Higher Education, Lowered Expectations

The pursuit of higher education has been instilled in us, as the way to success. Young people especially those who grow up without, are encouraged to go to college to make something of themselves. It all seems so simple, college =career. Upon graduation we believe that our degrees will take us just about anywhere. However once we meet the real world, we are dealt a shocking blow. Not only must we compete with thousands of other grads for jobs, but somehow pay off thousands of dollars in student loans.
So you go to temp agencies, and work as receptionists or file clerks making $13 an hour; if you’re lucky you get an entry level position making $29,000/yr. You have 4 roommates to make ends meet and you drive a hooptie. This is not the life you expected to have; all your life you’ve been hoodwinked into believing that a college degree will take you anywhere but the only place its taken you to is into debt. You remember being told to dream big, that the world is at your fingertips, and you remember this while in your tiny already cramped living space. Meanwhile the guy that sits in the token booth makes $20,000 more than you do… did I mention he’s a high school drop out?
Is it me or is anyone else confused? You’ve just spent $60,000 (and still owe $55,000) on a degree in anthropology that you will never get use out of. The economy is a mess, prices for EVERYTHING are getting higher, yet your salary stays the same, not to mention the fact that with all the lay offs there’s a possibility that you will find yourself staring at a pink slip come Friday afternoon.
Once we get out of school, we often have no idea where to go from there. College taught me several things, many of which are only useful for Jeopardy. What college has failed to teach are the basic skills necessary for success. We are not taught how to interview, or even how to create a resume. People who come from poor backgrounds are deluded into thinking that now that they have a college degree they have made it. If I knew then what I know now, college may not have been a second thought for me. For example a great college course would have been office politics. Apparently its not how hard you work but how much butt you can kiss, and laugh at unfunny jokes otherwise you are not a team player (apparently work is supposed to be Comedy Central). College does not teach you how prove your worth without making your boss feel threatened, or how to put up with his or her snide remarks about how low on the totem pole you are.
College also does not teach you how to choose a career that’s right for you. Some saps that come from poor neighborhoods think that they can go to college and somehow give back to their community, myself included. What we are not told is that many people who are in public service (depending on the region you work in), especially the nonprofit world are well to do, whether from growing up with silver spoons in their mouths or having the good sense to have a career in the corporate world before becoming a hippie do-gooder. It is also not about what you know either; its about what who you know. The fact is if you grew up around people who were janitors and fork lift operators it is highly unlikely that you are going to know people who can help you get that executive position. It’s a cycle, no matter how much education you obtain, the moron whose father is the CFO is likely to get the job over you, case and point former president George W. Bush.
So what else is there to do but grin and bear it right? WRONG! Just as anything college is a business. They are to ensure customer satisfaction and give the customer what they paid for. I for one am not satisfied. I think we should be able to return our degrees and ask for a refund! We are stuck in a situation where we just can’t win. In a collaborative effort, we should all mail back our degrees and ask for a refund, and make sure you send them a copy of the receipt… that big fat notice from Sallie Mae!!!!!

Thanks for reading, feel free to post your opinions. You don't have to agree, just think about another perspective. Thanks to all supporters and even the haters. To those who feel the need to disrespect and refuse to open your minds, I have one thing to say to you…KICK ROCKS!