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I think she might have meant "Great Recession" instead of Great Depression and wrote the wrong one.
Nice graphic, Dave. As usual, you've taken the most pessimistic view of a subject when in fact the truth is probably somewhere in between. Not everyone that gets a college degree is unable to get a job. I work with students all the time that graduate with meaningful degrees and use them to switch careers or advance in their current career. Despite what you say, there are many professions that require or value a college degree, whether it be 2 or 4 year. You seem to be focusing in on the plight of some college graduates who guessed the job market wrong or knowingly chose degrees that would get them nowhere financially. You then use these examples to paint a broad brush stroke and imply that most degrees are useless. Some of these students would be unsuccessful no matter what they did - there is an individual element to it too.
To get this thread back to NH, I like what the Community College System of NH is doing with their targeting degrees in areas like Advanced Manufacturing. They are 2-year degrees and shorter certificate programs that prepare NH students for in-demand jobs in NH in growing fields. They lead to meaningful careers that pay above average wages.
This partnership brings good paying jobs to NH. College is more than just a 4-year degree these days. There are many ways to gain skills - this is one piece of the picture. Not everyone needs a college degree but I'd venture to say that a high school diploma will increasingly be not enough for tomorrow's jobs.
But hey, the Dollar Store is hiring for $8 per hour so what the heck....
I know what she meant Steve, I corrected her in another post saying they did not get their data from the great depression, she turned around and tried to make it seem like I confused recession with depression..it's all good. As to the cartoon.. what can I say, it's accurate.
Do you have a reference for that "majority of degrees earned are useless" comment?
A majority of college degrees are useless given that having one doesn't automatically get one a job anyone. Many decades ago, a college degree was more of a rarity, but nowadays, employers also want their applicants to have practical job experience to go along with having a college degree. And employers can do that because there are so many college graduates applying for their jobs that they have to add on further requirements in order to weed out the lesser applicants.
Otherwise, the least helpful college degrees seem to be the liberal arts majors like English literature, philosophy, art history etc... So basically any Bachelor of Arts degree is useless and only fine to have if ones parents have the money to support their child further on their road to "finding themselves". But any science degree is generally a whole lot more useful in the job market because those majors entail laboratory time and analytical thinking. One can translate those degrees into the medical field or IT work.
I think that the only higher education that should get financial support would be for students wanting to go into careers that would benefit society. However, the financial support would come only when those students finish school with high grades (not mediocre or failures grades) and then to take jobs which benefit society. Examples would be minorities becoming grade school teachers in the inner cities for a period of at least ten years. Or anyone becoming a general practitioner doctor AND having a practice in areas that need G.P. doctors... again for a period of 15 years.
Maybe once a student has successfully completed their studies, they would apply to cities and towns for work. They would sign a contract to work there as teachers and doctors/nurses and in return, those communities would pay their monthly student loan payments as part of their compensation. If they quit those jobs, then they'd be back to paying off their loans on their own.
If someone wants society to invest in their education, then it must be for an education that directly benefits society. So that is why I am against taxpayers supporting general college education across the board.
A majority of college degrees are useless given that having one doesn't automatically get one a job anyone. Many decades ago, a college degree was more of a rarity, but nowadays, employers also want their applicants to have practical job experience to go along with having a college degree. And employers can do that because there are so many college graduates applying for their jobs that they have to add on further requirements in order to weed out the lesser applicants.
Otherwise, the least helpful college degrees seem to be the liberal arts majors like English literature, philosophy, art history etc... So basically any Bachelor of Arts degree is useless and only fine to have if ones parents have the money to support their child further on their road to "finding themselves". But any science degree is generally a whole lot more useful in the job market because those majors entail laboratory time and analytical thinking. One can translate those degrees into the medical field or IT work.
I think that the only higher education that should get financial support would be for students wanting to go into careers that would benefit society. However, the financial support would come only when those students finish school with high grades (not mediocre or failures grades) and then to take jobs which benefit society. Examples would be minorities becoming grade school teachers in the inner cities for a period of at least ten years. Or anyone becoming a general practitioner doctor AND having a practice in areas that need G.P. doctors... again for a period of 15 years.
Maybe once a student has successfully completed their studies, they would apply to cities and towns for work. They would sign a contract to work there as teachers and doctors/nurses and in return, those communities would pay their monthly student loan payments as part of their compensation. If they quit those jobs, then they'd be back to paying off their loans on their own.
If someone wants society to invest in their education, then it must be for an education that directly benefits society. So that is why I am against taxpayers supporting general college education across the board.
