Who's Responsible for the $1.7 Trillion Student Loan Crisis? | The Way I Heard It

[@Paladin1873]

My foster brother, Marshall, was a genius who missed one question on the SAT. In 1968 at the age of 16 he skipped the last two years of high school and accepted a full scholarship in computer science at FSU. Following this he attended Stanford on another scholarship for his masters and doctoral programs. During his last year there, which he spent writing his dissertation, his professor went on sabbatical in Europe, leaving him without any guidance or means of seeking advice. When the professor returned he glanced at Marshall's work and threw it in the trash, saying it wasn't what he wanted. He next proceeded to have Marshall removed from the program. Then he removed the dissertation from the trashcan and incorporated it in a book he was writing. When my Dad learned about all this he contacted the Dean and informed him he was prepared to file a lawsuit against Standford. The Dean agreed to issue Marshall an ABD, which is a doctorate without a dissertation (All But Dissertation). After that Marshall began his career at Bell Labs. Meanwhile I went to Georgia Tech, which was the hardest four academic years of my life, but I never encountered such B.S.

[@abpob6052]

The 90's started the "you can do anything you want" mantra to kids. We ended up with generations of kids that want to be rappers, pro video game players, movie stars, social media influencers. I received a Civil Engineering degree from a state school in 1988 because I understood that I would always have work. Was it my dream job? No. But it paid for itself many many times over and allowed me to do many of the thing that were in my dreams when I was younger. Young people today have no comprehension of how to play the long game. It's all about instant gratification.

[@PearlMagnolia]

I don't know your age, but my husband graduated from USC (South Carolina) with a degree in Chemical Engineering back in the 1970s. He's a math genius so this has been a dream job for him. It pays well when you are working but companies take engineers for granted. They hire for permanent but dump you when you solve their problem. This happened over and over till he decided to become a contract engineer, which pays a lot more. Fast forward to now. He's back to permanent, so highly experienced that he was hired in his current job to train his boss. He totally doesn't mind being a paid mentor. I've told him he ought to teach. He's so incredibly knowledgeable about such a wide area of engineering.

[@blablablatube]

No protests at trade schools. Perfect!

[@sailor7025]

As a college grad, who left the corporate world after 20 years for various reasons, I sincerely regret each and every day I didn't follow a path of a trade.

[@lizlaney9592]

Some trades pay more too!

[@sailor7025]

@@lizlaney9592 Yeah, I get that however, aside from money, it's about the joy of working with your hands. Creating a solid product or providing stellar service. The illusion of wealth through fiat currency is a joke in my opinion - I believe quality of life has far more value.

[@jhm1080]

Interesting story… what did you do after you left the corporate world?

[@noahhamilton1026]

@@lizlaney9592I smoke too many drugs to get in the union plus I’ve never gotten my ged I’m currently 30 years old

[@RitaFredsham]

I plan to retire at the end of 2025 at 62 after 36 years in Telecom as a sales engineer. My wife will retire in May 2026 and she's loving life! But walking away from a good income stream and building the nest egg to living from the nest egg is a scary proposition couple with the alarming recession and CPI report

[@RamseyAlaqel-d2u]

I feel your pain mate, as a fellow retiree, I'd suggest you look into passive index fund investing and learn some more. For me, I had my share of ups and downs when I first started looking for a consistent passive income so I hired an expert advisor for aid, and following her advice, I poured $30k in value stocks and digital assets, Up to 200k so far and pretty sure I'm ready for whatever comes.

[@EalDieguez-f7i]

My advice: for newbies to grow financially this year, invest. Saving is good, but investing elevates your finances. Why newbie make huge losses on trade is because investing without proper guidance can lead to mistakes and losses. that will stop you from trading, this has been one of the biggest problem to new traders, I've learned this from my own experience

[@RamseyAlaqel-d2u]

Tracy Britt Cool Consulting was my hope during the 'bear summer' last year. I made so many mistakes but also learned so much from it, and of course from Tracy.

