[BrianL99]

Originally Posted by Kenswing

Who is this post targeted at? 99% of the people reading this have already completed their careers. I doubt any of us are worried about our future job prospects.

Just another Troll post. Consider the source.

[badkarma318]

Starbucks locations throughout the country are overflowing with baristas who have college degrees.

Meanwhile, I know people who attended various trade schools (or apprenticed at an established company), and made $75k+ 1st year.

[rsmurano]

This original post is very outdated. I know many people that went to college and majored in social studies and all they could get is an unemployment check so they can pay their student loan. I know more people that didn’t go to a 4 year college or did a trade and make anywhere from $100k to $1M a year. I know people that install car stereos that make over $100k a year.
What’s more important than going to college is somebody that wants to work, put in the effort to keep learning on the job to get better and the ability to change with the times so your skills don’t get outdated. They don’t teach these traits in colleges.

[Two Bills]

I haven't a single educational qualification, but necessity at a young age taught me hard work keeps a table with food.
Stuck with that ethos all my working life.
My wife had the brains, I supplied the brawn.
Gave us a wonderful life and retirement.

[Santiagogirl]

My advice: develop some marketable skill that can keep you consistently employed and on an upward path over a long timeline, & don't be afraid to switch or blend career paths if something better presents. Colleges & trade schools are great, but don't overlook other options like the military or trade union apprentice programs. Remember that you will become older & that health issues or injuries are more likely to limit or end a more physically demanding job, so always have a fallback plan. Being an unskilled laborer for more than a short time is a lousy plan - it's a hard life & is getting harder in this country. Also, God willing, most young people today will live to be retired. A career that comes with a pension is not to be sneezed at.

[seecapecod]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

Interesting that kids will go get a degree, run up huge college loans in an area that has no market to offer degree holders.

Would be nice if universities would point this out to them early on.

Or maybe their parents should help guide them to a career and associates degree for a viable field of study.

[spinner1001]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

When a person graduates from high school, my advice to them is to go to college and get a 4-year degree. Anyone can get a degree, even those who are not very intelligent. And with proper planning, you don't need to go deeply into debt. But recently, some people are promoting the idea to skip college and to learn a trade, like welding or plumbing. It is interesting that most of these people already have college degrees, like Mike Rowe, who is always promoting trade schools. I don't have anything against Mike Rowe, but he has a net worth of $30 million, that he didn't earn by being a welder. With a college degree, you will always have more opportunities to get a higher paying job, that does not require hard work, than someone with no degree. Just my opinion.

A growing trend of people do not believe in the _value_ of a college degree that university is worth it. A recent survey shows 56% of people do not believe it is worth the cost. The skepticism is strongest in 18-34 year olds. Reasons are complicated. And things are different now compared to when we went to university decades ago; so our experience may have little relevance to what is occurring now. Regardless of your opinion, these current widespread beliefs in younger people will cause significant changes in higher education (e.g., declining enrollment and funding) and employer hiring (e.g., no college degree required) in years to come.

The plot here is derived from surveys of the Wall Street Journal and NORC at the University of Chicago.

Americans Are Losing Faith in College Education, WSJ-NORC Poll Finds - WSJ

[spinner1001]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

That was great advice in the late 1970's, when colleges and universities were affordable, you could get guaranteed student loans from the government and start paying monthly a full year after you graduated, and were allowed to defer your loan if you fell on hardships.

It was great, back when your earnings with that college degree, were typically enough to cover the cost of those loans (perhaps with a year or two deferral over the course of a 10-year loan).

Here's the costs for FSU:

$23,486 is the "full tuition" which most people don't ever have to pay. That's their MSRP. The "overcharge" they impose so they can pretend you're getting a great discount if you aren't paying full price.

The most anyone actually pays is $16,126, if their household income is over $110,001 per year.

If you're living in poverty and your household is pulling in less than $30,000/year you only have to pay $4,950 per year to attend, after you get all your aid and scholarships and grant money.

But wait - if your parents are only earning $30,000 per year - where is that $4950 coming from to pay the annual expense of going to college?

Even more - if you don't live near that college, you will need to pay for an apartment, or room/board in a dorm. That's extra. Who's paying for that? If you commute, who's buying you your car and paying for the insurance and gas? Remember if you come from poverty, it's not likely your parents have ever had enough money for an extra vehicle for their kid(s).

