"President Obama wants everybody to go to college. What a snob."

[Rainsford]

If everyone is expected to go to college, then we need to come up with a SUPER College. Or maybe require a PHD now instead of a Bachelors degree.

How else will HR be able to filter out resumes, if every schmuck has a college degree?

By field? If you're trying to get a technical job, don't expect the BA in Elementary Education to help. And if you want to work in psychology, I don't think a BS in Computer Science will get you very far.

 

[chucky2]

Without a total rehab of HR policies across the entire nation, we will never get away from the 'need a college degree' requirement (which is usually understood as a 4 year degree). Kids out of high school want to go to college to have fun and get away from the parents, most business has some fantastic idea that a 4 year college educated person actually gets them something over what could be a proper high school + 2 years of vocational education.

Those two large demographics, the latter being much more influential than the former, means we're stuck with the idiocy....and it'll only get worse.

Chuck

 

[Paul98]

The problem is that many people don't all the things the college offers in the way they should. These are the internships, career fairs specific to certain colleges, resume help, other things setup that help people get a job after getting the degree. Heck some of these employers only look at people going to certain schools for internships. Plus you learn far more from college than just what you need to know to get a job. I think that is much of what you miss if you don't go to college.

But that being said not everyone needs to go to college. But it should be an option to those who do want to go to better themselves.

 

[ElFenix]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=NkjbJOSwq3A



God I hope he wins the nomination.

the problem with this bozo winning the nomination is that he might actually then win in november.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

Without a total rehab of HR policies across the entire nation, we will never get away from the 'need a college degree' requirement (which is usually understood as a 4 year degree). Kids out of high school want to go to college to have fun and get away from the parents, most business has some fantastic idea that a 4 year college educated person actually gets them something over what could be a proper high school + 2 years of vocational education.

The businesses are doing it because they aren't having to bare the cost of the higher education and they can use possession of a four year degree as a proxy for IQ, ambition, work ethic, personal responsibility, and maturity, etc.

Basically, our society is paying the cost for those businesses to have that luxury. The problem is that because student loans are freely and widely available to everyone, there are no longer any market forces in place to control who and how many people go to college. So the production of new college graduates is not based on what the market--what businesses--actually need.

In contrast, if far fewer people went to college making possession of a college degree rare, businesses wouldn't want to foot the cost of having to pay a premium for a college graduate unless the job actually requires the college education. Of course, the premium that they would be paying would be to cover the costs of tuition, student loan interest, four years of living expenses, and opportunity costs.

Today, those costs are subsidized by the students. As a society, we're basically providing a large and very expensive subsidy to businesses by producing a large excess of college graduates.

 

[Ausm]

the problem with this bozo winning the nomination is that he might actually then win in november.

If this Jackass gets in the WH it will set the U.S back about 300 years!

 

[Joepublic2]

What he said was a retarded pandering soundbite but he is technically correct in that going to college is certainly not something that everybody can (or should) do. Skilled tradespeople can make a very comfortable living in this country, even today (providing they can find a job, but that's a different subject).

 

[Hugo Drax]

The businesses are doing it because they aren't having to bare the cost of the higher education and they can use possession of a four year degree as a proxy for IQ, ambition, work ethic, personal responsibility, and maturity, etc.

Basically, our society is paying the cost for those businesses to have that luxury. The problem is that because student loans are freely and widely available to everyone, there are no longer any market forces in place to control who and how many people go to college. So the production of new college graduates is not based on what the market--what businesses--actually need.

In contrast, if far fewer people went to college making possession of a college degree rare, businesses wouldn't want to foot the cost of having to pay a premium for a college graduate unless the job actually requires the college education. Of course, the premium that they would be paying would be to cover the costs of tuition, student loan interest, four years of living expenses, and opportunity costs.

Today, those costs are subsidized by the students. As a society, we're basically providing a large and very expensive subsidy to businesses by producing a large excess of college graduates.

That is the problem with our Lemon Socialist country, and with Politicians fooling the public into voting against their own interests you can expect more of the above.

No one seems to notice the points you make, they just stick their heads in the sand and pretend otherwise.

 

[Throckmorton]

Obama has said over and over again that he wants people to go to college or trade schools. There's no elitism here.

 

[shortylickens]

Obama has said over and over again that he wants people to go to college or trade schools. There's no elitism here.

