Exactly. When will we get away from this?
The great college hoax
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The_Orlonater
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Nope, not your fault AT ALL. That today it requires a college degree to only maybe approximate what I learned in high school.
I'm still amazed by the numbers of college grads I meet that BRAG about not reading even one book since college.
That's funny and sordid.
The_Orlonater
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So what do I do after 18?
Anti Federalist
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Pursue your interests, make money within them.
Unless you need to go to college to do that, don't.
Anti Federalist
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Until there is a massive upheaval in the status quo, never.
I firmly believe the only way to effect that upheaval is through separation.
Truth Warrior
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It's not funny AT ALL.<IMHO>
"Those that DON'T read have no advantage over those that CAN'T read!"
Andromeda
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I know I quoted this from a bit back but. . . .
I got straight A's in high school. My parents are upper-middle class (based on income) and I have NEVER been eligible for financial aid. I did well on the SATs and ACTs, graduated in the top 3% of my class, was President of a community service group, in National Honors Society, and had tons of other wonderful achievements. But I was not offered one penny of financial aid from any public or private college. People of ethnic backgrounds (not that I have any problems with them) who graduated from my school who were at the bottom of my class and could barely read and pass the FCAT (biggest joke in the entire world) were given full rides to the colleges that I couldn't attend because mommy and daddy made too much money and because I am not of any particular ethnic background.
The only money I could get from a college was after I spent a year and a half practicing 25 pieces of music on the piano and French Horn for music auditions. Even then, I was only awarded $600 per semester and had to re-audition each year. My music classes alone cost nearly $1200 as semester.
I moved out and have not received financial assistance from my family for about 6 years now. I could not get financial aid even though I was only making about $128,000 a year with two part-time jobs because I was not age 24, pregnant, married, in the military and/or my family had not legally disowned me or died. I found this silly because I was out there, paying rent, earning my keep and was unable to get a higher education because mommy and daddy did not want to pay for my education.
Our education system is completely in shambles as far as I'm concerned. I refuse to take out a student loan because I've seen what can happen to people who do. I didn't want to leave college with a massive debt. On top of that, I never wanted a "free ride" to school to start with: I wanted to earn my education.
Now that I'll be 24 next week, I can finally attend school again without having to get my parent's permission. Yes, I've been trying to attend, but colleges make you get your parents sign permission forms if you're under the age of 24, unmarried, not pregnant, and not in the military. So, even though I did the right thing with my life, didn't mooch off my family, didn't take out a ridiculous amount of loans, showed up every day for work, and was responsible with my life I could not attend school because I didn't have enough money. Whereas a woman who has five children out of wedlock and lives in the slums because she made poor decisions in her life could get a full ride.
If you wanna see an even bigger joke, check out the Accuplacer test I have to take to determine what math class I should be in.
I'm only going through this mess so I can get a degree in education and teach history and economics to young people. Maybe then, I can help change something.
Truth Warrior
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Last edited:
heavenlyboy34
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Consider yourself lucky to have learned this at such a young age. I was duped and played by the system when I was your age. 
I hope you help educate other young people about this. Thanks for sharing! 
I hope you help educate other young people about this. Thanks for sharing!
Andromeda
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awe - thanks. ^_^ Loans and debt scare me - period. That's why the education system and our current government's ability to borrow money to pay only the interest on our national debt terrifies me.
People need to learn from history and they need a good background in economics. If it weren't for my history teacher in high school, I probably would have taken those student loans. There should be more teachers like him.
People need to learn from history and they need a good background in economics. If it weren't for my history teacher in high school, I probably would have taken those student loans. There should be more teachers like him.
Truth Warrior
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As well they should.<IMHO>
What are the other possible viable funding alternatives when there are apparently only inadequate or NO available scholarships for the "A" high school students from the middle class families?
Thanks!
Andromeda
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In this economy it will never happen. . . but, privatize schools. All of them.
If schools were privatized entirely and our representatives could vote on what would be studied as a "core" education: i.e. math. English, Writing, History, Science, etc. I think things would be better.
Students would start at early age thinking of school like business. They would prepare for and take entrance exams to get into high schools and, if they couldn't get in, they would attend a trade school which would probably be sponsored by corporations. Different high schools could focus on their own curriculum as set by private investors. It would cost money to go to school, yes. College would be the same way. There would be set amount of math and English and so on that would be mandatory to be taught, but for most part, the investors and founders of the school would have say in what is taught there.
