Today's America: Working Your Way Through College Is a Myth

I came across this heart-breaking story of this young girl and I do believe it is worth sharing here.

I'm a young American, finishing my last year of college, looking down a road that gets bleaker every day. My family is dirt poor; people today seem to forget that in America today families still exist who don't have TV, who don't have A/C, whose electricity gets cut off regularly, and who can't afford to buy meat. That was -- is -- my family. I worked my ass off my whole life to get straight A's, while holding down a job to help out with bills and food; I applied for colleges from our local library because we don't have Internet, I studied with flashlights when our electricity went out, and when I was 18 it all paid off with a full-ride scholarship to George Washington University in DC.

And so I left. I left my family behind, I left my four younger siblings and my disabled sister with my single mother. I left because I didn't want the life I saw them struggling with every day. I left to be the first one to attend college, the first one to leave our state, and I had no idea how hard it would be. I left vowing to get educated, get a middle-class job, and come back to pull them out of this life. But financially stranded and on my own, I picked up two jobs my very first year in college and never stopped. Tutoring and waitressing were barely enough to pay my food and transportation in DC, not to mention my cell phone bill, and purchasing my laptop and dorm supplies.

Soon I was overwhelmed with a full course load, trying to keep my grades up for my scholarship, falling behind because I'd never had the private school preparation for the advanced courses; falling behind because I closed up the restaurant past midnight every night,

www.huffingtonpost.com...

I do not know whether this a true story or not, but I do believe most of you would agree there are many students in a situation like that - hard-working young people in such a desperation situation, having to sacrifice their health, either by over-working, lack of sleep, lack of quality food, not curing the illnesses properly etc - just to survive, just to get an education. This is just so wrong on some many levels...

Students are struggling financially in near to every corner of the earth, but personally I do believe there should certain social security or government assistances to deal with such situations (nothing that leads to extra debt), it would lead to economical benefits long-term. The effects of such stressful periods on our health do usually come out some day, the older one gets, the more the more they start to feel, which takes the money away from the economy by either medical bills or just lowered productivity due to the health issues/stress.

I sincerely do hope the author of this article or any student going through periods like that gets better soon.

Most full-ride scholarships include dorm fees and a meal plan. See also: even if the scholarship doesn't include those costs, she could easily get the money from financial aid (especially because of her poor background).

Story is tragic if it's true, but on the details it's a bit sketch.

I don't buy it. Looks like typical heart pulling propaganda to me and the author does hit most bases when it comes to the sympathy card.

I won't totally blow it off though, everyone has their own stories, but this case I'm having a hard time believing it.

She chose the route she took, so her circumstances are pretty much her own fault. But such a trial can make for a better person later in life.

Maybe she needs to put her focus back on the future that she was striving for and just accept the hardships that she is going through currently.

I think we've all been there and done that. The world doesn't owe us a thing just because we were born. We have to fight, and help and hardscrabble to achieve a better life.

College is obsolete. I'm not even sure why people bother anymore.

You can work your way through a trade school (with more flexible schedules) and make way more money right out of the gate than you'd be able to with a bachelor's degree in just about anything.

We have hordes of accountants, psychologists and lawyers in this country... and almost none of them know how to fix their own toilet.

Opportunity knocks. Learn how to fix something important to people and you'll never be unemployed.

A full semester/ quarter is 12-15 units Which equates out to the same in hour commitment. Plus 14 hours a day work (2 jobs) would be about 70 hours work a (5 day) week. So that's approximately 85 hours of committed time, not including homework etc. Leaving 83 hours "free" to sleep do homework etc. That's almost 12 hours a day when averaged out on a 7 day week.

As far as the sob story about health, I had the resource to go to a student health clinic on campus when I was in college. Granted it was before ACA. Regardless there are resources in place.

With the amount she's making ($7 an hour 14 hours a day for 5 days a week, or about $26,000), I'm not so sure her argument is valid.

I do not buy this story for a second. I personally know several people that worked their way through college without a scholarship and still maintained a good GPA. One of these people was a single mom that worked full time and still managed to pull it off! This story smells of BS and propaganda to me. Is it hard to work and go to college? Yes, it absolutely is! Is it impossible? No, it most certainly is not!

