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the college degree today is only the equal of the high school diploma from our generation.
With certain exceptions, my h.s. education was far superior to that of many college educated today. I see it in the thought processes and general overall stupidity not to mention the inattention to detail, inability to spell, construct a decent sentence - and on, and on, and on.
Fwiw, I never worked 80 hours a week in my life - even when I was self-employed. Oh, I'd have busy times for a couple of months when I worked every day - but 80 hours would be a stretch. For the most part somewhere between 35-40. Not a six figure earner, but I did all right. 'Course I'm not a particularly materialistic person, either. Possessions possess you and I usually don't want to bother with the 'taking care of' part.
If they had money ties up in investment they probably lost a lot
alot of older folks to have money in CD's which are getting very anemic returns at best . so I would differe on that opinion
If older folks had money in that kind of risk, that's as bad as them just gambling in a casino. I have no sympathy for someone who is careless with their money.
I suppose CDs/fixed income investments could have an impact on them.... but not enough to drop them down in quality of life.
well you get the idea. today kids and parents have this impression that the kids will be making all this great money right out of college.
today its nothing like that. its just your entrance pass to jobs that arent just menial labor. it means youmay stand a better chance of being trainable and you stay committed. thats about it.
i will say about the only field here in nyc where i saw the kids get decent money right out of school with no graduate degree was accounting.
my daughter inlaw was picked up right out of school by ernest and young. they offered her a respectable salary. she got her feet wet there and within 2 years moved to another company and is earning 6 figures.
for my son to earn decent money it took a law degree and passing the new york state bar.
If older folks had money in that kind of risk, that's as bad as them just gambling in a casino. I have no sympathy for someone who is careless with their money.
I suppose CDs/fixed income investments could have an impact on them.... but not enough to drop them down in quality of life.
im not sure you ever tried to figure out how long you can live on your nest egg and bank account rates and no growth vehicles . if your going to pull anymore than 1 or 2% out inflation adjusted you will be broke before you know it. you can stay conservatively invested and still get enough growth but trying to live off interest when there is none wont work .
With certain exceptions, my h.s. education was far superior to that of many college educated today. I see it in the thought processes and general overall stupidity not to mention the inattention to detail, inability to spell, construct a decent sentence - and on, and on, and on.
Late boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y didn't have the luxury of skipping a college education. Nor, do I regard it as anything other than insulting and incorrect to suggest that the average HS graduate "had it" intellectually or skill-wise over later groups who earned BS and MS degrees. Your language skills may be good, but I seriously doubt you learned elementary calculus or statistics. You speak from the outside looking in on college graduates and suggest you have more ability than they do. Those with a degree looking at you might feel very differently. I also doubt many high school graduates have anything approaching the reading ability of many of us.
Bully for the people who didn't need a college degree to gain entry to a decent job in the labor force 35 to 40 years ago. That time has long passed and those who suggest college degrees are irrelevant to employment today ought to have their heads examined. You might get a job waiting on tables, washing dishes, or working in a warehouse without them. That's about it.
What is particularly poignant and difficult about the troubles facing Generation Y today (my son's generation) is that they know they are up against a tight job market and many are ready to do just about anything to succeed. I compare that with so many boomers who found a job either before graduation or right afterwards and it makes me ill.
Now, I hear the griping and groaning from boomers who are afraid they may have to postpone their retirement a couple of damn years. Or, even better, the griping of those who are upset they might have to pay slightly increased taxes for their benefits.
Whoopy do...I can't think of anything fairer after the deal many of the boomers have had.
Late boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y didn't have the luxury of skipping a college education. Nor, do I regard it as anything other than insulting and incorrect to suggest that the average HS graduate "had it" intellectually or skill-wise over later groups who earned BS and MS degrees. Your language skills may be good, but I seriously doubt you learned elementary calculus or statistics. You speak from the outside looking in on college graduates and suggest you have more ability than they do. Those with a degree looking at you might feel very differently. I also doubt many high school graduates have anything approaching the reading ability of many of us.
Wow, markg, I certainly must have struck a nerve. Did you actually READ what I wrote.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ariadne22
With certain exceptions, my h.s. education was far superior to that of many college educated today. I see it in the thought processes and general overall stupidity not to mention the inattention to detail, inability to spell, construct a decent sentence - and on, and on, and on.
Nowhere was this a blanket statement on ALL college educated - note the 'with certain exceptions' and 'many' qualifiers - nor did I say college education wasn't necessary. Where in the world did you get that from what I wrote???? You make my point on comprehension, and I KNOW you are smarter than that. Mine was meant as a general statement on the state of education today, only. Many college graduates of today are not all that great, from what I've seen, sorry.
Indeed, I have not been trained in higher calculus and statistics, but I have a brother-in-law and nephew who have. When I graduated from h.s. in 1958, women didn't think in terms of science and math as career paths - unless possibly they were going into teaching. Most women planned on marriage and a family, not a career. Fwiw, I did do very well at algebra although I did struggle with calculus, and to this day use algebriac equations to solve problems. Sort of second nature. That is not to say I have more ability than a math major today. I am quite cognizant of the difference. Just so we're clear.
My son, dil, sister, brother, nephews are all college educated and far better off for it. I've worked with highly educated people at the top of their professions my entire life and I DO KNOW the difference between them and the rest of the world, including other 'college educated' people in the same professions who come in a very poor second.
Totally rude and unwarranted comments. Geez.
Sorry you are so angry about the state of affairs these days. I don't like much of what I see, either.
Last edited by Ariadne22; 07-18-2011 at 08:09 PM..
It depends. I was a professor at a local community college for several years and the vast majority of students were ill prepared for college level work. I'd equate the completion of an associate's degree to the completion of the "old" public high school diploma.
In terms of employment opportunities, I'd agree the BA now replaces the h.s. diploma.
That said, it is not the fault of the younger high school graduates that they do not have the same skills (IN GENERAL) as the Boomers. You can blame the adults, i.e., the Boomers, for the dumbing down of the curriculum. They are the folks who designed and implemented the curriculum, not the kids.
The younger generations "thought processes" are just fine and they definitely are not stupid. The attention to detail, ability to spell or construct a decent sentence is not remotely related to deficient thought processes.
what i cant see is so many kids spending 50-100k for college.
You may not be able to see it, but it happens all of the time. Pile on a graduate degree and it will easily cost $50K even at a state school with the kid living at home. The key is to ensure that it is money well spent. Without question, a solid education will definitely increase one's earning potential.
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Did you actually READ what I wrote. 
hs diploma, etc.
