3 ms·
It's so easy, in hindsight, to be harsh on people who chose degrees with seemingly little job prospects, but I remember how college was described in the late 90
by spicyusername 3y ago
It's so easy, in hindsight, to be harsh on people who chose degrees with seemingly little job prospects, but I remember how college was described in the late 90s and early 00s by most parents, teachers, and guidance counselors.
It was pitched to most kids as a panacea for poverty.
Just go, get a degree, and everything will work out. It did for all my Baby Boomer peers who went to college, and it will for you. Don't worry about those loans, you'll definitely be able to pay them back!
Only now, looking back, after an absolute flood of children followed that advice, do we collectively realize how misguided it is. And how much more thought is required by parents and educators to really do a cost benefit analysis on tuition cost relative to employment prospects and properly guide kids to a financially healthy future that fits their unique circumstances.
- tejohnso 3y ago> It was pitched to most kids as a panacea for poverty. Late high school years in the mid 90s, I remember looking into job placement rates that were part of the pitch from higher ed schools. We knew that the purpose was to get a job, not just to go and get any degree and hope for the best. I recall the phrase "a degree in basket weaving" was common. We figured there are degrees that are just garbage. So maybe I was more fortunate in my circumstances. Then again, some people did go for those basket weaving degrees even though they knew they were garbage. I think there was a lot of pressure to do anything but work toward a trade skill and get a job.
- CoastalCoder 3y agoI'm baffled by the parent comment being downvoted. We're talking about factors leading to irrational choices about college costs, and the parent comment (correctly) describes one of the factors present in 1990's USA.
- ThrowawayR2 3y ago> "It was pitched to most kids as a panacea for poverty." Nah, I'm pretty sure the joke that ends in 'The liberal arts major asks, "Would you like fries with that?"' has existed at least since the 1970s-1980s. [EDIT] The point is not the joke, the point is that, contrary to the parent poster, the public has known for a long, long time that liberal arts degree programs usually didn't lead to high paying jobs for most.
- CoastalCoder 3y agoI think both statements are be true. IIRC, some people pitched college as a panacea (some guidance counselors, some well-intended government officials, some parents, etc.), and others made the French-fries quip.