Usefullness of Associate in arts degree?

I am currently in a community college, and i am working on earning an Associate in Arts degree. However, i do not intend to go to any university or work towards a Bachelor's degree.

I am mostly doing this because my folks recomended that i atleast get an associates degree, which by their logic, will open doors for me and help me get a slightly better job while out on my own, so i can support myself until i narrow my life's direction to a forseeable path.

I already have a good idea of how i want to live, but i find myself asking whether or not an associates degree will be useful in life, espcially on the road, which is where i plan on being for the forseeable future.

Am i wasting my energy on trying to get a AA?
Would i be better off learning a vocation?
or
Will a AA work out for me and be worth the investment?

Again, i do not intend to get a bachelor's degree, unless i do get a free ride, or have the overall tuition drastically reduced. I doubt either will happen, and ill be damned if i let myself get into debt this early in my life.

anything is appreciated.

 

To be completely honest, with this economy very little people with any level of degree in art will NOT be able to keep a job.

 

AA is pretty much worthless unless you get it in a highly specialized field like say "nursing" "fire safety" "cosmetics" which will gaurantee you a low-level professional job.

My AA helped me land a job as a guitar teacher at a music store and that was about it. I'm going back to school to finish up the BA but i'm not sure even that will get me much. I'm planning on a dual major with the other one in a science-related field to help with that.

 

Well then, looks like im going to study massage therapy, fire protection or (if i am that desperate) law enforcement.

Think they will be strong in the calm before the pending depression?

 

well you might be able to work the counter, instead of the grill

 

Those are good ideas. Though I don't think people have much to spend on massages in the depression, it will be good with the ladies. Fire protection sounds more like what i'd choose if i were just entering college. At this point I just want to finish my worthless degrees and move on.

 

haha you nailed it!!

i have a little sister who is really into art, but i will not let her take art as her major. Period. i will never approve of her getting a worthless degree and have her in debt (school cost money ya know) and unable to find a job.
try this: go to career builder or monster or some other popular job website and see how many jobs in your area are demanding an art degree. i bet there are very few in the whole country right now.

if you do get an aa in arts then im afraid chances are you will be serving me food or bagging my groceries.

 

An Associate of Arts degree is not a degree in art. My Bachelor of Arts Degree is in Psychology. All it has to do is the the core classes you have to take. For an AA you have to take language classes and for AS (associate of science) you have to take more science classes.

 

My wife got her BA, (later on went on to get her Masters) and although it is generic in studies, it does look better on a resume than just HS or only 40 hours (like mine says).. what it amounts to, if she changes jobs, she gets a closer look by HR than I would. And if I change jobs, I usually always have to start back at entry level and work my way up. So, the AA is a good start and once you get it, you always have it. Spend the time in school while the rest of the world is dealing with this new economy and depression and have something under you belt when we start to recover in 2011.

What I have always told my son: When you stop going to school, you have then choosen your earning power and lifestyle. Some people are fine with less, and there is nothing wrong with that. But if you want more, then be prepared to earn it. Baby steps will get us all closer to our goals.

Good luck
James

ps..wife is now in sales and makes about 75k a year