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Originally Posted by Old_Row
College is not trade school. If college is all about getting a degree so you can go out and work, then we should close down liberal arts colleges immediately and make everyone major in stuff like business and engineering.
My momma has a degree and is the best momma in the world. She is my role model. She took care of our home and family and raised several wonderful, smart, educated and giving children. We were loved and nurtured and read to and prepared to become upstanding and happy adults. She helped at our school, volunteered in very challenging places, supported my daddy in every way and helped us with our homework and made us delicious homemade food. I'm sorry you think that life and those accomplishments are beneath an educated woman.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SWTXBelle
I did not get my degrees planning to use them for a career
I got them because education is a good in and of itself. I got them because I firmly believe that a democracy requires an educated citizenry. I got them because I wished to be educated for my personal development, and because I planned to have children. I wanted my children to have the advantage of an educated mother.
In fact, I ended up in education because I wanted my girls to have a private school education, and the only way I could do it was teaching at the school I wanted them to attend.
I love teaching, and can't imagine not doing it. But I still maintain that education doesn't have to be vocational training.
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I respect what you are both saying and I agree to a certain extent, but again, it really comes down to your economic station in life. If you've grown up living paycheck to paycheck and are financing your education on borrowed money, then yes, college is vocational school for many Americans. It's an unfortunate truth for those of us who have grown up in a less economically stable environment and without the benefits of advisers and examples of what we can do and be. I wish it were different, but then we go and complain about the philosophy majors who cried during Occupy Wall Street that they took out $100K for a 4 year degree and can't get a job to pay it back. If you can afford it, then yes, college is for learning. If you cannot, it is for a trade like business, engineering, etc. No one should be denied a college education, and I am not saying that anyone should. My point is that those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds view college differently.
I am not demeaning anyone's choices. I was just sharing the perspective of someone who has come from a different economic background and how they view a college education. In fact, I am envious that someone can go to college, major in whatever they want, and not have to work in a career to support themselves and repay their debt to finance that education. We would have a very different society if more people had those choices! I am quite envious of my European friends whose countries don't charge for college. You have much more freedom to pursue your interests and the kind of life you truly want.