College drop out blues

[sailorman]

I taught a 9 th grade student who announced to me and anyone else who would listen that he was quiting school and joining the military. He was old enough having failed many times. "Why ? ", I asked. He replied, " Because I'm tired of everyone tellin' me what to do". I had a nice private chuckle.

 

[MossRoad]

Enlisting in the military because you do not know what you want to do is just as mistaken as going to college because you think you should stay in school but have no idea what you want to do. A young person should not make such huge life altering decisions based on not knowing what they want to do.

Sorry, I disagree.

You think someone that does not know what they want to do should enlist in the military or go to college?

 

[Sigarms]

You think someone that does not know what they want to do should enlist in the military or go to college?

If they don't know what they want to do, they should not waste their parents money and go to college for a potential bogus degree with a medicore GPA.

However, as mentioned, the military will at least provide structure AND dicipline.

Fact is, some children don't have the advantage of having parents who have money that can support them while they try to "figure out" what they want to do.

Another fact is that there a boneheads/idiots in life who will never amount to anything no matter what you do for them. The military has the same chance of getting those boneheads/idiots as well as colleges and other places in civilian life, however, if the person has a head on their shoulder, the military gives them the best chance of making something of themselves, particularly if they have nothing.

Personally, I don't see anything wrong with mandatory military service. Perhaps it would give everyone a different perspective.

 

[dave1949]

If they don't know what they want to do, they should not waste their parents money and go to college for a potential bogus degree with a medicore GPA.

However, as mentioned, the military will at least provide structure AND dicipline.

Fact is, some children don't have the advantage of having parents who have money that can support them while they try to "figure out" what they want to do.

Another fact is that there a boneheads/idiots in life who will never amount to anything no matter what you do for them. The military has the same chance of getting those boneheads/idiots as well as colleges and other places in civilian life, however, if the person has a head on their shoulder, the military gives them the best chance of making something of themselves, particularly if they have nothing.

Personally, I don't see anything wrong with mandatory military service. Perhaps it would give everyone a different perspective.

Good points Sigarms.

I think mandatory service is an idea with merit, but I wouldn't mess up the military by injecting millions of folks into it that really don't want to be there. On the other hand, we seem to be developing a professional military 'class' which probably isn't totally good either.

There are other worthwhile ways young people can be of service to the country that may also promote their personal growth. I think the goal would be to make the service truly useful and challenging enough that a sense of purpose can be derived.

The funding of any type of mandatory service would be a problem. If the service produces something of real value, then the public/private sector issues would be huge. If nothing of real value is produced, then the perception is likely to be that it is a waste of time.

It's a conundrum
Dave.

 

[NuBota]

This is a good topic - my oldest boy (20 yo) is about to start his last semester of jr. college (should get AA degree by summer). He got a scholarship, works part-time (has since he was 16), pays his car pmt and insurance, etc. But he is still waffling about what he wants to do and is talking about "taking a year off after he gets his AA" to just work and make money. The retail store he works at just offered him a mgmnt position. So, I am struggling how to advise him here. We told him if he works full time, he will pay rent and need to be out by 22.

I agree with Sigarms on just about everything he said. I believe the main thing to get ahead in life is a strong work ethic and personal responsibility. College does nothing for you if those traits don't already exist.

I am a college drop out myself, but have a successful career. I went to jr. college instead of my sr. year of HS - working full time flipping burgers. Had every intention of going to college (engineering) and was actually a candidate for the Navy Academy. But when I turned 18, the burger joint offered me a asst. management position. I started making good money (in my mind) and bought a house. There went college. By 19 I was a store manager - which in those days was unheard of at my age. So I am thinking at this rate I will be a corp exec by the time I'm 30 Of course, then the real world hit - job was rough, advancement slowed, got married and had kids by 23. Jumped to different companies to try to get some upward mobility - finally realized that although I could run a business very well - I was not cut out for upper management in big corporations. Went in debt on a computer, learned it inside and out and after 100 job applications finally got an IT job. Ten years later I am an independent consultant making good money.

