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Due to our stifling economy and slow recovery, some Americans view college as a bad economic decision right now.
Student loan debt puts most graduates way in the "red" when they embark on a new career. After budgeting utilities, groceries, travel/car expenses and the like, young professionals are drowning in debt.
Some young people (probably older people as well) have decided to skip school and/ or leave early and start their own businesses. I heard all of this on a news report two weeks ago, and thought it was interesting.
If the entrepreneurial spirit catches on, and college drop outs, people with only a high school education, and early retirees become successful, by putting products to market, starting businesses, making money, and creating jobs, can you see a downward turn in people entering our higher institutions of learning?
One good thing a recession will do, it will birth more job creators. If many are successful without going to school, or getting a degree, I see a trend we all may want to keep our eyes on.
For the first time since birth records have been kept (in the U.S.), the U.S. has just recently seen its lowest year for birth rates and has been declining since 1990 (the have actually been declining since 1970, but began to slightly peak again here and there). One reason why college attendance is booming is because the majority of those currently in college where born near or before the 1990 peak. College attendance rose by 11% between 1990 and 2000, then by a whopping 37% between 2000 and 2010 (National Center for Educational Statistics (nces) dot ed dot gov). With the current decline in birth rate will come a lowered college attendance.
As for student loan debt, well, it is not the only thing that puts students into the red, but is almost always the only scapegoat.
Very interesting thread. How can universities stay open if less people attend? Easy answer is increase price but I doubt that many well off people exist for that to be a viable solution. Too many Unis in the US. Couldn't States turn CC's and non Flagship Uni's into more vocational places of higher learning?
With free online programs like University of the People popping up, couldn't that be where the non-privileged go? And then people with means go to a name brand school? Sorta like a have and have not's scenario.
Due to our stifling economy and slow recovery, some Americans view college as a bad economic decision right now.
Student loan debt puts most graduates way in the "red" when they embark on a new career. After budgeting utilities, groceries, travel/car expenses and the like, young professionals are drowning in debt.
Some young people (probably older people as well) have decided to skip school and/ or leave early and start their own businesses. I heard all of this on a news report two weeks ago, and thought it was interesting.
If the entrepreneurial spirit catches on, and college drop outs, people with only a high school education, and early retirees become successful, by putting products to market, starting businesses, making money, and creating jobs, can you see a downward turn in people entering our higher institutions of learning?
One good thing a recession will do, it will birth more job creators. If many are successful without going to school, or getting a degree, I see a trend we all may want to keep our eyes on.
Unless you're getting a worthless degree or a degree that has a job that doesn't pay well, college is almost never a bad economic decision.
I'm not sure...but I was on a few interesting websites just yesterday and I've been seeing more and more universities starting open courseware offerings. This is definitely a trend and just in the last 5 years the amount of online students are increasing. Cost and time are two huge factors....so I don't think college is going anywhere, but the delivery method of courses will see a dramatic change. It's tougher now than ever to get into a school.....it's more competitive and expensive than ever. Those two roadblocks will keep alot of the lower income, less advantaged students from enrolling. With increases in tuition, you're going to see a boom at CC's, online, and hybrids. For-profits will eventually get a niche and a larger market share once they realize that education shouldn't be a run-on-the-bank evolution. The schools will have to evolve with the times, but they will continue to educate America's youth.
For the first time since birth records have been kept (in the U.S.), the U.S. has just recently seen its lowest year for birth rates and has been declining since 1990 (the have actually been declining since 1970, but began to slightly peak again here and there). One reason why college attendance is booming is because the majority of those currently in college where born near or before the 1990 peak. College attendance rose by 11% between 1990 and 2000, then by a whopping 37% between 2000 and 2010 (National Center for Educational Statistics (nces) dot ed dot gov). With the current decline in birth rate will come a lowered college attendance.
As for student loan debt, well, it is not the only thing that puts students into the red, but is almost always the only scapegoat.
The "baby boom ripple" that began in 1985 and ended in about 1995 was and is responsible for a slight birth rate increase.
Less people are marrying and having 2.3 children, That is true.
However, for the ones who do marry and have children, college is as normal and expected as high school, among the middle class,
Going to college among middle class people is the norm.
No. If anything goes away it will be for-profit schools.
People do not really have a good grasp of free classes that are being offered. No one is going to hire you if you take a couple classes online from Harvard. No school of quality is going to offer an bachelor degree online for free. MAYBE an Ivy who has money to burn will do that eventually but 99% of the population would not be able to complete the classes.
Due to our stifling economy and slow recovery, some Americans view college as a bad economic decision right now.
Student loan debt puts most graduates way in the "red" when they embark on a new career. After budgeting utilities, groceries, travel/car expenses and the like, young professionals are drowning in debt.
Some young people (probably older people as well) have decided to skip school and/ or leave early and start their own businesses. I heard all of this on a news report two weeks ago, and thought it was interesting.
If the entrepreneurial spirit catches on, and college drop outs, people with only a high school education, and early retirees become successful, by putting products to market, starting businesses, making money, and creating jobs, can you see a downward turn in people entering our higher institutions of learning?
One good thing a recession will do, it will birth more job creators. If many are successful without going to school, or getting a degree, I see a trend we all may want to keep our eyes on.
No, college attendance will never go "out of style." Most high-paying jobs require significant development of theoretical knowledge and skill sets, and that will always primarily happen with most efficiency in a college/university setting. And don't kid yourself - the rate of people who are intellectually gifted enough to be capable of dropping out of school and becoming the next Bill Gates or Steve Jobs will always be very low. Most people need to be employees, and in doing so they require an education.
College students need very trueful and correct information on specific fields of study. The old advice to study whatever makes your heart zing just does not make it when a person is faced with hugh school debts and a low paying job.
I went to college when college was hard work. Back then, schools were not interested in catering to students. If someone couldn't hack it, goodbye and don't look back Perhaps it's still that way, but, I've heard otherwise.
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