The public institutions in the US have become extremely competitive due to private institutions becoming cost prohibitive. I know that in my state that the public universities are becoming harder to get accepted into than many private institutions. Many private colleges have had their enrollments fall.so.much that they have been forced to close.
Why do Americans have to pay so much for College???
by RubaDub 62 Replies latest jw friends
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RubaDub
I think some people here miss out on the what a college degree does or means.
A college degree is like a guarantee, not a warranty. There is a big difference.
A guarantee implies something meets certain standards or in the case of a college degree, successfully passed some courses in that specific field. Typically with a warranty, a time period is expressed. That is not the case when reviewing a college degree.
In the case of a company, it may advertise that it meets ISO-9000 standards. It doesn't mean the products are any better. But if all other things are equal, a purchasing agent buys from a certified company. It's a safer bet.
The same with a person with a college degree. Whatever you think, the person is typically offered a higher salary since it is the safer bet.
Rub a Dub
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Jehalapeno
I’m a marketing director that took a handful of college classes but never graduated because I went to bethel.
My job requires a degree, as did all of the jobs I had in the last 10 years.
I don’t have one.
I make a very comfortable living.
The “degree is important for success” meme is complete bullshit. Your work matters more than your education when it comes to success. Showing up, being on time, producing and generally being a reliable employee goes miles farther towards success than a degree.
References from former employers are worth far more than degrees in my experience.
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hoser
@Jehalapeno
The “degree is important for success” meme is complete bullshit. Your work matters more than your education when it comes to success. Showing up, being on time, producing and generally being a reliable employee goes miles farther towards success than a degree.
There is a bit of truth here. I am a businessman with no formal business education. If I am doing something wrong my income statement and banker will tell me. I don’t need a degree to tell me. My business education has consisted of observing others successes and failures and acting accordingly.
One thing I have observed is the consistency that university has drilled into their business students. I can usually figure out the university grads I deal with fairly quickly. They all think and talk the same.
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caves
Google is now hiring more self-taught developers than developers with a degree.
I'm seeing this trend in tech. Microsoft does too. They are loving the new self taught developers!
15 years ago I paid over 13,000 for one semester that was just one. Insane! Of course I couldn't afford books. I literally just ran copies off at the university library of the books I needed as I needed them. Took mad notes in class and would organize them right after class.
I'm not spending 1000 dollars per semester on books that change the next year. There are many ways that people can earn degrees now with out breaking the bank. If I would have only known.
My answer to the question is "because they don't know better". There are other ways to get financial help without the government loans. I had no clue until much later on.
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RubaDub
When you have Warren paid $400k for teaching "a" class, there's your answer.
Simon ...
That's confusing apples with oranges.
Warren was teaching law at Harvard. They can pay her whatever they want at a private University.
I was referring to public (taxpayer) State Universities where the "poor" people like my wife and I attended.
Rub a Dub
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FedUpJW
The worker bees...only need the education to succeed in what is (incorrectly) perceived as low level jobs.
Education for the benefit of society isn't even acknowledged as a right for the average citizen.
So what then is the benefit of hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on an "education" that has no practical benefit? Here are just a few. Culinary Arts degree, Fashion Design degree, Art History degree, Music degree, Liberal Arts degree, Studio Arts/Fine Art degree, Performing Arts.
Does a person need that kind of education to flip burgers for the rest of their life, or wash windows, or build homes, or any of a hundred other needed occupations that are looked down on by the over-educated self important elites? The trouble, as I see it, with huge amounts of college debt to learn something that only benefits a small portion of the work-force is that employment potential is low in relation to the cost to get those few jobs. The seeming mind set of people contemplating continuing education appears to be "low effort, high return" and the world just doesn't operate that way.
I was given the choice to go to college by my parents (against WT advice) with the recommendation of studying to be a lawyer or doctor. I chose instead to go to a vo-tech junior college at low student cost for training in a fast growth construction sector job. When minimum wage was only $1.60 per hour I was hired right out of school at $9.00 per hour. By the time I was in my mid- forties I was comfortably retired with a paid for home, and money enough in investments to live the rest of my life my way.
As a previous post said, "College is not for everyone."
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RubaDub
As a previous post said, "College is not for everyone."
FedUpJW ...
I totally agree.
But you did mention that a degree in "Performing Arts" has no practical value. I don't understand your reasoning on that.
What other job can you get where you can put on skin-tight see-thru pants, run around on your toes, flip around in the air and get paid for it? Construction workers?
I don't think so.
Rub a Dub
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truth_b_known
The answer to the OP question has been posted at least twice - once the US government guaranteed repayment of students loans colleges increased their fees. This is the same reason healthcare costs are so high in the US.
As far as the discussion of whether or not college education has value or not, or whether education is right or privilege I suppose I have my own opinion. I earned 2 degrees. I think I learned more in college than in high school. College is basically sitting in a classroom for an hour listening to a lecture based on one or more books. students are then required to read the rest of the books on their own time as well as write papers with citations on those same books. Exams are administered to see if the student recalls facts and has a basic understanding of those text books.
Lecturing isn't teaching.
Not to oversimplify, but college is - 1) reading books, 2) passing examines on those books, 3) getting a piece of paper from an accredited college stating that you read all the books and passed all the tests. You pay for the diploma. Not for the education.
In my field of work some college may be required to apply, but a 6 month vocational school is required to obtain your state issued license. My job pays more to start than the attorneys in my office and the probation officers who have to have a Master's Degree that office in the same building.
I am all for education. I learned a lot in college. I continue to learn a lot by constantly having books to read.
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RubaDub
You did mention that a degree in "Performing Arts" has no practical value.
FedUpJW ...
There are actually many opportunities here in South Florida for people with Performing Arts degrees. It is not a must, but it certainly can help.
We have numerous artistic venues such as Solid Gold, Cheetah, LeBare and many, many others. They tend to hire more women so it is a socially conscious type of employment.
There are also some venues that tend to hire more men than women. That may not be the most politically correct thing to do in today's environment, but it can provide a snapshot of where we are socially. Some of these Performing Arts venues include Hunkomania, LeBare Florida, Palace and many, many others.
Rub a Dub