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And you do? I would advise young people to learn a trade first or do 2 years in the military before making a decision on college.
In fact, I believe every kid should have to do 2 years in the military after high school. 90% of the trouble making snowflakes would grow up.
Using military service as a vehicle for money for college is still a viable option if you can’t raise the money otherwise. I have the utmost respect for our Military, but I’d hesitate recommending it just as a means to college funding due to the overuse and abuse of our kids in the service. You shouldn’t ask anyone to serve the number of tours that some of the kids today have faced. If they come back severely wounded of crippled emotionally by PTSD, going to college later may not work out and was certainly wast worth the cost if that was the primary motivation for enlisting.
And you do? I would advise young people to learn a trade first or do 2 years in the military before making a decision on college.
In fact, I believe every kid should have to do 2 years in the military after high school. 90% of the trouble making snowflakes would grow up.
horrors!
I'd go for a year of "public service", but learning to kowtow to people because of "rank" is somewhat against every value I hold dear. I went to Military school and learned that early on..
An important distinction to make is "people are different". Another very important one is that we - humans - head downhill after about age 20. The Golden Years are a joke for many...if they make it that far.
My advice to our children (who are all successful) was to LIVE....and start living and loving and enjoying themselves ASAP, because one never knows what tomorrow will bring.
They can decide most things for themselves after 18 or 19....we give advice only if asked (for advice or money).
Then again, Germany worked out well with that militarization of the entire populace.......or didn't it?
A skinny nerdy snowflake can use a joystick to control a drone and shoot hellfire missiles with the push of a button...no need to prove their capability of ducking under barbed wire. That was 1918 and.or for the .001% (Navy Seals, etc.)
It's clear from the article that neither the employees carping about their degree choice, nor those happy with theirs, have any idea what it means to be educated.
I think you have some right - and some less right!
Firstly, a degree may be worthless or worse in these cases:
1. Said person doesn't learn in that fashion.....MANY people fit this. This might mean it's a waste of time and money and actually makes the person less confident.
2. Said person spends (borrows) money they don't have by the 10's of thousands...which they then have to pay off their entire lifetime.
3. Said person is full of life and would rather work, travel the world, get married young and have children (as we are biologically programmed to do), etc - therefore long college might mean they miss or lose the relationship.
On the other hand I remember reading about an employer who needed phone sales people - and they required a college degree. When they were asked why they answered "when a person can identify with the callers...(such as saying - Yes, your location in blah-blah is near blah-blah and is known for those beautiful lakes and fishing) - then, the person has much more chance of being converted (buying something).
In this sense a general liberal arts education can allow for much more success in many ventures.
In my own case I simply NEVER learn anything in a classroom. Never. Yet I knew all the state capitals and all the main products of each and every state by the time I was 11. I know geography down to what the elevation is in virtually every place in the USA. I know the history of most regions and states...and countries.
This is because I like to read.
As mentioned in some of my other posts, people learn differently and live differently. When I was 19 I said to my GF (who was going to go to college but didn't want to....didn't have any subject in mind nor interest)..."I'm going to go out and start my life. Are you coming?".
Well, she did...and now it's 45 years later........
Strangely enough, my very successful dad and mom did somewhat the same. Dad was in college doing very well and going to become a Shrink (he was a lover of Freud!). But he left after a year and a 1/2 to elope with my Mom and start and family and build a manufacturing business.
My brother, on the other hand, has 4 degrees and no wife or family and is not using any of the degrees...except perhaps to try and win every debate he has with anyone.
In my perfect world, more people would go to trade schools than to "college". Not to say there would not be opportunity for some liberal arts in those schools, but they would not be forced in Shakespeare before they had a good path to a future.
