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Thread: College paper, please help if have a free minute.

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    Featured Member rusdancer's Avatar
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    Lightbulb College paper, please help if have a free minute.

    Hi everyone! I am writing a paper on psychology/philosophy and doing a survey research. I will post five questions, and if anyone would like to answer, even just a couple of words, I would be very grateful!
    Here are the questions:
    1. Why do people decide to go to college?
    2. What is the best time/age to go to college (after high school or wait a year (or other times))?
    3. What benefits do people receive from going to college?
    4. How do high school graduates choose their major in college?
    5. When was college education more beneficial to high school graduates, today or twenty years ago?

    Thank you!!

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    Default Re: College paper, please help if have a free minute.

    Quote Originally Posted by rusdancer View Post
    Hi everyone! I am writing a paper on psychology/philosophy and doing a survey research. I will post five questions, and if anyone would like to answer, even just a couple of words, I would be very grateful!
    Here are the questions:
    1. Why do people decide to go to college?
    2. What is the best time/age to go to college (after high school or wait a year (or other times))?
    3. What benefits do people receive from going to college?
    4. How do high school graduates choose their major in college?
    5. When was college education more beneficial to high school graduates, today or twenty years ago?

    Thank you!!
    1) I would guess for most it's kind of the next step in progression after high school, if you want to get anywhere in the corporate world in particular.
    2) Wait a year and see what it's like trying to get a job in the real world. This will alleviate the need to choose 'Fine Art', 'English Literature', or 'Cultural Anthropology' as a major.
    3) If it's a good school, making contacts.
    4) Most do it the wrong way, like I did. Choosing what is most interesting rather than what will make the best career background choice.
    5) Hmmm don't know about that one. I would guess 20 years ago but that could be inaccurate.
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    Default Re: College paper, please help if have a free minute.

    This is an interesting thread.

    1. Why do people decide to go to college?
    I think most do it for a career but there are other reasons. Even when I was in college 20+ years ago there were people going to party and some women even then were going to land a husband.

    2. What is the best time/age to go to college (after high school or wait a year (or other times))?
    I wish I had gone right away after college but thought I would enlist in the navy first. I was medically discharged so I went the following year. I truly though feel the best time is a few years after high school because you might take it more seriously.

    3. What benefits do people receive from going to college?
    The main benefit I received from college is that I have the paper which helps me with jobs. With the economy though it actually hurts me at at times. I know people who met the love of their life and lifelong friends but outside of a few friends I still keep in contact with (mostly via Facebook) not many of the friendships endured. As time passed we realized our lives were going another path. Oddly I keep in contact with more high school friends than college (likely because I grew up with most).

    ]4. How do high school graduates choose their major in college?
    More than often by interests or families. I was originally a psych major with the idea I would become a psychologist. The reason is because I figured I could then start my own practice. My parents also thought this would be a good major for me because I was always the person people came to for advice. A few classes later I realized I didn't have the interest in it so I switched to communications with a minor in marketing.

    5. When was college education more beneficial to high school graduates, today or twenty years ago?
    Definitely 20 years ago and it's because of many reasons. For one, back then many students who shouldn't be in college were often encouraged to learn a trade. When I was in high school those students who were not college material went to trade school. Now there is this emphasis for everyone to attend college, which waters down the major. Also, back then there were more professional jobs. Now with outsourcing and increased visas, more people are competiting with others for the same job. Not to mention technology has decreased many jobs. The result of course is many college graduates working jobs that don't require degrees yet paying huge amounts of student loans.

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    Featured Member rusdancer's Avatar
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    Default Re: College paper, please help if have a free minute.

    Thank you guys, love it! Please post, even if guessing.

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    Default Re: College paper, please help if have a free minute.

    1. Why do people decide to go to college? like other's have said , its the next step after going to highschool/ family pressure/wanting to put off working in the real world/ and a few want to study and start their careers seriously

    2. What is the best time/age to go to college (after high school or wait a year (or other times))? i wouldn't ever recommend a 17 or 18 year old kid hopping right out of highschool and getting themselves into major debt when most aren't the people they will grow up to be and don't have a real clue who they are or what they want to do. just like i wouldn't encourage and 18 year old to get married or committing to anything else so major.

    3. What benefits do people receive from going to college? a degree obviously, and it used to be worth it!sometimes it still is

    4. How do high school graduates choose their major in college? the answers vary so widely..some don't know what they want to do so randomly choose..others careers are chosen for them by mommy and daddy, and some know what they want to do already

    5. When was college education more beneficial to high school graduates, today or twenty years ago? 20 years ago, i think that's a no brainer haha

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    Featured Member Tsepmet1's Avatar
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    Default Re: College paper, please help if have a free minute.

    1. Why do people decide to go to college?
    I decided to go in order to better myself. Due to crappy situations when I was a teenager, I'm actually a high-school drop out. It was nice to realize that I am in fact a smart, strong woman who can accomplish things in life!

    2. What is the best time/age to go to college (after high school or wait a year (or other times))?
    I think (due to my experiences) that it's better to wait. I'm not just going through the motions, I love school and I'm extremely dedicated and eager to learn.

    3. What benefits do people receive from going to college?
    A piece of paper with their name on it! Jk, lol. I'm gaining real-life experience/knowledge and it's opening up my mind to think outside of the box. I'm not in this for a job, I'm in it for myself.

    4. How do high school graduates choose their major in college?
    Well, I didn't graduate, so I have no idea. When I chose my current major, I actually just picked what I enjoyed learning about, but had trouble with. Now I feel unstoppable because I am gaining strengths and eliminating weaknesses instead of just specializing in a skill that I already possessed.

