Yes. As a physics graduate, I can safely say that pure mathematics is the hardest degree you can get in undergrad. Any degree that has to do with developing sharp problem solving skills (physics, math, engineering) is gonna be looked highly upon by potential employers.
@@TheMathSorcerer it's funny, I've a degree in physics too but I think maths is a much harder degree. Both subjects at grad level are incredibly challenging but I would say physics is more difficult overall. I love both subjects & am starting teaching high school physics in the fall. Can't wait! I look forward to your every upload - they always are a help & put a smile on my face each time! I think it's you yourself, your attitude is infectious - you're a born teacher!
@@TheMathSorcerer Pure math at a decent school is way harder. Topology, axiomatic set theory, differential geometry, PDEs, functional analysis etc. Undergrad physics is just applied math by comparison. Your just trying to be nice, which is ok I suppose.
@@franciscoreyes7370 While I do agree with most of what you said, undergrad physics is more than just applied math. The conceptual understanding you have to have, along with assumptions that have to be made for certain problems makes it 10x more difficult.
@@TheMathSorcerer I am working towards my masters in physics and I feel like they are roughly of equal difficulty. Physics seems like its harder to START the problem, requiring knowledge of some equation or principle. Where as in math (I've taken up to undergrad topology and graduate PDE) it feels like its about actually understanding the definitions and how to apply them, and once you have them down, the difficulty lies in being RIGOROUS, which is the hardest part of math. In physics, you can get away with being less rigorous so a literally impossible problem can be made possible with the right assumptions. Love your channel and motivational thinking.
As someone who asked himself "is this worth it" as a college transfer Junior going towards Computer Science, the college degree is worth it. You just have to find your niche or passion. I realized Comp Sci was not worth it for me, i found math as my niche, and im currently pursuing my Math Education degree. Ive loved every second. Keep going and never give up. Get that degree!!!
@@mohammadsoomro975 If you are even REMOTELY thinking about changing majors, do it. That means you currently are not in a content area that you enjoy or will be willing to do in your future. I believe the Math Sorcerer has a video on that actually! But, math is a hard degree. Any college degree is. It all depends on what YOU want to do in your future. If you feel confident in math and believe thats what you want to do, change your degree to mathematics. Changing my major took a huge leap of faith, but ive never been happier
If you have something that you want to submit for peer review (assuming it contains original research), AMS (or the equivalent if you are not from the US) has a list of reputable journals. Many of those will offer a self publishing option where you submit a paper and pay for the peer review (I've seen anywhere from $300-1500USD). You might also be able to talk to a local uni prof or advisor. The other option would be try and independently publish it (I know there have been a couple of papers published on reddit), though it then is quite difficult to get attention, or have to have it cited.
I was raised in the “hood”, expelled from the 8th Grade, dropped out of the 9th Grade. A real loser on paper. Somehow I now tutor math full time.😳 I definitely agree that a degree would’ve provided an easier path for me. Great video!
That's a good accomplishment. If you're good in math, I'd suggest getting an online math degree where you can zip through the curriculum faster and not bound by semester. Find a school with a competency-based model. An example would be WGU (Western Governors University). Also, public schools have their own "dark/evil" history. Israel Wayne has talked about it and others, who have passed away (John Taylor Gatto, Charlotte Iserbyt, Samuel Blumenfeld). For inspiration, look up Thomas Fuller, the slave who was known for his mathematician abilities and being a "calculator".
"If you search hard enough you will find an example ... you will find an example of a person who went to college and had a terrible life, and never got a job and was in debt forever, and died!" - The Math Sorcerer
Combining CS and Math in college. Thought of doing EE before but later I realized, most things in EE are waste of time and can be learned on the job. As engineering is mostly project based learning. Tho, math trains your brain in reasoning, both Math CS are part of formal sciences which can train your brain to think very well. I’m so happy I made that switch, as in future A.I., Energy and Biosciences will have the most room for innovation, considering math and cs are foundations to all of them. I can understand almost all of them.
It's true that you can always find individual examples to confirm whatever answer you want to get, but it's still important to at least factor in the statistics along with your own goals, concerns, strengths and weaknesses. If most people on average come out with mountains of debt, even after scholarships, grants and financial aid, then we need to address that. If the best way most graduates find to pay off that debt is to work for a big industry with highly questionable ethics, then that's something else to consider. (High levels of debt often lead to low levels of dissent!)
