Thanks to all the folks that offered their support to KC… I know he’ll appreciate hearing that we’re all behind him! On a similar subject, I wanted to do a little thinking on the related topic of higher education in general. As you have all heard, I have a daughter that is rapidly reaching the age that we will be helping her make a decision on which way to steer her adult life. Through the acknowledgment of this milestone in her life I am faced with a degree of frustration…

 

   The dilemma we face as parents is the fact we want to see our children achieve what ever dreams they have for themselves, countered by the fact that dreams don’t come cheap! Our society in the last decade or maybe even longer has told High School students that after they get their HS diploma, it’s off to University. Unfortunately, the popular way to achieve that goal is through government sponsored debt… It’s looked down upon to have a student choose something other than a 4 year school but it’s perfectly alright with everyone to saddle that student or more often their parents with debt (BIG DEBT) to make all this happen.

 

   I remember when I was in High School there were two distinct tracks for my peers and myself… College prep courses and then “Everyone Else”… I will proudly admit that I was in the “Everyone Else” category of students. I maintained decent grades but had no delusions that I would be going on to college. First off, I HATED school and wasn’t about to stick around for additional courses beyond what old man prepper was insisting on me completing. I actually did take a few college classes the summer after my junior year but this was done so I could gain the required credits I needed to skip 99% of my senior year. I had one course I had to attend senior year and then I was able to get the very few remaining credits for graduation through a work study program. My then current employer cooperated with the school and I earned money all through senior year and only went back for one last day to participate in the graduation ceremony.

 

   When I was contemplating my own future we had more than just the one viable choice of University or looking like some sort of slacker… Trade schools and apprenticeship programs were common and a respectable option… Oh yeah and Military service was certainly on the table as well. College was definitely looked upon favorably but it was assumed that you would be going with a specific direction in mind. Many of my peers that did go on to the universities had been planning it for several years and had a goal in mind that this additional schooling required.

 

   Today, I feel compelled to send my daughter to a university just because that’s what so many of her friends families are doing. I have no issue helping her get any education that will enable her to reach her goals but I resent the societal expectation of a college education.  I’d like to challenge the norm and ask what career paths genuinely require a diploma from a 4 year school. Oh, I thought of a few… Historian, Poetry major, art appreciation, women’s studies… Come-on, really? Why would anyone send their young adult to a 4 year school to study art unless they were going to become an art teacher. Nothing wrong with getting your credentials to teach any subject you want, I appreciate our need for teachers. Let me ask though, do we really want to spend up to 100K or beyond to help our children get a position paying 24-30,000 per year? I don’t see how that pencils out to well?

 

   I do appreciate the 10-12 years my doctor spends in school to achieve his license to practice medicine but is it real important that my electrician have college on his resume? What about our plumbers, carpenters, barbers, soldiers, mechanics, pilots, accountants, physical education teachers, secretaries or even our attorneys… Yes, I know that several of these actually require serious amounts of class room study in an environment such as a college or university but 4 years worth? I have been doing my homework and see that much of the first 2 years of any 4 year degree is spent on subject matter that has little or in many cases nothing to do with the major being sought?

 

   What would be wrong with nearly all of our professions taking the approach of a trade school… Is there some reason that my dentist needs to have several levels of advanced English literature to be competent to work on my teeth? Why wouldn’t we have dentists complete a course of study that focus on their actual profession? Wait, they already do this it’s called Dental school… So what does the required 4 year degree count for before he can enter dental school? I don’t ever remember having an in-depth conversation with my dentist and come to the realization of what a well rounded individual he was. I’m sure he is but why do I care about anything other than his competency in his chosen field?

 

   I guess that this train of thought begs the question – what exactly is my daughter or any other graduate going to be QUALIFIED to do with their 4 year degree. I understand that many employers supposedly want to see this on a resume, I remain skeptical on that point but does this degree actually help them to know how to DO anything with any proficiency? As an employer, I certainly wouldn’t penalize a person for having the degree but I’m far more interested in their ability to do the job I need done. Would we as a society even notice the difference if 99% of our population didn’t have a degree? How many of the people we deal with on a regular basis require that degree to do the job that we find them doing? Do I even care that my doctor received a passing grade on his college psychology exam? That is unless he’s my shrink… I think you get the idea I’m driving at!

 

   I actually have enough to say on this topic that it will take me a second post to get it all out of my head so stick around and I promise to wrap this tirade up tomorrow!

 

 

Prepper