What are your thoughts on higher education?

Is it worth the debt and time? Do you think you learn(ed) anything through it? Are you happy? Would you do anything differently? Is it all just for a piece of paper that helps you shove some other guy's resume off the stack? Tell us what you think.

I'm more and more and more of the opinion that it's all just paper, but what do I know?

Personally I think if you really want to learn something you don't need a college or higher education to learn it, most of it is just books and practice, you can do that a lot cheaper on your own.
I started as a computer science major but honestly you can learn everything you need to know and more about computer science online for free. Now I'm studying to be a teacher and while it's still a messed up system, teaching requires a college degree, the only way to get a teaching certificate is to have one. I think if people are gonna go to college do something there you couldn't do anywhere else!

If I could do things differently I wouldn't waste my first few years with the wrong/not enough classes, and I'd try to minimize costs all around- universities specialize in taking money from people before anything else, it's better not to play their stupid games. Just get the bare necessities.

I know a lot of jobs want that piece of paper but I don't like the thought of those jobs at all- hours and hours at a desk every weekday all year round for the rest of your life? Personally that's not for me.

IMO there are very few jobs that a college degree will actually help you get. There are a number that you need the 'higher education' for but, with regard to many of them, the markets are flooded with applicants and it's a waste of time - unless you are extremely lucky or know someone.

That said, college should be about what you want, for yourself, so the choice is, ultimately, up to you.

I very much agree with Forunato. I would say that 10% of people I know actually use their college degree. It's not worth the debt to me unless you know what you want to do for a career and you NEED a degree to do it. If not, get an entry level job in the field and move up.

I highly regret going to college especially now that I'm unemployed and have thousands in debt.