Does college retain its value in a sour economy?

For a long time, Kat Williams planned to study medicine or veterinary medicine, fields she thought would yield good jobs.

The 19-year-old Ames native, who begins her sophomore year at the University of Iowa on Monday, is majoring in English with minors in French and German.

'I guess I had some sort of epiphany later in high school that I wanted to do what I wanted to do,' she said.

There are naysayers - especially in this economy - but Williams decided her interests were most important.

She knows the current job market is rough but hopes things improve, and she knows she may have to be flexible when it comes to finding a job. 'Even at parties, other students hear you're an English major, and the business students laugh at you,' she said.

All her tuition and most of her room and board is covered by scholarships. She may have rethought her plans if she were footing the bill.

'I might choose something with better career prospects if I were borrowing the money,' she said, 'but I feel like I have more freedom to say that I'm going to study what I want.' A recent national study showed fewer Americans believe college is a good investment than in past years - 64 percent, down 16 points from last year, according to a July survey by Country Financial.

Recent discourse online, in publications and in higher education questions the value of a college degree in this economy, given rising tuition and student debt loads.

Some experts and pundits wonder if that English or philosophy degree is worth the thousands borrowed when all it gets you is a minimum-wage job after graduation. Others question if four-year degrees are necessary for many students, who could get a one- or two-year degree and earn a paycheck sooner.

The talk doesn't seem to be hampering college enrollment, though. The UI, Iowa State University, the University of Northern Iowa and Kirkwood Community College all expect growth or even record numbers this fall, on top of increases last year.

So far, the tougher job market hasn't changed what students choose to study, officials said, with liberal arts remaining popular.

'The need for people who can analyze data, write well, think critical­ly, see the big picture and interact with people never changes,' said Kevin Leicht, UI professor and chairman of sociology and director of the Iowa Social Science Research Center.

Many students want to study what they find interesting, and they view college as being as much about personal growth as it is about learning a vocational skill, Leicht said.

'A college diploma basically always has paid off over the course of a long period or over a lifetime, but it doesn't necessarily pay off immediately,' he said.

That's the view of May ISU graduate Monica Elmore, who got an entrylevel job with Wells Fargo in Des Moines. Some of the people she works with don't have college degrees, but Elmore, 21, believes her bachelor's degree in liberal studies and minor in psychology will benefit her down the line.

'What I found while searching for jobs is that it was extremely difficult to find ones in which you are immediately rewarded for your college degree,' she said via e-mail. 'My personal tactic for becoming successful is to start out with an acceptable, lower-entry position that allows for growth within the company.' The rough market isn't limited to students with liberal arts degrees, Elmore said. She has friends with degrees in finance and engineering who are working retail and waiting tables while they search for jobs in their fields.

President Barack Obama wants to restore the country's status as the world leader in col­lege graduates by 2020.

The United States ranks 10th.

Most education officials agree, though, that a four-year degree isn't the right path for everyone.

Mike Carson, training director for the apprenticeship programs of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 405, said those programs often seek workers who have hands-on job experience or a one- or two-year degree.

'We think it's valuable for 18- or 19-year-olds to actually get a year or two of community college to decide they really want to do this,' he said.

He hasn't noticed a spike in applicants to the apprenticeship program because of the economy, but he has seen a shift in who is applying. The program is drawing more interest from older workers, many laid-off or having trouble finding jobs, who want to retrain, Carson said.

IBEW Local 405 serves Benton, Linn, Jones, Iowa, Johnson and Poweshiek counties.

The desire for more skills led Matt Seivert, 24, back to Kirkwood's industrial technologies program. He earned a Kirkwood degree after high school and worked for a year, but then the economy soured. Now he's back at Kirkwood, entering his second year of the CAD/mechanical engineering technologies program.

A four-year degree was never a consideration; Seivert knew he wanted to work in a technical trade.

'This degree will broaden what I can do,' he said. 'I think it will make a difference.' Diversifying skills is a tactic four-year students use, too.

A large number of Cornell College students - 40 percent of the 2010 class - earned double majors, Vice President for Enrollment Jonathan Stroud said. Students also seem more interested in working internships or job experience into their class schedules, he said.