The problem is my kids know this story - so always get "well you did it". I cannot convey to them how hard the wife and I struggled early on and the sacrifices we made. And, of course, I see my oldest about to follow the same path - except he has no where near the drive and tenacity I had. So it is about to get interesting....

The thing I can't get - is why many of these young people don't WANT to strike out on their own. I had a great home growing up and no pressure form my folks to leave - but I wanted to be my own man. Striking out so early and struggling was tough - but the thought of bailing and going home was never acceptable to me - even though it was always an option.

 

[Sigarms]

The retail store he works at just offered him a mgmnt position. So, I am struggling how to advise him here.

Tell him to finish his degree.

I was in the same boat while on summer break in my senior year of college working for a restaurant/hotel in my area. Although the work had nothing to do with my degree, you made good money if you were a good waiter at a good restaurant. The owner and I became "friends" in the three years while I worked there on college breaks, and I worked my way up supervising people and handling money. He (the owner) made me an offer because he needed help my last year there (and at that time, the salary he was offering was probably more than I could of made after I got my degree).

I told him no. No regrets.

Here is the thing...

If you're a good worker, show up on time, don't drink on the job, and do what your told to do without having to be supervised every second of the day, you WILL succeed no matter what job you have.

Your son sounds responsible. I have no doubt that after he graduates, the chance is that position may still be there. If it isn't, no big deal because sooner or later, he will "fall into" the same position again somewhere else working his way up.

I'm in my mid 40's now. Here is a little secret I've found out. Good help is hard to find

Problem is, everyone wants to start at an executive pay level for an entry level position.

 

[riptides]

This whole thread comes down to school, job, or military.

Another option is to hitch a ride and go volunteer somewhere in a less fortunate part of the world.

That will make a real person out of anyone in a hurry, and perhaps enlighten them in ways never before imagined.

 

[Knotbored]

I am retired and thank God I don't face most of the obstacles the youngsters now face. Manual labor and desk jobs used to be available to anyone ambitious enough to show ambition, but now kids can't even get an aplication form without a degree and 10 years experience. The only exceptions a couple years ago were the building trades, where most laborers either couldn't, wouldn't work or spoke broken English, and now even those jobs have disapeared.
My advise is to get the most training (college or trade school) just to be able to obtain a job aplication. Its now unlikely anyone will remain in the same trade or skill for a lifetime since technology is changing so quickly and so much labor is going overseas. Training no longer stops with that degree (if it ever did)

 

[Redbug]

You are right, Knot. Times have changed and it is a different world as to when we were younger. I understand about kids staying home longer with the economy and jobs as they are. However, I still feel kids nowadays are not as ambitious as the previous generations...Maybe that's an older man's observation syndrome.

Food for thought...

In this country, there is a 3 generation money cycle.
1st generation makes money.
2nd generation maintains the capital.
3rd generation spends the money.

This also helps explain the cycles of growth and depressions.

1st generation had the memory of poverty, (Great Depression, Immigration, a couple of World Wars), and works hard.

2nd generation has the spoken memory of poverty by living with their parents. This generation has progressed financially in the work place and they provide a better life for their children that they themselves had.

3rd generation does not have a memory of poverty and thinks they will always have money, so they spend.

 

[Sigarms]

Manual labor and desk jobs used to be available to anyone ambitious enough to show ambition, but now kids can't even get an aplication form without a degree and 10 years experience.

Sorry, I have to disagree.

When I left my career of 15 years last year to change jobs without having anything lined up, guess what I did?

I looked for work outside of what I knew just to keep busy.

Unemployment office was a waste of time and a joke, but guess what, I found work.

If you really want to work, you can. The question is, are you willing to take whatever is avialable or do you think that you're to good to take the job?

This whole thread comes down to school, job, or military.

As an adult I've found that if you don't have a paycheck coming in, your expectations of what kind of life you're going to live better be adjusted accordingly, unless you're independently wealthy.