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I just think we keep our kids adolescents way too long. 18 to graduate high school, 22 or 23 to graduate college IF you are lucky and it goes smooth, otherwise 24 and 25 to graduate college. Then find a starting wage job! Outrageous. Then work a couple year and go back to get a MA and boom, they are 29 or so and still just starting out.
And of course we can't expect them to start a family during all that, so their personal life is stunted and we are changing the fabric of society. 30 year old children who don't understand a 40 hour work week or fitting into the greater society of family with the burdens and responsibilities that accompany that.
My personal experience supports my new found beliefs but I know there are exceptions to the rule so let's not bother with anecdotal examples. The bigger picture here is that education is broken and it needs to be fixed.
I just think we keep our kids adolescents way too long. 18 to graduate high school, 22 or 23 to graduate college IF you are lucky and it goes smooth, otherwise 24 and 25 to graduate college. Then find a starting wage job! Outrageous. Then work a couple year and go back to get a MA and boom, they are 29 or so and still just starting out.
And of course we can't expect them to start a family during all that, so their personal life is stunted and we are changing the fabric of society. 30 year old children who don't understand a 40 hour work week or fitting into the greater society of family with the burdens and responsibilities that accompany that.
My personal experience supports my new found beliefs but I know there are exceptions to the rule so let's not bother with anecdotal examples. The bigger picture here is that education is broken and it needs to be fixed.
How would you fix education?
I don't think education is broken. But the way society tries to use education is certainly broken.
I've had the same thoughts. If I am required to complete 120 credit hours then let me take courses that I will benefit from. I always felt it odd that a school would require "x" number of "humanities" courses for all students but don't make the "humanities majors" take accounting classes or engineering courses. Shouldn't the "humanities majors" be "well rounded" also?
We are well rounded by virtue of specializing in the humanities.
I've had the same thoughts. If I am required to complete 120 credit hours then let me take courses that I will benefit from. I always felt it odd that a school would require "x" number of "humanities" courses for all students but don't make the "humanities majors" take accounting classes or engineering courses. Shouldn't the "humanities majors" be "well rounded" also?
You can take 120 credit hours in whatever you choose. You typically don't need to stick to any requirements (other than pre-requirements) to study at a college.
When you move on to your masters and PhD, these courses will benefit you greatly. Let's not forget that college is not training. It's is to obtain the skill of learning via research and critical thinking. Humanities courses take us through the thought process of others before us.
I just think we keep our kids adolescents way too long. 18 to graduate high school, 22 or 23 to graduate college IF you are lucky and it goes smooth, otherwise 24 and 25 to graduate college. Then find a starting wage job! Outrageous. Then work a couple year and go back to get a MA and boom, they are 29 or so and still just starting out.
Plus, they can now remain on their parent's insurance plan until 26.
I just think we keep our kids adolescents way too long. 18 to graduate high school, 22 or 23 to graduate college IF you are lucky and it goes smooth, otherwise 24 and 25 to graduate college. Then find a starting wage job! Outrageous. Then work a couple year and go back to get a MA and boom, they are 29 or so and still just starting out.
And of course we can't expect them to start a family during all that, so their personal life is stunted and we are changing the fabric of society. 30 year old children who don't understand a 40 hour work week or fitting into the greater society of family with the burdens and responsibilities that accompany that.
My personal experience supports my new found beliefs but I know there are exceptions to the rule so let's not bother with anecdotal examples. The bigger picture here is that education is broken and it needs to be fixed.
What I can say about observations I have seen among my college classmates and my old high school classmates is that a lot of them do not want to grow up. Even in high school. They all want to stay five year olds in maturity and responsibility and they do act that way. So for them, I guess it would work in their favor. They clearly don't want to take responsibility and enter the adult world.
What I can say about observations I have seen among my college classmates and my old high school classmates is that a lot of them do not want to grow up. Even in high school. They all want to stay five year olds in maturity and responsibility and they do act that way. So for them, I guess it would work in their favor. They clearly don't want to take responsibility and enter the adult world.
Seems like a product of our society. I'd say it used to be a lot more popular for people to get married at 16-20 and start a family. That requires a certain level of maturity. I know a 60 yr old lady that was married at 14 (yes they are still married)! We also had several world wars and Vietnam which required boys to become men rather quick. Like the other poster mentioned, it's not uncommon to see someone pushing 30 yrs old just getting into the professional working world (possibly receiving parental a$$istance up until then).
Most folks turn 19 during their freshman year of college. Throw in a few do-overs from a bad freshman year, school change, "I need a break semester", major change or all three and you're looking at being 25 by the time you're finished! If you then take a few semesters off to work or travel and decide to do a 2 yr masters - 28-29 seems normal upon completion. Now throw in a little time to find a job...or heaven forbid more time off to celebrate finishing all your schooling and you are now the 30 year old guy at work that's never had a real job before. At this point just hope you have a job that pays really well and allows you to pay off the student loans while saving for retirement and the kid/wife/dog/house you'll have within 5 years.
Most of the 22 year olds we had in our office were too young and immature to handle a full time professional job where most of their coworkers are 20-40 years older. If anything, college is too short. People are not ready for the professional world of work until they are much older in my experience.
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I didn't find it two long. I had 2 electives in my four years and there were still many classes I would have liked to take. I would say it is just about right.
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At this point just hope you have a job that pays really well and allows you to pay off the student loans while saving for retirement and the kid/wife/dog/house you'll have within 5 years. 
