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Master's programs are supposed to be career-oriented as mine was. I didn't necessarily learn a lot more because it covered a lot of energy and analytical subjects I already knew a lot about, but it has been helpful in other ways.

College degrees can be career-oriented (engineering, nursing, music), but that's not the whole point of it. I'd argue most college students don't really know what they want to do with their careers (I certainly didn't) or change their mind multiple times even if they think they do, so making majors career focused is kind of pointless. Internships exist for college students to see what professions they're interested are really all about.

If you want a career that doesn't require a substantial amount of education then you can get that at a community college.

Yes, and in some places, like here, it wouldn't cost you anything to do so.

https://www.harpercollege.edu/about/promise/index.php

We created this for a reason. We need people to fill jobs that are openly hiring. Healthcare, manufacturing and logistics are hot openings. Kids can also do their 2 years, and then transfer, if they choose.

The result of this program is that the kids coming into college are sitting at about a 3.4 GPA average (versus 2.7 for kids who are not in the program) and they are coming in with 9 college credits (versus 3 for kids who are not in the program). The program is working.


I still see parents pushing their kids into 4 year colleges, because that's what you're "supposed to do".

It's BS. We need more people to realize that a 4 year degree is not needed for everyone. It just isn't.

IN Europe, about 35% of HS grads go to college.

In the US, the figure is almost double that.

IN Europe, about 35% of HS grads go to college.

In the US, the figure is almost double that.

The US might have more college dropouts, so it's actual education attainment isn't that great relative to other countries:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_tertiary_education_attainment

As you can see, the US ranks below number of countries in terms of attainment of associates, bachelors, and graduate degrees..... Interestingly, Russia ranks first (US 4th) for college degrees by 55-64 year olds at the time of the study (so now they're 61-70).

I'll just add a couple of cents here.

I agree that a 4-year college degree is not necessary for everyone.  I'll add that IMO the push to make it such has resulted in a corresponding dumbing-down of high school.

I know that our suburban HS in the Tulsa Metro Area is not unique in this, because to a good degree it's mandated by the state, but the emphasis is increasingly on ensuring that our graduates who are not going to college are "career ready," meaning that they have skills that are in demand in the (mostly blue-collar) workplace.  The drive for this is accompanied by a reduced emphasis on liberal arts, humanities, etc.  What we are losing (or maybe "not attaining" would be more accurate) is the appreciation for things beyond job skills.

Things like: What does it mean to be a citizen in the United States of America?  What do we owe our society, and what does our society owe us?  And why?  And who says so?  And who has different answers, and what are they?

Along with an appreciation for art, music, literature, etc.

We haven't done much if we graduate kids from high school who are not going to college and all they know is how to be an auto mechanic (because they took auto mech classes at the local "tech college") because nothing else they encountered in the K-12 curriculum has stuck with them.  Not that there is anything wrong with being an auto mechanic.  We need 'em, and they need to be more and more technically savvy as they deal more and more with computers.  I'm right there with Mike Rowe on emphasizing all the dirty, unglamorous jobs that are legitimate career paths.

it's one thing to be trained to do a job in manufacturing

it's something completely different to be educated

 There is a comet coming in that COULD get interesting but probably won't.

The Corona Comet I suppose,can't catch a break

and the young ladies in the class