[@SueliPavlenko]

I'm surprised that this name is being mentioned here, I stumbled upon one of her clients testimonies on CNBC news last week...

[@SueliPavlenko]

I keep hearing a lot about Mis. Tracy Britt Cool Consulting O'Reilly, she must be really good

[@joycekapella8917]

Always love listening to VDH! And love this conversation. I am a Certified Public Accountant, even though I only have 15 hours of college credit. I got a job when I was 20 as a receptionist at an accounting firm and within 6 months, I was preparing tax returns and financial statements. The partners at the firm convinced me to sit for the CPA exam. So I took the ACT, scored 27, and received special permission from the University of Oklahoma to only take accounting courses. I sat for the CPA exam and passed!! Not too bad for a girl from a little farm in rural Oklahoma. I am 60 now and am sorry to say that that career path is no longer available. They are taking opportunities away by making degrees required. We need to bring back apprenticeships and other opportunities for professional careers. Many students in my college classes would eventually have accounting degrees but never passed the CPA exam.

[@proberts34]

Amen, sister.

[@misuchimiss1161]

True and still the CPA is about the only 4 yr degree that will get you a decent job

[@ralphp3057]

Coming back arrogant and incompetent from college! Wow ! Victor nailed it ! 👍😁

[@johncollins719]

I dated a girl that attended Drexel on daddies dime and took a course in Alfred Hitchcock films. Her dad was rightly pissed off.

[@ralphp3057]

@@johncollins719 Every one needs knowledge of Hitchcock films and trivia! What if you need that in a game show answer? Hmmm 😂 lol

[@BruceLee-xn3nn]

Sounds like upper management

[@texassportsoutdoors]

Mike Rowe is the best man i have ever watched on my PC and TV. God Bless you Brother!

[@curtgomes]

The universities that are rich with huge endowments should be made to pay back these loans.

[@harrychu650]

Just take away their bogus non-profit tax status and tax their endowments like the asset management businesses they are.

[@curtgomes]

@@harrychu650 Exellent idea! These leftist elitist bas***** get away with literal murder....

[@rpm3605]

Mr. Rowe, it’s great to hear this getting discussed. I agree that it’s a huge education and financial problem. What worries me is that it’s even worse than what your discussion covers. My daughter is a registered nurse, worked in a hospital ER for years, and moved on to other things. She took a job teaching nursing at a trade school and only lasted a a few months because the trade school pushed her to pass students that were just not cutting it. The school’s goal was to graduate students rather than make sure the students were properly educated. The DEI problems of 4 year colleges seems to be leaching into at least some trade schools.

[@suerop]

New subscriber here. I'm finding your programs and guests so refreshing with the lack of hype and hyperbole. I've spent a good 6 hours learning about things I thought I had already absorbed all I could. I'm now going to start hitting that LIKE BUTTON for you!

[@gr8fulUS]

arrogant and incompetent 💥. nailed it in two words. thank you

[@georgemoriarty4148]

Children shouldn't be making loan decisions

[@TheThiaminBlog]

The universities work hard to keep the parents out of the decision making process. Ours did. “Your daughter is an adult now” (18) and “we’d really like her to come in to the financing lecture on her own.” My husband went in anyway. The schools know what they are doing. And should pay some of the price.

[@JeffEbe-te2xs]

18 Adults Can vote

[@tinayeo1962]

My child signed paperwork for a $20# loan which a certain "trade school" for pharmaceutical assistant insisted is free to her. Fortunately, I caught it in time and put an immediate stop to it. That would have turned out to be a Mickey Mouse degree which is no good in other states.

[@Handymanprocess]

Thanks for putting together this video. I have been teaching my kids the handyman business and sharing my knowledge with other people on KZbin.

[@darlajohnson9762]

It’s actually starting before college level, it’s in our public school system!😔

[@mindyobeeznis]

We should help people who were sold a false bill of goods but not from the public coffers. Take the funds from the endowments of these schools who are peddling worthless degrees.

