To many kids going to college?

[resqman]

Regardless of whether college is a real test of intelligence or stick-to-itive-ness or not, the real world of employment has decided it is the miniumn requirement to get a "real job" that does not include the phrase "do you want fries with that". It may be a waste of time, an eye opener for the student, or a real broading of the mind. Doesn't really matter. It is now the miniumn to get a job or be promoted beyound a certain level in jobs where you work inside most of the day. Don't have to like it or even agreee with it, American society has decided it is a Must Have requirement.

 

Can you get a job without a college degree that pays enough to feed your family and pay for most of your everday expenses? Yeah, some people have been able to work themselves into that position. Can a person straight out of high school get a job for more than $10/hr? Not likely. Does everyone need to go to college? College is not a trade school. There was a big discussion during the 1980's that colleges were not teaching or producing graduates that were pertienent to the current job market. "Society" often complained that college eductation was too broad and generic and was not producing graduates who could enter the job market with specific skills. Colleges/Universties responded that was never their intent or purpose. They were to provide a base of knowledge in a particular disipline with a broad base of general "common" knowledge. Colleges and Universities were not trade schools churning out accountants, managers, computer programers, etc. They were producing Bachlor of Science students with a working knowledge of accounting, management or computers.

 

What many kids learn at college/university is how to do their own laundry, get up and show up on time, and that mommy is not going to follow up on every thing every time. The military does a better job of that many times. Does every kid need to go to college? Not for the book learning but they need to learn to grow up and be responsible and college is an expensive way to do that.

 

Are there kids in college that would be better placed in a trade school? Certainly. Are parents willing to admit that their darling is better suited for a life of techincal labor than a life of air conditioned cubicles? Not many. I am sending my child to college in the fall because without a college degree, his options are limited. Will he recoup that $80,000 dollars over a lifetime of employment? All the indicators and reports so far say yes.

 

The "piece of paper" is your admission ticket. It prevents you from being cut in the first round. Just like having your Gold Award or your Eagle lets you through the first round of cuts when getting into college. Is it required? Heck no but it shows the world that you stuck with something long enough to complete a difficult task. It is an indicator that you are willing to put up with a load of difficult tasks and hang in there long enough to make complete a long term goal. As an employer, I can always teach you the specific tasks to do the daily job but I can't teach you to stick with it through the hard times to earn the prize at the end.

[DancesWithSpreadsheets]

I have a friend who owns her own business. She tells me that when she hires a supervisor, she insists that they either have a college degree or have served in the military. Not because they need any particular technical knowledge, but, as she puts it "it show that they can put up with an unlimited amount of S**t on an ongoing basis, and that's what they need if they're going to work for me".

 

College graduates and military veterans (and Eagle Scouts?) have a track record, with everyone else you take your chances.

 

Regards,

 

DWS

 

[acco40]

Look no further than the BSA. What qualifications are needed to be a professional Scouter? A college degree. It can be in English, Business, Engineering, Medicine or pencil shavings - doesn't matter. But earning a degree of some sort is required.