Student Loan Debt?

[lilranch2001]

I've been fortunate to be around some very talented people... individuals that have become plant superintendents and charge nurses and even Director of Nursing without college degrees.

Military has had some outstanding leaders with high school... riding to the rank of general... not much talk of student debt.

The brightest and best learned on the job... they focused on getting the job done and in later years would spend a lot off time educating the university boys the way things work in the real world...

Maybe the best of both is on the job with degrees later?... see that with CNA and LVN nurses that complete their BSN coming in with clinicals down pat.

In most cases I would much rather deal with a nurse practitioner than a medical doctor

 

[paulsharvey]

Why does a nurse need to compare French neo-enlightment to early proto-greek art? I'm guessing over 2/3rds of the required classes for any given degree, are a 100% waste of time/money. I'm Not saying those kinda things shouldn't be offered, and general knowledge has a benefit; but when was the last time, professional, you needed to know the relative mass of the planets, or the macroeconomic effect of the Vietnam war?

I've worked in what many would call a math heavy profession; but seriously, 6th grade math is about all you need to shoot a grade, order concrete, or figure the area of a trapezoidal driveway. Basic literacy, and the ability to write an email is needed, but I don't need to quote sources in the correct way (copy from the regs, paste, and put it in italics). When was the last time you wrote a 5 paragraph essay? In the working world, someone who uses fancy words, probably doesn't know what they are talking about

 

[2manyrocks]

So, my sister is a professor at what we used to call a community College, or now a state college vs a university. She had mentioned that their management spoke with them about needing to actively teach people, and try to prevent them from failing out, as apparently, they just recently came to find out, the students are the ones paying for the college professors payroll. Apparently enrollment took a pretty big hit over the last 3 years or so, enough to worry the colleges. She told me, they are trying to be more flexible, offering the same class in person, recorded, and live streamed, trying to make it more convenient for students. Now, this is a state college, and I'm sure Universities will be slower to adapt. The big universities seem to think the client should kiss their butt for the privilege to purchase their services.

I know and except that this does not mean it's a widespread trend, and is only a single case.

I'd say that the administrators at many smaller colleges are looking at how decreased enrollments along with increased expenses have impacted their budgets, and they don't want to lose paying students. The administrators may not want to say this out loud, especially if their college credits won't fully transfer to another school if they happen to fold before students complete their degrees.

It used to be that you could attend a state school in Tennessee, but your credits wouldn't fully transfer even to another state school. Although they fixed this for state schools, I don't think they fixed it for private schools. It would really stink to pay 3 years of private college tuition, have the college fail, and then find out a lot of those credits won't count towards a degree anywhere else. That could also affect where students choose to attend college if they were to get the idea that their college might actually go under before they get their degree.

 

[Hay Dude]

Why does a nurse need to compare French neo-enlightment to early proto-greek art? I'm guessing over 2/3rds of the required classes for any given degree, are a 100% waste of time/money. I'm Not saying those kinda things shouldn't be offered, and general knowledge has a benefit; but when was the last time, professional, you needed to know the relative mass of the planets, or the macroeconomic effect of the Vietnam war?

I've worked in what many would call a math heavy profession; but seriously, 6th grade math is about all you need to shoot a grade, order concrete, or figure the area of a trapezoidal driveway. Basic literacy, and the ability to write an email is needed, but I don't need to quote sources in the correct way (copy from the regs, paste, and put it in italics). When was the last time you wrote a 5 paragraph essay? In the working world, someone who uses fancy words, probably doesn't know what they are talking about

It’s all about the Benjamins, cuz.

 

[Torvy]

Why does a nurse need to compare French neo-enlightment to early proto-greek art? I'm guessing over 2/3rds of the required classes for any given degree, are a 100% waste of time/money. I'm Not saying those kinda things shouldn't be offered, and general knowledge has a benefit; but when was the last time, professional, you needed to know the relative mass of the planets, or the macroeconomic effect of the Vietnam war?

I've worked in what many would call a math heavy profession; but seriously, 6th grade math is about all you need to shoot a grade, order concrete, or figure the area of a trapezoidal driveway. Basic literacy, and the ability to write an email is needed, but I don't need to quote sources in the correct way (copy from the regs, paste, and put it in italics). When was the last time you wrote a 5 paragraph essay? In the working world, someone who uses fancy words, probably doesn't know what they are talking about

Nursing is an interesting example (my mom and daughter were/are RNs)

Mom's nursing program was effectively vo-tech. Taught by nuns and was efficient and she worked for years with that. Around age 50 or so, she went back to get her BSN as it opened more doors and paid better. Didn't improve her nursing.

Daughter got BSN right away at 4 year state U.

I see value in both options. Many jobs don't need a broad program and should be just what you need to do the work.

A university degree with a rounded education is great for people who may want to lead in a field. Those core classes can be useful. They just need to be meaningful. When I was in college, we still needed PE credit.

Some classes are good for everyone economics, when taught well is crucial. My Macro professor was horrible. If I only had that one econ class, I would hate it too. My Micro professor was fantastic. They need to focus on micro for non-majors and teach fundamentals and how it works. No math needed.

If they go through the whole program and have writing and maths tuned to your degree. Probably could have about 15 credits of general info (5 classes). The rest should be focused on the major. Right now, it is something like half or less are related to the major.

 

[MossRoad]

I’m the the opposite… 2019 was great… all the pieces coming together and unparalleled economic activity in my city with new venues and business vying to move in…

Net worth down about 30% due to dropping Real Estate Value and rents are flat due to rent control and unpaid pandemic rent still protected from foreclosure by law…

Transients which were never ever a issue are daily issues.

My work retirement is not a stellar performer… the company target plan shifted me heavily to bonds…

Construction is scarce and lots of commercial foreclosure on the rise…

Layoffs in tech continue with thousands each week hitting the region hard.

Sorry to hear that.

We've had discussions in the past regarding real estate and location, location, location. Yours is the land of wild swings. Ours is small increases. We have no real estate holdings except our house and vacant land. Everything else is in mutual funds. We have several years of salary in cash as well.

We are big proponents of dollar cost averaging. It's worked well over the past 39 years.

 

[ultrarunner]

Not sure dollar cost averaging more income real estate would help.

The regulatory tide has not only turned but picking up speed.

It does seem the more meddling the worse it gets.

There could be other places in the country with lingering COVID regs but I'm not aware... to pay property expenses for 3 years and by law to enforce rent payment is recipe for financial suicide.

I do know two students that greatly reduced college expense by being onsite property managers...

 

[Torvy]

All you can really hope to do out there is be ready to buy when it crashes.

 

[Krazi]

All you can really hope to do out there is be ready to buy when it crashes.

Daughter did Juco and went into nursing. We paid for a couple years or so of that. Son took some through VA but never finished. Oldest granddaughter is at a state school for Forestry. She should get a degree in Forestry after a couple years at a junior college first. All paid for with 529 plan. We paid in about 17 k over 20 years and the earnings paid the rest. She will graduate debt free

 

[Torvy]

Daughter did Juco and went into nursing. We paid for a couple years or so of that. Son took some through VA but never finished. Oldest granddaughter is at a state school for Forestry. She should get a degree in Forestry after a couple years at a junior college first. All paid for with 529 plan. We paid in about 17 k over 20 years and the earnings paid the rest. She will graduate debt free

When she finishes Forestry, send her over to @jyoutz