Attending University in America

[Toastedlightly]

In the 'lowest test scores' thread, I watched an interesting video about an inner city school that has brought the test scores of the students up to and sometimes above par. The school promises to see every kid through college no matter what.

My question to you is:

Does everybody deserve a college education? Should it be mandatory for states to fund this leg of their education?

I personally believe that a college education should not be considered mandatory to living a good life. Many sources push going to college and getting a degree as a way to have the good life.

 

[MotF Bane]

Even if everyone goes to college, we'll just have the most highly educated cashiers and burger flippers.

 

[MoPHo]

Everyone deserves the RIGHT to a college education. However, there are often people who don't give a shit about such learning experiences.

Having a college degree often leads to getting more money in life, but there are professions where you can make a good living with vocational schooling.

 

[Toastedlightly]

Everyone deserves the RIGHT to a college education. However, there are often people who don't give a shit about such learning experiences.

Having a college degree often leads to getting more money in life, but there are professions where you can make a good living with vocational schooling.

When you say a right to a college education, what do you mean by that?

 

[MotF Bane]

When you say a right to a college education, what do you mean by that?

That you can still apply to college, and won't be turned away solely because of race, gender, location, et cetera.

 

[Bignate603]

No. Everyone doesn't deserve to go to college. They definitely don't deserve to have the government pay for it. As mentioned before, they have a right to apply if they want but that comes with the responsibility to find a way to pay for it. If they want it enough to pay and are willing to work hard enough to get in then they can go. Otherwise, they don't really belong there.

Even as it stands right now there are plenty of morons going to college that don't belong there. They just go because it seems like the thing to do. We're watering down what it means to get a degree because if there are morons wanting to pay for college there will be somebody that will gladly take their money and make some joke degree that doesn't really mean anything. It's getting to the point where you can't get a job doing menial office tasks without a 4 year degree.

Honestly, public perception is pushing kids into 4 year degrees whether its good for them or not and away from trade schools. There's plenty of trades that can make a very good living (electrician, mechanic, plumber, contractor, etc) that you don't learn by going to a traditional school. There's plenty of people out there that would be significantly better off learning a trade like that but that's not what parents or guidance counselors are saying to kids.

 

[MoPHo]

When you say a right to a college education, what do you mean by that?

A college degree should be affordable for everyone assuming they can demonstrate that they are responsible and capable of completing school.

I don't think it should be free, but just because a smart and responsible person can't afford to get a degree should not stop them from receiving it.

Edit: I agree with Bignate603 for the most part.

 

[BeauJangles]

College degrees are becoming worthless by this new drive to send "everyone" to college and it's silly. There are thousands of jobs out there that shouldn't require a college education and thousands more that should only require one or two years of technical school.

We need to put an end to this stupid belief that we'll be better off if everyone goes to school, particularly when many of our esteemed graduates wind up with tens of thousands of dollars of debt.

 

[txrandom]

BSs are the new HS diplomas.

 

[tboo]

Scott's Tots

 

[TecHNooB]

BSs are the new HS diplomas.

BS in what?

 

[Firsttime]

Not everyone needs to go to college or should go to college. I'm in university right now and I see so many people who don't want to, don't need to, or just plain shouldn't be here. Quite frankly college has a way of just being academic bs with limited real world application. Not everyone is cut out to bsing on an university level. University is not a right. It's completion in no way guarantees a better life nor does forgoing it mean you will be a jobless hobo. So I really see no reason for it to become government funded on the level of K-12 schools.

 

[shortylickens]

Even if everyone goes to college, we'll just have the most highly educated cashiers and burger flippers.

I dont normally start arguments about education, but you are very wrong.

Its been shown in many places across America and all over the world, that higher education increases the amount of high quality jobs. Employers go where the people are. If they need electronics people, they will go where folks had good high school education and were able to get into tech schools.

Getting back to the OP: No one "deserves" college. People need to earn it. Thats part of what makes it so valuable.

 

[kranky]

What saddens me is that if today's high schools did a better job, a lot more people could get good jobs without the added financial burden of college.

 

[nonameo]

Is there a degree higher than a PhD?

 

[TruePaige]

Is there a degree higher than a PhD?

Two PhD's!

 

[nonameo]

Two PhD's!

I think everyone should need two phd's then. Why?

Bachelor's is the new HS, Master's is the new BS(well, kinda sorta depending on what you're doing)

Eventually Master's will be the new HS and PhD will be the new BS

And eventually a phd will be the new HS.

So you'll need two phd's

 

[TruePaige]

I think everyone should need two phd's then. Why?

Bachelor's is the new HS, Master's is the new BS(well, kinda sorta depending on what you're doing)

Eventually Master's will be the new HS and PhD will be the new BS

And eventually a phd will be the new HS.

So you'll need two phd's

I had this doctor once named Tran.

He had a PhD in kicking your ass.

True story.

 

[nonameo]

I had this doctor once named Tran.

He had a PhD in kicking your ass.

True story.

kicking my ass should only require a basic HS education at most. Definitely no more than a tech school certificate. See, this is what I'm talking about.

 

[TruePaige]

kicking my ass should only require a basic HS education at most. Definitely no more than a tech school certificate. See, this is what I'm talking about.

Dr.Tran really is over educated.

But I just can't argue with his success. He has over 7000 DVD's!