Summer is Not What it Used To Be

Student Lounge College Life
1

<p>I was talking today with my aunt and uncle who went to college in the mid 70's. They were talking about how little pressure there was to apply for universities. They also noted that college was so cheap back then, so they didn't have to work during college. They also said that college students are put under so pressure nowadays that it seems like they never have any free time. They reminisced about their nonchalant summers and spring breaks. </p>

<p>I am just curious what your other relatives who went to college have said about their college years. Is it similair or different?</p>

2

<p>similar</p>

<p>supposed colleges were easy to get into and you didn't have to work...but the classwork level and intensity was the same</p>

3

<p>My parents went to college in the Soviet Union. They told me that you would go to the University and test there. If you failed the test then you wouldn't get in, or you might get picked up by another University. For guys, they'd be sent off to the army.</p>

<p>So I guess it's a little different from the US. But I also think that there was no financial burden. If anybody knows of Olin College, I think it was done like that.</p>

4

<p>My dentist said if he was predental now theres no way in hell he'd be getting in to dental school... now if only I was 10 years older :D</p>

5

<p>I think it probably depends on where your aunt/uncle went to school, as well as their background, and so on. </p>

<p>In comparison to today, sure, college prices have sky rocketed, but my dad generally worked year round, and my mom took classes at night because she couldn't afford it coming out of high school. </p>

<p>I must say that there was probably much less emphasis on "prestige" when attending school. That's what I see as the biggest difference.</p>

6

<p>Haha, if I had your dentist I'd be worried instead of using the :D sign, burgler09.</p>

7

<p>Why? undergrad doesn't predict the skills of a dentist. What does a cyclohexane have to do with a root canal :P</p>

8

<p>There's a great thread over in the Parents forum: "'Chance' a Parent" or something like that. It's pretty recent...just from this past weekend or so.</p>

<p>I think the situation is more complex than just "They had it easier," but it's a cool thread to check out.</p>

9

<p>olin is bad ass.</p>

10

<p>I worked a work study job during college, and I worked every summer from the time I was 14 to save up money for college. College was still a reach for lots of people back in the 70's and 80's.</p>

11

<p>My parents both used a stint in the Air Force to pay for college back in the '80s (and my mother still worked all through as a security guard). Neither of their families had any money for college, though; at the time, my mother was part of the first generation in her family to go. So I don't know; I don't think it was mega-affordable for everyone.</p>

<p>I do know that both my parents have said that there's a lot more stress put on the college application process these days, and also that their parents didn't know anything about what they were doing. No one provided them any help or information about applications--they just applied to whatever colleges sent them applications and went to the one with the best financial package.</p>

12

<p>I graduated from college in 1973. The summer after high school, I worked one fulltime job and one part time job for a total of 60 hours a week. The rest of the summers in college, I worked fulltime. I worked 10-20 hours a week soph-senior year in college, and I graduated with loans that I paid off on time 5 years later.</p>

<p>My husband worked construction (helping construct a high rise despite having a fear of heights) and in a steel mill to help pay for his college education. </p>

<p>I am surprised that my S seems satisfied with having only a 20-hour a week job the summer after freshman year. Most of his friends have at best a 20-hour a week job. They also seem to feel that they can pick and choose their jobs so that the work is interesting and teaches them something.</p>

<p>I was happy to get whatever I could. It wasn't fun, for instance, being a clerk typist in a loud, dirty factor filled with rough guys, but I did it because I could earn money.</p>

<p>As for the pressure about applying to college, I went to one of the best public schools in Upstate NY, and top students wanted to go to Ivies. Most students applied to 5 colleges -- which may seem like a small number, but back then was a lot. Top students also did plenty of ECs so as to look good to colleges (This was back in the day when colleges loved students who appeared to be well rounded. Things have changed.)</p>

<p>I took the SAT twice in an attempt to raise my score. I also studied for the SAT. </p>

<p>While the Kaplan and similar services didn't exist back then, the more competitive students bought review books to try to raise their scores.</p>

<p>Close to 90% of my h.s class went to college, so my school was unusual for those days. Lots of kids of engineers, college professors and people in similar careers attended my school.</p>

<p>When I applied to college also was the most competitive time in U.S. history due to the baby boom. While hearing that back then, Harvard accepted 25% of applicants sounds like heaven compared to now, but those were stressful times just like times are now for today's h.s. students who aspire to name brand colleges.</p>

<p>Add to that, the cost of places like Ivies still was very high particularly compared to in state publics. Seemed my dad (a dentist who was really bad about making money) made about $15 k a year. I think the cost of Harvard was around $6,000 a year.</p>

13

<p>My dad went to a smaller state school back in the 70's. He said he worked during the school year, but he was able to pay for his tuition and such through working in the summer. That just isn't realistic now..</p>

14

<p>I think the biggest difference between then and now is that today, we're not phased by people graduating college with 50k+ in debt, or finishing graduate school with over 200k in loans to pay back. It almost makes more sense this way -- I worked full time each summer during college, but didn't work during the school year. To me, it wasn't worth it to work during school. Sacrifice grades and a shot at a better grad school for $10 an hour? Not worth it in the long run.</p>

15

<p>@ BronxBombers7</p>

<p>Many students now have part-time or work-study jobs during the school year just to afford necessities and pay bills. This generation has learned to multi-task (study and work) well. It is becoming a part of life for some of us.</p>

16

<p>BronxBomber,
Most of my college friends worked when we were in college back in the 1970s. Most also ended up going to medical school (including Ivies), law school or getting their doctorates. Most also worked fulltime during summers.</p>

<p>It's not that hard to keep one's grades up while working and doing ECs in college.</p>