OT America hits peak anti-intellectualism: Majority of Republicans now think college is bad

Coincidentally, my wife (college educated) and I (community college educated) were have a similar discussion very recently. While I hold education in extremely high esteem, I can't help but feel (and my wife agrees to a large extent) that in this day and age, a college degree is overrated in many cases. One only has to look at the number of recent college graduates who are working minimum wage jobs because they can't find one in their chosen field (while carrying obscene student debt). The jobs they want just aren't there or the competition is too great. I guess what I'm saying is that some people are too impressed with the hype of that piece of paper, as if it is some sort of automatic admission ticket to success. And colleges encourage this kind of delusion because it pays their bills. I'm not going to argue intellectual versus anti intellectual. I just think colleges put far too much emphasis on the extraneous bullshit (the majority of electives) and not enough on the actual field of study. Consequently, graduates are set up for disappointment, rather than prepared to meet the challenges of life in their preferred professions. That just breeds even more cynicism and further undercuts the public's opinion of higher education. And for whatever it is worth, community colleges are the most underrated and overlooked educational resources in this country.

 

great post....I also went to community colleges and was a young father as a student....took my time. The degree never defined my success but letters of recommendation did help me get where I wanted to go.....problem is also that kids waste the college years on something they have no interest in or talent for too often...then they graduate and teach....to me grades 1-12 are where we drop the ball....teaching life skills and learning tools to make the most of college once they get there.

 

I believe the overwhelming political bias is totally unnecessary, perhaps even dishonest.
Both of my kids are Berkeley grads. And the school then was far worse than when I was at the school. Now is another story yet.

Looking back, I preferred the non college sources the best. The US Navy's Fire Control school and IBM Corporate Management school were way better than any University.

 

I think you are probably right.

 

Yep.
I definitely learned much more, and paid much less, at Umpqua Community College than i did at Oregon State. Kind of sad actually.

 

I sort of lucked out in a back door sort of way at OR State. I was suppose to get an athletic scholarship, but it didn't happen, but I got a room, signed up to go to classes and fed. Never officially enrolled, so no way to avoid the draft. But It didn't cost me anything!

Had a hell of a time getting credit for the classes though. But Pete Newell at Cal knew a guy that got it fixed for me though. Didn't cost me anything a Cal either, but then, I had nothing, so it was a match.

 

Having graduated from OSU in 09, I can tell you it's pretty frickin liberal. I experiences the whole gamut. Took like 5 ethnic studies classes, saw protests, took womens studies.... i work downtown now, the liberalness of downtown and OSU was pretty on par.

 

It all depends on your professors. I had teachers that were amazing and taught me a lot. I had professors that were so pompous, never had a job in the real world, wrote some article in some journal nobody cares about and thought they were the shit. They usually wanted us to fail and didn't give a fuck about us.

But, community college can't give you a bachelor's and 300 to 400 level classes are the most important for certain industries like accounting. Which is what I did.

 

Truth. I went to the same school district from preschool to graduation. I was always a honors and talented and gifted kid. Would do my papers the night before, barely study, and got A's.

Had to relearn everything for college. My first term fucked me in the ass. Then i got my shit together and did well.

 

My son graduated 4 years ago and it's probably just his roommates and circle but most of his classmates were conservatives...he grew up in Lane County though...

 

There probably is a mix. I didn't see much conservative activity myself. Lots of people didn't care about politics. Lots were obsessed with getting Obama elected in 08. Heard a lot of Bush hate too. Was the popular thing to do back then.

Tell ya what though, got way less shit back then for registering as an independent than I did this last election among my friends.

 

His roommates were busy killing bad guys with controllers on the internet and swearing alot

 

Better them than the 8 year old boys you usually end up playing against. All they want to tell you is how hard they screwed your mom last night.

It's like....did they really just say that? Holy shit.

 

Bottom line is, the Universities are pretty good if someone (or some company) is sending you on a mission, and of course paying the bills.

 

I have a BS in pure/applied mathematics and I believe that college education is overrated in this country. Not to say scientific education isn't important, but the importance associated with it is exaggerated. We have enough philosophical minds; we need more common-sense and everyday working heads.

 

People don't realize it but you can sit in on many classes for free if you ok it with a professor....I took two courses in areas I needed for my own business without pursuing credits and without paying a cent. Not all professors will do this but many will. You can get an education without pursuing a degree

 

My son got his degree and weighed graduate school costs and benefits against buying a home.....he bought the home .for the same price as an advanced degree .now he works for the guys who got the masters... .he can get his masters later in life if he chooses but I think he made the right move.

 

I totally agree with that move. Even if he works for those who achieved higher in college, he still has a roof over his head and - like you say - he has future options.