LOS ANGELES TIMES - Is College Worth It ?

[Krusscher]

IMO a four year education is a good thing and many/most people should do it. I am very glad I did it and I had a great experience, even though I ended up "not using it". What I don't agree with necessarily is pursuing an expensive prestigious school and accumulating a ton of debt. I graduated with about $8k in debt.

how long ago? I work at a community college and it seems like you couldn't even get out of a year with only 8K debt. Things aren't quite the same as they were 20+ years ago.

 

[Flicker Index]

All comes down to supply and demand for particular experience, education and skillset. When we're saturated with philosophy, social science, psychology and like, the great supply makes it a buyer's market.

 

[Krusscher]

All comes down to supply and demand for particular experience, education and skillset. When we're saturated with philosophy, social science, psychology and like, the great supply makes it a buyer's market.

agreed, I know when I was in high school they basically said if you don't go to college you're going to be a nobody and blue collar jobs are undesirable. Luckily my dad was an electrician and I followed in his foot steps.

Not sure what they are pushing for these days but they need to find a better way to get kids interested in what is actually needed in the country... not that we should be complaining since we are in that "seller's market"

 

[Flicker Index]

agreed, I know when I was in high school they basically said if you don't go to college you're going to be a nobody and blue collar jobs are undesirable. Luckily my dad was an electrician and I followed in his foot steps.

Not sure what they are pushing for these days but they need to find a better way to get kids interested in what is actually needed in the country... not that we should be complaining since we are in that "seller's market"

That's always gonna be a bit gamble as the world changes. Something a five year old kid is interested in could be in great demand, but that could be quite different 13 years later.

ChatGPT like A.I. is likely to have significant impact in a lot of the field. St. Louis police non-emergency calls are now taken by artificial intelligence.
Tower climbers will still be needed, but visual inspections are bound to be done by drone to reduce dependence on costly labor.

 

[hbiss]

I'm hearing that they want to change the requirements for a student loan. They will look at your course of study and if it won't generate enough income to pay back the loan in a reasonable time you won't get it.

Kind of like trying to get a 500K loan on a shack in the woods.

-Hal

 

[James L]

I'm hearing that they want to change the requirements for a student loan. They will look at your course of study and if it won't generate enough income to pay back the loan in a reasonable time you won't get it.

Kind of like trying to get a 500K loan on a shack in the woods.

-Hal

That's how it should have always been.

And people conflate the loan with the education. Knowing they got beat, they stop paying.

Like getting a loan on a lemon of a car, then stiffing the bank. Except they can't take back an education (whatever measly amount that's actually worth)

 

[Joethemechanic]

Kind of like trying to get a 500K loan on a shack in the woods.

I've seen that kind of thing happen. Guy next door to me has a little over a million borrowed against his property. Not sure how he managed that. Then he shot himself at his desk. Bank took a hit on that, property sold for 265,000. Turns out my neighbor was stone broke. Shame, I liked him a lot. I can still see him sitting at his desk dead.

 

[electrofelon]

how long ago? I work at a community college and it seems like you couldn't even get out of a year with only 8K debt. Things aren't quite the same as they were 20+ years ago.

Yeah for sure. I graduated in 2003. SUNY in state tuition was $1700 per semester or $3400/year at the time (there are fees on top of that and that is tuition only, no room and board or meals). I remember that tuition hadnt been raised in a long time, and it was raised significantly the year after I graduated. Looks like its about $3500/ semester or $7000/ year now. Inflation since the middle of my undergrad is about + 75% so really its gone up a bit more than the inflation rate but not much. I lived off campus for half and commuted from my parents house (free) for half so I kept costs down. I worked summers but not during the academic year.

 

[junkhound]

If a photog is any good, it's these shots that will make their career. Not the snapshots that everyone can take.

Yep, preaching to the choir. Brother did 3 or 4 weddings a WEEK back in the 80's and 90s. Now it is one or two every few months! Digital I suppose most folks figured they can take 500 photos and a few will be good?

 

[gadfly56]

Yep, preaching to the choir. Brother did 3 or 4 weddings a WEEK back in the 80's and 90s. Now it is one or two every few months! Digital I suppose most folks figured they can take 500 photos and a few will be good?

That right there, but great shots are not spontaneous, at least not enough to fill a wedding album. You want someone who understands framing and composition to create the real "candid" magic.

 

[PaulMmn]

Yep, preaching to the choir. Brother did 3 or 4 weddings a WEEK back in the 80's and 90s. Now it is one or two every few months! Digital I suppose most folks figured they can take 500 photos and a few will be good?

I think that was one of Kodak's thoughts back in the day-- "take 500 photos and a few will be good?"
Now-- add even a little artistic eye, and you'll up the number of 'good' ones.