[@justsayingforafriend7010]

No you pay for your shit!!!

[@justsayingforafriend7010]

Know you will pay for your s***!!?!

[@justsayingforafriend7010]

If I made a bad mistake in buying a house or a car or whatever I have to pay for my mistake!!!!

[@mindyobeeznis]

@@justsayingforafriend7010 so if someone lies to you and convinces you to do something basically fraudulently you should suck it up and suffer?

[@mindyobeeznis]

@@justsayingforafriend7010 clearly you've never bought either because there are laws to protect people from being scammed by sellers and the sellers are held culpable.

[@rvnerd7671]

Absolutely love the endings. This video hit home with me, because I've spent over 30 years in the RV service business, and we cannot find anyone that is willing to fill our shoes when we're done. I would very much love to have a hungry 19-20 year old to train.

[@katstinykitchen9144]

I could only afford one quarter at a community college. I wanted a tech degree. I paid the loan and realized I would never get the degree at the cost to get it. I got my current job because I knew how to use a calculator. Never used a computer in my life. Now after 37 years at the same company, I've learned to create calculated spreadsheets, Word documents that are form related, PDF forms and documents, Access databases and Intranet sites. All learned on my own without a degree.

[@BenWilson24]

Looking at the data, the average cost of a single credit hour today is as much as an entire full semester was in 1987... That's a 12x increase. Median wages have only increased about 2x. People that can run a calculator and excel are a dime a dozen today and are automated out of jobs extremely regularly. That's the trend with nearly every menial tasks and it will only increase. This disconnect is why people don't understand the issue here. I remember my mom saying paying for college isn't a big deal because she did it working part-time at an ice cream shop. I managed a property to get free rent, worked part-time at a machine shop, and tutored simultaneously throughout school and it was a drop in the bucket compared to the cost, but per the bad guidance of parents and school counselors (the people you're supposed to be able to trust), I took loans that I will have the rest of my life. Sure, I have a great job as an engineer, but the loans are out of control and it will become a serious problem, no different than the subprime housing loans

[@ProToolsApproved]

MIKE ROWE FOR PRESIDENT! I'LL die screaming this on my tiny hill. I respect him as the most intelligent person speaking to us today.

[@juneyshu6197]

They encouraged older people to get a degree. I graduated at 49. IT. Then a nanotech certificate. No one hires elders now.

[@JenniferJane78]

Oh they do, but just like the old days it is all about who you know. Talk to others from your class who are working now, get them to refer you for a job with their company. Talk to your friends, if you don't have friends make some through the 6am gang at your local independent coffee house.

[@aolvaar8792]

@@JenniferJane78 The Company's death benefit is $250K, at 70 years old, the bean counters say it is a bad decision to hire me.

[@motor2of7]

Since we’re talking about electricians, I’d like to call out the guy who mounted the light switches on the wall behind VDH. Too close to the door for the casing!

[@The_Frozen_Canadian.est.1793]

TRADES TRADES TRADES!

[@schrodingersmechanic7622]

My nephew is in college. He's flying to Greece for "school credit" His single mother is useless and they couldn't even afford a proper funeral for his grandfather. This is how college students get 6 figures of student debt. Giving a fledgling adult unfettered access to that kind of cash is predatory. I have money now because I was broke as a joke in my 20s. Having to work for wealth teaches fiscal responsibility.

