to the college experience if for nothing more than "The Experience".

The best thing I remember about college was not what I learned but more of how I learned the things that I use today and who were the people that had an impact on my learning. It wasn't about going to listen to a professor and getting a piece of paper as many of you mentioned.

Whether it's a college, or a tech school, an online course or GFYI don't care as long as my son has the love for learning. That's what matters. And he does.

It depends what he wants to do with his life.. Does he want to work for someone else or run his own business?

My uncle a self made rich guy once told me.. "College teaches you how to work for someone else."

If he wants to work for someone else, sure go to college, it can never hurt.. However if he wants to do his own thing, then tell him to do it and screw school.