A NEW Q/A Series based on real world questions from Quora:
“I’m a 20 year old serial entrepreneur, and I’ve always wondered why the world thinks college is such an important aspect of life? I read like no other, and feel like I get more knowledge from books than my friends get from college. I have a year and a half of junior college, but I often find myself wondering why it’s so important. I feel like it’s almost brainwashed into us from our first years of schooling. Go to school, get a degree, 16+ years of school. By the time you finish college, you’re $60,000+ in the hole and you have a piece of paper that says you graduated. You have no guarantees for all that hard work and cold hard cash you just put into that piece of paper. I guess my thinking is that I can spend maybe $2,000 on books, go to meetups and stay in the entrepreneur/startup culture (for the contacts) and put the saved money into a few businesses. Am I completely off base here? ”
Does A College Degree Really Matter?
Here’s my take College Degrees are absolutely worth it. They open doors that might never have opened before. More importantly College provides a framework for learning. Learning in my opinion is the greatest thing that anyone can do with their life. Learning is expensive if you go the traditional route. Online learning, and online degrees gives you more options.
My father always used to say if there is a will there’s a way. You can always figure out a way to pay for something. If you are motivated to learn, college is a great way. If you can’t afford to make that investment, find other creative ways to invest in your learning.
When people think of millionaires and billionaires, images of Ebenezer Scrooge often spring to mind. Bill Gates has smashed those perceptions by being one of the most generous billionaires in history. As the founder of Microsoft, Gates could have taken a miserly approach to his great fortune. Instead, he’s always been steadfastly committed to giving back. He and his wife run the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which works on improving education in the U.S., fighting infectious diseases and improving the food supply around the world. Gates has heralded in an era of kinder, gentler, more giving capitalism.
As the founder and chairman of the Virgin Group, which is made up of more than 400 companies, Branson is a force to be reckoned with in the business world. Instead of using that power to push along his own agenda, he’s been using to advance science. A few years ago, Branson founded Virgin Galactic, which is going to give civilians the chance to travel in spaceships and see outer space. Bookings are currently being accepted, and trips are scheduled to begin toward the end of this year. With NASA’s space program out of commission, Branson is a beacon of light for anyone who loves space.
Though her long-running show is now over, Winfrey still manages to make waves. Unlike many celebrities, her waves tend to be of the humanitarian variety. Although she clearly isn’t out to achieve world peace or to prompt sweeping reforms, Winfrey has long been the champion of those who are down on their luck. She comes from very humble beginnings and uses her story as proof that people can achieve their goals. As a black woman, she’s a clear inspiration to African Americans and women, but her influence truly extends across all genders, races and ages.
No list of today’s most inspirational leaders would be complete without a mention of the founders of Google. This dynamic duo truly changed the world with their revolutionary search engine, and they’ve never rested on their laurels. With every passing year, Google embarks on some kind of new technology or exciting innovation. It’s gotten to the point that it’s impossible to talk about the Internet or technology without discussing Google too.
If a lot of people from the technology field have made the list, it’s because technology plays such a prominent role in modern life. As the founder of Amazon, Bezos has not only changed the way in which people shop for things – he’s changed the way they enjoy books entirely too. With the debut of the Kindle, Bezos truly cemented his place in the historical record. The Kindle Fire has even reduced some of the iPad’s luster, which is no easy feat. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t use Amazon at least every now and then, and that’s pretty inspirational.
Unless you’re from the Maldives or follow environmental issues closely, you may not have heard of Nasheed. He served as president of that country from 2008 to 2012, and he pulled that off after being imprisoned dozens of times for various political reasons. During his tenure, he sought to make his tiny country completely carbon neutral. While working toward that goal, he inspired leaders around the world. Since then, the concept of carbon neutrality is being taken more seriously than ever, and there’s little doubt that Nasheed’s influence played a huge part in that.
For many years, white males from wealthy families were the only ones who could hope to ascend to the Supreme Court. The highest court in the land has become a lot more diverse, fortunately, and Sotomayor is one of its most interesting and exciting success stories. She grew up poor in the Bronx and was raised by her widowed mother. Based on her early life alone, no one would ever predict that she’d eventually become a Supreme Court justice. As if that’s not inspiring enough, she’s the first Hispanic to earn a place on the court, so she’s smashed away that barrier too.
Former U.S. presidents usually spend their waning years doing philanthropic things and wielding their power to make the world a better place. Bill Clinton has gone above and beyond the call of duty. In fact, he still has so much respect around the world that he’s been called on to help out when crises occur. There’s little doubt that his influence played a huge role in Barack Obama’s reelection, and he and his wife continue to be extremely influential around the world. If you’re not convinced that he’s inspirational, just watch him speak sometime.
The list is rounded out by yet another wealthy businessman. Buffet was used his power for the forces of good, however, and many believe his influence helped to keep the recent financial crisis from being a complete and total disaster. Buffet helped out a handful of major corporations that were struggling during the crisis, and he played a big part in keeping investor confidence from plummeting drastically. Buffet has done well in America, but he’s given back a lot too.
Security management in a broad management field that handles physical security, asset management and other safety functions. A degree in security management prepares individuals to pursue various opportunities in the in formation technology and private security industry. Students in these programs gain the necessary knowledge and skills to assess and address various security issues and threats in public and private sectors. Here are the top five schools that offer security management degrees:
Criminal investigation is a growing field. There are careers in criminal justice requiring either an associates (2 year program) or a bachelors (4 year program) degree. The following are summaries of the top five criminal investigation programs and degree options for each.
The paralegal field seems to always be expanding, with qualified professionals easily landing jobs in some of the most notable firms right after graduation. That’s likely due to the fast pace of expansion and growth in the legal field itself, though it might also be a tribute to the quality of the country’s most prestigious paralegal degree programs. From coast to coast, a number of excellent programs are helping graduates get the skills they need to gain employment, demand higher salaries, and enjoy a rewarding career in the legal profession.
Generally considered the entry-level positions at most law firms, at least aside from the file clerks who roam the corridors, the market for legal assistants is one that always seems to be quite strong nationwide. Generally, their duties include assisting paralegals and attorneys so that cases can proceed smoothly both in court and in the office. With the right amount of work and dedication, their experience is generally grounds for advancement, with most legal assistants eventually working as paralegals at major firms nationwide.
For far too long, the American justice system was setup to cater almost exclusively to adult criminals who had a long series of crimes logged in their records files. That approach simply didn’t work for those under the age of 18, many of whom were treated to subpar juvenile detention experiences and haphazard trials that didn’t provide the kind of justice that younger offenders were entitled to. Luckily, the past few decades have changed al of that in a big way.
When most students think about the criminal justice field, their mind usually drifts to things like crime scene investigation, detective work, and the challenges associated with being a law enforcement official. While these careers are quite popular, criminal just administration is an equally popular and important part of the field.
Pursuing a court reporting degree will allow you to find a career within the legal community as a court reporter or a deposition reporter as well as find employment in the communications realm, providing captioning and communication assistance for hearing impaired people.
Computer forensics is a subdivision of forensic science that deals with legal evidence found on computers and related technology. A degree in computer forensics provides the necessary knowledge and skills to pursue employment opportunities that involve gathering evidence on people who are suspected of committing an illegal action. Here are the top five institutions that offer computer forensics degrees
At University of Phoenix, you learn from a curriculum designed by experienced faculty in your field of study, whether you're earning your associate's, bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree. Program availability varies by location and learning format.