I worked for two years loading boxes intro trucks, and honestly it was a great union job with various positions. I worked in culinary as well, and in both fields I ended up dealing with a lot of pain from repetitive motion. I don't think a lot people truly understand that physical jobs are not for everyone. I'm finishing my degree in Math Education. I'm looking forward to teaching, and the worst pain being carpal tunnel. :-)
I tend to find that people who are overly critical of going to university either: 1. Never actually went/couldn't get in, 2. Dropped out, or 3. Focus solely on obscure degrees that like 0.001% of people get.
@@baw5xc333 Criticism from those in the system should be listened to. What I was referencing was nutcases who believe conspiracy theories or don’t like higher education in general for some political reason.
I like that you made this video in the forest. I think that nature, and walking, is a powerful food for a person's spirit to keep them grounded in life. After that, I'd say as a retired person looking back about life that if I could have a redo, I'd rate Mathematics Professor at the very very top.
Even if you do not use math on your present job I believe it is a life accomplishment. A personal ornament that one wears on their inner self throughout their lives.
Math Sorcerer, did it ever occur to you to lose motivation for studying? And if it did, how did you manage to get back on the track? P.S. Thank you for your videos, you are being a huge inspiration for all of us.
omg of course, ALL the time, staying motivated and finding out how to motivate yourself is HUGE!!! Yeah I would usually take a break, watch some youtube videos, order some pizza, play some video games, stuff like that:) Reminding myself of WHY I was going to college really helped motivate me I think.
The Math Sorcerer You can very easily make your own pizza with just a baguette bread, tomato pickles, grated cheese (or cheese slides) and top fillings. Easy peasy. Just half your baguette, slap on tomato pickle, add cheese atop, sprinkle toppings (optionally, onions, peppers, mushrooms, etc). If you want to avoid food wastes, keep all your chopped vegetables in plastic boxes and freeze them. Take them out when you make pizzas, Indian/Chinese dishes, snacks, etc.
One of the most important things that college is teaching me is discipline and it will carry on in whatever line of work I will get into. I started college pretty young so I've failed a LOT. But the pain builds resilience and character. In the grand scheme of the span of your life, college will only take up a small chunk of time. And its true that not everyone needs it, but I don't regret my decisions/actions whatsoever
I'm in calc 3 right now at a JC and I'm having a difficult time and am questioning whether I want this degree or not. The answer is I do REALLY, REALLLLLY want it but I don't know if I'm smart enough. More than anything I want to be able to teach math to students in a way that they understand it and develop a love for it just like I did, with great professors. These videos help motivate me to get through.
Bro please upload videos more frequently because I become more motivated in doing maths because of you and by the way Im an 8th Grader and I want to qualify in IMO and teach myself Calculus, good luck and enjoy. Love from Philippines 🇵🇭
Depends on the person, sometimes it's ok just to mentor others and work your way up, and other times you need a formal education in order to do the job properly. There is no right or wrong answer, really it's who you are as a person, some people just aren't ready yet so they give it a while to become more ready and others barely passed high school so they want to avoid college at all costs. I personally choose college because it is my best fit for the job I want in the future, and I sometimes have to remind my self I am lucky to be getting an education out of the many other students they could have selected (even when the final bill suggests otherwise)
I don't think I will ever need degrees for my own projects. Besides, my family need me at home. My widowed mother needs me. My sister and niece need me. That doesn't stop me from self-studying at home. I bring studies to work. At work, I am mostly minding a shop, so I use shop computer for my own thing. If I own the land in your background, I would be growing fruits, vegetables, apple trees, wildflowers, etc. Also, I would be putting up birdhouses and bug houses in those trees.
How come you never went to university. It’s a shame if you work through all maths and physics textbooks without getting a degree in it. That degree will land you a better job than working in a shop. A better future, better pay, better job prospects, And online university is a thing nowadays.