[@JetLagRecords]

Mike Rowe, awesome video keep up the great content

[@carlaatkins2619]

Victor Davis Hansen, you are 💯 percent on point. Thanks you for your well-spoken answer to Mike's question. I have a Masters in Education and I taught High School Mathematics and at the end of 17 years, most entry level tradesmen made more in salary than I did. Given that thought, it was not the salary of public education, but the success of struggling students that graduated because of dedicated teachers that became my incentive. 🎶💐💖

[@nathanhale6477]

Why should the single mother waitress, working for minimum wage and tips, be forced to pay your debt? 😡

[@usa11227]

Because MGTOW and Toxic Masculinity… that’s why!!!!!😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@jmc6952]

I'm a Korean living in South Korea and my niece just entered U of Penn this month.. I didn't want her to go to the US for college education because I've heard so much about nonsense going on in the school... now Mr. Davis proves from his experience with schools. :( So sad... I went to US college in 90s (state university). There was no BS back then. Please be awake Americans.. That's not right path to go... you guys are better than that..

[@proberts34]

Totally agree.

[@user-dc6ut5uu3t]

That's President Biden's univesity with the Biden-Penn center. Billions of CCP funds flow in. They'rre teaching her to become a communist radical.

[@homertalk]

Your niece may come back with blue hair.

[@Arnsteel634]

They punish teachers that give bad grades

[@oddozzi1021]

I and my wife were high-school dropouts she got a job as a receptionist in a reality company, and I started being labor for construction crews. Long story short. She became a mortgage broker and I a construction contractor. My spelling is confirmation of our story. She's better at the paperwork!!! Also side jobs her 7/11 me home improvement floor worker. It can be done. 3 kids. Lol. They are taught to quit now. 😅 love ya dude

[@blablablatube]

Well said 😉

[@texassportsoutdoors]

Kids are going to college on their parents dime just to keep from going to work! It's truly sad.

[@dennislamers986]

I agree 100& at 25 I quit my dead end job and took a job as a pre-apprentice with hopes of getting a plumber or steamfitter apprenticeship. It took a year of hard work and I received my 5 year steamfitter apprenticeship. My wage was based on percentage of Journeyman pay. 40% pn up every year you passed and moved on. After the 4th year you took a test on everything you learned in 4 years and then you took a skills part to show what you could do. Good times I just wished I would have got in at 18.

[@socalrefrigeration548]

The question is how many made it like you and how many never did. Journeymen steamfitters are a rare breed when you look at how many plumbers and pipe fitters there are.

[@Viewer372]

Entertaining and informative video. Sorry VDH or Rowe didn’t mention there’s no way to discharge student debt; pay it back or take it your grave.

[@nedhalimi4195]

Thank you Victor we need people like you!!!

[@SamGold-pe6xz]

My high school ossd diploma served me well eh 🎉

[@robertPharry777]

Professional college students knew they were taken out these loans and had to be paid back, just like a mortgage... Now pay up!! The TAXPAYERS ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE for your DEBTS!!

[@frankrizzo5262]

Exactly….. now pay back that 30 trillion debt because it’s not my debt it’s yours. I’ll pay student loans and You pay back Your countries debts and stop forcing your grandchildren to pay it back.

[@Lori1Cor15]

It isn't mine, Frank. I have never been in debt and the govt doesn't listen to me. I do think that it is disgraceful what is happening to young people.

[@TCB690]

​@@frankrizzo5262you sound vaccinated

[@elglowingjar]

You right but they don't care. It sucks to be us.

[@Mazda.Fit.]

You sound old

[@HeidiBuss-pd8cw]

My husband, a painter, came from a family of tradesmen. I was very proud of him, and near the of his life he started recruiting people to trades. I came from a family where a 4 year college education was the goal. I ended up earning an AA, BA and MS and pursued a career in Education. I taught Credit Recovery in a high school and spent many years butting heads with counselors because I advocated building trades. We need more people in trades. My husband was surrounded by some of the most interesting, talented and smart people.

[@Onemadfiddler]

Im in my mid thirties and being an aircraft mechanic has supported my stay at home wife and 5 kids (so far) with plenty leftover

[@wanderingtrout209]

Subscribed just because of the subscription song; thaat effort alone is worth the sub! 😂

[@Jjf-ep3mf]

All these schools with these huge endowments should be paying taxes on this money…I was probably one of the last HS GRADS FROM A Vocational high school.. when I graduated in 1976 I had the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree in electronics…I’ve had an incredible career in electronics over the last 50 years…

[@FNGACADEMY]

Mike filming a new show about Special Forces selection process, how much for your voice over work?!