While I am still against it, your opinion actually has some merit
I guess that's OK if you want a 20th century economy in this state. Investment in education is similar to investment in infrastructure in that employers look for an educated workforce and good infrastructure.
Dave, I will agree that too little time is spent on researching career opportunities and viability of various degrees. Students waste money pursuing degrees in fields where supply outpaces demand. Art History, Psychology, etc are good examples. I picked degrees that led to jobs in demand and augmented my military technical and leadership experience.
Perhaps state and federal financial aid should be targeted more to degrees in demand in fields that are growing. I don't know many engineers without degrees or IT guys who regret getting a 2 or 4 year degree.
To paint the picture that most degrees are useless is a broad generalization. Some degrees are useless for sure, or lead to low paying careers in oversaturated job markets. Parents need to guide their kids to make realistic choices and set realistic expectations. Following your dreams doesn't pay the bills.
Well said. Every time I hear about a teenager that wants to be a video game designer when they grow up I cringe.
A majority of college degrees are useless given that having one doesn't automatically get one a job anyone.
I'm not entirely sure what that means but how does not automatically getting a job make a degree useless? If you've learned something and ultimately become a more productive member of society is that useless?
I think that the only higher education that should get financial support would be for students wanting to go into careers that would benefit society. However, the financial support would come only when those students finish school with high grades (not mediocre or failures grades) and then to take jobs which benefit society. Examples would be minorities becoming grade school teachers in the inner cities for a period of at least ten years. Or anyone becoming a general practitioner doctor AND having a practice in areas that need G.P. doctors... again for a period of 15 years.
Maybe once a student has successfully completed their studies, they would apply to cities and towns for work. They would sign a contract to work there as teachers and doctors/nurses and in return, those communities would pay their monthly student loan payments as part of their compensation. If they quit those jobs, then they'd be back to paying off their loans on their own.
If someone wants society to invest in their education, then it must be for an education that directly benefits society. So that is why I am against taxpayers supporting general college education across the board.
Good thoughts.
A steeper in state discount for careers that would benefit NH would be welcome. Perhaps fractionally lower interest rate on student loans if after graduation the student found a job in state.
For young college graduates, the unemployment rate is currently 7.2 percent (compared with 5.5 percent in 2007), and the underemployment rate is 14.9 percent (compared with 9.6 percent in 2007).
For young high school graduates, the unemployment rate is 19.5 percent (compared with 15.9 percent in 2007), and the underemployment rate is 37.0 percent (compared with 26.8 percent in 2007).
The very latest data has...
Unemployment Rate - College Graduates - Bachelor's Degree, 20 to 24 years as of 2015-09: 7.4 Percent
Unemployment Rate - High School Graduates, No College, 20 to 24 years as of 2015-09: 11.4 Percent
If you were job hunting wouldn't you rather have a college degree?
Look, Dave stated unequivocally "facts are the majority of degrees earned are useless". The only reason I entered this conversation is because that statement is so far off the mark it's worthy of ridicule. It's emblematic of an anti-education, anti-intellectual bias that would be utterly destructive to this country were it to become mainstream.
Of course students need to wisely pick both their major and the school they attend. Especially those who are likely to take out loans to afford college -- these students need to have a reasonable chance of landing a job that pays well enough to pay off their debt.
I don't think anyone would argue against that.
That anyone would argue against college in general blows my mind.
Unemployment Rate - College Graduates - Bachelor's Degree, 20 to 24 years as of 2015-09: 7.4 Percent
Unemployment Rate - High School Graduates, No College, 20 to 24 years as of 2015-09: 11.4 Percent
If you were job hunting wouldn't you rather have a college degree?
Look, Dave stated unequivocally "facts are the majority of degrees earned are useless". The only reason I entered this conversation is because that statement is so far off the mark it's worthy of ridicule. It's emblematic of an anti-education, anti-intellectual bias that would be utterly destructive to this country were it to become mainstream.
Of course students need to wisely pick both their major and the school they attend. Especially those who are likely to take out loans to afford college -- these students need to have a reasonable chance of landing a job that pays well enough to pay off their debt.
I don't think anyone would argue against that.
That anyone would argue against college in general blows my mind.
Dave stated unequivocally "facts are the majority of degrees earned are useless". and they still are....
Of course students need to wisely pick both their major and the school they attend. Especially those who are likely to take out loans to afford college -- these students need to have a reasonable chance of landing a job that pays well enough to pay off their debt.
but they aren't landing jobs that can pay off their debt.. it would be wiser not to acquire the unnecessary debt in the first place
Again..I am all for people getting degrees if they want them . just stop expecting others to fund your education.. how difficult is that to comprehend?
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