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No, I think kids without the proper aptitude or foundation for a particular field of study often spend thousands on tuition (debt) only to realize that finding themselves was an expensive proposition.
And your solution is to have the federal government attempt to manage their decision for them, through testing?
I suppose we'll have to create the federal, "Office of Educational Assignment", to come up with suitable tests for every college major in America. They'd never screw something like that up.
You must be living in some alternate universe if you think "Kids with no aptitude" are going to Medical school. I honestly don't know what the hell y'all are talking about, "An aptitude test" given by the Federal Government for your major (of which there are hundreds, if not thousands). Another brilliant idea from the so-called "Small Government" crowd.
For those who want to major in business (which I believe is watered-down and oversaturated these days) or other degrees that don't have any specificity to it, then no aptitude testing should be necessary. But there are specializations even at the undergrad level that often attract students with lofty dreams but not so lofty aptitude. These are the students who tend to take out more in student loans while trying to "find themselves."
College should be closer to a zero sum game than it is...especially as student loans are involved. Go back to the OP and read the stories....you will have a much better idea of where the ideas being put forth on this thread are coming from after you read the sorry state of affairs many graduates have found themselves in.
And your solution is to have the federal government attempt to manage their decision for them, through testing?
I suppose we'll have to create the federal, "Office of Educational Assignment", to come up with suitable tests for every college major in America. They'd never screw something like that up.
No. My solution is to not lend money to kids that don't have the aptitude. If doctor dad wants to spend his dollars to send junior to school, it's his money.
Since the federal government now owns the student loan business, and since the kids are screaming for the taxpayer to forgive their loans and pass the cost to the taxpayer, I think the taxpayer has some right to ensure that the dollars spent are not wasted.
Your private dollars, your decision. Why set kids up for failure?
Location: Just transplanted to FL from the N GA mountains
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AeroGuyDC
Exactly right. Reading your post made me reminisce in my mind how many people I encountered in college whose "major" was pre-med or pre-law. I remember being skeptical even back then, because many of the people didn't seem to me to be the doctor or lawyer types at all. I even remember thinking they enjoyed being able to say "pre-med" or "pre-law" simply because it made them feel good to say it. I'd bet more than half of those people are not doctors nor are they lawyers right now.
I have to chuckle... I just got a text from a friend from Louisiana. She is in PA with her husbands job... her text, "Should I be worried, the Dr. here just ask me how to spell Louisiana?" LOL...
For those who want to major in business (which I believe is watered-down and oversaturated these days) or other degrees that don't have any specificity to it, then no aptitude testing should be necessary.
Oh, okay. So some majors with preferential treatment get exempted.
Who decides that? Presidential waivers? I reckon we ought to create another bureaucracy to manage which majors get aptitude testing and which do not. "Department of Oversaturated Majors"
Quote:
But there are specializations even at the undergrad level that often attract students with lofty dreams but not so lofty aptitude. These are the students who tend to take out more in student loans while trying to "find themselves."
Sounds perfect for a third bureaucracy, "Department of Unachievable Dreams," which can identify those students which have "Lofty dreams", to test them for aptitude (unless they are in a department approved by the Department of Oversaturated Majors).
Location: Just transplanted to FL from the N GA mountains
3,997 posts, read 4,142,915 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AeroGuyDC
College should be closer to a zero sum game than it is...
I like this idea, but it begs the question... How do we get the youth of today to realize that there is greater need for Blue-collar jobs today than ever before. That they don't all have to aspire to be Dr.'s and Lawyers. That higher education doesn't mean a four-year degree in a field that can already be gutted with enough people to last for decades? That there is no shame in becoming a plumber, a welder, an electrician. That these while granted won't give you the lifestyle of a Trump or a Walton, will give you what could be a satisfying career and the American dream middle class life-style. That yes.. your gonna have to WORK for it, but at the same time won't put you tens of thousand's of dollars in debt to achieve the same goals.
Oh, okay. So some majors with preferential treatment get exempted.
Who decides that? Presidential waivers? I reckon we ought to create another bureaucracy to manage which majors get aptitude testing and which do not. "Department of Oversaturated Majors"
Sounds perfect for a third bureaucracy, "Department of Unachievable Dreams," which can identify those students which have "Lofty dreams", to test them for aptitude (unless they are in a department approved by the Department of Oversaturated Majors).
So what's your solution to the problem of student loans and the individuals who screwed themselves by making terrible decisions?
If you're reverting back to good old-fashioned Personal Responsibility for their actions, then count me in. That's my preferred method too.
But if you're pushing the idea that there shouldn't be any controls whatsoever ......and you're not pushing personal responsibility.....i'd love to know what it is that you are pushing to find a solution to this mess.
I like this idea, but it begs the question... How do we get the youth of today to realize that there is greater need for Blue-collar jobs today than ever before. That they don't all have to aspire to be Dr.'s and Lawyers. That higher education doesn't mean a four-year degree in a field that can already be gutted with enough people to last for decades? That there is no shame in becoming a plumber, a welder, an electrician. That these while granted won't give you the lifestyle of a Trump or a Walton, will give you what could be a satisfying career and the American dream middle class life-style. That yes.. your gonna have to WORK for it, but at the same time won't put you tens of thousand's of dollars in debt to achieve the same goals.
The youth today are being told that they need to go to college and they need to take the academic track in school.
It's very hard to get your kid moved to a vocational track in HS these days.
It used to be that in sophmore year in HS you picked academic or vocational (based on your grades/skills/apititude) and those last two years were taking classes in the track you chose.
But now they are all on academic tracks and are told they all can go to college regardless of their grades.
Location: Just transplanted to FL from the N GA mountains
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HappyTexan
The youth today are being told that they need to go to college and they need to take the academic track in school.
It's very hard to get your kid moved to a vocational track in HS these days.
It used to be that in sophmore year in HS you picked academic or vocational (based on your grades/skills/apititude) and those last two years were taking classes in the track you chose.
But now they are all on academic tracks and are told they all can go to college regardless of their grades.
Then maybe we need to go backward in our educational thinking? Not completely, but vocational training along with the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic. Let human nature take it's course then... aptitude then would be self-selecting then correct? And surprise.. I'll bet some of these young adults would find their calling, as it were. There are times that I'd give anything to find a decent auto mechanic!
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