Physics is Life Sorry for my delay to reply. I wholly agree with you. Only, I am working in my parents' shop. Now, it is in my sister's hand. I mostly oblige my sister and niece by helping run their shop and grow their business, while I do my own thing behind the shop computer. My sister has a job in Civil Service and she can't leave that for a shop. My niece is in university, studying Law, and she cannot give up that. Business is not my cup of tea and I have rejected a family-owned shop in the will. Shop business is not in my veins, while painting is. It is a heavy-weight responsibility. I am an artist who loves freedom from money worries. My sister makes uses of my artworks and prints them in mugs, magnets, etc. I'm an artist studying maths & physics at both home and work. In shop business, the quietest and leanest times of trade are my favourite times for digital painting & animating, reading & studying. No interruptions from absent customers. I love bank holidays too. I use shop computer for my studies and digital painting. Customers inside shop are constant interruptions; I am well used to them. I am self-studying maths & physics mostly for CG animation, programming, mechanical engineering, electronics, etc. I am treating all those as hobbies first, before I ever decide to make careers out of them. At same times, I save myself from hefty college debts, when I am studying from home and cutting corners. I will go to university, only when I am good and ready, and financially prepared. At present, I have many ideas buzzing inside my head, like what I want to create or invent. In channels and hubs, I sometimes find myself suggesting modifications in other people's works like mechanism, softwares, etc. I have Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, Plan D, etc. If all these fail, I always have art to fall on. My sister takes my artworks and use them to sell giftware and souvenirs. Few days ago, I ordered myself a new tablet called PicassoTab. It is cheaper than iPad with Apple Pen. It hasn't arrived yet in the post. I can't wait to get back into digital painting. I will use tablet for studies too.
The Federal student loan program puts an artificial price support under tuition. The colleges know this, and raise the tuition as high " as the market will bear " . The student is a de facto indentured servant. Student loan debt can not be dismissed in most all bankruptcies. Am I wrong ?
Your diagnosis of the problem is exactly correct. If those two things were ended, then tuition would start to fall. Of course, a lot of colleges/universities would go under as a result. In my opinion, this is a great thing.
I agree with you but I would rather say it is better to get further education after high school, whether that be college, university, trade school, professional licensing schools, mentorship, etc.. but yes I agree, having a degree/certification/licensing is better than not having anything.
Slight correction: In several states, a degree in education is required to teach high school. So you might have a 4-year math degree and have gone on to further degrees that would qualify you to teach at colleges, but if you don't have an education degree, you often can't teach high school.
Just got into your channel recently! I just want to say thank you for all of your tips and advice! I'll be attending the College of Engineering at UC Berkeley and will pursue either Energy Engineering or Mechanical Engineering.
For me the answer was no. At some point I wanted to go into industry, until I realized what that entailed and I quickly changed my mind. I didn't want to teach either. I got a degree in something just to have a degree, but not in Math. Also I really really hated taking math classes in university. It really really took a lot of fun out of it for me to the point where I didn't pick up a math book from about 2019 (when I graduated) to 2021. I'm getting back into it and reviewing all of my favorite topics and beginning to make progress into new topics. I'm very quickly being reminded why I fell in love with the subject to begin with.
A gentleman in my neighbourhood completed a PhD in psychology (Neuroscience). He is the owner several successful ice cream parlours that operate from early may thru to late august. He spends the winter months in his 2nd home further south on the ocean. I often wonder if he regrets never having put his degree to better use .
I know for a fact that in sweden you dont have to pay to attend university if you are a swedish citizen (However if u are from another country and attend a swedish university then u have to pay). This means alot more people can go to college if they want (Still alot of people who dont but many more do). For example me, I wouldnt have been able to go to college if it wasnt for this system i really cant afford it. But now I have a way to get a great job in the future!! However u need to find an apartment and pay for it so in the end u still ned up with a debt. But if u keep living with ur parents then you wont get a debt. (Tho i'll be 25 years old before leaving home which for me isnt bad since i love my family. I just hope im not a burden to them)
I agree with the sentiment laid out in this video. There are many people out there who will not need university when they leave high school. The Gary Vee types who are rockstar salespeople/marketers/business people, who will be willing and able to build a business from scratch at 18 and have it be worth millions. However, most people would have a good intuition if that is who they are at 18. These are the kinds of people who have been doing little hustles during their school life, trying to make money, and building a business at 18 is just the logical continuation of that. However, if you ave no idea what to do with your life, university is a pretty sweet deal. You get to study something you're interested in, you have very little pressure to make money, you have a LOt of free time on your hands (to figure out what youre passionate about/good at), and you will make lifelong friends and a whole bunch of acquaintances who will be valuable for your professional network. You can even start a side ustle or two to confirm if business is the right thing for you.
Can you, please, make a video about a book called 'Linear Algebra and Geometry' by Kostrikin & Manin? It's a beautiful book discussing linear algebra through its applications in quantum mechanics.
