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It shouldn't have to be that hard. Nobody should have to go to school full time and work and still go into debt. Even the Japanese don't work as hard as we do. I home schooled so unfortunately a scholarship isn't an option for me and none of the fields I'm interested in are lucrative.
I agree. I've heard in many parts of Europe (correct me if I'm wrong) the gov't even funds college entirely for a large percentage of the college-bound students... stipulations/requirements vary. A lot of these countries must have higher taxes but at least you're getting something valuable in return. 4-year colleges here in the USA (even public, state-supported ones...) increasingly seem to be in defiance of their not-for-profit status. All about the money and giving generous salaries to administrators at the expense of students. Gouging students with yearly tuition hikes and endless fees. Community colleges, however, still seem to be a great value.
Last edited by Bruce Jackpot; 12-25-2014 at 11:29 AM..
I agree. I hear in many parts of Europe (correct me if I'm wrong) the gov't even funds college entirely for a large percentage of the college-bound students... stipulations/requirements vary. A lot of these countries must have higher taxes but at least you're getting something valuable in return. 4-year colleges here in the USA (even public, state-supported ones...) increasingly seem to be in defiance of their not-for-profit status. All about the money and giving generous salaries to administrators at the expense of students. Gouging students with yearly tuition hikes and endless fees. Community colleges, however, still seem to be a great value.
It's selective based on test results. There is no free college for all.
That would never fly in the US.
Heck they are raging over the elite public high schools that test for entrance.
It's selective based on test results. There is no free college for all.
That would never fly in the US.
Heck they are raging over the elite public high schools that test for entrance.
True. It wouldn't be PC and would be considered discrimination in the USA.
But there must be other programs (that the US lacks) to better prepare those non college bound students for a career at little to no cost of their own. Doubt so many of these 20 something Europeans could afford to or would travel the world if they carried the outrageous debt of their American counterparts.
It shouldn't have to be that hard. Nobody should have to go to school full time and work and still go into debt. Even the Japanese don't work as hard as we do. I home schooled so unfortunately a scholarship isn't an option for me and none of the fields I'm interested in are lucrative.
Good lord! Are you even LISTENING to yourself!
Life shouldn't be difficult. People shouldn't have to struggle. I can't walk into a high paying job in my dream career on day one Waaah.
No, there's not "starving in the street" type poverty like India or Africa generally speaking but I think many people, including a lot of Americans don't realize just how little a lot of people in this country have.
A third of Americans make less than $15,000 a year. You might argue "that's still millions compared to people in the Third World". Well not really and here's why.
In this country healthcare is largely paid out of pocket and a car is a necessity to 80-90 percent of people and maintaining one is not cheap. A typical one bedroom apartment will cost you $8,000 a year on its own and that's in a relatively affordable city. $15,000 isn't even enough to support a bachelor honestly and some people raise kids on little more than this amount! You're essentially forced to borrow and go into debt when you're making that little, so many actually have negative income.
If you're like me and avoid debt at all costs you're sharing an apartment with someone you didn't even know beforehand and living off $8 a day after bills are paid. If I don't budget that $8 a day well, or I have some kind of expense come up I borrow money, sell something or I starve. I haven't starved yet but there's been periods as long as a week where I have to think about what I'm going to sell to buy meals for a few days. Or risk straining my relationship with a family member by more or less begging them for a small loan. My parents' insurance runs out by the time I'm 26 and if I ever get a serious health problem I'll be screwed beyond reason. My only wealth is my decent health and my youth. I'm hoping my community college will accept my FAFSA but honestly it's more of a self esteem issue than anything else. I doubt that having a degree, if I can afford to finish one will improve my prospects much. I think this country is increasingly being divided into those who get lucky by having rich supportive parents or their ventures and ideas making them rich, and everyone else who lives off welfare or works jokes of jobs that pay less than peanuts.
I don't think you, and others who think as you, realize how really rich the poor are in this country. I am not talking about the homeless here. I know plenty people who are considered poor, by the standards in this country, but yet, they have cell phones, for every member in household, televisions, computers and plenty to eat5 in their bellies.
STOP the whining!
The ones who I honestly feel for happen to be the senior citizens who lost so much with the bank and loan debacle a few years ago. Try to live on just social security and guess what, they paid into it so it is owed to them, so don't even start about they shouldn't get those checks.
I don't think you, and others who think as you, realize how really rich the poor are in this country. I am not talking about the homeless here. I know plenty people who are considered poor, by the standards in this country, but yet, they have cell phones, for every member in household, televisions, computers and plenty to eat5 in their bellies.
STOP the whining!
The ones who I honestly feel for happen to be the senior citizens who lost so much with the bank and loan debacle a few years ago. Try to live on just social security and guess what, they paid into it so it is owed to them, so don't even start about they shouldn't get those checks.
I don't think you, and others who think as you, realize how really rich the rich people are in this country. Im not talking about the local pizza shop owner, I know plenty of people who are rich like that. I mean the people who make a billion dollars a year for example. All the while our incomes have flatlined in a country that is increasingly productive.
STOP carrying water for these folks.
The ones I feel for are the people who ARE working hard, and are making less and less. IE most of the population. Unlike their parents who often had pensions, they will most likely work their entire lives, and yet have to rely on social security while the richest .01% have gone from being incredibly wealthy, to being insanely wealth far beyond any reasonable compensation for their efforts.
LOL. Even I agree. The people I care about are the ones working hard and still not making it. But if you're not even willing to work for it, bah!
I do sort of agree about the school thing-it wasn't like this before, and putting people into debt for schooling is not helpful to inequality.
Which reminds me...I need to go harass my slacker step son....
I am willing to work for it, I've tried, but these days it's stem or bust. Tech work sucks and I'm not nurturing or tolerant of blood and other people's pain and good luck being an entrepreneur without credit. Nobody will give you a loan or venture. I'm still trying I'm not making excuses all I'm saying is that America craps on people who work hard. Basically your options are stem, plumbing or working three min wage jobs and being treated like garbage. I'm starting to think continuing disability benefits and just working on art and hobbies might be the best choice since immigration isn't an option.
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