Posted on 01/29/2013 6:02:23 AM PST by IBD editorial writer
OK -- but how many of those Starbucks Baristas have degrees in Chemical Engineering, and how many have degrees in Art History? Not all college degrees are the same. Maybe 1/3 of college grads earn degrees in "hard" science and engineering. Nothing wrong with a degree in Music, but if the goal is to find a job, it won't teach any marketable skills.
My youngest has a BD and a job that doesn’t require one.
She’s actually going back to school to get qualified for the job she has.
Roger that. At least half of the offerings on any major campus are non-academic pseudo-disiplines with no utililty in the real world. The are manufactured solely to sell diplomas. This will continue as long as the government is willing to pay for this type of edu-vacation.
Veblen figured this out 100 years ago when he wrote that the whole point of a degree in Art History was to signal that you were so rich you never needed to know anything “useful”. No one was ever supposed to get these things expecting to earn a living with them! (bummer for the baristas)
Whatever you subsidize you get more of.
Whatever you tax, you get less of.
So we subsidize poverty and tax wealth..........
...which in turn creates a constituency for Bigger Government to create Big Government Jobs Programs.
So you see, it all kind of works for them.
Thus, we end up with Big Academia.
There used to be a notion that higher learning was for personal enrichment. Not all who attend look at it as a trade school.
There used to be a notion that higher learning was for personal enrichment. Not all who attend look at it as a trade school.
Can you expand on this? I'd like to know what the exact mechanism is. I don't believe that most people take college degrees seriously, outside of some difficult disciplines.
Get degree in engineering and MINOR in music (or whatever non-saleable interest you happen to have).
A guy I worked with for years had a masters in chemistry and minored in English, and a "hobby" interest in law. He wasn't a very good chemist, and was low on promotions and raised.
Then he found a nich in the company patent office....... He turned out to be one of the best patent agents the company ever had.
He is now retired and is an independent patent agent and still loving it. His track record of patents accepted by the exminers is far higher than most patent agents.
Don’t worry. Corporate HR pukes will engineer a “need” for a degree in all these other jobs.
My child has started second semester, junior year of a double major: Molecular Biology and Applied Statistics. Most other students give her grief over not partying every weekend and instead choosing to study. She tells them she will party later when she is enjoying her six figure income.
So , how many parents reading this raised one of these partying college students who live to bully the few responsible students. I guess they figure they can just keep electing Obamas who will wage war against those who work hard to give to those who have not earned it.
We need to go back to vocational HSs. When I was in HS, our HS had some vocational studies and those who attended those went right out into jobs. I went to NYC to go to nursing school (from IN) and saw that NYC schools offered students a course in Practical nursing so that the student graduated and took their exams to become a Licensed practical nurse, allowing one to start working and get some experience in nursing while going on to obtain your RN training. What a great idea. Not only that, but it gave one some experience in the field at a young age, rather than going through 5 years of schooling and getting out to find that nursing might not be what you were cut out for. Over the 43 years I’ve been a nurse, I’ve seen plenty that were not really cut out to be nurses, but after spending the money they stick it out and move into non-patient related nursing fields.
Vocational schools would at least give students a skilled job to enter the work force with, even if you did decide to do something else later. One could easily work one’s self through school, not depending on huge student loans to carry you through.
Back in the 80s there was talk of no longer needing skilled workers, but I have yet to figure out how they will get robots to fix your plumbing needs, electrical problems, infrastructure building, etc. There is a huge need for skilled worker jobs. Our plumber is probably 15 years younger than us and COULD afford to retire, should he so choose...on a MUCH better retirement package than we are living on. But young people are not encouraged into these kinds of jobs. Parents want their kids to be doctors or engineers, etc.
If Republicans truly want to win back the youth vote, they will need to seize this issue.
Thus, a company has to use the de facto standard of a college degree.
I also think this has led to the ending of many training/apprentice programs, because they aren't willing to invest the resources on people they know very little about.
And to add, I don’t think many degrees matter to companies other than as a minimum indicator of at least some ability and/or perseverance.
“If Republicans truly want to win back the youth vote, they will need to seize this issue.”
You hit on THE gem! At this time, the Repubs are falling all over themselves to adapt to “new demographics” and to annoy conservatives. They are missing a large demographic, young people, who are stressed by a lack of good jobs and who, if only shown how the Repubs can open up economic opportunity, would represent a long-term base of support. Instead, the Repubs are catering to Dem voters—a destructive strategy.
My 17 year old will be entering college in September. He has been working for almost 3 years to get into a business program. He created his own businesses and earns enough in his other jobs to pay for school with cash.
He contacted the school, set up interviews with department heads, did Skype sessions, has recommendations out the wazoo from business professionals who he spoke with over the years and gave them his 5 year plan to graduate with a masters in business. As an afterthought, he sent his grades and SAT scores.
Last night the school called. He was accepted to their honors program where he will have his masters in 4 years. They also will be giving him a nice scholarship.
This is what sold the school. A few years ago my son was in sports camp. As the coaches went around the group and asked the students what they wanted to do, each said he wanted to be a professional athlete. When the coach asked my son, my son looked around the room and said, “I want to sign their paychecks.”
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