Steep enrollment declines at PA State colleges
- Thread starter Delco Lion
- Start date
Because they don't have enough support from people like you.
Well, the college system in this country is really a glorified baby sitting service. It is meant to divert students from getting into the job market en mass or too early. Military does the same thing. Kids Should start job training at about age 14. The actual education part of college should only take two years.
Classroom teachers are severely constrained by what and how they teach due to federal and state mandates and their own administration. They must prepare the children for various benchmark tests as the kids need to do well to maintain state and federal funds. Some states are more standard assessment heavy than others but it applies nationwide. There are plenty of crappy teachers out there no doubt, but you would be surprised to learn how little autonomy an individual teacher has these days to teach how and what in a manner they determine as optimal.
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Not sure if Futurama reference or just coincidence.
"Everyone knows 20th century colleges were basically expensive daycare centers"
This is it exactly. The schools have no incentive to lower costs or avoid meaningless majors or encourage students to only borrow as much as they can afford. Instead, they have an incentive to just bring in as much money as possible. When problems arise down the road for people that borrowed too much or that wasted their money on a useless major, the schools have long since been paid off and thus don't care.
The schools are in the same position as a drug pusher. You get the money however way you can and in return I'll give you the drugs and what happens after that is not my concern.
Despite a sticker price 2x as much, UVM became my daughter’s destination because after merit scholarships....it was less than PSU offered. By a lot.
Because they don't have enough support from people like you.
Not true. WE already supported them. They wasted the money. Teachers in my district make over 100k. If you look at districts like Philly they waste $65 million a year for 650 full time school cops. MY district has 0 full time cops. Philly has metal detectors. My district has no metal detectors. Philly also has schools that are 95% empty with full teachers staffs. Strawberry Mansion was built for 2000 students and they have 150. Philly as a ridiculous amount of support staff and administrators.
It is funny that the liberal teachers cry about Republicans but the teachers are all applying at the REpublican run districts and cant wait to get out of PHilly.
The PSAC made their bed. 30 years ago it cost 1k/semester to go to a PSAC school. Today it is close to 20k per year. That is a disgrace.
The PSAC schools also went on an expansion spree. Some of the schools have more than doubled their enrollment the last 25 years. Now the tide is changing.
The PSAC schools also went on an expansion spree. Some of the schools have more than doubled their enrollment the last 25 years. Now the tide is changing.
Barry, you're an asshole--and I don't think you would deny it either.The "goal post moving" of centering the argument on "Who Pays for It?".... rather than "Why Does It Cost So Much?" (and how can those costs be reduced)…..
Is so utterly moronic (but so utterly typical of the "debates" about just about every "social asset" - See "Health Care"
That said, you are (and have been) the only alumni-elected BOT candidate that cares about something other than Jerry Sandusky and/or the statue. I wish you well in the election this year.
Why don't you try getting out of the recliner to change the station away from Fox News every now and again?
I dont watch Fox news. How about you put down the joystick and pick up a book. Learn some skills and get a job.
Excuse me. Perhaps click away from Breitbart every now and again.
I'll pick up my iPad, and learn skillz. Fortunately I have the job part down.
BTW, I estimate your age at 75, and the likelihood that I make more than you ever did at a greater percentage than 75.
I know there are significant debt relief programs for students in ed and social welfare degree programs. Universities and government entities understand this dynamic and that we need good people in these fields.
Next door neighbor was an Art History major, wife's best friend a Sociology major. Next door neighbor was a curator at a major museum, department head at a well-known auction house, and now runs her own business advising people on acquisitions and sales of art work. Wife's best friend is a doctor. Both pull in mega-bucks.
Needless to say, their career paths aren't typical. But those majors can lead to rewarding, lucrative careers if the person is a) focused on a a career path; and b) is really good, first as a student, then as a professional. Venture to guess that most college students, regardless of major, are neither.
You are ignoring that schools - in and of themselves - build brands that try to inflate the value of their names on a degree. Someone can get into Harvard or Cornell for Art History, but not a more competitive field. In the end, the value of the name "Harvard" on your degree is significant and lifelong. At least that's what these schools want you to believe.
Actually the demand for those with liberal arts degrees, particularly in economics, has been very strong. PSU economics majors have been getting numerous job offers at very good salaries. Many go into jobs in consulting or banking, and similar businesses where they provide additional training. They often have an advantage over those with technical degrees because they’re better writers, communicators, and analytical thinkers. Many also go on to get advanced degrees and become lawyers, or some other professional.
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This is correct, especially within the harder liberal arts majors at well regarded schools. Some of the smartest SOB’s I’ve ever known had such a background. However, a young person must still understand they are not getting a job “in their field” when they take this path. In your example one needs advanced degrees in economics to actually be an economist, and even then there is a limited demand. You do a great job illustrating the demand for majors such as this however.
Everyone is a millionaire on the internet.....
Huh? Applicants to Harvard College do not indicate intended majors. Cornell is somewhat different. It has six or so undergraduate schools. On a macro level, admissions statistics are pretty similar among the schools. More granularly, a student applying to, say, Cornell's College of Engineering would have a more difficult time gaining admission without high school calc and physics courses than one who does.
I think my next door neighbor would have had a hard, if not impossible, time getting to where she is without her Art History or similar degree. Don't think Math would have cut it.
Point is that the kid has to be focused, on a goal and the path to that goal. My wife's best friend knew she wanted to be a doctor. From that, she knew that she had to take certain undergrad courses to qualify for med school. Beyond that, she took what interested and challenged her. She will tell you that he broad-based liberal arts education made her a better doctor than her med school classmates who were science drones. Hard to argue with her bank account.
While I have my degrees in Chemistry, I do not regret the liberal arts courses I took (up to senior/grad level in German)--as I ended up a technical editor, and while I don't use German every day, learning another language made me a better writer and editor.
But that's part of the problem. I knew several ed majors at PSU who'd whine about their future teaching salary and student loans and all I could think was why would you choose to go to the most expensive public school in the nation when you could easily become a teacher going to Ship or something. Paying for PSU over Ship to study engineering or business likely makes sense. Not so much elementary ed.
I'm not suggesting it's the only or primary issue, but part of the student loan buildup is a function of entitlement. Too many people have had it ingrained in their heads that they are owed a 4-year "college experience" and give little thought or effort to the academic and career prep aspect of college.
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anon_xdc8rmuek44eq
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In my experience it’s worth it. The network and clout opens a lot of doors.
For some degrees, yes. MBAs, for example, are 80% brand recognition and networks.
I would use "challenging" instead of "competitive." And if you want to see "challenging" put a bunch of EEs in a metaphysics or epistemology class. Or how about a James Joyce seminar?
It's never irrelevant, it just assumes different degrees of importance depending on how one's career tracks.
I like everyone on here just saying, "Well, guess they don't go to college" instead of trying to change the ridiculous American system to look like most of our 1st world peers that have extremely low cost or free college for their citizens.
Of course, everyone under the sun says "How will we pay for it??!!" which is never asked for the military spending that uses most of our budget.
Military spending doesn't use "most of our budget." In 2016 it accounted for just 15%. Nearly 2/3rds (63%) was mandatory spending on Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, unemployment, retirement, etc.
2016 Federal Budget
IMHO, most studies I've read state not much difference with STEM degrees and salaries. However, other degrees have a more demonstrable benefit from the IVY association.
Need some inherent talent, grit, and business acumen. A sprinkling of good fortune and networking doesn't hurt either.
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