News: Why Americans are increasingly dubious about going to college

[Arcadia]

2 hours ago, shawthorne44 said:

 I had thought that we'd hired all the fitness gurus/computer programmers in the area just because people tend to hire those like themselves.  

It is also networking. Training in the sports center or elsewhere for marathons and other sporting events enlarge social circles. In the tech field, the fastest way to land a job would be through networking either through your own social networks or through a good headhunter or both. 

[Frances]

19 hours ago, Roadrunner said:

We could really use something like that.

my kid is interested in physics. We have no clue what he can do with that. 

I work with someone who has a PhD in physics and used to be in academia. The work is analytical in nature with the most common degree being economics. There are lots of jobs out there in a variety of fields for anyone with strong analytical skills and preferably at least some experience with big data and programming.

[daijobu]

Weird!  LinkedIn just let me know that Apple is looking to hire someone with a kinesiology degree.  

 

Education & Experience

BS/BA AND/OR RELEVANT EXPERIENCE


Background in exercise science/kinesiology/psychology or a related field preferred
 

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, daijobu said:

Weird!  LinkedIn just let me know that Apple is looking to hire someone with a kinesiology degree.  

 

Education & Experience

BS/BA AND/OR RELEVANT EXPERIENCE


Background in exercise science/kinesiology/psychology or a related field preferred
 

How timely!

[Clarita]

On 8/14/2022 at 3:19 PM, Roadrunner said:

my kid is interested in physics. We have no clue what he can do with that. 

I know physics majors and I've worked with physics majors and chemistry majors. They can find work in major tech companies just like engineers do. They just tend to be hired for research heavy roles vs. design heavy roles. There are also still government sponsored or other companies with labs that do a lot of research.

[ScoutTN]

I know one physics major who works in the aeronautics industry, one who double-majored in accounting and is a CPA, and one who works in the solar energy industry.

[teachermom2834]

I know people are always pushing the trades and there are definitely kids that those are perfect for. But what about the kids that aren’t necessarily intellectuals but aren’t cut out for the trades either? I do live in an area where a lot of people are down on the idea of going to college but I often want to ask what they envision my kids doing if they don’t go to college? My kids are not handy. They are hard workers but they aren’t good with their hands. I don’t see them becoming masterful at a trade. Maybe, but it would sure take alot of time and training and they wouldn’t enjoy it at all. 

One of my kids is in a job that he needed the degree to check the box but I’m not sure he uses it. But it definitely is a filter to the many people trying to get into his field. He doesn’t make a lot of money. He’s only 22 so who knows where his career will lead but right now you could definitely say he could be doing better in a warehouse I guess. But his job is enjoyable and kind of cool and it can lead to other things. But he isn’t outearning a guy in a factory right now. While I wouldn’t have wanted him to take on huge debt for his degree I’m not sure it was a dumb as people would like to say it is. ???? 
 

I got so frustrated by the people telling my kids not to go to college or mocking me and saying “gotta get that fancy piece of paper”. No, college is not for everyone but neither are the trades. I did ask one guy once what he thought my kids should do to make a living if they didn’t go to college and he said “penny stocks” and “be an “entrepreneur”. 
 

That’s the kind of advice I hear around here when people dismiss college. Rarely you hear someone with an actual plan to pursue a trade or alternative path. It’s a general disdain for the college path without a clear alternative. 

 

[Lori D.]

4 hours ago, teachermom2834 said:

I know people are always pushing the trades and there are definitely kids that those are perfect for. But what about the kids that aren’t necessarily intellectuals but aren’t cut out for the trades either?

If the local community college offers decent AAS degrees (the "degree to work" Associate's, rather than the AA "degree to transfer to college" Associate's), there are can be many options there that are NOT "traditional trade" occupations:

- accounting
- court transcriber
- CAD
- cyber security
- computer network support
- paralegal
- interpreter for the deaf
- medical technician for: diagnostic sonographer, MRI, radiology, PT, OT, respiratory, nuclear medicine, pharmacy, etc.
- dental  hygenist
- speech therapy assistant
- digital arts -- web designer
- cosmetology / barber
- massage therapist
- hospitality industry
- environmental engineering tech
- solar technician or other "green" technology

Or possibly earn a certificate from a local provider for:
- forklift driver (warehouse work)
- locksmith
- real estate agent or home inspector or appraiser
- OSHA inspector or trainer

Edited August 17, 2022 by Lori D.

[Miguelsmom]

@teachermom2834 My son's not academically inclined he started off with an Associates of science ( 2 year career readiness degree) graduated found that they were looking for a 4 year degree. Went into a special program that was electives heavy to get a 4 year degree. Doesn't like his job options so he's getting a master's. This is a kid that failed every core class from 7th to 10th grade. Only doing well in the classes that he picked.

