I do not have a college degree of any kind. I have had many, many college classes over the *ahem* years since I graduated from high school.
I also type focus groups for a marketing company that talks to a lot of high school juniors and seniors, parents of same and school guidance professionals. Everyone is convinced that you're either gonna spend your life saying "Welcome to Walmart" or "You want fries with that" if you don't have a college degree.
And now - a master's is very nearly the minimum "they" want you to have.
I, however, disagree. College is not for everyone. Some things can't be learned in college. Some things can be learned without it when you need to learn it. Mostly, in my opinion that is guaranteed to draw fire, colleges have devolved to job training institutes - not institutions of learning.
In the focus groups, when asked why they are going to college - kids say that they want a good job. Parents say they need to get a good job. Guidance counselors - ditto. Say what you want...I'm just relaying what I've heard from hundreds of people in the last 8 years. Cost is a huge concern for students and families, but now it's mostly in terms of monstrous amounts of DEBT.
And - working in academia...the ivory tower is JUST about as bad as the reputation suggests.
I also type focus groups for a marketing company that talks to a lot of high school juniors and seniors, parents of same and school guidance professionals. Everyone is convinced that you're either gonna spend your life saying "Welcome to Walmart" or "You want fries with that" if you don't have a college degree.
And now - a master's is very nearly the minimum "they" want you to have.
I, however, disagree. College is not for everyone. Some things can't be learned in college. Some things can be learned without it when you need to learn it. Mostly, in my opinion that is guaranteed to draw fire, colleges have devolved to job training institutes - not institutions of learning.
In the focus groups, when asked why they are going to college - kids say that they want a good job. Parents say they need to get a good job. Guidance counselors - ditto. Say what you want...I'm just relaying what I've heard from hundreds of people in the last 8 years. Cost is a huge concern for students and families, but now it's mostly in terms of monstrous amounts of DEBT.
And - working in academia...the ivory tower is JUST about as bad as the reputation suggests.
