America Needs to Let Go of Its Reverence for the Bachelor's Degree

The Atlantic ^ | 10/2015 | MARY ALICE MCCARTHY

[Borges]

Two years ago, my nephew was set to graduate from Maryland’s Towson University with a degree in political science. After six long years, both he and his parents were ready to breathe a sigh of relief—he had made it to the finish line. He had never been excited about school, and his parents had worried about his lack of enthusiasm, wishing he could be engaged in something that ignited his curiosity and provided him more of a motivation to focus, something more hands-on and practical. But they also knew that without a bachelor’s degree, my nephew’s ability to move into a rewarding career, earn a middle-class salary, and enjoy some economic security would be very limited. And they worried that if he didn’t complete that degree before he turned 25, he likely never would (a reasonable concern, given national statistics on college completion). Determined to launch him into adulthood with the strongest possible foundation they could, they persuaded him to go to college and crossed their fingers.

[MeganC]

A BA degree is the new HS diploma since a HS diploma these days is a joke.

[neefer]

Amen! I recently told my cousin’s kid not to go to college and get into a trade. If the women don’t find ya handsome, at least they’ll find you handy. Plus, you’ll have money and women love that too :-)

[afraidfortherepublic]

My BS degree never got me anythinng except a discout on my auto insurance. Can you believe that they would even ask that question at my age after more than 50 years of neary accident free and ticket free driving?

[afraidfortherepublic]

My BS degree never got me anythinng except a discout on my auto insurance. Can you believe that they would even ask that question at my age after more than 50 years of neary accident free and ticket free driving?

[NorthMountain]

a degree in political science. After six long years,

SIX years to get an utterly worthless degree in leftist bullsnot?

What a colossal waste of time. He'd have been better off joining the Army. MUCH better off. Six "long" years in the Army would have given him a lot of worthwhile experience dealing with all sorts of people in stressful situations, some marketable skills, and most of all pride and self respect knowing that he had stood up to defend his homeland.

[ClearCase_guy]

I'm at home today watching a few guys do excavation at my house. The electrician was here was a very brief time. He earned $350. The guy driving the excavator and the guy driving the dump truck are going to earn about $7000 today. Of course, they have expenses, but they earn more than I do.

If I had it to do over again, I would skip college and go into the trades. Better life, and more money.

[knarf]

The HS diploma only indicates you satisfied a "term" (like a jail term .. 1-12), and that you obeyed all the directives;

Asking permission to use the bathroom, f'rinstance

THEN ... those that don't go on to "college" flounder around in a nation without jobs and eligible to vote .... which NONE have a clue whether they are R or D but they DAMNED SURE KNOW they're socialists ... by indoctrination.

So ANYONE that touts tree hugging, green, globull warming etc., will get THAT vote(r)

until they get mugged

THEN they become an R and a patriot

[LS]

True. A study done a few years ago about earnings based on education found that the income gap between high school and a BA was very small. The real gap is between advanced degrees, especially engineering, law, and medicine, and the BA.

[JoeProBono]

[BitWielder1]

Try a degree in any meaningful subject and then we'll talk.

[Scrambler Bob]

Bachelor - - -

Sexist, and Micro Agressive

[ameribbean expat]

Maybe that’s why it took six years...the kid had trouble keeping all the bullcrap he had to swallow down and had to pace himself.

Screw college. And high school diplomas, for that matter. Much more important to have skill certifications and licensures. Work history with a collection of certified skills. Anything else is a waste of time and money.

[Borges]

STEM subjects only I assume?

[I want the USA back]

If it’s in the pseudo-intellectual mag Atlantic it’s probably all wrong.

[Alas Babylon!]

I don’t know about that. It DEPENDS on the degree.

IMHO, a BA in Political Science, Lesbian Studies, World Culture, etc., etc. is not worth half of a HS diploma from 70 years ago. I’ll bet the HS taught a lot more useful things like thinking logically, fact-based reasoning and mathematics for example.

Most contemporary PolySci grads would say “Dude, wha?” to those subjects...

[georgiegirl]

I have a BS degree, never needed it for my work in administrative/bookkeeping. Our three adult sons only had a smattering of college and are all successful in the fields of their choice: one is in sales, another in real estate, the third in high end restaurant. They all make a great income and don’t have student loans to drag them down. Their peers, on the other hand, earn much less and have degrees, AND a mountain of debt. Go to college only if you’re pursuing your passion. Parents, let your kids pursue what they love.

[Mom MD]

Even 30 years ago my BS in biology was worthless except as a ticket into grad school.

[fishtank]

Agreed.

There aren’t too many unemployed with:

BSME

BSEE

BSCE

MSChE

BSPetE

BSNE

degrees....

I’ll let Google tell anyone reading what those mean...

[gaijin]

I no longer revere the GOP, and I hate Universities and consider liberal arts BA`s worthless.

I also NEVER trust unemployment stats or the stock market.