Are We Being Oversold on the Value of Higher Education?

By “We” that would include both parents and kids. While I have a ton of concerns regarding education in general, I want to focus on just one thing. With great emphasis being placed on encouraging students to go on and get their degrees, is that the right avenue for everyone? Is it the best value?

Will there be careers waiting for them where they can leverage their investments of time and money to receive an appropriate return? Then, how many kids and parents are being saddled with huge debts just so little Janie and Johnnie can pursue their dreams of being … well … they’re not really sure what they want to be?

Just the other night I was watching a news-talk show and the guest, a university professor, suggested that only 5% of the population should be pursuing a degree. Shocking!

When I finished High School, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do so I went straight to Pasadena City College (PCC) for general classes and I earned an AA in History. Why history? My grandfather was a university history professor. Great reason, yes?

After that, I thought about law but, while I was quite good in school, I never liked it all that much and all of those extra years of study were not that appealing. So, as opposed to USC, I went to Cal State L.A. to take night classes so that I might get my Bachelors Degree in … History.

Finally having a moment of clarity, I got up in the middle of a class, walked out, and never went back (even to drop classes). I took some time off to work and to ponder my future before returning to PCC to get another AA degree in Retail Merchandise Management.

After 3.5 years of higher education, I was a now a regional management trainee and the jewelry department manager at a Montgomery Wards store. For what is was worth, I was an assistant clothing department manager at another store while I was going to school. Talk about upward mobility.

I desperately wanted out of retail and accepted the first B2B selling offer that came my way. I took a huge cut in pay, was working my way up from a trainee to a straight commission representative but, I was also fortunate enough to be with a national company that was recognized for having the best sales training in the industry.

A college education is definitely not cheap! Honestly, I think that it is tremendously overpriced, in general, for what you come out with. Be honest, how much do you remember from your general college education? Probably about the same amount that you remember from K-12. If you don’t use the skill consistently, you lose it.

Some of you may be old enough to remember Saturday Night Live when it was good. If so, you might also remember Father Guido Sarducci’s “Five Minute University”. Even if not, I am confident that you can, and will, relate.

I am encouraged by what I now see to be a realistic push now to provide more vocational (trade) educational opportunities for those who wish to take advantage of those. Can you believe what a plumber gets paid!? It’s a lot more than many so called “professionals”.

Hell, a good salesperson can make a very nice living (smartest thing I ever did). My Dad had zero college but, he rose to be the L.A. Division Head and SVP for a national commercial financing corporation.

Now, if you are solid in your desire to become a physician, an engineer, whatever career that requires a highly specialized education … go for it! If not, how about we concentrate on the 3 R’s and teaching kids how to teach themselves? The only schooled skills that I consistently use are … reading, writing, and basic arithmetic.

Then, are we providing the necessary education, at all levels, to meet the requirements of today’s hiring needs? From what I read, we’re not. Here is what I would suggest to start …

Reduce K-12 core classes to reading, writing, and arithmetic. Lots of it! There is a huge percentage of graduates who can’t speak properly or even count change.
Include life classes like how to budget and save, balance your checkbook, and understand interest and debt.
Classes like chemistry and trig should be electives only and after you have mastered the other core requirements.
Offer more vocational classes.
Teach kids how to research problems and then to teach themselves.
Talk to employers and build classes around their specialized needs.
Why are young people asked to repeat basic math and english in college? Either they didn’t learn it in K-12 (?) or it is a way for universities to squeeze more money out of you.
Quit hammering kids to go to college and it’s bullshit that employers continue to perpetrate this myth by requiring degrees for positions that have no demonstrated need for them.

Looking back, both myself and my parents got off pretty cheap. I never did get a four year degree but, in a slap of irony, I did teach a couple of classes at the university level. Go figure.

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Craig M. Jamieson

Managing Member at Adaptive Business Services

Craig M. Jamieson is a lifelong B2B salesperson, manager, owner, and a networking enthusiast. Adaptive Business Services provides solutions related to the sales professional. We are a Nimble CRM Solution Partner. Craig also conducts training and workshops primarily in social selling and communication skills. Craig is also the author of "The Small Business' Guide to Social CRM", now available on Amazon!