Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
what's the lie? having a degree does give someone a bright future
what people missed out on are that people who are capable of attending college, could have a bright future if they put in the effort somewhere else
though, i doubt in the end it will matter, more than likely people who aren't in college now, will some time in the future go back for a degree because they want to check it off their bucket list or need it for career advancement
Totally agree. Multiple studies have shown that those with higher education make more in their lifetimes than those without degrees.
I'd say that in general a bachelor's degree these days is a minimum like a high school diploma used to be years ago.
Now, the way I see it, I do think that the for-profit school industry perpetuated this feel good mantra that having a degree (any degree, really) was the key to success for working adults with no degree. This was particularly true during the mid to later 2000's when the likes of University of Phoenix were aggressively marketing and advertising their online distance degree programs. And many took the bait hook line and sinker and spent thousands of dollars for degrees in business administration and other 'soft' degrees, from institutions no one respected as a 'real' school. So it's not hard to see why some disillusioned people would think that getting a degree is 'worthless.'
But obviously the type of degree matters, and that's why STEM degrees always rank so highly on salary scales. If people with soft liberal arts degrees can't find a job or a good job, then it's on them, not because of college in general.
In addition, trade schools are always a valid option for those who have no desire to go to college. But not many people seem to want to do those kinds of jobs.
But obviously the type of degree matters, and that's why STEM degrees always rank so highly on salary scales. If people with soft liberal arts degrees can't find a job or a good job, then it's on them, not because of college in general..
STEM degreed people have seen their jobs outsourced or given to people here on H1-B visas. STEM degree is no guarantee of employment anymore, as it was 25-30 years ago.
I don't think college is a "lie", and wanting to get a degree shouldn't be discouraged. At the same time, not everyone is cut out for college, or really needs it. If someone loves cars and wants to be a mechanic, then help them learn that trade, instead of a bunch of 101s and classroom lectures that they don't need. I feel like the local tech colleges have been good at teaching trades. I know many people who've gotten a 2-year associates, and that's better than nothing.
If someone wants to be a surgeon, yes, gotta pony up for school and you need that formal education, but if someone is content with being a hairstylist or flight attendant, then we need to mold programs and high school classes to help them get there.
I know college has gotten costly, trust me I know, I'm a young millennial, but calling college a lie or saying it's some industrial capitalist sham that no one really needs is a bit much. I don't have to, but I'm going for my master's soon and I personally think it'll do much more help for me in the long term than hurt. It makes sense for my career path though. If I was trying to be a TV reporter then yeah, not so much.
But then again, how many TV reporters are going for one? I feel like a lot of people assume that people go to get degrees just for fun, but I don't feel like that's the case. The issue is more about people paying and taking more than they really have to.
Basically instead of guidance counselors trying to send everyone to college, we need to send everyone to whatever they'll be good at, but also reassure them that it's never to late to start. A 17 year old may think they want to be a hairstylist now, but then at 23 realize it's not for them and they really wanted to be a teacher. They may say "it's too late for me, I should've went when I was 18." Gotta assure them that nope, you tried your trade, didn't like it, but it's not too late for you. You can go to school, but you don't have to go to this hoity toity private school either.
I think it's great that people are saying "no thanks" to $100,000 or more of debt after they graduate.
To the extent that people are saying "no thanks" to $100,000 or more in debt after they graduate, then I say great! That's definitely not the case for those who qualify for instate tuition at UH and other state schools as a general matter; and when you factor in federal and state grants, its usually even further discounted for many.
STEM degreed people have seen their jobs outsourced or given to people here on H1-B visas. STEM degree is no guarantee of employment anymore, as it was 25-30 years ago.
And the "old guaranteed job" refrain again...
I received my undergraduate degree over 30 years.....no one "guaranteed" me a job when I started college or finished college...
When EXACTLY were jobs guaranteed to college graduates? I must have missed that era...
Bottom line, EVEN TODAY, you are better off WITH a degree than WITHOUT a degree....better chance of finding a job, better chance of making more money, better chance of changing careers...etc..etc
Find even a shred of evidence to the contrary......
I received my undergraduate degree over 30 years.....no one "guaranteed" me a job when I started college or finished college...
When EXACTLY were jobs guaranteed to college graduates? I must have missed that era...
Bottom line, EVEN TODAY, you are better off WITH a degree than WITHOUT a degree....better chance of finding a job, better chance of making more money, better chance of changing careers...etc..etc
Find even a shred of evidence to the contrary......
Add to that you have more chances if you're bilingual.
It would be great....if many students were actually leaving college with 100K in debt
Yeah I don't get this either. I have debt, but it's not even in the same stratosphere of this. Not even close. Not too many people who got history, comm, business, education, psychology, marine biology, computer science, art, chem, etc, etc degrees are leaving $100K in debt, even if they went out of state.
I think some people have the mindset that kids are going to college just because, and are leaving with $100K in debt with only a theater degree, when they could've just skipped college and took acting classes. I don't think that's necessarily the case.
Do you have to go to college for theater? Well no. Jennifer Lawrence didn't even to go high school and she's won a couple Oscars. Yet at the same time, if a theater student does want to go to college and get a bachelors, does that mean they'll be drowning in an ocean of debt when it's over? No.
There's things called scholarships, good money management, having a job, parents, and well, just going to a cheap college. We seem to forget those exist. Not everyone, or not most for that matter, is charging Ivy League tuition.
Most kids who go to college will leave with some debt, just how it is, but in many cases it's enough that can be paid off before it's even time to have kids. Not everyone is at Harvard Law or med school.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
