Wednesday, March 14, 2012

College Choices

M wants to be a dentist. She always has. You know, for the last 2 years that she could talk. Even before she'd ever been to the dentist, and even after she'd had 3K+ of work done on her mouth... she wants to be a dentist. My thought on that is that once you become a dentist, you have to be a dentist, and staying at home with your kids isn't an option. Well, unless you marry a dentist and can take a few years off from the practice.

So we've got a plan that she'll become a dental hygienist and that way she can have a job as she pursues dental school. Or maybe she'll find she is ok with that job and it's a great job for making your own hours when you have kids.

G wants to be a race car driver AND a pilot. "I already decided" he tells me when I suggest that maybe he would be a good teacher. His speech is coming along nicely and in general he should be able to do anything he wants, except armed service, firefighter, police etc....

It's interesting getting past the college decision and being on to the living part of life. You find that mostly people want to just have money to pay the bills. Few of us are possessed of and by such passion to truely starve for our art. And going into debt for any degree is a bad idea. Going into debt more than the annual income of the target job, is insane. Teachers for instance, don't make a lot of money. And if they have to use 20% of their income to pay off their student loans, how are they ever supposed to buy a car, buy a house, or tithe?

From the Dave Ramsey Show:
"I’ve got to tell you that I’m about to blow a gasket. I’m about to go into orbit. I’ve taken so many calls like this. Where are the parents here? If your kids are that stupid, jack them up! Seriously—$130,000 to get a degree from Columbia i...n divinity to get a $40,000 job as a minister. Spending $130,000 to get an undergraduate degree in psychology—that’s crazy!! So when you have babies, you go home to be a stay-at-home mom.

I love stay-at-home moms. But you know the number one reason I’m finding out now that people can’t stay home with their kids? It’s their freaking student loan stupidity! I’m not mad at this particular lady that just called. This concept is driving me bananas!

If you have a 20-year-old or an 18-year-old walking around, grab them by the ear and tell them they should not get a useless degree from a private university that you cannot making a living with and then choose to go home and be a stay-at-home mom with $100,000 in student loan debt.

This is how life happens. You say you’re going to be a professional at something and then you change your mind—YOU LOST THAT OPTION! You lose these options when you go this far in debt. You are forced into a situation where you are choosing between your children and student loan debt to get a useless degree!

You know what a psychology degree without a master’s degree is worth? NOTHING! Nothing! Absolutely nothing! You can’t get a degree in a factory with that degree! You know what a theology degree from Columbia is worth? NOTHING! It has no marketplace value! Think, people!

This is what’s going on! You’ve lost your ever-loving minds, America. You are stupid about education—how paradoxical is that? You wander in, spend any amount to get a degree and act like the student loan tooth fairy is going to come in and pick up your stuff. There is no student loan tooth fairy! You have to think.

Your stupid degree in a stupid field does not have a marketplace value and it doesn’t guarantee that you’re going to get a job! As a matter of fact, it’s an indicator that you’re too stupid to hire! Do not allow your 18-year-old to go $200,000 in debt so they can get a good Christian education in underwater basket weaving. That’s stupid! Stop it!

It’s out of control, people. Somebody’s going to have to stand up and say enough already! It’s not the institution’s fault, it’s the parents’ fault! Parents, tell your children to not be stupid and don’t assist them in this stuff. Don’t assist them to go hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt to get a degree that has no marketplace value. This is ridiculous! THINK, people!

Stupidity with education choices is about as paradoxical as anything I can think of. It’s got to stop. It’s destroying the American family. It’s destroying the economy. It’s ridiculous!"

1 comment:

Tricia said...

Preach it, bro! My kids know they can go anywhere they have a scholarship for, or go to the state school and live at home.