NYT Article: Snowplow Parenting

[Joe in PNG]

If I had my druthers, I'd make Home Ec & Consumer Math a HS freshman year requirement for all da yoots.

[revchuck38]

I am kind of curious as to how college went from something my parents could afford on a part time min wage job at McDonalds to something I could not financially swing without loans.

FWIW, my sophomore year ('70-'71) the campus of my PA state college erupted in protest because the tuition rose from $175 to $275 per semester. Since probably the majority of us were the first generation of our families to go to college and were doing it the old-fashioned way (working summers and work-study or other stuff during school with minimum use of loans), we were pissed.

[Chance]

I am kind of curious as to how college went from something my parents could afford on a part time min wage job at McDonalds to something I could not financially swing without loans.

Insisting everyone should go to college regardless of whether or not it's a good idea, and the government's subsequent approach to facilitating that, is the core of the issue. But the push towards resort-style amenities, along with stunningly incompetent management, are big pieces of the puzzle.

The bureaucracy is... disgusting, frankly. Our faculty senate is in open revolt against the administration because the senate keeps asking where exactly all the money goes, and the administration can't tell them. Literally cannot. The senate is mulling a FOIA request to force the issue.

That is absolutely stunning. And the fact that the state of Texas is allowing one of its public institutions to be run in such a manner is equally stunning.

[willie]

The thread is about what we called helicopter moms who hovered over children even into college and later. I know of many examples of such silliness. I did not know that it had become this widespread. At my school some teachers worked there for only one reason which was to accompany their kids to high school. They would resign immediately after their children graduated. I told one such mom whose kid was in my biology class that she wrote the best research paper in Bubba's class. When I was a health inspector, I would have to address complaints filed by mothers who said that chlorine levels in swimming pools burned their daughters' sensitive areas. These were moms whose daughters were in college. The same bunch would complain that apartments had not been cleaned to their satisfaction before Lulu moved in. One bitched because tampons stopped up Lulu's plumbing.

[mtnbkr]

Insisting everyone should go to college regardless of whether or not it's a good idea

Business and Industry are part of that problem by insisting on a degree for each and every job, even if it's not necessary. I've been in IT in one form or another for over 20 years. While I've had a degree the entire time, I've worked multiple roles where experience, with or without a degree, was the key enabler. I've known enough talented and productive people in IT and IT Security who lacked college degrees that when I became a hiring manager, I started removing degree requirements from job listings on roles I needed to fill. These were roles for experienced and industry-credentialed people, so a college degree would be superfluous anyway. I got some push-back from HR, but not enough that I couldn't overrule it.

My company has an actual apprentice program for IT and ITSec in the UK (company is British). People start at 18 as an apprentice and work part time while going to university part time. They end up with, if I understand the terminology correctly, with the equivalent of an associates degree, experience, and a job. If they're motivated, they can quickly rise in the ranks and be at a fairly senior position by their late 20s or early 30s. One of our former VPs here in the US started as an apprentice in the UK, a not-uncommon scenario. We need more programs like this nationwide and for every industry.

Chris

[OlongJohnson]

I'm with Rob on this one. Set my sights on getting out of the small town where I grew up when I was 11. Worked my ass off and was second in my HS class with great scores, sports, activities. Also spent my share of time with a shovel, saw and tractor's steering wheel in my hands. Got into one of the top three schools (and my first choice) for my STEM interest in the country. The social environment was exactly what I needed at that time in my life, and the transformation went far beyond what I learned in academically. Set me up for what's been a great life. Couldn't have done it without some loans. I graduated with honors in eight semesters and started working. Paid off the loans well ahead of schedule, then was able to buy a house. The game still works if you actually play it.