Some Full=ride scholarships do provide tuition only, not living expenses. I feel sorry for this girl if it is a true story.

One thing I have learned the past couple years from my daughter going to school and my freinds' kids is that: if you are a full=time student you cannot qualify for food stamps, working or not. But, if you are a part-time student you can, working or not.

God Bless these kids out there with no support from home!

originally posted by: NthOther
We have hordes of accountants, psychologists and lawyers in this country... and almost none of them know how to fix their own toilet.

Opportunity knocks. Learn how to fix something important to people and you'll never be unemployed.

Every one I know who took up the trades upon graduating high school live a better life than those who went to college twenty years later.

The guys & gals that went the trade route might not drive the latest cars/trucks or have a McMansion, but they are fairly debt free. And usually have weekends to spend with family and friends.

The ones who though that becoming a lawyer, or shrink, etc, etc, all have debt coming out their ears.

But since we blew off college...we're the stupid ones?

originally posted by: NthOther
7

We have hordes of accountants, psychologists and lawyers in this country... and almost none of them know how to fix their own toilet.

I just got a plumber bill for $150 for 1 hour of work to unplug the kitchen sink. I think this is a great paying job, although not a pleasant one....

I went to college, had a full scholarship for tuition but could not keep up my GPA and lost it, then I took out loans for 1 semester at a University my junior year, I could not support my self and go to school full-time. I was still living at my parents but could not afford gas for the commute, when at there I couldn't afford anything to eat. I tried working part-time at the school for minimum wage but those 10 hours or so a week were not enough. I ended up dropping out, started working full-time and finished up an associates and then some at the local community college, I also moved out of my parents. I was on the hook already for student loans and knew that it would be tough to work and get a degree so I joined the Navy.

Long story short, I got out early with a General Discharge so no GI Bill. So I'm still on the hook for my student loans, now they are in default so I can not get a Pell Grant. Going back to college is not an option for me. I do firmly believe that the student loan system we have essentially creates a population of indentured servants.

College can be done, and it can be done without being zillions of dollars in debt. Thing is, you can't be snobby about only wanting to go to an ivy league school, or an expensive private college. Start with community college first for all the basics. Then go to a state school for classes in your major. Take it slow, with a smaller course load as you work full time to pay for it. If it takes you 8-10 years to get the degree, so what. That's 8-10 years you would have been working at a low level job anyway if you had never gone to college. You may not be able to jump out of school with a job as a company CEO, but you can get something with your degree. If you want to go to law school, just get the basic paralegal degree, then go work for a law firm as a paralegal. Many of those firms will help pay for you to go to law school if you prove yourself worthy.

I have nothing against trade schools either, if that's your thing. I personally have no aptitude for working with my hands, so plumbing, electrical and carpentry just wouldn't have worked for me.

a reply to: kaylaluv

While many who go the trade do go to school, there are just as many, if not more, who are hired and trained through OJT. Most, though not all, businesses will send go-getters to school, free of charge and cover expenses, not just to keep up their accreditation, but to also move them up to bigger and better things.

Been there and done that myself. First in my High School class to retire and I dropped out in the eleventh grade.

(What can I say...school was boring to me.)

But if this idiot can do it...so can others.

a reply to: jrod

I do firmly believe that the student loan system we have essentially creates a population of indentured servants.

Of course it does because that is what it's meant to do. You have people that will be in debt for 20 to 30 years after graduating with no guarantee that they will be able to find a job in their chosen profession. So they wind up defaulting on their loans and the interest makes the debt go up even higher. College will soon be only for the wealthy because the middle class and poor simply won't be able to afford it and that is the way the wealthy want it.

originally posted by: buster2010
a reply to: jrod

I do firmly believe that the student loan system we have essentially creates a population of indentured servants.

Of course it does because that is what it's meant to do. You have people that will be in debt for 20 to 30 years after graduating with no guarantee that they will be able to find a job in their chosen profession. So they wind up defaulting on their loans and the interest makes the debt go up even higher. College will soon be only for the wealthy because the middle class and poor simply won't be able to afford it and that is the way the wealthy want it.

