Vanishing Jobs and Admission Scandals- Just How Necessary is College?

NEW YORK - April 23, 2019 - PRLog -- As student loans increase in size and salaries for traditionally skilled jobs continue to shrink, the necessity for a traditional college education is under increasing scrutiny from millennials. Long credited with 'killing' old and obsolete industries, is a traditional college education now in their sights? Digital economies call for skills that can be learned outside of college and the rise of e-learning has increased opportunities for people of all ages to not only change career paths, but to define entire areas of study, all by themselves.

"I studied Mechanical Engineering, worked in finance and am now a financial writer and online business owner" explains Vivek Shankar, a freelance writer and content creation specialist. "The skills that I use as a part of my professional life are not related to what I studied in college. What's more, I taught myself these skills outside of college and now make a good living from them."

Mr. Shankar is not an exception these days. The rise of digital entrepreneurs is blurring borders and even the need for an office, as all one needs is a stable internet connection. Given the rising costs of traditional colleges and the low financial return offered on a degree, after taking into account student debt, making a living online seems not only the easier, but the smarter choice. Do traditional colleges still have a place though? They certainly do, as Mr. Shankar explains:

"I think having a college degree is relevant if you intend on working in a technical field. Even if you plan on studying the arts, the social opportunities in college translate to a strong network once you graduate and these connections are invaluable. It's just that you don't have to remain broke while in college, there are more avenues of making money available these days."

So, while a college degree is not the guarantee of a job or of a good life as it once was, there are other avenues to pursue to increase the value of a degree. Indeed, adopting this viewpoint might make a lot of colleges and universities far more relevant to the new economy than any other measure.

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About Vivek Shankar
Vivek Shankar is a freelance financial and fintech writer, with a particular focus on B2B writing. With prior experience working in the financial sector with JP Morgan Chase, Freddie Mac and RBS in New York, Mr. Shankar has intimate knowledge of the financial sector as well as a deep interest in financial technology. He can be reached at vivek@vivekshankar.net or via his website at https://www.vivekshankar.net