I should have clarified my comments. Obviously not everyone is college material. I was focusing, perhaps too much, on those who have excelled in a college track in high school. If they haven’t, they might not even be accepted in the first place and in those cases college isn’t a viable option anyway.. Every job has value. Any job is vastly preferable to no job and welfare, although there must be a social safety net to protect those who have fallen on hard times, especially through who experienced difficulties through no fault of there own. There should always be a “hand up” and not just a “hand out”. My comments were in response to the general attacks on the value of a college education that you frequently see on this board. Degree holders as a group have a better chance of employment and advancement in a much wider range of occupations and on average earn larger paychecks over their employment lifetime than non-college. College isn’t for everyone, and in some cases kids may have the smarts, but not have the focus yet and should work somewhere before trying college. My point is if you are academically suited for college you should explore all options for making that happen instead of settling for some other option which in the long term will yield you fewer opportunities. Always think long term in career planning.
My advice to any young person: don’t expect anyone to pay you to do what you’re passionate about. Your passion might be valuable to someone, but it all depends on what your passion is.
If your passion is to become a doctor, lawyer, nurse, or engineer, then you are probably in good shape. If your passion is art history, well...hopefully you are also passionate about the fast food industry.
Again with the lies and anti intellectual drivel.
If kids wanna study art, history or anything else, that’s EXACTLY what they should do.
Quote:
Originally Posted by HeyJude514
I owe you a rep for this. We have turned into a society where the only thing that counts anymore is money, money, money. Forget the fine arts, forget philosophy, forget literature, forget history. Forget higher learning as a way to broaden one's horizons and teach one critical thinking skills and foster learning for the sake of intellectual curiosity or a desire to connect with and further humanity. Nope, to many people anything that you can't make money off of is of absolutely no value in the world.
We are sinking into decay, and this mercenary view of life is one of the reasons why.
Most of the posters talking this **** are anti intellectual morons who’ve never set foot on a college campus.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PullMyFinger
And you do? I would advise young people to learn a trade first or do 2 years in the military before making a decision on college.
In fact, I believe every kid should have to do 2 years in the military after high school. 90% of the trouble making snowflakes would grow up.
Again with the lies and anti intellectual drivel.
If kids wanna study art, history or anything else, that’s EXACTLY what they should do.
If they can get the education for free (or very low cost) then I agree. But it would be disastrous to spend $50,000 on a non-marketable degree and end up working at Starbucks with $50,000 in debt. It’s financial suicide.
The colleges are a rip off. When the government gives away student loans like candy , the colleges up the cost.. and the students are ripped off as their paycheck has to go to student loans. They work hand and hand, government and the colleges to set the students up for big debt..
.................. We have turned into a society where the only thing that counts anymore is money, money, money. Forget the fine arts, forget philosophy, forget literature, forget history. Forget higher learning as a way to broaden one's horizons and teach one critical thinking skills and foster learning for the sake of intellectual curiosity or a desire to connect with and further humanity. Nope, to many people anything that you can't make money off of is of absolutely no value in the world.
We are sinking into decay, and this mercenary view of life is one of the reasons why.
It isn't about the money....it is about a education in today's world. That means having a basic understanding of math, statistics, and the science fields.
How can one have "critical thinking skills" when you don't EVEN have a BASIC understanding of ANY science fields. What critical thinking are you going to be doing???
It isn't about the "money, money, money" when it comes to a science degree. I don't know very many people that majored in the sciences for the money!!!
The reason they get paid more is they have skills in scarce supply that are critical to a functioning society in the 21st century.
If you want to participate in the 21st Century, as something other than a bystander, you need a science degree in something.......any science field.
Trust me.....it is painful to discuss the world today with a liberal arts graduate.
It's funny how no other first world countries have this college affordability problem. Maybe like healthcare, we need to copy what they're doing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TexasLawyer2000
Have you been to other first world countries? Those with good education systems don't have everyone and their mother attending college. College is often free (or near free) but only a very few get accepted. Your average kid from, say, North Carolina isn't college material. But here, we have so many low quality schools that we try to let anyone in.
in addition to what TL said, add the amount of taxes being paid by the people so the government can pay for that "free" college and health care. also note that many have to work for the government after college for a few years before they can strike out on their own in private industry.
GABE all you are looking at is the surface, and that is just the tip of the iceberg. the real issue is under the surface.
In fact, I believe every kid should have to do 2 years in the military after high school. 90% of the trouble making snowflakes would grow up.
Would you make exceptions for your mandatory military service for those who hold certain religious beliefs (e.g. Jehovah's Witnesses)?
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