Sir,This video is very helpful for me. I am Rounak from India.Right now I am 17 years old. I want to learn and teach math but my parents dont allow me to continue my study after graduation and they also dont want me to enter the elegent field of teaching and learning math.They want me to just have a government job(a highly reputed kind of job in India) but I want to study further. I also offered them that I could teach home tuitions for supporting them but they say I Don't know how to teach,which is very heartbreaking for me to hear. I have taught a bunch of classmate when I was in secondary school and they grasped what I taught to them.I taught them quadratic factorization by splitting up the middle term which is considered as a topic difficult to grasp. I grasped that topic in a 1-2 week when I was in 8 gradeas far as I remember and I was able to make me 8 grade peer(my classmates) grasp those topics in 1-2 days as far as I remember and they also said that they were understanding what I say but I don't know why my parents think that I am unworthy of teaching. Sir I think atleast I should try teaching, once I would stat me undergrad which is going to start soon. What do you say on this , Sir? Sir please advise and also bless me. Sorry for poor English sir
Do you wanna study for less money? Go to another country and pick the best public university. You will pay WAY less than in USA. The real problem is how USA use education as a merchandise. For example, i live in Madrid and im gonna tkae my first year in coputer science in one of the best publics universities in Madrid. The cost of the 1st year is gonna be no more thant 1400 euros. I know you think its cheap because i live here but even i didn't, add 1200 euros to that for living (a month). The total cost of the entire year is not even half you have to pay for one year. So my conclusion to this video: Go to college but don't go college in USA because it's too much money.
I have an undergrad in physics and a master in applied math but am struggling to find work because I’m missing SQL and PowerBi. Still love the knowledge I have though it satisfies me but I’m broke 😂 not for long though
High school: I was 4th in class out of some 302 students. College (chemical engineering + Russian): 3.54 out of 4.00 GPA. Cum Loude Graduate school ("pure" mathematics): 3.00 out of 4.0 GPA (actually it might even be lower - I long forgot) Yes, I worked my ass off since nursery school, through our excellent New Jersey public schools through grade school, high school, on many subjects, played violin + viola, weightlifted, played PAL soccer for 2 years when I was 10 or 11. Worked my ass off minoring in Russian and majoring in chem eng at U Del. Sure - all that stuff was hard. Moreover, I earned easy As in various night courses in Advanced Calculus, Infinite Series, Electrical Circuit Theory at Drexel University, and two semesters of Abstract Algebra at Villanova, as a non-matriculated student. NONE OF THIS PREPARED ME FOR THE SHEER PSYCHOLOGICAL TERROR & SUFFERING & DIFFICULTY IN ABSTRACTION IN GRADUATE SCHOOL OF PhD-LEVEL PROFESSIONAL MATHEMATICS! TO THIS DAY, I STILL DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE REASONS FOR COHOMOLOGY, DIAGRAM CHASING, I even returned to community college in 2005 to take two C++ courses, four semesters of French (the only four the school offered), and completed a Biotechnology A.S. in 2009. As you can see by my grades, my grades reflected my much poorer performance in pure abstract math compared to anything else I had ever done in my life before or since. The problem was that I was NOT an UNDERGRADUATE MATH major. If I had been, I would have taken a year of REAL ANALYSIS and a year of TOPOLOGY at the undergrad level FIRST, PREPARING me for graduate level classes. In fact, at Rutgers, by my 2nd semester, I had to fall back and take undergraduate level math classes, which upset the state scholarship I was getting.
I went for the Masters in Math 1991 and the PhD in Math in 2000, after having worked two years as a chemical engineer in the late 1980s, and after I earned my BChE in chemical engineering in 1986 with a Minor in Russian, because, simply, the math needed to be done: the mathematics to solve problems in bionanotechnology and every other STEM problem or even political, legal, ethical problems. In spite of what an amazing priceless education I received at U of Delaware for my BChE, in spite of my three semesters of Honors Math, and in spite of taking Infinite Series and Advanced Calculus and a year of Abstract Algebra in fun night courses while I worked as a chemE, I was very poorly prepared mathematically in graduate school. It was a devastating shock out unprepared I was, at the high level of abstraction that mystified me, and, frankly, a lot of it still does. Sure, I LOVE doing math. But that is not why I went into it. I did it because it had to be done. These problems must be solved. I gave ZERO consideration to "getting a career in math". Although I did teach as a fulltime professor for one year after PhD, and while it was an easy job, I never had any intention to make teaching my career. I intended to return to engineering, armed with my PhD and all these new math ideas (I published six math papers across three different peer reviewed math journals and have given talks on my work, most recently 2023 April 21, my first ever lecture done over Zoom, at the Kolchin Seminar in Differential Algebra). I still do.
