I am not so sure a college degree HELPS you get a job in stage management . . . I think it's the experience. It may help you get an internship or those first few jobs, but after that - the experience you have in the real world is what is going to get you the job. Might it be better taking the $100,000 + you were going to spend on the education, and put it in a savings account? As a rainy day fund?
One can make an argument that while getting the education you are making connections, but you could just as easily do that in the real world
I am a huge proponent of education, both at the graduate level and undergraduate level - but, education for education sorts - I firmly believe getting an education as a means to an end, that is to get a specific job, is a mistake for a variety of reasons. One the cost ratio, especially for a theatre job just does not make sense. Two, I firmly believe, like other people, that you will most likely change careers . . . or drop out of theatre all together. Third, I think the value of the degree goes away after two to four years.
Now, the value of the education will not.
I think from a social economic stand point (pardon me while I pull out this soap box), many people who go into theatre are from a certain middle to upper class background, where we may have a safety net of family to take of us if the theatre thing doesn’t work out (chances are, we were exposed to theatre during out life, so, that may also play a chance in why were are form a certain social-economic background as well). This social-economic background also, usually carries the expectation of going to college . . . regardless of the degree (how many people was it just EXPECTED that we would go to college?). So, many of us have gone to college, many of us are just expected to go to college. There is also just the expectation that success comes with/from a college background . . . which I think is in the process of changing. I know I am changing my attitude.
I think people should go to college to get a good, broad base education and go through the process of becoming a better person – and be open to the new experiences that a college or university education can bring you. The trajectory you the may have planned for your life at 18 may be vastly different then the trajectory you have at 22 when you graduate. I have to say, the trajectory I had for my career 12 months ago is quite a bit different then the goals I have laid out now. Life changes, and if you can get a good education that can prepare you for everything, great. If that education comes from a traditional four year college or university or from some other means, is a very personal choice.