Comment by snowwrestler

Comment by snowwrestler 3 days ago

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People don’t want “cheap healthcare,” people want to be healthy.

And people don’t want “job training,” people want to be educated and have a fulfilling life.

Of course college looks too expensive if it is just “job training.” But that is not what college is.

College proved its immense value first, and then because of its obvious value, employers started looking for it. But you’ve let the cart get in front of the horse, by thinking that the value of a college education is simply that employers are looking for it.

somenameforme 3 days ago

This [1] is a graph of educational attainment in the US. And the percent of people into the 60s who had a college degree was in the single digits, with it being near zero in times past. It then started ramping up extremely quickly. The main thing that changed is a lot more jobs started requiring degrees around that time.

If people were genuinely pursuing college for self betterment, then you'd think the numbers would have been dramatically higher in the past, especially back in the day when you could comfortably afford college even on just a part time job. The increase in enrollment also came right alongside sharp increases in cost.

[1] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Educational_attainment_in_the_...

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jb_rad 3 days ago

The problem is there isn’t an alternative for people who want one. I’m self educated and self employed, and yet I’m forced to pay for healthcare I don’t need, and compete against those with the pedigree of an Ivy League.

My issue is these things boil down to class. There should be a legitimate, high quality alternative for those who can’t afford it.

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kgdiem 3 days ago

I agree with you in spirit but most people in the US look at college like job training. It’s literally advertised as job training on TV, buses and billboards. Teachers, parents, and media have long been seen as “the way” to get a job.

One of the most disappointing things about college was how little people cared about the liberal arts aspect, where humanities courses were an annoying box to tick.

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  • snowwrestler 3 days ago

    Teenagers do not understand the true value of things. This is not news and not restricted to the field of education. “You’ll need to get a good job someday” is one of the all-purpose lines adults use when harassing them into making better life choices.

    College makes a person more capable in general, which confers long-term competitiveness during a career. That’s why parents want their kids to go to college. And the great thing is it works even if the kid is just checking the box. It works better if they are engaged and enthusiastic, of course.

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    • fragmede 3 days ago

      > And the great thing is it works even if the kid is just checking the box.

      Maybe if you limit it to STEM degrees. There are plenty of people saddled with humanities degrees that haber no hope of paying off the loans taken to get the degree, nevermind a job past barista.

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      • snowwrestler 3 days ago

        No, what I’m saying is that if a kid takes a college writing class and does enough to pass it, at the end that kid will be a better writer. Even if they did not like the class.

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        • fragmede 3 days ago

          I misunderstood you. In that regard, you're totally right!

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  • tootie 3 days ago

    I think that's the disconnect. When college was more rarified, it was populated by a mix of children of privilege and those who had the talent, ambition and desire to expand their minds. That selection bias was enough to predict future success. When the formula was boiled down to "college=success" it became a system to be gamed. Students scraping and cheating to get admission, schools offering easier degrees. The birth of diploma mills where education didn't matter and student life was non-existent. No wonder the value of college seems so diminished.

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