Wont speak for everyone else here but I dont think Obama is an elitist. I think his problem is not being realistic about what the majority of the country wants to do, or is capable of.

 

[DucatiMonster696]

The businesses are doing it because they aren't having to bare the cost of the higher education and they can use possession of a four year degree as a proxy for IQ, ambition, work ethic, personal responsibility, and maturity, etc.

Basically, our society is paying the cost for those businesses to have that luxury. The problem is that because student loans are freely and widely available to everyone, there are no longer any market forces in place to control who and how many people go to college. So the production of new college graduates is not based on what the market--what businesses--actually need.

In contrast, if far fewer people went to college making possession of a college degree rare, businesses wouldn't want to foot the cost of having to pay a premium for a college graduate unless the job actually requires the college education. Of course, the premium that they would be paying would be to cover the costs of tuition, student loan interest, four years of living expenses, and opportunity costs.

Today, those costs are subsidized by the students. As a society, we're basically providing a large and very expensive subsidy to businesses by producing a large excess of college graduates.

I don't think many people in the private sector have ever pandered to the idea that "EVERYONE" should have a college diploma or that having one was a "civil rights issue". Other then that your view on what is going on is accurate but again the my view is that blame is misplaced because it was government after all who got the ball rolling and enacted the changes which have created this glut of applicants with college diplomas.

 

[chucky2]

snip

I don't take issue with your post, just saying, we'll never be rid of our 'need a 4 year degree' requirement that is so prevalent because you've got two groups, one who pays for the degree and the other that hires, wanting them so much.

Heck, you've even got a 3rd and 4th group: Parents and High School Culture. Parents want it because it gets their kids 'that leg up', and the HSC wants it not only for the same reason, but, hey, it's acedemia, can't be nothin' wrong with more acedemia...

About the only way we could possibly break this would be to have an Affirmative Action type quota system that businesses must have x% of their workforce possess a 2 year vocational degree, else they get penalized or they don't get some government credit. Good luck making any headway on that...

Chuck

 

[Paul98]

Did he even say that he wants everyone to go to college, or just have the chance if they want to?

 

[trenchfoot]

If this Jackass gets in the WH it will set the U.S back about 300 years!

Nah, just back to the year 2000, only more "religiously influenced" and for Santorum, a whole lot more hypocritical and contrary to the words that got him there.

Think Bush, but a whole lot more holier than thou.

 

[Texashiker]

What did you end up majoring in and how did that work out for you?

I went into computers, was just a couple of classes from finishing my associates degree, went through a bad divorce that lasted 2 years, dropped out of school for a year, when I went back, the degree plan had changed.

The a$$holes at the college told me since I stayed out for then 1 semester, I had to sign up under the new degree plan, which would mean taking another 30+ hours. In effect, the college wanted me to take around 100 hours for a 2 year degree. I said screw yall, I will go to another college before I give yall another dime of my money.

Got a job in computers in 2001. Currently working for a small health care provider as a computer / network tech.

As in money, I make about 1/2 of what I was making in the welding field. But on the other hand, I was working a lot of overtime in welding. My average work week in welding was 50 hours one week, 70 hours the next week, 50 hours the next week,,,,, repeat. When the "real" overtime kicked in I could be working at easy 80 hour week.

So I made a tradeoff, no overtime with this job, more time with the family but less money.

When my kids get grown, I might go take some classes in welding inspection and go make some real money. The classes to become a certified welding inspector are a couple of thousand. With 15 years experience behind me, I probably will not be "that" difficult.

 

[fskimospy]

Andrew Sullivan just noted something I hadn't thought of. Santorum here is calling Obama something that nobody has bothered to call Romney, a snob.

The guy who says everyone should get some sort of job training is an elitist snob while the guy who mentions he gets NASCAR because his friends own a team, notes that he likes Detroit because his wife owns a bunch of Cadillacs, etc. somehow has avoided that accusation.

What a weird world we live in.

 

[momeNt]

Andrew Sullivan just noted something I hadn't thought of. Santorum here is calling Obama something that nobody has bothered to call Romney, a snob.

The guy who says everyone should get some sort of job training is an elitist snob while the guy who mentions he gets NASCAR because his friends own a team, notes that he likes Detroit because his wife owns a bunch of Cadillacs, etc. somehow has avoided that accusation.

What a weird world we live in.

Michigan must be an attack Obama state, not an attack primary opponent state.