Future of College | Retro Report

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[daithiocinnsealach]

If online becomes standard what will we do about socialization.

[thomasmorrison]

Kids. I have an engineering degree and a law degree. I paid off my student loans, but I would not do it again. If you have any mechanical aptitude whatsoever, learn a skilled trade such as HVAC technician, plumber, electrician, or welder. There is always a demand, and if you join a union or build up clients and start your own business, you can make over 100k/year. No student loans and get paid while you work as an apprentice. Every city in the world needs these skills. Try to find a skilled mason to fix your walkway or house. One guy quoted me $2500 for one day worth of masonry work using my bricks. The honest and hard working skilled trades people that I know make over 100k per year and turn away work, because they are so busy, e.g., in the Washington, DC metro area.

[miro.georgiev]

Lifelong college education actually sounds like a nightmare to me (speaking as a sophomore from Georgia State University). It's the height of this ethic (if you can call it that) of permanent, infinite "growth" at all costs. You can never slow down or just stop and breathe because you'll always learn and always work.
Why can't you just learn what you — oh, I don't know — _actually_ want out of pure intellectual curiosity, instead of treating every learning opportunity like a cost-benefit analysis or a "need" because "the economy said so"?
(Of course, I shouldn't be surprised that these university officials are so enthusiastic about all this. 😒)

[snakechrmr]

I didn't have money for college so went in the Army. Got out 7 years later as a Warrant Officer flying helicopters with a nice chunk of savings, zero debt, 3 years solid mid mgmt experience and an (always) in demand marketable skill around the world that with 2-3 more years experience pays over $100K/yr.

And still only a HS diploma. Be careful looking down your nose at trades.

[selalewis]

Essentially, when you learn, keep learning. This is not news to people with a formal education. This is why we have libraries. Not because we resent private education. But because we’ve always known that a good society is an informed society. Framing digital learning as an economic need rather than an intrinsic value is a frankly cynical view. We also learn because it makes our lives better. I really wish your story had dug deeper into why colleges and universities started online learning in the first place. It’s been pitched to us for over a decade now as “the future of education.” But when news stories rarely talk about the longstanding benefits of on-campus learning, and attending physical classrooms provided by the school, I continue to have doubts about this so-called brave new world where a student is learning on a laptop in a coffee shop where they’re actually paying for everything, and the school does little to offset those costs.

[wendallparker]

People have to be lifelong learners. It doesn’t matter if you go to college or not, always make sure to evolve your mind. After I graduated college, I read a ton of books and experimented with my ideas. It has paid off.

[battistaverardi]

You know what you get after college or university? A reciept, no such thing as a diploma or degree.

[chris_the_forester]

College takes too long. Bunch of useless information and you forget most of it the next day and in a few years you'll remember a small fraction of what you "learned". I've been to a big university for two separate degrees and it took many years and many thousands of dollars. I've also been to two military training schools and they instruct all 40 hours a week, exactly what you need to know to perform a job and then push you out to do it. That model would get people into the workforce faster with way less debt, however college is just another business and they want you there as long as possible.

[iwanttosurvive]

I wish companies would just invest in testing and teaching qualified applicants for employment.

[briantayco]

In September of 1997 I attended Hunter College. Ok, I went to college for 5 years and then formally left. Only to return to graduate in May, 2012 paid through money deferment, at the time. Money deferment works when the bank pays half of the semester and you the student pays other half via installments during that semester. This way you graduate debt free, which was cool. My mom helped me with the installments. Then in 2002 I formally left, reason being to helped caregive for a friend that had Lymphedema, Type 2 Diabetes, and High Blood Pressure. Lymphedema is swelling of the legs and other body parts. Walking was a serious problem for him.

I cared for him for 7 years. It was humbling, and it was my choice. He was my best friend. I cared for him because his mother who was well into her 70s could not do it. And she only spoke Spanish. So doctor visits and hospital stays would have been a bit of a problem for her. I did this for 7 years of my own accord. I lived in his home, helped with everything. I was not working at the time. In November of 2009, he died. And I had to move back home with my Dad. I was looking for a job, and yes that was a nightmare. It was not till the girlfriend of mine at the time said, "Why don't you go back to school?"

