http://www.wsj.com/video/us-plans-t...ans/6B22738D-9FA3-4579-A200-E4DB340A9A5C.html
What lessons are we teaching here?
Push Hard, Press Forward
What lessons are we teaching here?
Push Hard, Press Forward
http://www.wsj.com/video/us-plans-t...ans/6B22738D-9FA3-4579-A200-E4DB340A9A5C.html
What lessons are we teaching here?
Push Hard, Press Forward
Besides, what the h3\\ is wrong with being a Plumber, Mechanic, Electrician, Machinist, Cabinet Maker, etc. There is a serious shortage of skilled workers in these trades. They are perfectly respectable, well-paid professions in Germany, Japan, South Korea--all of which are prosperous and have large trade surpluses with the US.
BTW the neighbor up the street is an Electrician who grew up on a farm.
My version of Jcleppe's story:
Neighbors up the street have three kids, one still in HS. Daughter had no specific direction other than wanting to be on the dance squad at out of town State U. Parents said no. She did two years at local CC. Finished BS, Nursing in two more years. Now RN at Johnny Carson Cancer Center. No debt. Older son did two years at local CC. Will finish BS, Agronomy degree next May after two years directional State U in neighboring state. Job already waiting for him after graduation. No debt.
Besides, what the h3\\ is wrong with being a Plumber, Mechanic, Electrician, Machinist, Cabinet Maker, etc. There is a serious shortage of skilled workers in these trades. They are perfectly respectable, well-paid professions in Germany, Japan, South Korea--all of which are prosperous and have large trade surpluses with the US.
BTW the neighbor up the street is an Electrician who grew up on a farm.
Neighbors up the street have three kids, one still in HS. Daughter had no specific direction other than wanting to be on the dance squad at out of town State U, which is a perfectly common situation for a teenager to be in, because high school isn't where anyone really "knows" their life's ambitions. Parents said no because they felt like it, not because there's anything substantively wrong or frivolous about attending a state university. She did two years at local CC, where she probably had a less developmental experience from a social, ethical, and educational standpoint but the price was right. Now she has a job and no student loan debt, so this anecdotally validates this very particular and specific course of action. Older son did two years at local CC. Will finish BS, Agronomy degree next May after two years directional State U in neighboring state. Job already waiting for him after graduation. No debt. Again, this totally validates an agronomy degree pursued through a community college because it totally worked out for this kid (maybe) and he has a JOB WAITING FOR HIM (perhaps) and, well, above all, the price was right. And when it comes to getting an education that will set the foundation for your entire adult life, nothing matters more than price. The rest is just window-dressing IMPO.
Besides, what the HELL is wrong with being a Plumber, Mechanic, Electrician, Machinist, Cabinet Maker, or some other job my precious kid would never stoop to doing? There is a serious shortage of skilled workers in these trades. They are perfectly respectable, well-paid professions in Germany, Japan, South Korea--all of which are prosperous and have large trade surpluses with the US (and all of which provide massive free educational opportunities from the national budget). I mean sure, none of us encouraged our kids to do that. Our kids are special snowflakes who deserve congressional nominations and service academy appointments and some gawdamm FREE CHICKEN TENDERS AT APPLEBEES ON VETERANS DAY IMPO. Now, those other rubes need to stop being so damn prideful. Who cares if they might write the next great American novel? Or be the English teacher who inspires the next generation of AP students who might want that 5 on the test for an academy appointment? They need to quit thinking stupid crap like English, philosophy, art, music, and sociology are anything but the FRIVOLITIES OF SPECIAL BABY SAFE SPACE FREE-RIDING LOSER MILENNIALS.
BTW the I'm a baby boomer who went to college for pennies on the dollar, tried to ruin the economy about 4 times, destroyed the housing market for a decade, etc. etc. If there's one thing I can't STAND it's the SPECIAL SNOWFLAKE SAFE SPACE KIDS thinking they have some right to expect the same affordable college I enjoyed. They need to quit thinking their STARBUCKSWAGES are enough to pay off degrees in ADVANCED ENGLISH SNOWFLAKERY that they 100% wrongfully think should be remotely as affordable as mine was. They need to quit WHINING IMPO and take whatever blue collar job there is (except my kid, he's special dammit, and he ain't no plumber or cabinet-maker because USAFA Marine Corps UPT Ranger YUTYUTYUT and THANKMEFORHISSERVICE). The world needs ditch-diggers too, dammit. Start digging ditches and QUIT WHINING and thinking you got a bad deal simply because you did.
Many of us Baby Boomers started with little to nothing, worked our way through and paid our own college tuition to make a better life for ourselves and our families.
My girls in no way are lazy or feel entitled. They have also earned what they have and where they are in life.
Back in my day, min wage was $1.25. So, need to also take into account that min wage has increased to $7.25 -- a 580%.
the Boomer standard answer is "well just go to community college durr durr durr."
If only this were the case.
Kids have been bombarded since my youth (born 1956) and at least until 21 year old DS#2 graduated high school, by politicians, HS guidance counselors, college administrators, and especially college educated boomer parents, that the only way to "get ahead" is to have a four year college education. The more prestigious, the better. They would be embarrassed if one of their kids went to CC. Those looking up the education/income scale can't help but accept that same ethos.
University of Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri all recruit in the northern suburbs of Chicago because not every graduate of New Trier can get into U or I, Northwestern, or Wash U. Those parents would never send their kids to Il State, NIU, WIU or SIU. I had to talk DW off the ledge when DS#2 chose University of Nebraska over U Mich.
This isn't an indictment of millennials. It's not an admonition to "suck it up" and get to work. They absolutely don't have it easy. It's a call to parents and politicians to stop this insistence that a four year college education is better pathway to success for the average student than a directed CC education which can still turn into a four year degree.
Do Germany, South Korea and Japan have high manufacturing trade surpluses with the US because they send more kids to University. It's precisely because they send more to technical schools very often in conjunction with the companies those students eventually work for. They turn out precision machinists. Our colleges and universities are the envy of the world, particularly in STEM fields. They also churn out graduates for whom there is no demand.
If my "uneducated" electrician neighbor can figure it out, I don't know why physicians, attorneys, bankers and college professors can't also figure it as well.
I absolutely agree that we have spent waaaaayyyy too long telling kids that life is college or failure. The current problem is now that debt is spiraling out of control and solid careers are so to find for young people, the same generation that pushed the "college or death" mantra is suddenly saying "well, you just need to do a few years in a cheaper way, silly." And the kids who were raised believing in a 4-year degree and hearing that CC is for single moms and granddads who want to learn accounting aren't buying it...especially from folks who sent their kids to SAs or 4-year schools.
The Boomers played with a stacked deck, and their kids got taken to the cleaners.
parents told them to get a job they themselves never dreamed of taking
The Federal Reserve Board of San Francisco released a report today that sought to answer whether or not it is still worth going to college. The report's conclusion is, yes, going to college is still worth it.
The report said there is an $830,000 difference between getting a college education over just a high school diploma. http://www.forbes.com/sites/troyoni...0-more-than-high-school-diploma/#11c545c043e9
Now I know that this was a generalization but I would like to respectfully comment.