To all the so-called intelligent people who thought I was crazy for telling my listeners not to force their children to go to college because of degree saturation and lack of employment, well this story is for you ass clowns. A recent Time Magazine article, has confirmed my argument!
I've stated many times that college degrees are worth absolutely nothing in America today. Basically, these kids are putting themselves into a lifetime's worth of debt ($23, 200 on average) so they can have a 4 year party of sex, drugs and alcohol ("Girls Gone Wild;" enough said). And then when they're ready to go into America's service-industry oriented economy, they realize that they're not getting paid any better than a pot-head working the cash register at the local head shop.
For those graduates who do find modest salaries after college, they don't do the fiscally responsible thing and pay-off their student loans. Instead they go finance a house, a car and any other materialistic widget they feel that they deserve because of all the "hard work" (wink-wink) they did in college. Not taking into consideration the lack of true job security and globalization of economic systems; both of which jeopardize a graduate's income potential and longevity.
Because of all that's mentioned previous, a young person can feel a bit betrayed or lied to about the current set of circumstances. I feel for you young people! Not only have you been robbed of the economic opportunities accorded to your elders, but you've also been robbed of the critical thinking necessary to properly interpret the seriousness of all that's around you. Your minds have been hypnotized and programmed through an alternate reality perception, and that is Television.
For those of you young people that have snapped out of the MTV daydream and are attempting to lay blame but don't know where to look; look no further than those who raised you; the BABY BOOMERS!
I spent 4 and a half years in college, 1 and a half getting an associates in American History and the other three getting two bachelors degrees in Computer Science and Biology. I know exactly what you are saying ghost about college being totally worthless once you are done with it. I got out of college and worked for a home security company as a systems analyst for about a year, then was laid off. I was unemployed for about three months until a friend of mine, who's father works as a corporate financier for a foreign auto maker as the CFO for their North American Division got me the job I hold today, and have been working for about 4 months now.
ReplyDeleteThe only reason I got this good paying job was because I KNEW someone that could get me in, and not everyone is as fortunate as I was. I never expected to be making as much as I do now when I got out of college and looked around the job market. There were people with no education getting jobs before me because they had the experience and would work for a lower wage.
The problem is that there ARE people like me out there who do know people that can get them nice jobs and they get the good pay and they do exactly what you said they do, they buy that expensive car to show off, they buy the big house they cannot afford, but they do not pay back the loans! I took a little different approach and bought a used car, live in a small apartment because I am single and do not need a house anyway, and I pay double or sometimes triple payments on my loans so I can pay them off. I even paid loan payments while in school, which did teach me a little about how to stretch my money when I needed to do it.
What kids have to understand these days that if they want to work on computers, get a job in that field while in high school, low level work, and work your way up through that company or gain experience by teaching yourself. With the wage the college grads want after graduation, it is more affordable for a company to higher someone that has the experience and can do the job just as well or even better than that guy or gal who just graduated.
I was able to graduate in such a short time because I applied myself and taught myself a lot there is to know about the industry that I wanted to get into. But today college seems to be a right of passage for kids, and they think if they do not go they will lose out on something. I did not party in college all that much and it actually benefited me in the end because I did not.
But the kids will not listen ghost, they just do not listen!
wow Shawn :^) I'm sooo happy for you! I got my bachelors at 22 and my MBA at 23 with a 3.6 GPA but I am now unemployed. I have loans kicking my behind now and If I can do it all over again, I would have went to school for something much more in the creative Arts field where I can get hands on training and then do my own freelance work.
ReplyDeleteInstead I went for my Business degree and I have child now so its much harder for me now but I do think that having a degree isnt that much to brag about nowadays. I dont even like telling people I have an MBA because im not proud of it, it hasnt gotten me anywhere except in debt but hopefully I will meet someone the way you did that can see me as a great fit for what their company is looking for. I really had my focus on starting my own business, thats where my focus has been since I've been out of work for 2 years nearly but now I desperatly need the income because of my loans.
I see a lot of people say they are going to go back to school to get a better job but I always tell them, if thats the route you want to go, you need to rack up as much internships and job experience as you can because they want the most from you for the littlest pay as possible. They prefer someone who can do the job of 3 people and pay you the same amount as 1 person. More money for the employer. But they dont see that either.