Posted on 12/27/2012 4:08:34 AM PST by afraidfortherepublic
The New York Times seems concerned that teens in the fracking belt of eastern Montana are opting to work in the new oil-field economy right after high school rather than going straight on to college. A front-page story warns: Taking a job is “a lucrative but risky decision for any 18-year-old to make, one that could foreclose on his future if the frenzied pace of oil and gas drilling from here to North Dakota to Texas falters and work dries up.”
Let’s see. Where is a teenager more likely to learn the basic and transferable virtue of showing up every day and on time, not to mention how to get along with a boss and fit into an organization — as a communications and binge-drinking double major at Missoula State University, or as a mechanic fixing broken rig equipment?
Too many high-school graduates are reflexively going to college as it is, without a clue what they are doing there or how to take advantage of higher education. Mandatory stints in the private economy before college enrollment could do wonders for study skills. If, by deferring or maybe even skipping college entirely, students were foregoing their one hope for immersion in Western civilization, there would indeed be grounds for regret.
But colleges’ own curricular decisions have long since destroyed their right to present themselves as a gateway for precious knowledge of the past.
(Excerpt) Read more at nationalreview.com ...
She finished college while working and jumped at every opportunity for further education.
A good-paying job right out of high school, with no college debts, or no pay and large debts with no promise of work, certainly not work that pays well enough to pay off your debts. Hmmmm....
There are five problems here.
One, we’ve gotten some myth that twelve years of high school is right. The odds are....at least half the kids could be wrapped up and in some trade school by age 16.
Two, the vast majority of kids ought to be in a trade school or community college. Across the nation....at best....only seven kids out of a hundred ought to be in a four-year university program.
Three, the colleges will generally admit that thirty percent of all freshman will wrap up a year and never come back. They were not prepared or wanting such a program.
Four, we’ve got degree programs that are worthless.
Five, the minute you borrow more than $40k for college.....you are in dangerous territory for economic failure in life.
It’s a mess that is waiting for a bubble-collapse, if you ask me.
and I’ll bet the bank helped pay for her edumacation too.
Smart girl. smart bank as I’ll bet they have a very loyal employee
“only seven kids out of a hundred ought to be in a four-year university program.”
based on what
One indicator is the recent grad unemployment rate. By that I mean how many find jobs that require a degree.
What they won't admit is that this is perfectly fine with the college because of the gov't grant/loan money that flows into their purse.
Sounds good to me - making money, being responsible for themselves, avoiding Leftie professor indoctrination during the ‘young skulls full of mush’ stage in life - they can always get a college degree at a later date, if they wish to do so.
Sorry, my reply was to another poster - don’t know how it ended up as a post to you.
Financial aid loans should be based on the ability to pay it back.
We need engineers, doctors and good businessmen. We do not need French literature and Womens studies majors. We need to burn down the ivory tower.
Wealth Redistribution dictated by the Elites is the Plan.....how DARE YOU be responsible, self-sufficient, independent-thinking, and NOT rely on the Gubmint and the wealth of others?
Right most collage degrees could be reduces to a couple of years.
Way to much fluff in them just to fuel the collage industry.
I’m ok with traditional “liberal arts” degrees - but they don’t teach it in a traditional fashion. I’d be thrilled if they taught Greek & Latin (including the literature), classical music theory, and surveys of math, science, law, art, etc.
But that’s all been replaced with self-esteem brain-rot.
Uh.......ECUSE ME MSTER I GOT MY MASTER IN WYMONNS STUDYS HOW YU LIEKE AT....?
Oh, sorry will there be fries with that?
The odds are....at least half the kids could be wrapped up and in some trade school by age 16.
You’re right. Most kids still get an 8th grade education. It just takes twelve years to do it.
A high school graduate would be much better off going to a technical school for a year and learning a trade. Then they could earn their own way through college. Or they could continue with their trade, which would earn them a lot more money than a liberal arts degree.
You know, it once was the case that only the cream of the crop in high schools went on to college. Now, every Joe Blow and his brother are expected to go on to higher education, whether they have the intellect and desire to do so or not.
In our area, the kids went from their farms to the city and boarded at the same time. (It's why there is no school in the summer.) Jobs were available for the kids so they got real life work experience and schooling at the same time. EVERYONE benefited.
Being an apprentice was a big thing...In lieu of trade schools. Everything is so regulated now, this system has been killed.
An accountting major graduate from college, gets a job and asks, “How do we make it cheaper?”
An engineering major graduates from college, gets a job and asks,”How do we make it better?”
A liberal arts major graduates from college, gets a job and asks...”Do you want fries with that?”
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