People who didn't go to college-Your thoughts? (Texas, world, community)

[ergohead]

Originally Posted by Katiana

I sure as heck would like to see somebody prove that for a change. I'm not saying I have a higher IQ than you, nor am I saying everyone in Appalachia is stupid (I grew up there), but I just don't see what Appalachia has on "common sense" as opposed to anywhere else.

Too much schoolin' can destroy your common sense brain cells.

[desertdetroiter]

Originally Posted by andrea3821

Working in fast food at entry-level is a joke. It's extremely easy; aside from maybe having achy feet or a sore back after a day's work (like a 5 hour shift), there's nothing that's hard about it. College can be really tough. There's no one there to coddle you, you don't have to show up to class but you still have to be able to pass the tests, so it's largely up to you to figure out how to succeed.

I don't think the people who are griping about working at McDonald's have any clue about reality. If they make minimum wage, they likely don't have bills to pay, either, so they don't quite understand the value of hard work and how much it can affect your lifestyle. They also don't realize they can probably qualify to go to tech school or college on the taxpayer's dime. Cheers to them for being too stupid/lazy to take advantage of an opportunity being handed to them. These are the same types who usually think everything should be given to them, yet they can't even go to college?! Such is life, let 'em whine and cry and see how far it gets them.

Working in Fast food is NOT a joke. It is NOT extremely easy. Why do you think the turnover rate in that industry is mind-numbingly high? The heat, the pace, and attention to detail that goes along with that job can be VERY tough. I never worked in a "fast food" joint per se, but i did work at a diner for six months and you have no earthly idea of what you speak if you think that's easy work. Fast food workers in the city i live in start at $10 bucks an hour nowadays because they had to raise the pay to keep good employees. Not everyone who works in McDonalds thinks that "everything should be given to them," as you say.

And to say that getting through college is so much tougher is just wrong. It depends on the field of study and of course, the student. I knew kids in college who breezed through on easy majors. Many cheated on tests, borrowed notes, and passed exams by the skin of their teeth. Some kids partied all 4 years away on mommy and daddys money. Yes, i did know some kids who had to work their way through school and took very tough majors, but that most certainly wasn't everybody.

It's pretty obvious that some people on these boards have lead charmed lives, or they've married well...because i sense a stunning lack of empathy on the part of some of you by some of the caustic things said on here.

[sherrenee]

Originally Posted by ergohead

Elitism or autism?

I try to avoid both.

Avoiding flu shots doesn't mean that you're autistic, either.

I have no clue what your talking about, or why you even quoted me for that matter.

[ergohead]

Originally Posted by sherrenee

I have no clue what your talking about, or why you even quoted me for that matter.

Originally Posted by Dumbdowndemocrats

See you people with higher I.Q.s are the problem because you lack the most important trait mankind possesses....good common sense...also your one step from genuis to insanity. Do not come to Appalachia with your elitism...

Originally Posted by ergohead

Elitism or autism?

I try to avoid both.

Avoiding flu shots doesn't mean that you're autistic, either.

Sorry about that.

My mistake.

[Darkatt]

Originally Posted by Footballfreak

This has always crossed my mind. I have had some friends who never went to college. They work minimum wage jobs like at Mcdonalds or at a grocery store. They often times complain and gripe about their job and about how they aren't making enough money and in my mind I think "well then you should have gone to college and you might be a lot hapier" It just bugs me and then I've had people in those jobs who have told me that college can't be anywhere near as hard as working at a grocery store, mcdonals, etc. it just really grinds my gears when people complain about their minimum wage jobs when they had the choice to go to college and try to make the best of life. I don't know if I'm the only one who feels this way or not. I am not talking about people who do construction, or work in mines, or dangerous jobs like that. I am talking about the people that work these so called "hard" jobs at fast food chains, stores, etc.