His 4 year degree consisted of:

15 general education was chosen for him. (English 1,2, speech, math, government) 

18 general education was electives. (Math or programming, science, humanities x2, and some others)

66 we're chosen electives in the major. (In a specialty of web development and data Architect they have a ton of specialties to choose from)

18 credits electives. ( He chooses business classes)

Edited August 17, 2022 by Miguelsmom

[Lillyfee]

On 8/16/2022 at 5:59 PM, teachermom2834 said:

I know people are always pushing the trades and there are definitely kids that those are perfect for. But what about the kids that aren’t necessarily intellectuals but aren’t cut out for the trades either? I do live in an area where a lot of people are down on the idea of going to college but I often want to ask what they envision my kids doing if they don’t go to college? My kids are not handy. They are hard workers but they aren’t good with their hands. I don’t see them becoming masterful at a trade. Maybe, but it would sure take alot of time and training and they wouldn’t enjoy it at all. 

One of my kids is in a job that he needed the degree to check the box but I’m not sure he uses it. But it definitely is a filter to the many people trying to get into his field. He doesn’t make a lot of money. He’s only 22 so who knows where his career will lead but right now you could definitely say he could be doing better in a warehouse I guess. But his job is enjoyable and kind of cool and it can lead to other things. But he isn’t outearning a guy in a factory right now. While I wouldn’t have wanted him to take on huge debt for his degree I’m not sure it was a dumb as people would like to say it is. ???? 
 

I got so frustrated by the people telling my kids not to go to college or mocking me and saying “gotta get that fancy piece of paper”. No, college is not for everyone but neither are the trades. I did ask one guy once what he thought my kids should do to make a living if they didn’t go to college and he said “penny stocks” and “be an “entrepreneur”. 
 

That’s the kind of advice I hear around here when people dismiss college. Rarely you hear someone with an actual plan to pursue a trade or alternative path. It’s a general disdain for the college path without a clear alternative. 

 

If kids are willing to live abroad for a while, they are looking badly for people for all kinds of jobs in vocational training in Germany all the time and from what I know the US thinks a lot of these degrees. I am glad my kids will have that option if they don't want to go to college but still want a good education.

I am still wondering if the US has something like that? My husband says no but it's hard to believe for me.

But that would be a nice alternative for kids without college ambitions that are ok with living abroad.

https://en.life-in-germany.de/apprenticeship-ausbildung-for-non-eu/?amp

Edited September 4, 2022 by Lillyfee

[Malam]

On 8/16/2022 at 11:01 PM, Lori D. said:

If the local community college offers decent AAS degrees (the "degree to work" Associate's, rather than the AA "degree to transfer to college" Associate's), there are can be many options there that are NOT "traditional trade" occupations:

- accounting
- court transcriber
- CAD
- cyber security
- computer network support
- paralegal
- interpreter for the deaf
- medical technician for: diagnostic sonographer, MRI, radiology, PT, OT, respiratory, nuclear medicine, pharmacy, etc.
- dental  hygenist
- speech therapy assistant
- digital arts -- web designer
- cosmetology / barber
- massage therapist
- hospitality industry
- environmental engineering tech
- solar technician or other "green" technology

Or possibly earn a certificate from a local provider for:
- forklift driver (warehouse work)
- locksmith
- real estate agent or home inspector or appraiser
- OSHA inspector or trainer

Medical coder, aircraft maintenance tech, CNC operator

  

On 9/4/2022 at 1:24 PM, Lillyfee said:

My husband says no but it's hard to believe for me

Job Corps would be the closes I can think of

Edited September 14, 2022 by Malam

[possiblyavampire]

I wonder how many of these kids are going to trade school (either in high school or directly afterwards), then "bridge up."

For example, where I live, many of our nurses take the first year of the LPN course in high school and finish the program the year after they graduated. They make as much as a teacher with a four or five year degree just one year out of high school. Then they can bridge to an RN in two years (one year of prereqs, one year of actual RN bridge), and they make $65,000 or more a year. If they want, they can keep "bridging," and they're actually able to afford the tuition. 

 

[gonejustcouldntdelete]

I know this thread is old, but I'm really not certain of the etiquette about this sort of thing. Anyway, here's my two cents:

Four year degrees are usually a waste of money if someone doesn't know what they want to do with it.

Right now, I've got two cousins who work at the public library. One has almost $200,000 in student loans for a degree in philosophy. He makes $12.69 an hour, the same as the one who got the job straight out of high school and has no such debt. The former is what my dad calls a "college-educated fool." He doesn't say anything of the sort about the ones who have actually benefited financially from their degrees. 

Now, of course, that's not to say I think a college degree is useless. We need people in healthcare, education, etc. However, we need to balance the "follow your passions" encouragements with financially sound advice. 

[Rosie_0801]

42 minutes ago, countingoncoffee said:

I know this thread is old, but I'm really not certain of the etiquette about this sort of thing. 

The etiquette is to start a new thread rather than resurrect a completed conversation.