Compare with community college - I checked North Florida College, a 2-year school. Their "price that no one actually ever pays" is $12,754/year. If you earn more than $110,001 and get all the aid available, you only pay $6,401/year. If you live in poverty with household income under $30k, your cost after aid is only $1206/year. That - you can easily save up working part time weekends during your 4 years of high school at Burger King so your parents don't have to inconvenience themselves by going without such luxuries as - food - to pay for Johnny to get an Associates degree in something.

And these costs do not include the opportunity cost of time.

[Remembergoldenrule]

My home state ha FREE tuition to tech schools for high school graduates. I know people who have gone and become a full range of jobs - hospital machine mechanics, MRI techs, dental hygienist, LPN, welders- all ended up making more than I did with my four year degree as a teacher and I made more than my friend the four year degree social worker. None of the tech people had deal with irate people or take work home after hours or on weekends. We need all levels of education and all types of skills. There is a lot to be said if you you enjoy your job you never have to go to work.

[banjobob]

Your comments have some merit , however in my opinion college is not the total answer. A degree does not guarantee a career you may be happy in ,more importantly is a lifelong occupation you enjoy when it is fun to go to work.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by Remembergoldenrule

My home state ha FREE tuition to tech schools for high school graduates. I know people who have gone and become a full range of jobs - hospital machine mechanics, MRI techs, dental hygienist, LPN, welders- all ended up making more than I did with my four year degree as a teacher and I made more than my friend the four year degree social worker. None of the tech people had deal with irate people or take work home after hours or on weekends. We need all levels of education and all types of skills. There is a lot to be said if you you enjoy your job you never have to go to work.

It's interesting that 4 of the 5 jobs you cited are in the medical field, where medical insurance drives up the cost of everything. But, in the medical field, those with a college degree make more money than the technicians.

[VickiF]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

When a person graduates from high school, my advice to them is to go to college and get a 4-year degree. Anyone can get a degree, even those who are not very intelligent. And with proper planning, you don't need to go deeply into debt. But recently, some people are promoting the idea to skip college and to learn a trade, like welding or plumbing. It is interesting that most of these people already have college degrees, like Mike Rowe, who is always promoting trade schools. I don't have anything against Mike Rowe, but he has a net worth of $30 million, that he didn't earn by being a welder. With a college degree, you will always have more opportunities to get a higher paying job, that does not require hard work, than someone with no degree. Just my opinion.

Totally disagree

[srswans]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

When a person graduates from high school, my advice to them is to go to college and get a 4-year degree…

I respectfully disagree. Less than half of the Americans go to college and end up with a 4-year degree. While there is nothing wrong with college, a blanket statement saying that everyone one should go is doing a disservice. My kids’ high school counselors made this mistake too.

[Wilson02852]

Next time your toilet doesn't flush call your college graduate. The education system in this country is mostly a total failure. What happened to "comprehensive " high schools? Those Phds in education sure know how to screw things up. They are not much better then the law school mill graduates.

[MandoMan]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

When a person graduates from high school, my advice to them is to go to college and get a 4-year degree. Anyone can get a degree, even those who are not very intelligent. And with proper planning, you don't need to go deeply into debt. But recently, some people are promoting the idea to skip college and to learn a trade, like welding or plumbing. It is interesting that most of these people already have college degrees, like Mike Rowe, who is always promoting trade schools. I don't have anything against Mike Rowe, but he has a net worth of $30 million, that he didn't earn by being a welder. With a college degree, you will always have more opportunities to get a higher paying job, that does not require hard work, than someone with no degree. Just my opinion.

As a retired university professor, I would say that while you are close to right in saying that at some schools (including mine), [almost] anyone can get a degree, despite a lack of intelligence, people like that often get what they deserve—low level jobs suitable for their ability that may make much less money than does a good plumber or electrician. A college degree DOES NOT guarantee a good job or a high salary. Lots of college grads end up waiting tables and working on landscaping crews. One of my sons—smart, with mostly A grades—works in a warehouse. I’d say that kids who don’t know what they want to do with their lives should stay out of college until they do. And if they want to go to college just to get a diploma, ideally without learning anything, they don’t deserve to go to college.

Actually, I’d rather like to see a required military or service commitment of a couple years for both young men and women after they finish high school, as is done in Israel. When they get out, they are more likely to know what they do or don’t want to do with their lives.

Also, kids like that aren’t likely to do well in the trades, either. A lot of what people do in trades takes a lot of intelligence, analytical ability, math ability, reading ability.