I think that's true for those who think they have to go to a "good" school, and they want to get their degree in 4 years. It's hard to pay for it in that short a period of time without getting a loan. Take 10 years (or more if you have to), pay as you go, and then get a degree along with years of solid work experience under your belt to boot. It can be done. Just don't fall for the student loan trap.

Of course those that get full scholarships are somewhat luckier. My dad got an athletic scholarship for playing football. Luckily, he was married to my mom at the time, who worked full time to support them, as he had no time to work, due to studying and football practice. Let me tell you, they were poor, poor, poor during those times. But when he graduated, there were zero student loans to pay off.

a reply to: Cabin

I went through a similar situation but not as bad. I do agree that sometimes you have to work to pay for ridiculous rent for a studio/apartment, in which are you are hardly there to live in. If you are enrolled in a science, engineering, mathematical/physics program, you have to dedicate a lot of your time to studying and understanding the concepts and writing 35 page lab reports.
If you are working and going to school, you do not have too much time to sleep which is essential. I remember going to class feeling like I was drunk, but I was not. Thankfully, our campus library was open 24hrs and had couches where I could crash on and just go directly to class the next morning. Instead of driving/wasting 80 miles on a full trip.
If you have a car repair or an illness, it will send you back thousands of dollars. Money that you could have used to buy groceries for a whole month. It happened to me twice with a transmission and A/C problems. You need A/C in Arizona!!!
Universities can help since they have huge endowments from rich philanthropists. I got a surprise grant for having good grades and it paid for a year's worth of school related expenses.
So no, I don't see this as a sob story. It is current reality, and it doesnt help when tuition and fees keep rising every year.

Kratos..

a reply to: kaylaluv

Even when I had a full scholarship I had to spend my savings on things like books. Tuition rates at even my local community college have skyrocketed. The last class I took was back in 2005.

I would love to have a PHD and nothing short of that, if I ever go back that will be my goal. At least when the bill collectors call me I can correct them for calling my mister.

I get asked too often, "why don't you go back to college?"

This is why, I do not want to get bogged down with about 25K to finish a 4 years so I can get a job that I do not like that pays peanuts and use that chump change to pay back what will amount to about 40k after interest. It is not worth it to me. I will never become truly wealthy that way.

If you are not going for a degree that involves math or science, college is only good for networking with the elite through fraternities so you can skate...

I agree with just about everyone on this thread. In my opinion college is a business that makes its money from selling pieces of paper which say the person was able to show up to class and meet the requirements to pass.

From an employer perspective, they will hire based on experience. The piece of paper just tells the employer that the person knows how to show up on time for several years, but has to start the job with no experience and will need training.

As the saying goes... It's not what you know, it's who you know. I've never graduated college but consider myself to have done pretty good and have never owned a credit card

Read the article, it sounds like the girl screwed up. She was sold the promise of college like just about everyone but they didn't tell her about the costs. It's not just tuition but cost of living in the town. She mentioned a dorm so I assume she has that for her living arrangement but it seems like she picked the wrong school. Unless you're wealthy most schools aren't an option. The smaller less expensive colleges in lower cost of living areas are a much more cost effective way to get a degree.

From the sounds of it, the only thing the girl did right is not get loans. Everything else simply involved a lifestyle she couldn't afford, even with a scholarship.

originally posted by: coastlinekid
If you are not going for a degree that involves math or science, college is only good for networking with the elite through fraternities so you can skate...

That's why math majors are known for making the big bucks right?

a reply to: Cabin


Get rid of the Federal Reserve.

Get rid of politicians who spend tax payer money like its growing on trees.

Get rid of government subsidized education which guarantees payment to the schools giving them zero incentive to cut costs or lower prices.

And usher in an era of hyper DEFLATION.

Every text book will tell you that deflation is bad. Why? We're told its because people wont buy products fearing that the price will fall right after they make their purchase... wow.

Truth is that in a Keynesian, debt based, centrally planned monetary system, prices always go up ie the dollar always gets weaker.

Why? Because the Rothschild controlled monetary system is based on debt and interest which always leads to inflation or an increase of the money supply.

If we as a nation can force the hand of government in doing what Ron Paul has been advocating for 30 years, we can go back to $1.00/gallon gas and all around lower prices so we can afford MORE with LESS money.

Deflation ie lower prices are NEVER bad.