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.
Definitely words to the wise. Unfortunately, I fall into that group of parents who must lament, as did the old Yiddish philosopher: "Too soon old and too late schmart..." As baby boomers, we followed the path prescribed by our own parents: go to college, work with your head and not your hands. Sending our own kids down the path was not good due to the lack of passion.
Go to college only if you’re pursuing your passion. Parents, let your kids pursue what they love.
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Amen to that! A friend of mine’s son was expected to go to college. Automobiles were his passion & he wanted to go to a special technical school for auto mechanics. She swallowed her disappointment & said ‘ok’. He was so happy in that school, did really well, & has had great jobs making lots of money every since. Another friend’s brother barely made it out of high school - marginal grades, but wanted to go to college. His parents wisely knew it was not for the academics so they told him he could live at home & take a full schedule at the local community college - they would pay for it as long as he made a “B” or higher. As they suspected, he didn’t do so well - ended up going to a cooking school for a year or two program & is very happy with cooking jobs around town ..... and they didn’t blow $20K or more on a freshman year of college where he partied all the time & failed his classes. I firmly believe a lot of kids that go to college because their parents expect them to (back in “the day”, a college diploma was a prized accomplishment that not everybody could get) would be much better off in the trades/technical school, etc.
All of my nieces/nephews to date have gone to college, got “good” degrees and are well employed. One niece who graduated in May is following her passion & got into a PA program this fall - she’s loving it. It’s worked for them, but they were in tough programs (finance, accounting, sciences), unlike “underwater basket weaving” (that’s an old high school joke for a ridiculous, easy class) programs that result in a diploma & low employment prospects.
Sure, but (hopefully) in your wisdom as a parent, don't let them go deeply into debt if their passion is English Literature, Philosophy, or Wymyn's Studies.