Cheating is BIG business! <sigh>

[rachel83az]

I love to learn things but I also feel like college is something that you just "have to do". Most of it is irrelevant and overpriced, even the alternate credits. But at least the alternate credits aren't THAT overpriced.

[Clepking100]

I think the big problem is that Gen Z seems to view education as "something you have to do" rather than "learn skills and get educated". Sure, we all have that one (or multiple) classes we all hate or think "when will I ever use this", but I think most kids are taking that attitude and applying it to a lot more subjects.

I'm not Generation Z and most of the time I have felt that college was something you had to do. That's what I was taught growing up. I'm Generation X and know many others in my age who feel/felt the same way. This happens with many generations.

The reality is your social and economic survival hinge on getting this degree. If there is a way to ensure survival (cheating) damn right kids will do it.

[dfrecore]

I think the big problem is that Gen Z seems to view education as "something you have to do" rather than "learn skills and get educated". Sure, we all have that one (or multiple) classes we all hate or think "when will I ever use this", but I think most kids are taking that attitude and applying it to a lot more subjects.

Yes - this is especially true with the environment in schools these days.  I've been contacted by friends who are passing my name on to their friends because their kids are in a 4yr state school in CA, and the wokeness is off the charts.  At this point, there are several kids who are just trying to figure out how to get out of this mess and get their degrees, because they are HATING school.  Having to keep your mouth shut while a teacher rants about the benefits of communism is not fun.  And it's certainly not learning.

[ss20ts]

The reality is your social and economic survival hinge on getting this degree. If there is a way to ensure survival (cheating) damn right kids will do it.

i know plenty of people without a degree who make a really nice living.

[dfrecore]

The reality is your social and economic survival hinge on getting this degree. If there is a way to ensure survival (cheating) damn right kids will do it.

i know plenty of people without a degree who make a really nice living.

Me too.  The richest person I know personally owns his own Electrical company, and never spent a single day in college.  My dad was a lineman for 30 years for the phone company - not a single college credit.  Lots of IT guys who never went to college.  Salespeople with no degrees.  Actually, I probably know more people without college degrees than with them - only 30% of the US has a bachelor's degree.  So we all probably know more without than with.

[ctcarl]

Me too.  The richest person I know personally owns his own Electrical company, and never spent a single day in college.  My dad was a lineman for 30 years for the phone company - not a single college credit.  Lots of IT guys who never went to college.  Salespeople with no degrees.  Actually, I probably know more people without college degrees than with them - only 30% of the US has a bachelor's degree.  So we all probably know more without than with.

And then there are folks like me.

Fifteen years ago, my boss called me into his office and said that our employer's equivalent of the CEO had told him to ask why I wasn't in a specific, more highly paid job class. I told him that I'd never completed my Bachelor's degree. He said, "She's instructed me to ask you whether or not you were aware that we have a tuition reimbursement program". I told him that I was, and basically said, "Thanks but no thanks". There were plenty of other hints dropped over the next few years that if I wanted the job, and could get a degree, it was mine.

If I had gotten that job in 2006, I would have earned around $450,000 more than I did earn. That's not speculation, it is fact. I've never really thought about that until now, and it's a sobering thought.

[Clepking100]

The reality is your social and economic survival hinge on getting this degree. If there is a way to ensure survival (cheating) damn right kids will do it.

i know plenty of people without a degree who make a really nice living.

 I am not sure of the relevance of your friend. The reality is the vast majority are screwed without the degree, espscially if you are a minority.

[ss20ts]

The reality is your social and economic survival hinge on getting this degree. If there is a way to ensure survival (cheating) damn right kids will do it.

i know plenty of people without a degree who make a really nice living.

 I am not sure of the relevance of your friend. The reality is the vast majority are screwed without the degree, espscially if you are a minority.

I said I know plenty of people not one friend who don't have a degree and have made a nice living. Considering only about 37% of Americans have a bachelor's degree I'd said the rest isn't screwed because many are working in jobs where it's not a requirement such as law enforcement, fire departments, IT (I can count at least 10 people I know working in IT without a bachelor's degree making 6 figures), different types of design, a variety of mechanics, plumbers, electricians, pilots, builders, etc. The list goes on and on.

[canuckian]

I love to learn things but I also feel like college is something that you just "have to do". Most of it is irrelevant and overpriced, even the alternate credits. But at least the alternate credits aren't THAT overpriced.

I totally agree with this! I think I’m a wide reader, and I love learning from a variety of different fields of study. I’m absolutely in the camp of “getting my degree because I have to,” and I’m not a Gen Z-er.

For me, based on my own personal experience and current life stage, having a degree is just so I can have that education line on my resume to get past HR screeners. It has no bearing on my desire or ability to learn new concepts or skills.

[dfrecore]

The reality is your social and economic survival hinge on getting this degree. If there is a way to ensure survival (cheating) damn right kids will do it.

i know plenty of people without a degree who make a really nice living.

 I am not sure of the relevance of your friend. The reality is the vast majority are screwed without the degree, espscially if you are a minority.

This is completely  not true.  There are MANY professions where a degree is not required.  Whether or not you're a minority.