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Ah but you should have a little empathy in your heart. Believe me, you will need it as you progress in your career. If you don't stumble and short circuit it. And, inevitably, all of us do so in one way or the other.
Going to college has changed for the worse in my opinion in the last 10-20 years. Today, everyone seems to want to go that route or else think that they have no choice but to do so. At least, they have been "programmed" for that and its understandable.
I don't know about you but I met many people who were excellent students but some were simply not into the scientific world. They were (and are) very, very bright. They do understand that they more than likely will not get a job in their field (tenure for a history professor is very difficult these days, only a few make it). In your world (or at least your mind set) these are worthless goals. And yet, chances are quite likely that you might even find yourself working for them at some point. Strange things do happen, one just never knows.
I do read those regret stories. And a lot more from unemployed engineers over a certain age who concentrated on one something or other their entire career and then one day thats over. And then?
I challenge you to find me one, single "i majored in debt" video from an engineering major.
And as far as the "older", unemployed engineers, I have yet to meet one. But if it happens, then that's what they get for not keeping up with current technology trends.
Oh, and I have empathy. I just don't have it for worthless degree supporters.
But to answer your question, I've seen too many people go through college lately, just to end up in the same "class" of job that they had to begin with, but with are large pile of debt thrown on top. People that, I believe should have chosen something else, or just not gone at all.
Then, you may come back and imply that it has something to do with my limited experience. But then I see all of the student debt crisis articles, the youtube "I majored in debt" videos of people that literally break down in tears telling there stories of how much they regretted going to college. You can even take a look at all the median income and unemployment statistics. I think people prospering off of "worthless" degrees are more so the exception than the rule.
But guess what each and every one of those college regret stories had in common. They were all encouraged to go to college and supported in all their decisions. They may sound great, but what they really needed was a little bit of cold reality.
That's why I originally came to this forum. To spread a little experience and truth. I used to be a bit softer about it. But then I just got sick of all the politically correct, emotion coddling, yes men, b.s.
The people that think they're being nice are actually the primary problem. They are, what I believe to be, the primary, self-perpetuating cause of the student debt crisis. That's why I don't have any empathy for you guys.
The problem is people like you correlate the degree with the outcome, when its the person holding the degree who determines their (lack of) outcomes. The people who you speak of are looking for an easy target to blame for their problems, so they blame their degree, or the institution that hoodwinked them, or their parents or anyone else but themselves.
Or, to quote Alec Baldwin in Glengarry GlenRoss "A loser's a loser..."
The problem is people like you correlate the degree with the outcome, when its the person holding the degree who determines their (lack of) outcomes. The people who you speak of are looking for an easy target to blame for their problems, so they blame their degree, or the institution that hoodwinked them, or their parents or anyone else but themselves.
Or, to quote Alec Baldwin in Glengarry GlenRoss "A loser's a loser..."
Not to bring on the academic approach, but I don't see that being the problem.
I see the problem being that someone (Wavelength) who is not familiar with college trying to give advice to others about it.
I, too, think that people should not take on enormous amounts of debt for college. But they do and it's their fault. No one elses. There's something called personal responsibility. We shouldn't be blaming other people for the financial mistakes of students who made poor decisions.
We should be helping them make better decisions, though. As we learned from the mortgage crisis, even many adults have trouble comprehending the gravity of heavy borrowing. Imagine how under-prepared most high school seniors are, having likely never supported themselves financially and in some cases having never had even a part-time job. Is it surprising that such un-sophisticated borrowers are making poor long-term decisions?
One possible solution is to reduce or eliminate federal loan guarantees and make it easier to discharge the debt obligation. In other lending situations, the amount loaned is generally tied to the future ability to pay. Want a $2000000 mortgage? Better have a lot of cash and a high paying job. Want a business loan? We'll need to see that business plan and take a look at your books. Want $200k for college? Here you go! Have fun! It's great that money for students is so easy to come by, but maybe it's bad in the long run for those marginal students.
Why borrow $100,000 in student loans to become a grade school teacher ???
I realize a modern college education is a huge scam, but at least those people who go on to become brain surgeons and CEO's will have a decent chance of paying off their student loan debt in a reasonable amt. of time.
However, there has to be a bunch of people graduating from expensive private colleges every year with really fluffy liberal arts degrees like psychology and sociology and art history? How do these idiots hope to pay off $100,000+ student debt plus interest with jobs that barely start at $25,000/year?
Congress needs to pass a law that grants student aid in proportion to what degree you will obtain at university. A student who will major in golf course management should NOT be allowed to borrow $150,000 in loans to attend an expensive university and then force taxpayers to pay off all that debt when he/she defaults on the loan because golf mgmt. jobs don't pay that well.
I think normal people get on a payment plan they can afford. My student loan has an income based repayment plan. It uses my tax return to base my amount on. If you have a loan you should check into options for repayment.
No one is chasing you down for $100,000. Just pay as you can.
What? What does your rant have to do with borrowing $100,000 to become a grade school teacher? Has it ever occurred to you that someone who spends $100k at a private college might actually have an academic and career path that leads to a graduate assistantship that covers most (if not all) of their graduate tuition and pays benefits if they work over 13 hours per week; and quite possibly that person may do research in their field and go on to get a doctorate with tuition covered and a professional network that they couldn't have developed on their own.
Not everyone who spends $100k at a private school is being scammed, some actually have a long term plan. With that said there are plenty of students who spend $100k on an education who will never make it back professionally or stay in their field...because they have no plan.
I'm was not a psychology major or sociology major but I can tell you that if you think those are "fluffy" liberal arts degrees at private colleges (with strong professional networks) then your rationale is no better than the person who spends $100k on a degree with no plan.
I realize a modern college education is a huge scam, but at least those people who go on to become brain surgeons and CEO's will have a decent chance of paying off their student loan debt in a reasonable amt. of time.
However, there has to be a bunch of people graduating from expensive private colleges every year with really fluffy liberal arts degrees like psychology and sociology and art history? How do these idiots hope to pay off $100,000+ student debt plus interest with jobs that barely start at $25,000/year?
Congress needs to pass a law that grants student aid in proportion to what degree you will obtain at university. A student who will major in golf course management should NOT be allowed to borrow $150,000 in loans to attend an expensive university and then force taxpayers to pay off all that debt when he/she defaults on the loan because golf mgmt. jobs don't pay that well.
Average student loan dept is $30,000. Those borrowing $100,000 for undergrad are the exception rather than the norm. How many people do you know personally that have a degree in Art History. I know one, but she also inherited several million dollars from her Grandmother and didn't need to work. She does work at an Art Museum though, and has for over 25 years. The people I know at Liberal Arts colleges attend those because they got significant scholarship money and are paying little to none to attend. They, however, have fluffy majors like Math, Computer Science, Biochemistry, etc.
Federal loans are capped at about $30,000 for undergrads....
fluffy liberal arts degrees like psychology and sociology and art history?
I didn't realize we were due for the weekly/daily anti-liberal art degree rant.
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Why borrow $100,000 in student loans to become a grade school teacher ???