I am going to be massively in debt for my whole life due to college costs. I'm still doing it though, since if I didn't, then I would be throwing away any chance I got at doing my passion. Overall I'm screwed no matter what.
I have a degree in math. I know of other people that have a degree in X. Math degree was a waste of life. Don't go to college unless you gonna commit 6 years to master, or go to a expensive private school is w/e you want, or 4 years in something super technical like computer science
Find, research and get involved in a Mathematics Professional Society in your area. Most of them sponsor Student Chapters. It is fun way to network and "feel the pulse" of the profession.
I'm in this situation. I have two degrees, Biochem undergrad. and EE masters. I don't work in either field and I just got accepted for my PhD. I don't know what to do.
One probability in the near future will be which pairs of degrees will you have. One degree will cover your job requirements and the second be your personal investment in the areas you care about or enjoy. I think zero degrees will freeze your life and your future.
yes, finally someone who told the truth, as if going to college requires debt, and as if not going to college is better, like being ignorant is the best way to make it in life. so....scholarships, tuition reimbursements, work study, part time jobs and pell grants dont exist.
Yeah, sometimes you don't even KNOW how much a College Degree can help. I got a BA In Philosophy in the mid seventies and then there was one recession after another. But the College Degree got me a gig in the Peace Corps and so I got to travel the World and get totally immersed in a foreign culture as a Volunteer. That was cool, huh? Then, came back home to another recession and was "On the Road"... nobody talked about being "homeless" back then... didn't sound cool at all. Finally swallowed my pride and went into the Army and didn't even try OCS (Officers Candidate School) because I was pretty sure a few brushes with the Law I had would keep me out. So I became an enlisted man. Well, trained in Combat Arms but when I got to my first duty station I was IMMEDIATELY pulled out of line ... it was Winter in Northern Europe, snowing and about 20 of us lined up and shivering, waiting to be told what to do. First the Sergeant asked "Volont, is this right about you having a College Degree?" "Yes Sergeant!" "Well, gotta break the hard news to you but we're going to make you work in that Division Level Headquarters over there where you will have to share an climate controlled office with a bunch of candy-azz pretty girls." "I'll have to learn to live with it Sergeant!" Heck, what a ride! They give you as much responsibility as you can handle and so you are conferring with Senior NCOs and Majors and even Colonels! As a Clerk you have the EFFECTIVE Rank of who-ever it is you are running errands and making calls for. After 18 months I had my own office! For my second duty station, well, I never got to the "Line" out in front of anywhere. As soon as I showed up to the Replacement Company and was told to sit and wait I asked "Hey, can I go out and buy some smokes?" Yeah, report in when you get back". Well then I just went around the base starting at the highest Headquarters and passed out my Resume. Some people listened to me and took the resume and my recommendation letters. One Big Black Sergeant Major (the highest Sergeant Rank their is and THEY are the ones that really run things), when I got into his office and started talking, well, it occurred to him that NOBODY SENT ME and that it was ME who decided to take up HIS time! it was "Hey, What the Phucque Is This! Get the Phuque Out of my Office before I throw your Skinny Clerk Azz out my window!" "Yes Sergeant Major!" Well, when I got back to the Replacement Company and reported in I was met with "Volont! Where the phucque you been? Get over to ______ Head Quarters, report to the Sergeant Major. Need a map?" "No, Sergeant, I can find the way". Turns out he didn't toss my paperwork which I left on the corner of his desk and he DID need a clerk. Again, I was not a sergeant yet myself, but I IMMEDIATELY got my own office. I got a HUGE Job with a TON of responsibilities but that is where all the Fun is. If it wasn't for College I would have been an ordinary "Grunt".
