Are too many people going to college?

1. 79

   arizonataylorposted 12 years ago

   Are too many people going to college?
   
   I was listening to an economist who mentioned that our economy needs a significant percentage of less-educated people.  Is there some economic truth to the notion that too many people are going to college?

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2. 61

   mollymcposted 12 years ago

   There is always careers which don't need much education. But with so many teens being told that they can't do without at least a BA, how can you blame them for going to post secondary. If there is too many educated people, raise the bar minimum for jobs.

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3. 74

   purnimamoh1982posted 12 years ago

   I do not agree with the view that any economy needs a significant percentage of less educated people. Having less educated people has many drawbacks.
   (a) The average wage will be lower although there can be an increase in employment as more people would be available for work who would otherwise be in a college.
   (b) There will be lesser scope for research and development. Please remember the fact that most of the modern sciences and discoveries in the history of human civilization has been possible through participation of the members of the common masses (and not the elites) in the process of finding a solution to a problem.
   (c) If more people are going to college means going to college is more profitable than getting into the labour force. Which means, there already is unemployment in low skill job categories. Having more people out of college would only aggravate the situation.

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4. 74

   Adept2012posted 12 years ago

   It is true that we need a significant percentage of less-educated people for our economy to thrive. This is because in financial world,going to college does not really mean; in fact, in college, you only learn about how to become a good employee and not how to be a good employer/entrepreneur. What college promotes is that one should graduate with a distinction in order to be a better employee.
   In conclusion, the poor level of economic development may be due to too many people going to college.

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5. 74

   algarveviewposted 12 years ago

   I think so, I think that traditional jobs, such as seamstress or shoemaker, which required a professional degree are disappearing and that is a shame. At some point we start wondering what we all know to do and we all know basically the same: reading, writting, computers, etc, etc, but those practical things - which are terribly necesssary - no one knows how to do... and we all need it, so what? people used to know a bit about farming... now, nothing... if something bad really happens let's see who finds his/her way and manages to work their way through it, the computer analyst that probably never saw a live chicken before in his life or the farmer?... But apart from that it's also really bad for economy, because at some point nobody is producing anything, just ideas, just providing services and that's all very fine, but services and ideas still need shoes and clothes and food on the table...

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6. 60

   lindieslposted 12 years ago

   First off, there will always be people less educated than others. Having a degree doesn't mean half as much as what you do with the degree or how well you understand it and are able to achieve with the degree you have. A lot of young kids go into college right after high school and only do as little as they have to in order to graduate. It is possible to earn a degree and do it by skating by. Some degrees and schools require a min. GPA to attend or continue their education, so that always knocks a percentage out of the running as well (so to speak). I for one think it is wonderful to see older ( 30+) students who tend to take it more serious. Having a degree can def. earn you more income but if you have no experience with it or know how you will be working a min. wage job anyway. I guess by all that I really think that it doesn't matter if a lot of people attend college, it is what they do afterward that is really going to make a diff. in their economic stance.

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7. 61

   professorjeffposted 12 years ago

   That's a loaded question. Consider that 70% of all high school grads go off to college like chicks following the mother hen, yes. Most have little clue as to what the experience is all about. In addition they haven't declared a major, which is near economic suicide. Currently nearly 40% of all college students dropout with considerable college debt but not the earning potential to pay it back. In the push to get our nation educated, it's putting more and more debt on our society. According to a Harvard study titled Pathways to Prosperity 2011, 56% drop out before completing a college degree. But if we go back to high school even, 1/3 of all public school students drop out or one every 26 seconds, if you've seen the Lebron James commercials. The Harvard study also notes that high school grads make up 41% of the workforce, down 71%! from 40 years ago. So there is a REAL education crisis afoot. According to Academically Adrift, the majority of college students have little to no clue as to why they are in college and statistic show that within 5-10 years after graduation 70%! will no longer be working in a career related to their major. Those in the know, academics, provosts, college counselors, are cognizant of the fact that at any giving time only 15% of grads have the skills, knowledge, and attitudes needed to graduate college. Currently about 28% of the workforce had a college degree, but here's another stat for you. According to a prestigious recruiting firm, since 1995 60% of all college grads work in jobs that don't even require a high school diploma. So the question now should be, how do we get this information out to our youth before they waste years, even decades, and leave 1000s of dollars on the table in lost salary and income. We need to be much more forthcoming with our youth about education, what it is, isn't, where it's going and what they need specifically for themselves. Bottom line, know yourself thoroughly before you go off to seek any education or training. It could save you lots of wasted time, money, and energy.

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8. 61

   Sunny2o0oposted 12 years ago

   I think what needs to be noted here is that the big push to getting more and more people into college is slightly misguided.  Back in the day, when only a tiny percentage of people had post-secondary eduction, they tended to be the best, the brightest and the motivated.  (Yes, some people who went to college didn't fit into that category, and some who couldn't did.  But, by and large, that dichotomy held).  Policy makers looked at the greater success of people who went to college and went, "Aha!  I know how to fix this--everyone needs to go to college, then they'll all be successfully!"  It's a classic case of misattribution.  Flash forward, and an undergraduate education has been devalued.  Plenty of people who would be better served by not going to college (let's face it, not everyone wants or is cut out for that kind of degree) haven't been informed of viable alternatives because the push is to get everyone into college.

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9. 61

   wingedcentaurposted 12 years ago

   The economist was making a classist statement. Everybody should (if she or he wishes) have the benefit of a comprehensive liberal arts post secondary, as well as specialist education for free (that is without any out-of-pocket expense for tuition and books), as it happens in other advanced industrialized countries in northern and western Europe and Canada, I believe.
   
   The idea that "too many" people are going to college should cause us to ask broader questions about the way our national and global economy is organized.

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