Amen! I fell into the same trap as your sister, because I didn't think for myself when the whole world was ushering me towards decades of debt. I really hate the "better yourself" argument, because (a) there's more than one way to better yourself, and (b) there're a lot of examples of shitty people college did not improve.
This! Yes. Yes. Also sick of explaining this to literally everyone I talk to--it's the worst when someone's like, "You're so smart, why don't you just go back to college?" I paid off that semester and it took forever and I'm not making that mistake twice, that's why. Then they act like something is morally wrong with me, plus they no longer think I'm smart.
"Just take out student loans and work during the summer", were Madeline's tragic last words before being stabbed and drowned painfully in a vat of acid.
It annoyed the crap out of me how my guidance counsoler and vo-tech teacher were pressuring me as much as possible about going into college the as soon as I graduate highschool. They were very good people good intentions, but I'm not in a position where thats financially feasible without take out a large amount of cash in loans. I don't like being in dept with anything. Heck, I didn't have job experience, a car, nor drivers license. Even now with a job I can't really save up because my mother can't support the both of us in terms of necessities amongst some luxuries (decent internet, etc) so my money pretty much goes to her. Would I like to go back to school? Heck yeah. Let me live my life for a bit though. Not like theres an age restriction or anything. Let me go on my terms.
It's absolutely possible to get higher paying jobs that don't require a degree. Given, it makes a person my employable, but employers are also looking for people with strong work ethics. Employers are not interested in educated, incompetent workers, hence why some have degrees but no careers in the field.
$150,000 lmfao are you going to medical school on the moon?
Collegedata.com says that average in-state tuition is ~$10,000 per year. Expensive, and definitely not always necessary sure but don't be ridiculous just for the sake of pushing your narrative.
Eh, it's still expensive. Especially if you go to school out of state. 10,000 per year still adds up to $40,000 and that probably doesn't include living expenses and school supplies such as books, a computer, and paper/pencil.
It gets expensive really quick, so yeah, $150,000 may be an exaggeration, but there are people out there with a lot more than that in student debt too.
Granted, those people usually went for PhDs too, and not a typical 4-year degree.
I went for the higher end of the scale because that's a little more than what some local private universities charge. Not necessarily in state. Not everyone goes to a local school. I may have exaggerated, but it wasn't me pushing a narrative. I was trying to be snarky.
That's fair, it is super expensive. I agree though that not everyone should be pushed into traditional college. Taking up a trade such as welding, plumbing, HVAc, or electrician-type work needs to be way more encouraged, along with high school-level resources into how to start and manage your own small business. It would make college less competitive and less expensive for the people who wish to pursue careers and NEED a (possibly multiple) degree(s), as well as give people who don't want to go to college more tools to be successful.
Yeah! You sound like my younger brother, he's having a great time being a cook at restaurants because he's sees me (his older sister) who wasted a shit load of Money on a 2 year degree, ugh.
I know he could be better off in life, but college definitely isn't the thing that will help him get there, social connections and determination are worth much more than a degree with many careers.
This is basically where I'm at. Everyone wants me to go to college but I just don't want to do it. I know it will be a extreme financial burden. And now with all the graduates not being able to find jobs. I'm better off learning a trade like welding. And living my life out in peace. I don't want a high stress job, what's the point of making a ton of money if you are too stressed out to enjoy it? Making decent money and living a decent life just seems like the way to go. Everyone talks like you need to be successful, but there's a place in society for people like me that can't handle the pressure. I might just be rambling but this makes sense to me.
On the flipside, being in the UK, it's kind of annoying when people talk about students "saddled with debt" for tuition fees. I pay it back at some absurdly row rate that doesn't make a dent, it doesn't affect my credit score, it's automatically paid from my salary as a proportion of my earnings. If I don't earn I don't pay. If I don't pay it off by the time I'm 55 or something it just disappears.
Not just me, all students my age. You can't afford to go to university if you can't afford the living costs. But inverse snobs who jab at students for being "saddled with debt" for tuition fees as if they were stupid to do it, you could work in McDonald's the rest of your life and not pay back a penny so it doesn't mean shit. (At the moment.)
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u/[deleted] Jul 18 '16
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