Heck, I surely don't have any disdain for higher learning...since I know the bennies of a degree...insured bothnof my kids got one...my son chose to get two.
How Much Learnen Y'all Got?
- Thread starter Aussie Thoughts
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Aussie Thoughts
Just my 2 cents
My dad never went to college either, but his hard work paid my way. My son on the other hand plans to marry after graduating and stay on the farm. So he has no immediate interest in college. Could change his mind though and I'm ready to fit the bill if he does.
A Cup Of Tea
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I think I overstated the 'distrust' towards higher education, I was just being sloppy. I think the posters want to emphasize the fact that higher education isn't always better than other options and I agree with that point fully. But I thought I would underline the strengths of education when it works.
Devils' Advocate
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Well you have it easy, Tea as you live in one of those Evil Socialist countries that I hear about from the Republicans over here on a daily basis. If I had kids I would have to have some serious discussions what route they took re benefits and otherwise.
Most middle class kids graduating with a Bachelor's degree over here get, along with their diploma, a massive debt load. $40,000 to $80,000 in debt just to get a college degree. I cannot fathom being in my early 20s and being that far in debt already. Traditionally, college was the way to go with better chances at good jobs and good paying jobs.
But now, unless you are studying in a field what starts out with a generous salary, and the demand for workers is great, you are playing Russian roulette taking on that kind of debt in the hope of landing a decent job.
Most middle class kids graduating with a Bachelor's degree over here get, along with their diploma, a massive debt load. $40,000 to $80,000 in debt just to get a college degree. I cannot fathom being in my early 20s and being that far in debt already. Traditionally, college was the way to go with better chances at good jobs and good paying jobs.
But now, unless you are studying in a field what starts out with a generous salary, and the demand for workers is great, you are playing Russian roulette taking on that kind of debt in the hope of landing a decent job.
A Cup Of Tea
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Go communism!
Aussie Thoughts
Just my 2 cents
That's a big dilemma down here as well. Initial cost vs increased earning potential. My dad fit the bill for me, but had he not and I continued on as a teacher, I'd still be in debt. There are of course benefits beyond potential monetary gain, but it's still a tough call for many.
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Yeah, I know that feeling too well. Only 15 more years of steady payments and the government will 'have' to forgive the remainder of my student loan debt. At least according to the current standards. We'll see what actually happens then.
Ahanu
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Just in time. This has been making its rounds on Facebook:
College tuition is not affordable. Now we're "sharing" to make that extra buck for things that aren't necessary! Where's Henry David Thoreau when you need him? He'd have a few choice words with us right about now.
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Like foul language in posts.....
Ahanu
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Like foul language in posts.....
Well, I didn't edit the image.
One of the few advantages of being low income for me at the time, was the ability to attend college with no financial worries. I hadn't planned to attend, but the survivor benefits my mother received on my behalf from my late father's SS account was going stop unless I stayed in school. So I started looking into it. Initially I received a full scholarship for my first semester, no great feat on my part, there was just a scholarship available to low income individuals that met minimum grade requirements and I applied for it. After that I applied for and got 3 no payback government grants. Then I applied for and got a low interest government loan. To which I also applied for a repayment waiver. The repayment waiver was actually approved before the loan. I worked part-time and used money I had tucked away from my band days to cover everything else. The disadvantage to attending college this way was that I only had 3 years to get the job done due to age restrictions. So, I had to nearly double my course load. That's how I almost wound up with 2 majors.
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I did.
Ahanu
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Thanks! I will be more careful with posts like that in the future. Hate to make you do any extra work.
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Not a problem.
Vajradhara
One of Many
namaste all,
what interesting responses! i started my formal education whilst i was in the military and they offered classes from the local state university on the base. i studied English and Creative Writing. after i left the military i ended up doing time at a theological seminary and left with a rather meaningless doctorate of theology degree.... meaningless in that it paid not a single bill and, mostly, i had just finished what i had started yet my value system had already shifted such that there was no way i could honestly parlay that education into a job.
so i taught myself how to work on computers... in particular, computer networks and the related networking equipment and i parlayed that into a 18 year career until my physical disabilities made it nigh impossible to continue in this field. it has remained a significant challenge to find some manner of employment these past 10 years or so.
due to my own particular upbringing i've often been the most well read and culturally diverse person within my peer groups and i've made a particular point in my own education to practice etiquette so that my words and actions match the situation and people i'm talking to thus i never feel unease when i talk to people regardless of their formal education or lack thereof. as they say "in the beginners mind there are many possibilities; in the expert's few."
metta,
~v
what interesting responses! i started my formal education whilst i was in the military and they offered classes from the local state university on the base. i studied English and Creative Writing. after i left the military i ended up doing time at a theological seminary and left with a rather meaningless doctorate of theology degree.... meaningless in that it paid not a single bill and, mostly, i had just finished what i had started yet my value system had already shifted such that there was no way i could honestly parlay that education into a job.
so i taught myself how to work on computers... in particular, computer networks and the related networking equipment and i parlayed that into a 18 year career until my physical disabilities made it nigh impossible to continue in this field. it has remained a significant challenge to find some manner of employment these past 10 years or so.
due to my own particular upbringing i've often been the most well read and culturally diverse person within my peer groups and i've made a particular point in my own education to practice etiquette so that my words and actions match the situation and people i'm talking to thus i never feel unease when i talk to people regardless of their formal education or lack thereof. as they say "in the beginners mind there are many possibilities; in the expert's few."
metta,
~v
Ahanu
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It seems you could use these skills today to monetize a blog about theology or life.
Do you think this is because of your disability, skills, available job openings or a combination of them all?
Vajradhara
One of Many
Namaste Ahanu,
thank you for the response.
hmm... i hadn't really thought about that. that does sound intriguing now that you mention it.
in some ways, now, it's a combination. my skills are, in a practical sense, 10 years out of date though such things can be overcome that requires a bit of a capital investment which is difficult to attain at the moment and, then, there's the physical side of it all. realistically, the only companies which can hire me need to be large enough to hire someone else to be doing the job they hired me for. this makes it really tricky and, on top of that, they would have to accommodate my physical issues (if it were a desk job, for instance, i need a place to sit, stand and sometimes lay down... not a lot of those sorts of places at an office) which most companies are loathe to take on.
metta,
~v
thank you for the response.
hmm... i hadn't really thought about that. that does sound intriguing now that you mention it.
in some ways, now, it's a combination. my skills are, in a practical sense, 10 years out of date though such things can be overcome that requires a bit of a capital investment which is difficult to attain at the moment and, then, there's the physical side of it all. realistically, the only companies which can hire me need to be large enough to hire someone else to be doing the job they hired me for. this makes it really tricky and, on top of that, they would have to accommodate my physical issues (if it were a desk job, for instance, i need a place to sit, stand and sometimes lay down... not a lot of those sorts of places at an office) which most companies are loathe to take on.
metta,
~v
I left school at 16 and did a vocational training course in graphic design. Discovered typography and got a job in an ad agency ...
It was only when I was made redundant in my 50s that my beloved said, "You've got two choices: Visit Japan or do a theology degree." So I did the latter, largely to broaden my understanding of the Church and the issues.
Japan is on the cards for next year ...
It was only when I was made redundant in my 50s that my beloved said, "You've got two choices: Visit Japan or do a theology degree." So I did the latter, largely to broaden my understanding of the Church and the issues.
Japan is on the cards for next year ...
Just curious, if you left school at 16, how were you able to obtain a theology degree? I was under the impression college was required for that.
Nice. That use to be on my bucket list as well.
Devils' Advocate
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I don't got no stinkin' bucket list. I kicked the bucket! list.