Brazen careerist
Where ambitious young professionals connect and grow
Email
Print
Like many of you, I watched President Obama’s unState of the Union address the other night. For the first time in my adult life, I actually liked seeing the pomp and circumstance that surrounds our public servants on Capital Hill. I must admit, it was exciting to watch.
I was also extremely interested in what tone the President was going to take in his address. He struck a healthy balance of concern over the hemorrhage of our economy and hope for the future. While I am
For more timely, relevant, and engaging articles,
subscribe to Brazen Careerist.
- The Anti-Stalker’s Guide for Converting Online Contact into Real World Collaboration
- Continuing Education: Extending Learning Beyond Your Campus Years
- A New Kind of Business Mover and Shaker
- How To Find a Writing Partner Who Can Help You Achieve Your Goals and Make More Money
- Why You Might Be Better Off Without a Job After College
Comments
03.02.09
I agree 100%! My brother-in-law started working at a car dealership as a "common" mechanic several years ago. Bid deal, ho-hum, dead-end, right? Eventually he was able to attend Mercedes-Benz's "mechanic school" and pulls down more money a year than I will ever see, even with my multiple degrees. Not everyone will end up as a knowledge worker sitting behind a desk.
03.02.09
Great points. My dad is a community college professor and has been extolling the virtues of community colleges forever so I know where you're coming from. I do believe everyone should have post-secondary education, but you're right that it can come in the form of a traditional college degree, community college, vocational or trade school. I agree that these kinds of degrees shouldn't be seen as less important than 4-year college degrees, but I don't know think that society is ever going to change that perception that they have.
Personally, however, I think spending the time that I did getting a typical college degree was absolutely the right thing for me and I don't think I would have gained the same learning and same experiences in vocational or trade school, so I think that's something to consider as well.
03.02.09
I don't know if I have a right to opine on the relative usefulness of higher education - as I'm gearing up to apply for my doctorate - but I agree with you. Higher education may not be for everyone.
03.02.09
I think everyone should be able to seek a college education. That doesn't mean everyone has to want one, or get one. It means that the education they receive through high school should make them eligible for college. If they're not interested in college, that's fine; they also will be educated enough to start other kinds of training.
03.02.09
There are viable options in some in tech and community colleges in some communities, certainly not all, and that is unfortunate.
I see the goal as making college possible for everyone though, not only from a financial point of view, but by making public education equal in all parts of the country and equipping those who do aspire to go to college with the right tools.I agree with this goal as I see too many people who like to sit in judgement of who and who isn't college material and I sometimes find it condescentding.
I hope his goals address issues of our public education system in general.There is a huge difference in the public school systems in this country. The quality of the education at public high schools in this country, with some exceptions of course, varies significantly and is almost always related to the socioeconomic landscape of the area in which the schools sit.
I agree that college is not for everyone, but I think if you research it you will find that socioeconomically wealthy and educated areas are also the areas of the country where you find more vocational and techonolgy educational opportuites as well.
Either way, I support programs that will make a college education accessible to those who want it.
03.02.09
Just a disclaimer: EVERYONE should seek post-secondary education. I question whether seeking it at a four-year institution should be the universally accepted route to that continued education!
Carmellia: Agreed! There are some fantastic alternatives to enslaving yourself to financial aid payments for the next 25 years of your life, that cripples you financially.
Olivia: Agreed! The fundamental issue is creating parity among all primary and secondary schools across the country. However, this will not solve the inaccessibility to post-secondary education in this country. Even if there were parity, that does not solve the affordability gap that exists in this country.
Nisha/Kate: Attending a four-year post-secondary institution should always be something to consider. A major part of that consideration is whether there will be a worthwhile return in the investment and whether the opportunity cost outweighs the benefits.
Milena: I am in that boat as well. I have a graduate degree and will most likely return for my Ph.D.
03.31.09
I wholeheartedly agree that college is not for everyone. Heck, higher education in the form of college and masters, and beyond is not for everyone. I for one am glad to have gone to college and yes, even to have graduated recently from law school.
But academic rigor is not for everyone. I think college should be an option available to everyone but people should not feel forced to go to college or be made to feel like less a person for not having a bachelor's degree.
Time and again I have said this and I shall repeat it: a thriving society needs people of all skills - not just "knowledge" based. We need people with academic smarts, professionals, tradesmen and women, people with technical skills, and people who can use their hands - build things, produce.
I think the goal of making college affordable is important. People should not be pushed into going to college and come out with so much debt! If President Obama sees to it that everyone goes to college under his "cradle to college" education reform, then we will be a nation with even more debt if the financial aspect of education is not addressed.
It makes me so sick to my stomach that the Boomer generation keeps pushing young people to go to college without considering that the debt in our names is far more than they ever paid for their education.
I am grateful for all the education I have received but it has resulted in being in debt up to my ears and overqualified for many jobs or underqualified for jobs requiring more than entry-level experience.
Unfortunately, at this rate, education without taking loans means people have to get decent jobs out of high school (very difficult) and either work full-time for many years or work full-time while taking classes at night.
For professional programs like legal education - it is impossible to finance same without loans unless you go to law school later in life as a second career. Not many people have $100k lying around.
Much as I hate these loans...without them, most of us could not get any education.
Got Something To Say?
Got Something To Say?
Not a Member? Brazen Careerist is a career management tool for next-generation professionals. Set up a free account today to comment on this post and start sharing your ideas. Learn more.
Login to view your networks!
 |
 |
 |
|
|
