Where's AlanX with a facepalm when we need it?

Studying a language in school/university is way different from self study. Especially if you are doing it in a university. Laguages are not only taught "how", but WHY... If you think you will know it all by self studying, then well, you still have a lot of learning to do - about life

There is nothing wrong with being obsessed with something, but for what reason. Don't be obsessed with Japan for the wrong reason like a lot of people are on this board, what you see in Animate and Manga is NOT an accurate representation of Japan. One or two people (forgot who) basically said they just want the Woman there, WRONG reason as well

If you go, go for the right reason. Career and living choices are a big thing in life, you only have so many years to try things out...

The world is in an economic recession right now. If you have a change to 1) go to college and 2) delay your entry into the world's workforce, then it is a no-brainer. Do it.

Major in Japanese studies. Not only did I learn 4 years of Japanese, but had Japanese art, history, culture, and cinema history classes as a part of my degree.

Japan isn't going anywhere. You will not only thank yourself by choosing to go to school, but you will surely regret it if you don't.

Tending bar is fun for a year or so, but without an education that will be your career. 4 years of college or 50 years behind a bar?

I think you're looking at in from the wrong perspective. A university degree isn't an obstacle to your life but a tool which will open many doors and opportunities to your future. Don't compromise by taking an "easy" major for the sake of going to Japan. Think long and hard and choose a field which you can see yourself doing for the rest of your life.

Let me tell you a true story.

I have several Japanese Canadian friends who took the easy road and used their heritage visa to move to Japan shortly after high school. They all spoke Japanese fluently, were able to read/write basic Japanese but they never completed university.

After 5 or 6 years, the novelty of living in Japan started to wear thin for half of them as they returned to Canada only to realize just how hard it was to find a job without a post secondary education. Their work experience in Japan wasn't exactly relevant in Canada and they were out of money. Most of them moved in with their parents as they went back to school to get a proper education.

The other half are now married but they're constantly reminded of their lack of education when it comes to job hunting and promotions. Unfortunately, they're caught in a catch 22. They can't afford (time/money wise) to get an education and yet their pay is limited because of their lack of it.

To make things worse, their fellow Japanese Canadian friends started to arrive shortly after finishing university. They were posted to companies like IBM, Sony, Morgan Stanley, etc. and were living in paid accommodations in places like Roppongi. That to them was the ultimate humiliation.

Life is full of surprises and it's impossible to predict what'll happen in the future. The only thing you can do is stack the cards in your favor and having a university degree is like having a pair of Aces in your hand.

Listen to Spicytuna. The Canadian is wise.

I agree, Troo, and couldn't have said it better than what Spicytuna said.

You young folk might think a University degree is bollocks or BS or a waste of time or whatever. But the older guys like me that are going to be hiring you think is is a HUGE indicator of whether or not you are worthy of working in my company. I don't want to hire a new person every six months. If you can't be bothered, than neither can I. However, if I see that you can apply yourself, even if you have never held down a job, then you start looking attractive.

It's not about what you learn. It's about how you prove you can accomplish something.

Exactly this. MMM is also wise.

Most people hit their teen rebellion in their mid-teens. I hit it... Yes, at University. I flunked my course (only by one module, but flunk one module and you lose it all), couldn't be bothered to resit, and strode out into the world thinking "It doesn't matter, I have three job offers already. I'm highly employable."

And, yeah, I am highly employable. It just so happens that I (luckily) have a highly employable mixture of knowledge and ability - I am a writer with 13 years' I.T. experience, and good technical authors are highly sought-after. But I had to work 13 years in I.T. to get where I am today, and believe me, doors were closed because I didn't have a degree. Doors are still closed to me because I don't have a degree. Because I couldn't be bothered to go do that one resit, because I was comfortably employed by then, and taking a break six months on to revise and sit an exam seemed like a waste of time.

Now if I want a degree I have to start the whole three years over. It'd cost me about £3,500 a year in tuition fees, and god alone knows how much in matierals, let alone living costs if I chose a university further afield than my local one... Who probably wouldn't have me back because I've already failed one degree ;)

You may not notice which doors have opened purely because you have a degree. But I promise you that if you don't get one, you'll sure as hell spot which ones are closed.

Wait, let me get this straight...
I guess I missed this important detail of information the first time I skimmed this thread and replied, but...

You have the opportunity to go to college, paid for by your parents, and you`re willing to throw that away because Japan looks oh-so-much-more appealing?

The level of luxury and shortsightedness amazes me.

It`s like throwing away a full course meal at a 5 star restaurant because you think a hamburger looks more appealing at the moment.
Trust me, you`ll have a million opportunities to eat that hamburger, and when the 20th rolls around you`ll start regretting not eating that full course gourmet meal when you had the opportunity.

Japan isn`t going anywhere. It will still be here in 4 or even 10 years.
Your chance to acquire the skills and knowledge to make it successfully through the rest of life may not be.

And personally, as someone who had no parental support when it came to education - and who put herself through university (to get that major in linguistics you so casually toss out)... I can only shake my head.

Nice.. are you hiring? 10+ years in IT, with 6 years in QA team management and project management, bachelor in Electrical Engineeering and Master in ISM :P

All joke aside, I also agree with what MMM said. A high school diploma will not cut it. In Canada, big players like AMD and IBM even ask for the studen'ts transcript. There are 2 reason

1. How well you learn in school is a good indication (A baseline, a benchmark) of your learning ability.

2. If we are to hire someone with no proven skills or experience, the best we can do is to hire someone that CAN be seen as a subject matter expert in specific domain. Your CANNOT claim this expertise verbally, your only means of proving yourself is by this piece of paper showing your university studies and achievement

I didn't make these up, when we went to the HR training, this is the actual reason that was given to us by our trainer.

Troo, MMM, Nyorin , very well put. Nyorin, I love your example with the 5 star meal vs a hamburger, using your very same example, we have a clear indication of people's maturity: Kids always nag for burger and fries :P

Anyone know of anything like an apprenticeship in Japan for gaijins?