This is due to a rare combination of features for high-end computing jobs:
The needed skills can be learned by self-education by someone who has enough motivation and ability (“enough” is quite high, though).
The needed skills can be demonstrated to employers in ways other than having a credential.
The needed skills are in-demand enough that there is not a big push to raise barriers to entry by raising credential requirements generally.
That said, most of those who want to go into computing will find that learning CS in school with the structure of a curriculum and the help of instructors is more effective for them than self-education.
There’re a variety of CS jobs, as the discipline covers such a wide range of fields. There’re software development jobs available to motivated HS graduates, but how satisfied and secured these jobs will be long term may be another story.
Isn’t some of this issue supply and demand? 40 years ago when I attended college some 25% of students went to college. Today it’s somewhere around 65%. This does two things. First it creates a greater supply of those who have degree credentials creating an oversupply of college graduates. Second, it creates a surplus of demand for college degrees and thus increases the competition and cost to attend universities (especially elite universities). Loan forgiveness (can we really just do this for those who currently have loans?) merely subsidizes increasing the demand further which will probably increase cost and further exacerbate the already problematic credentials creep.
When my father graduated, having a degree was rare enough that nearly any degree distinguished you from many others that might be seeking employment. Those days are mostly gone. For the most part unless the student has a degree that is in demand they are just competing with millions of others with similar credentials for jobs that while it may be required don’t really need a college education. There are always going to be exceptions but for most you must be the best, seek higher levels of education (even that is becoming saturated)and be able to market yourself and your skills and benefits to the employer very well. I’m not sure how to reverse this. Perhaps the surplus of baby boomers who will continue to retire over the next 10 to 15 years will open up opportunities. But frankly offering tuition forgiveness will merely increase the taxes of everyone including those who receive the forgiveness for an unforseeable future.
I don’t know about people being admitted to 1 or more but I remember him going on numerous interviews, also can be costly, and then being accepted to 4 or 5 of them. Like college, I would think a top student would pretty much have their pick for mid and lower level med schools if they wanted and then have to compete for the top spots in the same manner but at the same time if money is an issue be prepared to take on that extra debt. Mine originally wanted to do an MD/PhD program or MSTP program and had more than one program to which he could do it, but it would be such a long haul and had the option to go instead to a top school and then be able to go an do whatever he wanted which was the road he took. Med school is a hard road period for anyone, but one has to get there first and some might say it takes more work in undergrad to get into those top medical schools than one you are in medical school.
A top 4 year college can add 6 figure debt to a family so it’s really a lot for anyone to think about. The payoff in most medical fields is also just not there as few people realize.
I think it is really more that he is an anomaly than the typical student. He found a passion in 9th grade, had a phenomenal teacher and the school allowed him to take the AP course as a freshman so that by sophomore year he was done with the curriculum and then did independent study the last two year and they really encouraged him and engaged with him as opposed to limiting him based on our school’s own limitations. I can’t say enough about the Math/CS teacher that he had. I was sad to see him leave just before my other kids would’ve had him.
I do think many people go into CS with the wrong idea in mind think it’s going to be easy and easy money and then realize they don’t like it or aren’t good at it and quickly drop out or change majors or can’t get the high paying jobs. It’s sort of like the mentality of people who can’t find jobs so they run to law school thinking all lawyers can get a job and make a lot of money, when in fact, most lawyers really don’t make a lot of money and never make partner, and the ones that do make partner, are forever working to market clients and grow their business as it’s a make what you eat kind of job. Not always the most enjoyable since ultimately in a lot of ways you’re just a salesman.
40% of applicants accepted at a med school.
60% of applicants rejected every year (this is after completing typical 3-4 year UG)
20% of accepted to only one medical school (no choice/options to choose from unlike UG)
20% of accepted to more than one medical school (this is the cream of crop).
This year applicants went up by 18% so expect above number to be more competitive.
Med school is a triathlon nor a race.