[@Lisa-x3n5x]

Oh I love barbershop quartets!

[@obieobrien5883]

I taught in a proprietary college, before all the shut downs for illegal activities. We were told to dumb down the programs after the entrance exam was done away with. Many of us refused because we wouldn’t be putting out quality people. Some of the students who failed my course were given straight A’s, unbeknownst to me, by whoever was above my position as a department chair. This is infuriating! Many of the companies that hired my students did so because they knew that they were getting someone that knows what they’re doing. The few that were shoved through, never made it in the big people world.

[@1roofman53]

"Closing of the American Mind" by Bloom pointed to this decades ago

[@TheyCallMeSir_H]

Simple. Bring back the ability to declare bankruptcy on student loans that Goldman Sachs bribed Congress to exempt them from; let the lender absorb the risk. After all they are making the profit.

[@Fearmocker]

I’m showing this to everyone I know. Brilliant.

[@longhairasian2902]

Mike Rowe for President

[@zacharymoore8366]

I love Painting 🎨 Southern Maine ...TRADES BUILD AND MAINTAIN AMERICA 🇺🇸 💪 🙏

[@tylerfoss3346]

You guys give me hope. Thank you.

[@o62ramprat68]

My Boys are Journeyman pipe fiters now 7 years. No debt . And doing just fine!!!

[@lizlaney9592]

Victor is so right.

[@daviddecandia1843]

Just like inflating sport tickets. If you don't like it stop watching and going. I did college because I thought I was supposed to . If we stop going maybe prices would drop.

[@proberts34]

The big problem is that some debts, like federal student loans, can't be discharged during a bankruptcy.

[@LilMonty]

@@proberts34they can be discharged with public service

[@dutchstorm7824]

In California this week, ten SAT testing sites suddenly closed with short notice to those students that needed to get tested. Nothing says failure to our public school systems like negative results on the SAT's.

[@AylockRohan]

From $10K to $110K, that's the minimum range of profit return every week. I think it's not a bad one for me, now l have enough to pay bills and take care of my family.

[@Hsbkgsnohnvslggv]

Excuse me for real?, how is that ? I have been struggling financially. How was that possible?

[@Hsbkgsnohnvslggv]

What is it you do?

[@AylockRohan]

Oh, yeah. I was able to achieve that with the help of my coach /Mrs Sandra Maria Ferraguti❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@AylockRohan]

She's a licensed broker and successful entrepreneur from the state.

[@AylockRohan]

Her top-notch guidance and expertise on digital market changed the game for me.

[@andrelorkiewicz4599]

You guys are so right.Love to listening to you guys

[@LeannaRuthJensen]

I got a four year degree in French/German. I knew that might not pay well so I worked my way through school, no loans. I was able to use my degree in travel, then international business, but I have never regretted doing it "the hard way" and graduating debt free.

[@718EngrCo]

When I was attending college courses at night I had an economics course and the professor had a discussion with the class about college loans and the value of a degree. Luckily I was on the GI bill so it didn’t affect me much, but some of the other students were pretty concerned.

[@stewartpalmer2456]

I have a bunch of letter after my name too: ASC in comp sci, 76V, 92A, 88M, 25B, DS, SFC, have technical writing credits in 11 books. Wrote my own novel and went through the school of life to get where I'm at. Don't ask me for a handout. I will teach you to tie your shoes, get busy living or get out of the way. Sincerely Akerace Drill

[@dagmarsuarez3033]

Best whinin' and beggin' for a subscribe I've ever heard. You win Mike. You win.

