Another Ray of Sunshine In the Job Market!

[94steve]

It's kind of like downward price inelasticity, isn't it? You can increase the number of graduates, but when you go to raise the bar and weed out the less qualified ones people would freak out about "plummeting graduation rates". So we get college degree inflation.

Edit: not the most accurate metaphor in the world, but you get the idea...

College is ridiculous. At my brother's graduation this June one of the speakers came out and said "the value of a college education is that it teaches you how to think" and "the only people who fail to see the value of a college education are those who do not have one." Of course I was insulted and incensed and about 6 weeks later I took CLEP numero uno.

It is essentially a screening tool for the desk driving world. It says "Hi, I showed up for 4 years, stuck with it, and I'm literate to boot." It makes sense in a sick sad sort of way. I mean if you don't put a stipulation in a job posting stating that the position requires a BA you're going to have many more resume's to pick through and no credential that certifies that the candidate is literate and can stick with something. Social promotions and compulsory attendance ruined the HS diploma in that respect.

Many employers now demand an internship of some sort to in order to even be considered for an entry level job. So not only do you have to sit through 4 years of school and spend anywhere from 40-160,000 (plus opportunity cost) on a 4 year degree, our friends in corporate America expect you to work at slave tasks, for slave wages, or the ultimate slave wage of 0$/hr in order to gain "experience." So after all is said and done, your slave labor + 40-160k expenditure earns you what? The right to stare at an excel spreadsheet in a cube for 50 hours a week for 30-40k/yr? Or perhaps you can go to law school, take on another 160k of debt + opportunity cost, and then do temporary document review for $35-$28 and hour with no benefits? Or maybe you can work for free( Temporary Attorney: The Sweatshop Edition: Slave Labor )?

If it wasn't for this forum I'd be happily degreeless or in community college taking 9 credits worth of ceramics so I can collect that VA post 9-11 GI bill housing allowance. I chose to learn a trade while I was in the USCG and that decision is now paying huge dividends. Am I going to use my degree to doff my blue collar? Perhaps someday, but they're going to have to beat my current hourly rate + benefits + pension + annuity + OT. I will not be having any of that "Well we know it's a pay cut and you'll be working more, and you'll no longer have union representation but it's such a great opportunity!" crap.

Anyway, thanks for listening to my rant!!! Ciao!