Just now have an experience with loan service company. Corner Stone who was managing my son’s loan went out of business and loans were transferred to servicer 2 now. When he checked his account today found a surprise that UnSub loan from last year is still open and has balance on it. We know as fact every year we pay off UnSubs within 120 days of disbursement to avoid any interest accrue. Luckily his checking account has entry from last year and now being disputed.
So lesson learned, keep all your records with you, don’t rely on servicing companies for record keeping. If you are also affected by Corner Stone, check your records for any discrepancy.
Or more like the distinction has changed from a positive to a negative one. It used to be that while a high school graduate could get a decent career track entry-level job, and a college graduate could get an even better one, now a college graduate struggles to get a decent career track entry-level job, while a high school graduate gets screened out of the competition for many of those jobs entirely.
I.e. a college degree or other credential above a high school diploma went from being a bonus to the base expectation, so that not having such a thing is a penalty.
Of pre-meds who apply to medical school, only 40% get admitted. Of those who get admitted, only 30% get more than one admission that would allow them to choose based on factors like lower cost or any other preference.
Totally believe that. So many lower level students apply and don’t realize it’s a pipe dream and wind up having to leave the country and go to some place like Grenada, to D.O. school, or wind up choosing another career in the medical field altogether, whether it be Dental school, chiropractor school, etc. A really great option is P.A. school or nurse practitioner programs. PT programs are also great, but competitive. Many of these will wind up costing less than medical school and have many of the upsides but not the debt.
My 4 kids are all fantastic at science, which considering how bad I am at science is a wonder. Somehow they didn’t get my science genes. I thought maybe one might follow their father’s steps, but I think we were both happy to hear none of them were interested in a career in the medical field. Not because of the cost, but a whole host of other factors.
Tied student loan repayment directly to income, with provision to write it off after 10 years.
We already have this. Income-driven repayment. If it’s not fully paid after 20 years, the rest is forgiven. But this is only for federal student loans, not private. But it’s a good idea to apply it to private loans and reduce the time to 10 years.
Why would private lenders sign up for that? These loans are akin to credit card debt…completely unsecured. That’s why credit card interest rates are significantly higher than mortgages and auto loans.
Would you loan $30,000 to a student unsecured by any collateral with the knowledge it must be written off after 10 years if the borrower doesn’t make enough money?
Why do we expect lenders to shoulder the risk? We tell our kids to be careful with credit card debt but somehow that same advice doesn’t apply to student loans?
Yes, but most of them are D.O.s because they couldn’t get into medical school and subsequently go into primary care medicine. Very rare to find a D.O. in a specialized field. It happens, but those are the ones who are the very very top and exception. Otherwise, most D.O.'s do residencies in primary. That’s common knowledge and can easily be looked up and found if anyone researches it. Doesn’t mean they’re bad Dr’s. But again, most go to D.O. because they couldn’t get into medical school. They historically have lower MCAT scores as well. Also can be looked up to see stats.
Problem with income-driven repayment is that it doesn’t discourage the worst excesses. Some kids will think, hey, I will already be paying the most I’ll have to pay back anyway, why not (fill in the blank spendthrift behavior) since I won’t have to pay any more back anyway? And it doesn’t incentivize colleges to reign in tuition inflation; they keep getting their money - it is the taxpayer who will pick up the slack. It also de-links money borrowed with anticipated positive outcome; it does nothing to discourage a kid from borrowing an excessive amount to graduate with a degree in a field that has poor job prospects.
Osteopathic medical school. I believe the curriculum is the same with classes then clinical but D.O. more patient oriented. They also spend a bit more time on musculoskeletal classes/training I believe.
Not true, when loans are borrowed for education not resulting in good paying jobs, borrower ability to make payments reduces, hence lender will take slack for unpaid amount (consider it is a risk to do business), lender will reduce lending for those education, which will reduce demand for those offerings, causing schools to either reduce the cost or shutdown the offering.