[@mikeydeighan]

Mike Rowe Just the frigging man. I won't hold your degree against ya. 😂😅😂😅😂 😮😮😮😮😮😮 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉 #GOTMIKEROWE

[@johnstaley7114]

My 1st BS degree was in Microbiology in 1976 and not once did any professor, in 4 years, talk about what we could do with this degree. Their primary focus was for us to go on to grad school, get a MS and then a PHD and come back and teach! After 2 years of searching and applying for jobs I went back for 2 more years and got a 2nd BS in Medical Technology in 1980 because I knew that was an area where my 1st BS would be of value. I then spent 35 years working in hospital laboratories with most of that time spent supervising blood banks and transfusion services. All this to say that, the Microbiology professors had no focus on preparing us for the real world but there really are some worthwhile college degrees. Sadly, much has changes in the past 50 years in relation to college education. As a side note, I worked construction during the summers and my only debt when I graduated was $50/month car payment for a '68 Mustang. Sure wish I still had that car.

[@Joann-i5t]

I transferred from a community college after applying for a student loan to complete a BS degree in Medical Technology in 1979. The local hospital pay with an evening shift differential was $5.65 an hour. A fellow student was earning $7.00 per hour working at the local Shop Rite grocery chain as a cashier in their Union. It took me 10 years to pay back my student loan. I left the hospital after 7 years and paid for computer science classes at a tech school. It was my escape ticket to move on for better paying positions in clinical software and pharmaceutical jobs.

[@jeffreyohler2599]

11:10 *Playing 'Musical Patsies'!!!*

[@reginapolo3357]

After 22 years in the military, I decided to go live overseas. I speak Spanish and Italian and thought that I would supplement my retirement teaching English so I got a TESOL certificate from university, and I have an Associate from Tulane SOPA, but.....I have been passed for teaching oportunities because I have to have a Bachelor ""in anything"!!!?

[@billc8886]

I have a GED and taught astronauts how to do their job at the KSC for years.

[@robertluechtefeld5017]

Be wary of the "trade" schools that only leave you $40,000 in debt without teaching you a trade that is in demand. That happened to my cousin.

[@richardjennex6583]

Love the show thank you for sharing

[@bzh7648]

I believe that colleges are accepting less from students. I went back to school a few years ago and was surprised how incompetent the young students were. The math courses were more difficult for me, as an older adult but I just had to study harder for those. Many of the students just didn’t seem serious about the degree, but others didn’t have the skills.

[@BionicMilkaholic]

I agree it's messed up. I only have my experience and don't know what the answer is. I have a BS in chemistry and an MBA. Parents paid undergrad, which I'm very grateful for. I went back a few years later and I paid for grad. There aren't many chemistry jobs near me, and the ones there are pay crap. I work in construction. After paying on my student loans for five years, and knowing I had five more to go, I pulled from retirement savings to pay it off. Didn't have to use it all. I'm young enough, I can make up that amount. For undergrad, i went to a local branch of a state school and lived with my parents. For my MBA, I went to a private not-for-profit school. I do think one issue that doesn't get much attention is the idea that people should go away to college. You can save a crap ton by staying at home.

[@harrychu650]

Secondary education makes sense when pursuing a professional degree that typically leads to some form of licensing. Ironically, these professional programs often feel like vocational programs that are similar to trade schools.

[@hummingbird7713]

My daughter got caught up in this .. she was lucky she worked it off but it took alot of work. Her kids learn the do not want to go to collage. They want to work with there hands. We here need Plummer electricians ect. We can’t find any here

[@icedmechanical2732]

@mikeRowe. When are you going on the on the throne podcast?

[@montanasam3748]

VDH is a nathional treasure !

[@talusranch990]

Mike let him speak!....and we all learned

[@amateurshooter6054]

Thanks Mike

[@catnvol]

Mike and VDH are on to something with the student loans. I would propose that the government become the "reinssurance" on student loans. If the students default, the reimbursement comes from the endowment. Only once the school's endowment is depleted does government come into play. Kind of a modifed version of how the FDIC operates, just the government wouldn't liquidate the school. (or maybe that as well)

[@Lori1Cor15]

The young are our future. I also hate how corporations only let people work some hours every week-never 40, no benefits. Then stupid people say they just don't want to work.