If a school were to charge too much for their services and parents or college-seeking adults did not see value in what a particular institution was teaching, then that school would lose money. It would operate the same a business would.
Although, like I said, in this economy that will never happen because the government would just print more money to pay off the failing schools' debts.
In a capitalistic economy, it would work wonderfully.
Some people would argue that there would be no financial aid or scholarships available. But that isn't true. Many organizations are willing to give scholarships to students who do well in school. Stepping away from government-controlled schools is the first step toward minimizing the racial divide for scholarships, financial aids, grants, and loans in the first place. Many people complain that racism is an issue in America. Maybe we should step back and see what factors would be contributing to it in our education system: namely scholarships and grants.
It also encourages people to compete for the right to attend those schools. Whereas today many high schoolers take it for granted that they can just go to a community college or their local University and live at home. Maybe college isn't right for those individuals. And, if getting into a school was entirely based upon grades, test scores, community service, and extra-curricular activities THEN there would be merit in the educational system in our country. Because government has to appear to be equal to people from all walks of life and they make it so that Universities have to meet quotas based on sex, race, or any number of things other than the things that really matter, our education system is going down the toilet. Private schools can save our education system.
If people couldn't afford the school, they could always work. When is a school is operated like a business, classes will be made more available because of competition. Even now, online classes are popular because people can fit them in around their work schedules. Six years ago, we couldn't do that.
What our country - not our government - needs to do is look at the countries who are revolutionizing education and producing more intelligent and trained individuals. These would be countries like China and Japan. Maybe if we took a moment to examine systems that are working, we could actually reform our system into something better.
If schools were privatized entirely and our representatives could vote on what would be studied as a "core" education: i.e. math. English, Writing, History, Science, etc. I think things would be better.
Students would start at early age thinking of school like business. They would prepare for and take entrance exams to get into high schools and, if they couldn't get in, they would attend a trade school which would probably be sponsored by corporations. Different high schools could focus on their own curriculum as set by private investors. It would cost money to go to school, yes. College would be the same way. There would be set amount of math and English and so on that would be mandatory to be taught, but for most part, the investors and founders of the school would have say in what is taught there.
If a school were to charge too much for their services and parents or college-seeking adults did not see value in what a particular institution was teaching, then that school would lose money. It would operate the same a business would.
Although, like I said, in this economy that will never happen because the government would just print more money to pay off the failing schools' debts.
In a capitalistic economy, it would work wonderfully.
Some people would argue that there would be no financial aid or scholarships available. But that isn't true. Many organizations are willing to give scholarships to students who do well in school. Stepping away from government-controlled schools is the first step toward minimizing the racial divide for scholarships, financial aids, grants, and loans in the first place. Many people complain that racism is an issue in America. Maybe we should step back and see what factors would be contributing to it in our education system: namely scholarships and grants.
It also encourages people to compete for the right to attend those schools. Whereas today many high schoolers take it for granted that they can just go to a community college or their local University and live at home. Maybe college isn't right for those individuals. And, if getting into a school was entirely based upon grades, test scores, community service, and extra-curricular activities THEN there would be merit in the educational system in our country. Because government has to appear to be equal to people from all walks of life and they make it so that Universities have to meet quotas based on sex, race, or any number of things other than the things that really matter, our education system is going down the toilet. Private schools can save our education system.
If people couldn't afford the school, they could always work. When is a school is operated like a business, classes will be made more available because of competition. Even now, online classes are popular because people can fit them in around their work schedules. Six years ago, we couldn't do that.
What our country - not our government - needs to do is look at the countries who are revolutionizing education and producing more intelligent and trained individuals. These would be countries like China and Japan. Maybe if we took a moment to examine systems that are working, we could actually reform our system into something better.
heavenlyboy34
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As well they should.<IMHO>
What are the other possible viable funding alternatives when there are apparently only inadequate or NO available scholarships for the "A" high school students from the middle class families?
Thanks!
I am interested in this myself, if someone has an answer. I had excellent grades in everything except math, so I didn't get any scholarships.
