There is a poll that tells us 66% of Americans have doubts about their education. More specifically about the kind of degrees they obtained. What most college educated people regret is the amount of debt they incurred in order to get a degree that often doesn’t lead to the kind of salary needed to repay the college loans and support themselves and a family. The topic brings to mind the fact that our education has become very expensive and there is a national discussion concerning the student loans. More than 45 million owe student debts. Bill Lebow says if you chose to study philosophy then you had to know that you were not going to receive a good return on your investment. “You signed on the dotted line when you accepted the loan. You knew what the market was out there if you are a literature major.” CNBC Business News reporter Bill Griffith says he would have studied economics if he had to do it again. And those arguments illustrate one of the main problems of American education.
College degrees in the liberal arts, English, History, Philosophy have become less popular while MBAs and science degrees have become more popular. Baby boomers seem satisfied with their choice of careers. But the most recent generations are disappointed with their earning power compared to the expense of obtaining a degree. Math, Science, and Economics are recognized as degrees that can bring high income and therefore the possibility of repaying those college loans in a shorter time. All of this leaves us with several questions regarding our educational systems and the choices we make. Our culture tends to underestimate the value of an education that doesn’t bring a high income and many blame a disinvestment in higher education that has shifted the cost to students and their families.
Colleges and universities have been left heavily underfunded at a time when they must spend more money for faculty and services. Furthermore there are those who are calling for a total change in the direction of our education. We need to know more about the technology that surrounds us in order to deal with a more sophisticated environment . The future is going to be more demanding in terms of our technical knowledge even at the basic level. We will be required to get professional degrees in order to join the mainstream, to be part of the labor force, and it will not be enough to know people in high places. For every student the options will become narrower in terms of career choices if they are hoping to pay their student debts. Of course, we will always have the need of manual labor but even those jobs will be more competitive and better paid as we recognize their value. We will have a higher appreciation for certain trades like carpentry and plumbing and will have to pay more for those services. Finally, let’s think seriously about the direction of our education, and how we are preparing ourselves for the future.
Editorial
Noticias Newswire
