Here I am linking to another indyblog blog entry but it can't be helped because this is really important and interesting. It's a link to an article in the LA times about how college degrees aren't doing much for people that have them. This is so interesting because I've recently been thinking a lot about how my little brother is planning to go back to college to get a bachelor's, after getting an associate's degree he's not using. And he wants to study English, that most useful of degrees. Plus I just talked to an old high school friend with a BA in English and an MFA in creative writing who's never made more than 10K a year, ever. Though he seems happy.
I also just heard a big debate on the radio about the SATs and what was wrong with standarized testing, and no where in that did anyone mention that the whole idea of college itself is really screwed up lately - like at least the last 20 years. It's a giant lie, a promise going unfilled for many many young people. For many, it's a racket, a scam being perpetrated on one of the most vulnerable demographics, teenagers who just want to get out of their parents' house and go start their exciting new adult life - 10 years later what are they doing? struggling to pay crippling student loans while trying to work shitty or disappearing jobs.
Yet another massive wake up call this country needs. Kids! Hop a frieght! blow off college for a few years and see the world! If nothing else, go camp out on the White House lawn for awhile! This would be less of a waste of time than going to college without knowing what you want out of life. And college is much too expensive to go just so you can "find yourself'. there are cheaper and better ways to do that.
I guess I've gone far afield from what the original article is about, but so be it. I needed to have this rant.
Posted by steev at Marzo 12, 2005 02:49 PM