Truth Warrior
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Andromeda
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The only people who can start changing the way the education system is headed are people with money. In the kind of economy we're in right now, those kinds of people would never put money up for scholarships - they'd be better off saving it.
Privately funded scholarships are the only kinds of financial aid for "good students" that will exist as long as the government has its hands in our school systems and colleges. Government would never provide scholarships to "good students" because that wouldn't be "fair" to everyone else because "good students" may come from rich families or have been exposed to resources "below average" students were not exposed to.
Privately funded scholarships are the only kinds of financial aid for "good students" that will exist as long as the government has its hands in our school systems and colleges. Government would never provide scholarships to "good students" because that wouldn't be "fair" to everyone else because "good students" may come from rich families or have been exposed to resources "below average" students were not exposed to.
heavenlyboy34
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+999 :d
asimplegirl
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I am interested in this myself, if someone has an answer. I had excellent grades in everything except math, so I didn't get any scholarships.
Well, from my experience, there is always SOMETHING. My parents, as I have said before, told me that if I wanted to go to college, I had to work hard to get there, and it would not come out of their pocket... That was not a necessity, but a choice on what I wanted to do with MY life.
There is TOPS. There are three different tiers. There are NO income requirements. The three tiers are GPAs, and ACT scores. This determines the amount of money that you can receive. The only reason you would pay this back is if you quit. You can qualify every semester after doing your FAFSA, which by the way will help you determine for which things you will be eligible.
(I was able to receive $4,000 a semester, plus an allowance of $600 a semester to spend on other things.)
There is the Presidential Honors scholarship. This is determined by your ACT score and grades, also. I am unsure of the amount it is, but this can be used for State Universities. I don't even remember signing up for this...but I got it. This one can also be gotten if you don't have great, but decent grades, if there are enough letters of recommendation from upstanding citizens and teachers, etc.
There are Pell Grants. These are determined by income. You do NOT have to be LOW income to receive help... They look at your parents' income, their bills and such and then tell you how much you can get. You can receive up to $2500 a semester if I am not mistaken... I received the full amount, and I think that is about how much I got.
There ARE scholarships that have absolutely NOTHING to do with income or grades, also, that you can search for online, like ones for reading a certain unlikely amount of books in a semester for $500, a $3000 one for the best prom outfit with a date made out of duct tape, etc. I received one for being in lots of community type activities that included tutoring and such. I believe I got $300 for that one.
All state schools have literary rallies and the such. On these days, they release info about testing for scholarships. You go in and you test in any or all areas... I tested in every subject available. What happens is like this:
To determine whether or not you are eligible, they look at your scores and if you score high enough, they will allow you to skip classes up to you level to save you money at their school... it is much like a loss leader at a grocer, it is made to get you into the door...but paired with these others, it worked awesome for me. I did not have to take any English courses except for senior English classes. You can test out in every subject available.
Many people are not aware, but when you sign up for fraternities and sororities, they provide you with scholarships if you are pledged and approved, along with it cutting you rooming costs, and many times your food costs,also, as many people buy groceries and cook in these housing complexes.
Signing up for an on campus job (mine was 3 hours a week working a desk in my dorm) allows for scholarships provided for payment. Mine paid about $700 a semester. Easy money.
If you sign up as a full time student, State schools usually offer certain breaks if you check into it... the one I got was from a section called "University College". If I met the criteria for hours and GPA, they gave me a break of a certain percent.
Also, if you sign up to go in the summer at a state university, there is a HUGE difference in price per semester, and you can still get all the other scholarships and grants at the same time, not to mention the fact that there is a smaller student to professor ratio, and MUCH easier to get better grades, and the semester is shorter. I signed up over and over for a program called "Summer Bridge", which was made for new students, to help introduce them to college life. I went to maybe 5 classes over a two month span, had at most 20 people in one class, AT MOST, and made great grades during that time as it was SO laid back and easy, which brought up my cumulative GPA, which made it easier to slack off in the later semesters if I felt I was burning out.
There are MANY MANY more that I could talk about.
I received all of these mentioned above, and I got left over money sent to me from the State University I went to in the form on a check for almost $3000 EVERY SEMESTER.
As I said, there is always SOMETHING that can be done. We are provided with waay more opportunities than ever before.
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