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This doesn't surprise me at all. I'm not in the US, but the picture I get from abroad is that Americans are pushed to go to college, without really making sure

This doesn't surprise me at all. I'm not in the US, but the picture I get from abroad is that Americans are pushed to go to college, without really making sure that this is actually what they want to do or is in their best interests. And once they get to school, many will party and play video games instead of studying, ending up either dropping out or with a low GPA and a general degree of no real use. Neither of these is going to help the college-goer get a job that helps them repay their debts. I remember reading shortly after the start of the Great Recession how student debt was going to be the next big ball to drop. I wonder how far we are from that.

samsolomon 10y ago
In the U.S. it is mostly assumed that students go straight to college, if that is an option. I think it's very shortsighted. Four-year colleges are far to expensive to use it to figure out what you want to do. I think it would be much more valuable to try and find internships/shadowing opportunities with different businesses and people. That's what I would do, if I were going to do everything again. For those who do want to go straight to college, taking random classes at a community college is the right way to go. Typography, Geology, Pre-law—use those classes to get an idea for what you want to study.
Analog24 10y ago
I'm from the US and I went to a high school in an affluent, upper-middle class town. We were basically taught from day one freshman year that the was no other option except to go to college. Our 'guidance counselors' were only there to help seniors with their college applications. I think this is a huge disservice and if I ever have kids I'm going to stress that they do NOT have to go to college right after HS or ever. How many people waste a Bachelor's degree because they were forced to pick a major when they were 18?

samsolomon 10y ago

In the U.S. it is mostly assumed that students go straight to college, if that is an option. I think it's very shortsighted. Four-year colleges are far to expensive to use it to figure out what you want to do. I think it would be much more valuable to try and find internships/shadowing opportunities with different businesses and people. That's what I would do, if I were going to do everything again. For those who do want to go straight to college, taking random classes at a community college is the right way to go. Typography, Geology, Pre-law—use those classes to get an idea for what you want to study.

Analog24 10y ago

I'm from the US and I went to a high school in an affluent, upper-middle class town. We were basically taught from day one freshman year that the was no other option except to go to college. Our 'guidance counselors' were only there to help seniors with their college applications. I think this is a huge disservice and if I ever have kids I'm going to stress that they do NOT have to go to college right after HS or ever. How many people waste a Bachelor's degree because they were forced to pick a major when they were 18?