Good video. In my opinion it's a huge "it depends". Do you want to be a doctor, where you need a degree, or an independent artist, where the amount of debt is probably not worth it. Also, human rights and discrimination are important factors too, it's harder to get a degree when people in uni are bigoted against you
Read Ayn Rand's famous book, "The Fountainhead", written in 1923, a novel which compares the life of two Architects. One architect is essentially a credentialist, collecting college degrees and various other credentials, and builds so-so buildings his whole career. By contrast, the other architect purposefully takes jobs to learn blue-collar skills to add depth to his architectural knowledge. It provides an interesting answer to the question, what is a noble life?
The issue of our time is the notion of the internet giving access to better things than random teachers and institutions provide. The costs of certain things are too high. Why not just utilize youtube and non profits like khan academy to boost yourself up
after getting my maths degree, my goal is to be a programmer, but hopefully the one that leads, constructs algorythms and such, my goal is to be paid to think, not to type. And I am very sure that I would be good at that, I'm just worried they might quickly write me off for not having enough experience with the programming languages, which I'm sure I can overcome in no time
The industry is definitely competitive. You'll have to compete with CS graduates too. That being said, if you want to be the one developing algorithms in open libraries and such instead, then you'll need to get a PhD in a branch of CS or numerical methods. Regular industry developers rarely makes the algorithms themselves themselves
Unfortunately, I got a Liberal Arts degree without taking any math courses at all, now I want to get a Math degree but not sure whether to get a second bachelor's or a masters. A lot of masters programs require some math courses.
Yeah they do...you could maybe take some courses part time and work your way to a masters. I know several people who have done that, gone from an undergrad in another topic then worked towards a masters in math. It’s a really tough transition but it’s worth trying👍
community college. Usually you want to take calculus, linear algebra, algebra, analysis, ordinary differential equations, prob & stat then you'll need to go to a city university to take physics classes
Hey!, What textbook should I get. Calculus 8th edition By James Stewart or Calculus Early Transcendentals 8th edition. Planning to major in Computer Science.
It's not about a college degree, it's about the college and quality of education, not all colleges give better education. sometimes the student generalize "is college degree even worth it" because he/she isn't in right college.
I did it and it was very difficult to fully commit to either one. Unless you're very bright (and you might be), I'd stick to one or the other. Both subjects can be very time intensive, especially CS. Just my two cents.
The thing is that studying math is so good for entrepreneurs and employees. Studying math is so HELPFUL for learning how to problem solve. But it is HELPFUL not necessary.
Lol everyone said go to college. Only reason I want to be here is the math. Too lazy to be another engineer. Want to work with brain, paper, computer (didn't get in CS degree too competitive). Dying from the workload but whatever fun game. In the end, life is meaningless, so I'm just going to do what I like. Math underappreciated by most people, and I felt like that too, but somehow I kept taking math classes and was like, this is the only thing that really challenges me and is an convenient and engaging activity-- not to mention useful one.
Hi, I feel like there are two ways to answer this question. The first being what you said in the video, about how college degrees increase your job options. But the second being how college degrees help to expand your intellectual abilities and knowledge of a subject such as maths. So, do you think a college degree is worth it in terms of the second way of answering the question? Or do you think that you can get just as good at maths or any subject for that matter, without going to college? Thanks.
In my opinion a maths degree is the best when it comes to employability. Employers love candidates with a mathematics degree because it shows them that the person has problem solving skills.
A good thing about pursuing a math degree or any good quantitative based degree is that you understand enough stats to get that the education level is still a good predictor for wages...
Going to college in something like Journalism is a big big mistake. Or any other field of study Outside Science and Engineering, Law and Health sciences ... College is worth If you learn Skills there are Valuable and "Monetizable" in the workforce. This does not mean that anyone takes a IT degree it will not end up in and place ... but for certain having an IT degree is by Far better then sociology ...
If I had been given a chance in early education to see the vastness of say the square root of two without prejudice. I would have benefited. Be careful putting it all in a pot. Let educators be able to touch the interest of the young. Not fast track any one persons curiosity to fulfill the trends.
Get a math degree. Memorize hundreds of formulas. Cuz computers are not allowed. In my 30 year IBM programming job, I was allowed to use all resources available. I was encouraged to copy successful code. College tests are "closed" book. Technical jobs are "open" book. By the way, I didn't have a degree. In the end, you'll work long hours to be successful. Or, you'll be like most college graduates. They don't want to work, they want a manager job.
Lucky me that I live in European Union , and the cost for 1 year is 2000-3000 per year , and a degree here is just 3 years , only engineering degrees are 4 years , and a PHD is 3-4 years not 5 like in usa .