Words of Wisdom

Fred hits it on the head, and wants it dead.

“I think it is time to close the universities, and perhaps prosecute the professoriat under the RICO act as a corrupt and racketeering-influenced organization, Universities these days have the moral character of electronic churches, and as little educational value. They are an embarrassment to civilization.”

Before anyone pipes in about how only the uneducated think learning is bad, lets get something straight. I’ve spent tens of thousands on my education all of which was at private universities. If I could go back in time and talk to me at 18, I’d advise me not to do it. Not because the schools were bad. I went to half way normal schools that had decent campus life and weren’t blatantly communist. I tell me not to do it because after doing a cost benefit analysis (a skill I learned on my own) it isn’t worth it.

Lets say college cost $10,000 a year at a second tier state school. That’s $40,000 plus incidentals, then figure another $30,000 for grad school maybe more. That’s $70,000 and 6 years of your life, with $5,000 in incidentals a kid has just rang up a $75,000 tab. Now whats he gonna earn for that kind of cash? Well if he was smart and went into engineering or another “hard” field he’ll start out in the low $50,000’s or maybe a little better. If he’s in some other field the pickings aren’t looking so good. Kids pulling low to mid $30,000’s aren’t uncommon.

So, why was it you sent the kid to school? Oh yeah to get a good job. What do other jobs that you don’t need more than a GED require? Coal miner (open pit) $75,000 or better. Compressor mechanic, $100,000 avg. Truck driver $40,000 to $50,000 depending on various factors, equipment operator $65,000.

Get the picture? Unless the kid has a talent for something like, medicine or engineering you're wasting your money. Make JR get a job or join the service, then at 23 or 24 if he wants to go to school let him foot the bill for it. After all he’ll be making as much money as you at that point.

The fact is that if you send your 18 year old into the military they can get a hard to fill MOS like jet engine mechanic, air traffic controller, heavy equipment operator, welder, etc and after 4 to 6 years go to the civilian job market and make more money than you do with a 4 year degree. Not to mention that an honorable discharge means an extra 5 points preference when applying for a federal job.

Good paying jobs aren’t always about education, they’re always about supply and demand. Sure in the 60’s every school in America had a votec program, but that’s gone away now. Everyone wants their kid to go to college to get a good job. If most kids are going to college, who’s working the skilled trade jobs? Supply and demand, less workers means better money. That’s why some plumbers, electricians etc make more an hour than what a doctor bills.