Academic qualifications - success in life? [ENDS 11/07/2010]

[Grig]

Academic qualifications - success in life?

Ends: 11/07/2010

Many in the world today have a never ending resume of academic qualifications that are argued to ensure a respected job with a high pay check. However, many are questioning whether this does indeed ensure all the success to life. Many of the world's richest people such as entrepreneurs Bill Gates and Richard Branson are college drop outs. People argue that these qualifications give them no needed foundation in life and when they are actually in the real world, things are completely different. If success was in direct proportion to qualifications, then why aren't graduates from Yale, Oxford, Cambridge etc. not always successful- it is all about hard work.

Others argue that such people are simply a small minority who managed to achieve this success in the past, However, we cannot simply look at the minority and drop out simply because one person out of a billion did it. A qualification means that it is easy to find a better paying job, and also gives one respect in society and may even dispose of any negatives that person may have done.

This juicy argument can go on and on with valid points from both sides. Therefore, it is now your turn to immerse yourself into this debate and answer the question of whether academic qualifications do indeed give a good foundation for one's future.

[Special]

of course it helps if you get good grades at gcse, but now days anything from C-A* is considered then same now especially when applying for college. it's definatly not worth risking your social life over exams/revision

[Inseriousity.]

Academic qualifications - success in childhood. That's it.
After that, it's all about experience.

[Jessicrawrr]

they only really help with certain jobs.
My parents have no qualifications, yet they both have good jobs

[MrGazet]

I believe academics qualifications can secure you a better future with high pay checks but not always.I suppose the most important thing is to be driven,hard working and focused on your goals in life no matter what you do.Plus,being street smart and having a bit of luck always helps

[dbgtz]

academic builds up the base but its social initiative which will keep it.

[Josh]

Define success in life?

[Mathew]

Academic qualifications - success in childhood. That's it.
After that, it's all about experience.

Agreed.
My Dad has very few academic qualifications (my mother has considerably more), yet we manage to visit Florida for up to 7 or 8 weeks per year, nice car, nice house, etc. None of my parents drink excessive amounts of alcohol, we don't smoke, we don't do drugs - we only buy what we need and I think that is where so many people go wrong.

I do agree the term "success in life" is much to be defined. Is success a happy life? Or a life with lots of money? I daresay the top businessmen may lead a rather pathetic lifestyle all work and no play - is that considered successful? I wouldn't say so.

[GommeInc]

Qualifications are useful for jobs you're aiming to get into such as dentistry etc. They're not useful for things like business where you could rely on experience OR if you plan to own your own business, you can just go straight into it like Lord Sugar and the Virgin guy

That said, the older generation have it tough too. If you were a legal secretary you didn't need qualifications as such, so if you quit and aim to become a legal secretary again in the future, you're nearly always expected to be qualified, even though you've been in that position before. It's the newer generation that brought in the importance of qualifications - qualifications in the older generation only really served important for doctors, teachers, dentists, veterinarians and so forth.

[Fehm]

Take a look at Greg Cooper. (awfy) Prime example that success does not have to come with excessive schooling.