I was accepted at 2 different colleges, however I could not attend. I could not obtain enough money in total with scholarships/loans/grants to attend, and though I was working full time, just could not afford it. I actually scored 780 in math and 720 in reading on the SAT's , and on the ACT I scored a 3.9. All good scores, still couldn't afford college.

I ended up joining the navy. In the navy I trained as an engineman, then a machinest mate, in diesel engines, hydraulics, pnuematics, and refrigeration. I then trained myself in computers and now work with computers for a living. While I do not make hundreds of thousands a year, I do make far more than min wage.

I really wanted to go to college, and if I had the time now, I would still go.

What I am saying in my round about convoluted way, College educated people make more, but if you apply yourself, you can still make an excellent living.

[West of Encino]

College isn't for everyone. I hear that college students act like they're in high school.

[andrea3821]

Originally Posted by desertdetroiter

Working in Fast food is NOT a joke. It is NOT extremely easy. Why do you think the turnover rate in that industry is mind-numbingly high? The heat, the pace, and attention to detail that goes along with that job can be VERY tough. I never worked in a "fast food" joint per se, but i did work at a diner for six months and you have no earthly idea of what you speak if you think that's easy work. Fast food workers in the city i live in start at $10 bucks an hour nowadays because they had to raise the pay to keep good employees. Not everyone who works in McDonalds thinks that "everything should be given to them," as you say.

And to say that getting through college is so much tougher is just wrong. It depends on the field of study and of course, the student. I knew kids in college who breezed through on easy majors. Many cheated on tests, borrowed notes, and passed exams by the skin of their teeth. Some kids partied all 4 years away on mommy and daddys money. Yes, i did know some kids who had to work their way through school and took very tough majors, but that most certainly wasn't everybody.

It's pretty obvious that some people on these boards have lead charmed lives, or they've married well...because i sense a stunning lack of empathy on the part of some of you by some of the caustic things said on here.

If you are a cashier at a fast food joint for more than like a year, that's a joke. That is not supposed to be a long-term position. You're supposed to move up or move on or at least do something else within the store. It IS extremely easy, I know, I've done it. It's monotonous and dealing with customers can get irritating. There is high turnover for those reasons plus the fact that scheduling can be a little tricky (not getting the hours you want, not getting enough hours, etc.) and there are always going to be personality conflicts and people who have no work ethic and thus get fired. It's not b/c it's hard work. I'm sorry, but if you honestly think it's tough work to do menial jobs at McD's, you also need a reality check. In addition to working at quick service restaurants, I was also a server at a couple places, I worked in several kitchens and I have been a delivery driver (which is good money if you know what you're doing, I was also very in shape from running around 50 hours/week ). I currently work in the restaurant business and so does my husband. Please don't tell me I don't know this industry. These people get paid minimum wage b/c there is absolutely no skill or experience required in these types of entry-level positions at McD's.

So you're saying that many college students cheat and take the easy way out in college?? I'm appalled that you would think such a thing. Have you been to college? It's really not that easy. Sure, it's easier for some than others, but you have to take it seriously, it's not a breeze like high school, where if you show up and turn in your homework, you pass with flying colors. There is nobody in college to collect homework and make sure you do it, you're often just another face in a room with 100+ other students, you have to arrange your own schedule and make sure you have transportation to/from/between your classes. You have to take exams, do presentations, write papers, do projects, etc. It's really not as simple as you're making it out to be. The people with the best time management skills are often the ones who do the best academically, or the ones who don't have to work since they can focus 100% on school. I entered college when I was 17 and knew plenty of people who screwed around and lived off Mommy and Daddy's money. But when I returned as a non-traditional student at age 24 at a satellite campus of a major university, most of the people around me were my age or older and worked full-time jobs, had kids, and still studied their butts off and did well. A friend of mine worked at an elementary school, had 4 kids under the age of 7 and took 6 classes each semester. She graduated the semester after I did.

