Too Many College Graduates? 1138
The AP reports on a growing sense among policy wonks that too many Americans are going to four-year colleges, to the detriment of society as a whole: "The more money states spend on higher education, the less the economy grows." "The notion that a four-year degree is essential for real success is being challenged by a growing number of economists, policy analysts, and academics. They say more Americans should consider other options, such as technical training or two-year schools, which have been embraced in Europe for decades. As evidence, experts cite rising student debt, stagnant graduation rates, and a struggling job market flooded with overqualified degree-holders. ... The average student debt load in 2008 was $23,200 — a nearly $5,000 increase over five years. Two-thirds of students graduating from four-year schools owe money on student loans. ... [A university economist said,] 'If people want to go out and get a master's degree in history and then cut down trees for a living, that's fine. But I don't think the public should be subsidizing it.'"
How about instead they say... (Score:2, Funny)
Comment removed (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Ok, but (Score:4, Funny)
Telling Americans to do something because Europe's been doing it is a lot like telling a 5-year-old not to go near the cookie jar.
Re:Why not high school? (Score:4, Funny)
So I've had to rely on you know... actually working in order to show my competency.
I make now a comparatively enormous amount of money doing a job that's also done by two collegues; both of whom have PhDs. The qualifications for the job are a graduate degree in the field or a closely related one, OR equivalent experience.
I've got the equivalent experience, evidently.
So yes, it is indeed possible to do pretty much what you want without any sort of degree at all (the usual academic exceptions apply here), but the caveat is that you have to actually do a lot of work. And that's the trick, see? The WORK part is the part that a lot of people tend to shy away from. That, and the patience part.
It works in my favor though, and in the favor of anyone willing to do their ten-thousand-hours-to-expert bit. Enough people are unwilling to put in any kind of meaningful work in order to get any sort of meaningful result that I seem to have become a commodity. So don't everyone suddenly get motivated, I'm not retiring for another 20 years at least.
Just rent a time machine. (Score:5, Funny)
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Re:Who determines what your job will be? (Score:4, Funny)
>>>He said that there should be limits on how much education the Government will subsidize.
Precisely. Nobody funded my college degree. It was funded by my dad working long hours in the factory, and then I paid him back later. We did not receive one single penny from government.
Neither should people go study History or Sports Science, only to become tree cutters or walmart employees. The government should not fund this waste, and if it does, it should be tied to the expectation of results (like the ROTC). If you don't use your Pointless degree, then you must repay the money spent.
Re:Ok, but (Score:2, Funny)
yea, but I'd rather have get sick from too many cookies than say things like "mumsies" and "sour stomach".
Re:Why not high school? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Just rent a time machine. (Score:3, Funny)
Re:The "Mallard Fillmore" factor (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Ok, but (Score:1, Funny)
silly (Score:1, Funny)
so...learn how to a job, but under no circumstances enrich yourself via the social sciences, the arts, the sciences, and the humanities...fantastic recipe for success.
and as for the whole "as long as i don't have to pay for it" thing - selfish, pig-headed thinking. people should share burdens, not try to pawn them off on others.
Re:huh? (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Why not high school? (Score:3, Funny)
I was thinking to myself, "geez, what a geezer", till I did the math on my HS Diploma (I graduated almost 23 years ago). Now I don't think you're such a geezer. ;-)