Stanford cancels plans to bring half of undergrads back to campus

Post by [deleted] » Fri, Aug 14, 2020, 6:56 PM UTC

netcan wrote: post #32

eric4smith wrote: post #12

I firmly think there is a sea change going on from standard “college” degrees to more practical training that will be a mix of apprenticeship and solid training like air/vac, electricians and online skills, since the vast majority of jobs don’t really need a college degree. This has actually begun already at the high school level. Once again I believe net/net the beer virus will be positive for America in the long ru…

Somewhat different take. The student debt problem is not really related to the college format. The format existed in earlier decades, exists in other countries and exists in K-12 education without runaway costs and student debt. It's mostly a matter of policy. The US' method to expand third level education to most of the population was by government backed and/or subsidized loans, without price controls. This caused…

Post by doorstar » Fri, Aug 14, 2020, 7:02 PM UTC

AnimalMuppet wrote: post #205

doorstar wrote: post #155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

College vs. trade school isn't just about money or 'social acceptability', it's also about opportunity. A 18 year old who goes to trade school to become an electrician is going to become an electrician, they are not going to be able to change their minds in two years and become a biologist. That kid who went to college at 18 has a lot more options. They can switch majors, they can take internships, they can get their…

Sure, they can change their mind and become a biologist. But in doing so, they throw away the two years. They have to start college from zero, because their trade-school classes don't translate into college credits. You can start college at 20 as easily as at 18. The problem is that you get nothing for the two years (except, I suppose, you can work as an electrician to pay for college, instead of working at McDonalds…

Post by wuunderbar » Fri, Aug 14, 2020, 7:09 PM UTC

chongli wrote: post #105

bob33212 wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The value offered by colleges is not just an education. It is 4 years of living away from home experiencing whatever floats your boat ( frats, independence, parties, sports, friends, etc... ). There is virtually no demand for online only classes above a 5k/year price point. There is a similar situation with private schools. Some of the demand comes from the fact that it is also a babysitting service, forced social gr…

It is 4 years of living away from home experiencing whatever floats your boat ( frats, independence, parties, sports, friends, etc... ) I’m in university right now. I just finished a term of online classes. I’ve definitely witnessed those benefits being enjoyed by other students but I haven’t had the time to enjoy them myself; my program is simply too difficult for that. The most I’ve enjoyed is going out for drinks…

Post by [deleted] » Fri, Aug 14, 2020, 7:17 PM UTC

bumby wrote: post #206

fock wrote: post #192

Earlier quoted context omitted.

well, if you look closer, the people telling this bs are actually all coming from a more than well-off-background. Like the person playing in a local band, telling me "I moved out" - me: "nice, but how can you afford that" - "I work as a tutor" - "that 400€ is not supporting your apartment" - "oh, no, my father is paying for that". yessss . I would really liked to have moved out too for the aforementioned reasons (li…

Good point. I think many of the people who weren’t well off only afforded this experience by taking on debt. Besides, there’s more ways than just college to have that “real” growth experience. Military, mission work, peace corps. Hell, I’d even argue these are more of an experience because they aren’t built on the somewhat artificial backdrop of universities that can insulate you from the “real” world without all the…

Post by derision » Fri, Aug 14, 2020, 7:20 PM UTC

garmaine wrote: post #194

take_a_breath wrote: post #140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

==Until plumbers, electricians, carpenters, etc. stop being a part of the undesirable Other to middle and upper middle class Americans== Source? I think most people view these jobs as the foundation of the American middle class. At least we do in the Midwest, where I grew up. ==Paying $100,000 for your kid to study underwater basket weaving at Harvard is still socially superior to running a multi-million dollar busin…

Things are viewed differently on the coasts, where those roles are very much lower class, even though they pay well.