[@juneyshu6197]

obammycare

[@anton__84]

I went to college in 🇬🇧 apprentice bricklayer didn’t cost me a dime

[@R182video]

When giving out a loan it is incumbent upon the lending institution to ensure that the purpose of the loan will be repaid. The colleges and universities need to be responsible if the course of study will not provide an income sufficient to pay off the loan.

[@mr.x8259]

I can’t work with my hands, I can’t go long hours without sleep, and I have zero interest in being a cog in someone’s machine. College was the only path for me.

[@mikeheller6091]

Grate spelling, at 19: 00 is the good stuff

[@marmeone]

Victor Davis Hansen has a wonderful idea about making colleges be responsible for defaulted student loans. After everything that has happened in the last 5 yrs with loan forgiveness being thrown out there and then have so many challenges to it, until it finally died, I still see students applying for student loans! Are they blind, deaf, or dumb? Maybe all three. But how do get them to see the bigger picture for their future lives?

[@uuubeut]

Schools are failing everyone except stakeholders in Wallstreet and the FED

[@jkbrown5496]

No, the administrators and tenured professors are making a tidy pile of cash off student loans.

[@PianoUniverse]

Education Matters: College grads tend to have more than triple the retirement savings of those with just a high school diploma. It's a reminder of how education can impact your financial future.

[@imasimpleguy543]

The biggest problem I see with 4-year degrees beside the usual mantra of not being worth it is the paradox of a teacher. It is required to have a 4-year degree to be a public-school teacher which is an honorable profession and a needed profession and a profession that has a lot of demand, but sadly the pay is not at a level where the loans that are taken for it will be viable to paying it off. And, if we want to go back to school and increase our education on being a teacher, the increase in pay for a higher degree is even less to pay off the loans to get that degree. And that is one of the reasons (Amongst many others) no one want to be a teacher now.

[@Junkinsally]

The problem with education in America is that we have driven away from education being the furtherance of a natural interest and/or skill to something required to “get a job”. This means we now have a massive amount of intellectually devoid people with degrees who now have all the middle to upper class jobs but possess very little intellectual prowess. Those who are highly skilled or just highly driven are pushed aside by the masses taking up space in the “higher” education realm. Most of those people getting 4 year degrees and a portion of those seeking even higher degrees are not intelligent enough to be there. The problem is, we don’t have the jobs those people would have typically worked at before since manufacturing and the support networks for those kinds of businesses no longer exist here. We have really screwed up our economy by thinking everyone can be a high paying white collar worker. Women have dominated this move because the current education system is easier for them to navigate than it is for the young men. This isn’t all on lackluster k-12 education or any affirmative action programs. It’s just the way the modern university system works. It’s more “female” centered. Nothing wrong with that if you have the equivalent male centered schools to balance out the educational sphere, but we don’t. Plus the messaging for young men is all wrong. We have been telling our daughters for 50 years that they can be anything they want to be, the sky’s the limit. However, we haven’t been tell our sons the same thing. We have pushed the antiquated “Be a husband and father” on the boys all the while the women aren’t interested in that, the jobs for these guys to support a family or even contribute to supporting a family aren’t there anymore. What does this do? It’s leaves many young men feeling hopeless, worthless and locked out. Not realizing that their self worth should not be attached to this and they too can persue anything they want and still can be considered “a good man” by society. If people are happy and secure, birth rates will be always be a the levels the society in which participants live in can handle.

