For years, America's college campuses swelled with more and more students. But enrollment peaked in 2010 at just over 21 million students. Attendance has dropped every year since. By the fall of 2014 there were 812,069 fewer students walking around college campuses. There are several likely reasons for this trend. First, job opportunities in the economy are improving, so there are fewer people deciding to wait it out getting another degree. Or perhaps more troubling, it may be that the job market has become saturated with degrees and a college degree isn't conferring as much value as it used to. If that's the case, some prospective students may be deciding that the huge investment isn't worth it. Another factor, demographics in the country are changing and there are more poor people. College may be becoming a little less obtainable for a larger share of the overall population. 1 out of 3 people in the U.S. is an immigrant or a child under the age of 18 with at least one immigrant parent. Lastly, college attendance may have reached its peak in 2010 and this may have been unsustainable. Basically, the people who wanted to go back to college have already done so, many with Masters and PhD degrees now. https://bryanalexander.org/trends/higher-education-enrollment-declined-in-2017-again/
that's the key as far as I'm concerned I have had many online exchanges with others who have had the same experience. After working my butt off and going to college at night for 17 years and then going to law school for another three years, all that sacrifice failed to pan out after all that dollar wastage. Right wingers on this forum say minorities have all the advantage today in seeking jobs under affirmative action but all that is bull$hit as education only works to your advantage if you come from an elite background. Ghetto kids see me and ask themselves 'why should they go through all that sacrifice for nothing?' I have personally seen this. Education just isn't worth it. An article about a Harvard study shows a great many colleges will soon go bankrupt before this decade is over. As far as I'm concerned, I say that's good. These schools which profit so much from people's misery should not be allowed to enrich themselves while others lose their money for nothing. It would be best if at least half the USA colleges close down. Let everybody get a job without wasting their money in school. After all, people in most countries of the world have precisely the same jobs Americans do without a college education. A diploma is, for the most part, just a waste. 800,000 fewer students? Let it be another five million. That would be better for everyone.
We also have less people in the work force today than we had in 2000 despite large population increases.155,362,701 today,156,976,633 in 2000.
I think its lack of adaption a local regionally recognized college offers two year degrees, four year degrees and lots of certification courses that can apply to a degree either two or four years so is meaningful but I was thinking if they cut out electives not needed for a degree and frills no one needs you could have a 90 credit degree option maybe just the major, a minor or optional electives or a certification and could still make these pre-med or pre-law options if done right. I would limit the need for a four year degree to those people going on for a Masters and Doctorate in a field only. Even for an MBA why four years wouldn't a 90 credit degree cover that to? This would be a year less work and therefore cheaper.
More importantly, how many cab companies or fast food restaurants have employees with a college degree or two?
Blame the college for their issues? Sounds American to me. You are aware College isn’t a job fair right?
Perhaps you have missed all the TV ads which tell you that a college degree is an automatic guarantee of future economic success and other fake promises. This despite the ever growing trillion dollar plus debts graduates endure.
Are we talking Lincoln Technical Institute? I can guarantee you Purdue University has never run an add like that. They also never guarantee a job. But I know this nobody is getting a job in my field without a Bachelors degree.
They better learn, I have an idea if a student can't get a job remotely related to their degree students in say three years the need to start suing the colleges and universities unless they offer real career planning and networking to a level that is considered professionally sound and not lie about their chances of getting employment in fields of interest. Seriously the student is a child virtually and the schools lay on the crap in many cases on how good they are and job placements it needs to be clear and transparent. And with real income numbers if one goes into a field like social work be clear you will earn this amount, the education is this amount and you will owe this debt. My take High Schools are partially to blame, parents, the student and the institute of higher learning if one gets a degree it should lead to a career that needs one at least I one ends up in retail doing gig economy work one could get without the debt the Higher Learning schools should pay 30% of all the money spent back to the government, the student should get 20% back as a fine for wasted time and fraud. Then maybe these institutions will be more serious then and innovate and work at being more relevant in the 21st century and beyond.
Yeah why should we have any personal responsibility? It’s the college’s fault. There are truly no conservatives left. Personally I would do away with government backed student loans.
Technical schools offer training for real and needed jobs.. instead of pursuing a degree in something nobody needs.. how about getting a plumbers license or welding certifications? Engineering degrees, medical field and similar career choices are about all for which you need a college education. My degree is BS in Environmental Design.. after burning out in Arch School (and 14 years in college having a really good time, I had a mishmash of over 280 hours!) the councilor in the School of Arch said.. pull together that mishmash and present me with any damn thing to get your butt out of here! I have built a few buildings... but mainly my degree was used as the required core to obtain license in insurance and real estate. Sometimes wish I'd taken all of the money spent on college and bought a backhoe and a dump truck instead!
I don't agree with the idea of reductionist education, giving students the minimum they need. We need to have students with well rounded educations, to teach them the skills they will need to master new career fields. My career didn't exist when I was in college. Thankfully, I got more than a minimum education, and learned the skills to be successful in a wide variety of present and future careers.
Pretty much the real world proves it so. During the last recession, college grads had a much lower unemployment rate than the general population. College grads make more money on average than do those who aren't. Also, pretty much most people who take student loans and actually get degrees aren't in a bad place. Student debts really hurt people who don't finish college.
Why should the schools be at fault if some idiot student decides to get a degree in Italian history, for example. (real life example, one of my brother's friend's ex wives had that major).
We should be promoting and investing in trade schools instead of universities. There's nothing wrong with diversifying your education with a 2/4/6/8 year degree from a university, but its a lot cheaper and just as easy to get a career specializing in a specific skill.
If you want to believe statistics that are floated out there by the colleges and by the banks who become enriched by student loans, fine. But I believe what I see. Some of my classmates, like me, had to work in kitchens and wash bathrooms to earn a living after wasting all that time and money in law school. It was a total waste. One that could be avoided by closing down all those ******n schools so that the now $1.7 trillion debt can be wiped out and people can go on with their lives without the misery of living in debt.
Stats I'm talking about are from BLS. Not sure how you messed up and don't use your skills, but you are basing everything on a few people's experiences, not reality.
I discovered that in the 1990's. although I love college and education it wasn't rewarded me with a higher income since I didn't have the inside sources to manipulate into a high paying job but I did have my company which allowed me to have a high paying job without a degree...Just depends how hard you want to work..
While I believe that not everyone is geared for college, those that choose it, also choose their major. If they want a degree in the Studies of The Sex Life of a Rootabaga, then by all means, let them. Their loan should not be backed by the taxpayers of this country, no one's should. While a decently educated society is a benefit, it is also mostly for personal economic gain, therefore the education is considered to be personally held. To restrict what someone may study, however, steps over the line, IMO.
Here's some data about unemployment vs. educational attainment. This first is from 2008 (during the recession) This one is from the end of 2018 (latest available) https://www.bls.gov/emp/chart-unemployment-earnings-education.htm This is a site with a graphic that shows from 2008 to present. https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2018/u...igh-school-grads-in-august-2018.htm?view_full
It should be falling. The student / consumer of the educatory process gets less and less for their money. And where the government helps students with Pell grants, loans and such, the taxpayer gets less and less for their money. There's a whole lotta scam going on.