I honestly had no interest due to my age and the length of time it took. But she insisted I go back to Hunter and ask questions. So I did. And the academic advisor explained CUNY has a 10 year rule. So if you leave a Cuny school you have 10 years to return, after that you start from the beginning. I left in 2002 I was gone for 7 years. I had 3 to finish school. So I went back. Since I had no job, I was living with my dad, and options were limited I applied for TAP and FAFSA. Yeah I know crazy. I put down 0 for everything, since I had nothing. I got a response, stating that I needed a notarized letter from my dad explaining my situation. Mind you my dad is retired and on Social Security, and I was living with him.

Basically, I had to declare destitution. I went back to school in 2011. And every semister I had to submit the same notarized letter. I already finished my major and minor before I left in 2002. Everything else was electives and 2 basic requirements. I graduated in a year and half. Mind you I had 3 years to do it and I luck out in graduating debt free. At the end of my final semester I got a job in retail. And after graduating I was stuck in retail hell for the next 3 years. Now I work in Office Services, mailroom. Pay is a bit better but I'm doing it for now.

Now, I have a BA Media Studies and Minor in English. Never pursued my field. But I'm glad i graduated it help me get a job. But I have no intention to return to as I do not want to be in massive debt. If anything, I would rather have gone to a trade school or community college if the opportunity was presented to me in High School. Instead of, 4 year college, 4 year college, 4 year college.

[TheMilpitasguy]

Re-education is great, of course. I go to a community college to learn something different, something new within computer science & I look for work within that area only to find employers want hands-on experience, not just book learning. Wait, what?

[JCReynardus]

There should be a balance between traditional methods of education and modern, more technological ways.
You now can access to the best schools and Universities using the internet. But the human bond between students and professors is irreplaceable, knowledge often involves emotions and that connection is priceless.

As usual, GREAT VIDEO!! Thanks Retro Report 👏👏

[garychandler]

COLLEGE ENDS BUT LEARNING NEVER DOES. LIFE TEACHES YOU WHAT COLLEGES GOT WRONG.

[GuitarsRgood]

Colleges really do need to change and be cheaper because they're going to die. There is so much free and inexpensive knowledge on the internet. I got a job as a web developer after just one year of studying, and I paid less than $100 for everything. If I had gone to college with no scholarships or grants it would have been $90K-160K, and it would have taken me 4 years.

[MW-ghmo]

There are so many degrees that are a complete waste of money. But of course the people at a college are going to tell us we need to go to college, not once, but forever. Universities almost never have people teaching there who really know what is going on in the current economy. I mean how could they, they have spent the last 2o years in academia.

[seventhchild]

So you go to college or back to college, but then in debt for the rest of your life along with other debt to just maintain a living....

[fan.of.feet]

It’s easy why colleges are dying
1) everyone is becoming an equal opportunity employer, meaning people get trained in the job not needing a degree
2) college costs are skyrocketing
3) scholarships can easily be ruined if you decide to change your plan

[deeas]

Very little of what you learn in university will be of any use, especially humanities courses. It is mostly a hoop to jump through, to try and impress future employers

[IllyCrystal]

3:35 "The data are very clear here" that this was a ninja grammar move.

[LivingFree]

Both our children are getting online degrees. They are very good programs. They have saved a lot of time and money from going back and forth to a college campus, while fighting traffic, wear and tear on car, gas, etc... or having to pay to stay on campus. With the busy lifestyle of today, online education is the way to go...especially those who are married and with children. There is just so little time and with this online opportunity, everyone has a chance for success. Online education will be the norm for many programs and will become more user friendly and interactive. As far as socialization...because there is less time getting ready for school and commute time...there is more time to socialize outside the home with family and friends.