[@fioparkhurst3539]

I was a 22 newly single mother of two entering a lengthy divorce with a drug dealer, working part time, all I'm saying is it would have been nice if one freaking person said "hey maybe taking out a huge loan isn't the best idea for you just now". Instead I got advice of "all single moms go to college now" and "you gotta spend money to make money" not to mention the 9 years of public schooling telling us that the only way we could get a job was with a college degree "they don't even care what degree, they just want to see that you finished it".

[@ralphp3057]

You fell for the crap ! So sorry! Live and learn!

[@fioparkhurst3539]

Ah, thank you so very much your heartfelt sympathy, truly, it's appreciated. I can't imagine why I'm raising my children on a mountain away from the asinine society you've built.

[@juneyshu6197]

I couldnt go til my 2nd child was 13 and I could leave for school. as her brother was home. Too late, noone would hire me. IT degree. Daughter got date grape while I was gone. Nor worth it.

[@MaryRacine-q7z]

Improve public schools! Commit to ALL the children of America! Level the playing field by lifting us all up! Use half of the military budget for services that improve the lives of taxpayers.

[@Aireck174]

They sell worthless degrees for 100 grand and then blame plumbers for not paying the bill.

[@jar895]

The IBEW required a 20% minority apprentice class. This was great for the labor side because most of the females either didn't finish or quit (pregnant) after they turned out.

[@jburch1544]

Yes, let the endowment funds pay for default student loans!

[@markbenson5802]

I called out the president of university of Hawaii 11 years ago and challenged them to comply to the same level of rules that I had as the ow er of Honolulu Ford. He was indignant and refused.

[@robertluechtefeld5017]

This is misleading. It depends on the course of study. It depends on whether you pay in-state tuition or out-of-state tuition. It depends on if you attend a local community college for two years before you attend the University. There are ways to avoid huge debt and still get a bachelor's degree that will provide you with a full career that earns a good income.

[@larryp4055]

It’s like a predatory loan on education. And the future of our children.

[@sabrinamccartney6768]

After 23 years im going back to college.. the work load ,plus,studyload,plus full time mom of 2 and one is going toncollege in October.. im wprling 5 days a week at my old high school.. they have better resources for learning than i ever had but here i am left in the dust at college because im not as microsoft savvy.. im so ready to give up and chat gpt my way to a grade.. i totally get these kids either have all the hope in the world(they dont get it) or they feel completrly hopeless.. at thus point its gonna boil down to the professors.. i have one in math who is really good and i have one in writing thats really annoying. Still will me finishing my aassociates really make that much of a difference when it comes to salary? Its still all HARD WORK. I may graduate and maybe make an extra 10$ mpre per hour than i already do..people are NOT always hiring on experience alone. They wanna see that degree.

[@captaindunsell8568]

I managed Dr Amdahl’s last mainframe CPU development and I have no college degree… Dr. Amdahl stated to me that college is needed for those that cannot teach themselves…

[@LoganGregg-v7m]

We keep hearing about how the trades pay well but I have yet to actually see that. I know plumbers who make 70k a year but have to work 60+ hours a week. For us to make the trades a more viable career we need to treat them more like professionals

[@Storm-lg4mx]

No, you can't just constitutionally forgive these loans. But, you can allow the people to discharge them in bankruptcy without destroying the concept of fairness. It was probably unconstitutional not to allow it anyway. Let the kids go!!!

[@clintonroushff7068]

Interesting comment, I don't want to be the one to downsize. Is this really different from students who earned a degree for a job that doesn't exist? Accountability

[@Americanstruggle]

The vast majority of 4 year degrees are an absolute waste of money. Especially when you factor what most of these students are getting lazy degrees in. My son is studying to be a veterinarian and already has a degree in Biology, and will have another degree in chemistry this year. He is hoping his second time around applying to vet school is a go. (First attempts are most likely a rejection letter from vet schools.) Fingers crossed on his dream

[@larrrs3]

How about the 1.25 million we paid for our kids college lots of years working 364 days to pay for it. Instead of family vacations

[@weseaster4054]

There isn't any accountability from the government, why would there be accountability from universities.