I don't know if you're saying that I married well or if you're generalizing here (you say it like it's a bad thing ), but yes, I married a man who has worked very hard and made what I currently make when we met. His hard work paid off for him. I also work hard and eventually for me it will also pay off, or at least I hope it will. We want to be able to send our kids to private school and live in a nice home. I don't think that is leading a charmed life. We have the things we have today because of our own hard work. Anybody can get to where we are (and trust me, we are by no means rich...we don't make anywhere close to six figures combined, at least not yet) through hard work and dedication. There's nothing caustic about saying or thinking that.

[chitown85]

Originally Posted by Darkatt

I was accepted at 2 different colleges, however I could not attend. I could not obtain enough money in total with scholarships/loans/grants to attend, and though I was working full time, just could not afford it. I actually scored 780 in math and 720 in reading on the SAT's , and on the ACT I scored a 3.9. All good scores, still couldn't afford college.

I ended up joining the navy. In the navy I trained as an engineman, then a machinest mate, in diesel engines, hydraulics, pnuematics, and refrigeration. I then trained myself in computers and now work with computers for a living. While I do not make hundreds of thousands a year, I do make far more than min wage.

I really wanted to go to college, and if I had the time now, I would still go.

What I am saying in my round about convoluted way, College educated people make more, but if you apply yourself, you can still make an excellent living.

Completely agree with this post. There are 3 routes to go in this country for 90% of the people.

1. Go to college- The problem is college is not affordable for everyone. The catch 22 is that college provides a gateway for higher earning potential. That shouldn't stop people from doing something productive. This individual is a perfect example.

2. Learn a trade- There are tons of trade schools in this country. The military also has them. But if one doesn't want a military lifestyle, electricians, plumbers, mechanics, machinists, pipe fitters are all trades that can be learned at community college or an actual trade school. These schools are not expensive, but tough. Tradesmen make very good livings. Maybe not as much as a doctor, but they make plenty of money. The poster above is in this category.

3. High school and stop there- This is where people have trouble because they work in menial jobs, not as a stepping stone, but as a career. Places like Wal Mart, K Mart, and McDonalds do have promotional opportunities for people to work their way up to the top. The problem is someworkers do not have the drive to go much higher. The issue is not the job, but their (the workers) way of life/way of thinking. If they have enough to buy what they want at 20 or even 30 years old, like video games, movies, and a new car, they are ok with their job. When they go to start a family, they realize, what can I do now.

I mentioned the above categories as applying to 90% of Americans. The other 10% of Americans are people like Bill Gates who have an idea or invention and make a lot of money. Other people in this category are very good salesmen or inherit a family business.

[Chatteress]

Originally Posted by Footballfreak

This has always crossed my mind. I have had some friends who never went to college. They work minimum wage jobs like at Mcdonalds or at a grocery store. They often times complain and gripe about their job and about how they aren't making enough money and in my mind I think "well then you should have gone to college and you might be a lot hapier" It just bugs me and then I've had people in those jobs who have told me that college can't be anywhere near as hard as working at a grocery store, mcdonals, etc. it just really grinds my gears when people complain about their minimum wage jobs when they had the choice to go to college and try to make the best of life. I don't know if I'm the only one who feels this way or not. I am not talking about people who do construction, or work in mines, or dangerous jobs like that. I am talking about the people that work these so called "hard" jobs at fast food chains, stores, etc.

I have a masters degree but I have worked fast-food for 2 months and volunteered my time in a non-profit bookstore and can see where your friends are coming from. I cannot handle that fast-paced type environment dealing with difficult customers day in and day out. Fortunately, I was able to obtain my education but not everyone can afford college and are often unaware of financial aid resources available. Just be grateful that you were fortunate enough to have received your degree.

[FFestus]

Originally Posted by mlassoff

You can do just fine without a college degree..

Some people can. Most people can't.

If you have special gift or talent then do whatever you want, but if you are an average human being then you are definitely better off going to college.