<p>^ I attended my state’s “flagship” university decades ago, working my way through school without support from my parents. There are still a lot of young people who can get good value for money (and time) by attending their own state university, or possibly even an out-of-state university. But what I read about even the state universities is that they mostly enroll students from the wealthier rather than the poorer families in the state. There is still an issue of how low-income, but academically able, young people are to get higher education credentials, or whether students who are, in any case, going to self-finance are better off pursuing postsecondary schooling or stating a business, for example.</p>
<p>I don’t think it’s a “vocational school mentality” to allow young people who are genuinely interested in learning a craft or trade to do so. It’s not better or worse than allowing a kid who wants to major in philosophy do so. Both can always pursue more education, and often do…but the kid in the trade will probably be able to pay his own rent in the meantime! How many college kids are not getting the most out of the experience due to their inexperience and immaturity? I’ll bet that easily half the undergrads on any campus regularly skip classes and they aren’t sitting around having many deep, thought-provoking conversations with their profs or each other! To suggest that is the only path to becoming a well-rounded, well educated person is just nonsense.</p>
<p>“An outstanding college education is the best investment a person can make.”
This sounds so much like that other obsolete bit of conventional wisdumb, from the good old days = before the US began losing its empire. “Your home is the best investment you’ll ever make.”</p>
<p>The country is changing very rapidly, permanently, and for the worse. Better focus on preparing your kid to support him/herself. We do in fact have much to learn from other cultures; so what do college exchange students from up and coming countries major in when they come here. Not many are in liberal arts, which speaks directly to the value others see (or more accurately DON’T see) of investing in obsolete college degrees in today’s global economy. </p>
<p>If you don’t believe it, I’ve got a house I’d like to sell you.</p>
<p>
I think that’s pushing it a bit. Certainly true for the lower-tiered schools, and possibly for the middle/above avg. schools’ introductory classes, but definitely not true for everything else.</p>
<p>toodleooo’s comment is spot-on! Those that don’t or won’t understand this new paradigm are blithely whistling their way past the graveyard of their own very naive expectations.</p>
<p>“new paradigm” es muy exactamundo. check this story, headlined in another thread</p>
<p>[Your</a> Money - Another Debt Crisis Is Brewing, This One in Student Loans - NYTimes.com](<a href=“Another Debt Crisis Is Brewing, This One in Student Loans - The New York Times”>Another Debt Crisis Is Brewing, This One in Student Loans - The New York Times)</p>
<p>[8</a> Reasons College Tuition Is the Next Bubble to Burst | Naked Law by Avvo.com](<a href=“http://nakedlaw.avvo.com/2010/06/8-reasons-college-tuition-is-the-next-bubble-to-burst/]8”>http://nakedlaw.avvo.com/2010/06/8-reasons-college-tuition-is-the-next-bubble-to-burst/)</p>
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*</p>
<p>So the fight continues.</p>
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<p>Not sure what her point here is…colleges cost money as well, and usually a lot more of it than a trade progran would! Although it’s difficult to get into union-sponsored training programs, there are many CC’s that offer trade certifications.</p>
<p>Today’s Washington Post reports that a growing number of college grads (and drop-outs) are going into the trades…apparently at least some people are finding the opportunities there:</p>
<p>[url=<a href=“http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/14/AR2010061402838.html?hpid=topnews]washingtonpost.com[/url”>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/14/AR2010061402838.html?hpid=topnews]washingtonpost.com[/url</a>]</p>
<p>'Please, do tell. For the average student (who receives little to no financial aid) state schools are still 50-60k minimum. '</p>
<p>public library</p>
<p>Or, for some people, the Internet.</p>