NV_System_of_Higher_Waste wrote on September 04, 2009 07:54 PM: Laura wrote: It took a long time to get to a Masters degree, but I was able to triple my income.

What was your previous job/salary? Current? In the real world (not dominated by the government), an additional degree(s) has no real value, ie McDonald's will not pay a PhD one cent more than it does a high school dropout for the same amount of hamburger flipping. McDonald's will *not* promote you to regional manager because you earned a graduate degree -- even if it's an MBA -- but they *will* consider you for the executive ranks if you can perform. Public-sector employers (like UNLV) won't let you advance into administration w/out a graduate degree, regardless of your performance capabilities.

Laura wrote on September 04, 2009 06:29 PM: Well it wasn't a waste of time for me. It took a long time to get to a Masters degree, but I was able to triple my income. I wasn't physically able to do the typical high paying Las Vegas jobs. Unfortunately our HH income has been substantially cut in the last couple of years because my husband's adjunct hours have been cut. No college is not for everyone. But community college remains a good deal in comparison to expensive for profit schools. And it would be nice if people looked at the value of a good education aside from income. Picking up a book would be a start. But our current society has a stake in making sure people are simply consumers, with only material goals. Critical thinking not needed. Some of the comments on this thread demonstrate this quite well.

Gary G wrote on September 04, 2009 04:05 PM: I grew up in Las Vegas. A college education did not seem as valuable because there were plenty of jobs, and you could make a good if not great wage without one. Now that the economy is in the dumper I wish that I had gone. At least there are more doors opened and options available with the piece of paper. I have made sure that my kids have had the opportunity to go and they have done very well. Their Mom pushed their education, I taught them how to work hard. With that combination it is my hope as a parent that they will succeed.

RM3216 wrote on September 04, 2009 12:39 PM: While I will agree that college is not for everyone and that there are jobs out there for which you don't need a college degree, I find it extremely insulting those of you who feel the need to generalize and then slander those of us with the inititive to continue our education.

"Higher education on the other hand is also somewhat like a warehouse because the kids who can afford it just delay maturity by hanging out at college. They defer becoming adults for another four years."

Really? Are you serious? That may be the case for a small percentage of college students but overgeneralizing to the majority is unfair. If you didn't go to college, fine, that is your business but don't insult those of us who are trying to do better than the generation before us who pretty much screwed us over.

And Ted:
"unless your black and you get everything handed to you by the Government free of charge."

Comments like that don't make you sound better or help your cause. People stop listening because it makes you sound ignorant.

Mark wrote on September 04, 2009 12:19 PM: For those unable to attend CSN, consider taking diploma and certificate programs at The International School of Hospitality. They have great career courses taught by industry professionals, many of which feature networking and internships. Learn more: www.tisoh.com

H.D. Thoreau wrote on September 04, 2009 11:31 AM: What's up with the persistent need to equate higher education with jobs/employment marketability? Is there a complete lack of appreciation for learning for its own sake?

Robert wrote on September 04, 2009 10:10 AM: The notion that everyone should go to college is very harmful. It tends to make those who do not go feel inferior, which is silly. Does anyone really believe that another lawyer is more valuable to society than a good auto mechanic or fireman, as well as countless other very valuable jobs. It really gets ridiculous when those jobs start favoring people with a college degree. College is really only necessary for a few careers. If college standards were maintained at the pre-Vietnam War level probably half of the current students would not make it and I believe they would be better off. The number of college graduates working at retail and service jobs that require no special training is evidence that we are wasting societal resources on education. It is just a large self-serving enterprise as others have pointed out. Unfortunately many students who are not really motivated to achieve at the college level are wasting time and money. They will find that going to college by itself means very little. It is what you learn and how willing you are to apply that learning that will make the difference. Do not think that employers are going to be impressed with a degree from a weak institution-they know all about them.

bj wrote on September 04, 2009 09:57 AM: CSN would have more money if they terminated the 4 employees who are currently on PAID administrative leave while under Federal Inditement. Their combined salaries, not including benefits, come to approximately $300,000! Add in benefits, and you could keep all the rural centers open without a problem, and still have money left over for new students.

what are you thinking? wrote on September 04, 2009 09:54 AM: US unemployment rate high school droputs: 15.6% and rising

US unemployment rate high school grads: 9.7% and rising

US unemployment rate college grads: 4.7% and lower than in May

la grande lumiere wrote on September 04, 2009 08:26 AM: Tim:
Au contraire, mon ami. I did attend and graduate from a four year college with a B.A.

What have you done? Is it possible that you missed the course in writing on how to present an argument without insulting a person with whom you do not agree? Where is the intellectual thought process in insulting people?

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