    5. When was college education more beneficial to high school graduates, today or twenty years ago?
    Beneficial financially- 20 years ago. Blame the economy.
    Beneficial for life- always has and always will be.

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    Default Re: College paper, please help if have a free minute.

    1. Why do people decide to go to college?

    For 18 year old kids I suspect largely because it is expected as a natural progression into adulthood. For older people, I think that the desire for money and/or a better job is almost always the catalyst.

    2. What is the best time/age to go to college (after high school or wait a year (or other times))?

    As early as possible as it get harder as one gets older and has more life responsibilities. However, some people are just not ready right after high school, so a delay is not always the worst thing.

    3. What benefits do people receive from going to college?

    Better job prospects for starters, not only in terms of money but in the types of job environments. Also, broader mate prospects as college educated people tend to gravitate towards other educated people.

    4. How do high school graduates choose their major in college?

    IME most 18 year old students initially pick based upon what interests them at the time. However, most colleges do not require a student to declare a major until the junior year, so it is not uncommon for kids to remain on the fence as they become exposed to different disciplines through their introductory freshmen and sophomore classes. Older students often choose based upon future earning prospects as their reason for returning to school are often driven by personal economics.

    5. When was college education more beneficial to high school graduates, today or twenty years ago?

    Today more than ever. The gap between those who "have" and those who "have not" is ever widening and college degrees are one of the key differentiators between the two groups. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find any good paying job that does not require a bachelor degree in something. Now there are definitely other avenues to earning, such as entrepreneurship and/or specialized training in some technical field, but by and large it is can be difficult to get ahead without that piece of paper.

    Anyway, I hope this helps and good luck!

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    Featured Member rusdancer's Avatar
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    Default Re: College paper, please help if have a free minute.

    Very interesting and intelligent responses, and also business oriented. Fantastic!

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    Default Re: College paper, please help if have a free minute.

    Quote Originally Posted by rusdancer View Post
    Hi everyone! I am writing a paper on psychology/philosophy and doing a survey research. I will post five questions, and if anyone would like to answer, even just a couple of words, I would be very grateful!
    Here are the questions:
    1. Why do people decide to go to college?
    2. What is the best time/age to go to college (after high school or wait a year (or other times))?
    3. What benefits do people receive from going to college?
    4. How do high school graduates choose their major in college?
    5. When was college education more beneficial to high school graduates, today or twenty years ago?

    Thank you!!
    1. Based on my experience, going to college was an expectation... not a choice. Parents put the fear of God into the majority of my classmates. Kids were told that they'll never amount to anything if they do not go or that the family would be shamed beyond reproach if the child didn't get into a top tier school or ended up in *shudder* a community college.
    As others mentioned, college seemed like the NEXT STEP... even for me it never seemed like something that was optional. The only "choice" involved was choosing WHICH college to go to.

    2. I think 18 year old kids are ill equipped to figure out what they want to do for the rest of their lives. Of course, having a few years of money saved up broadens college options and alleviates stress regarding financial issues so that the student can focus on their college education rather than overburden themselves making ends meet. If it were up to me, I'd suggest that folks start college at 20 years of age. It's remarkable how differently the mind works when you're not worried about finals, midterms, and quizzes for six different high school classes. Some thoughtful introspection can save a lot of heartache down the road.

    3. College benefits include
    -a degree verifying that you are a human being (in the eyes of employers)...
    -mentoring from respected educators
    -networking/socializing with people who may be influential in your life later on
    -internships
    -people to give you recommendations

    4. High schoolers choose their majors one of four ways:
    -Their parents tell them what to major in
    -They major in what they're good at already
    -They pick a major they always wanted to do/already love
    -They pick a major on a whim (or because the school they want to attend offered them a scholarship in that major)

    5. College meant something 20 years ago. Now college educations can, at times, make things worse. For example, since so many people have Undergrad degrees, their worth has plummeted. If an applicant wants to stand out, Masters degrees and Certifications (many say that MBA's are the only degree that matters) are preferred. Beyond that, minimum wage jobs won't hire folks with Bachelors degrees, so college education can work against someone.
    Plus, college was cheaper 20 years ago.
    College was more valuable 20 years ago because it DID present students with interesting world-views, inspired discussion, and broadened student perspectives. Today we have the internet, a strong, dynamic media diet, and global communications/news in the palm of our hand. Information, once relegated to progressive professors and "diverse" classroom environments, has been democratized to the point of making college education nearly obsolete.
    Quote Originally Posted by Jay12 View Post
    ^What Sophia said.
    Quote Originally Posted by yoda57us View Post
    I wish there was an "auto-like" setting that I could just have applied to all of your posts Sophia....

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    Featured Member minnow's Avatar
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    Default Re: College paper, please help if have a free minute.

    Quote Originally Posted by rusdancer View Post
    Hi everyone! I am writing a paper on psychology/philosophy and doing a survey research. I will post five questions, and if anyone would like to answer, even just a couple of words, I would be very grateful!
    Here are the questions:
    1. Why do people decide to go to college?
    2. What is the best time/age to go to college (after high school or wait a year (or other times))?
    3. What benefits do people receive from going to college?
    4. How do high school graduates choose their major in college?
    5. When was college education more beneficial to high school graduates, today or twenty years ago?

    Thank you!!
    1) To prepare themselves for life. Several career fields require a college degree. For others, a degree is at least desireable. Some high school graduates are "pushed" into pursuing college.

    2) I'll say right after high school. Tuition costs have been rising faster than inflation, so the sooner one can get the degree, the better. In some cases, delaying college a year or more may be better. Case in point- join the military, get trained in a technical field, then get degree.(With some financial assistance from GI Bill) With practical experience under ones belt, better equiped for job market.

    3) Besides opening more doors in job market, college broadens ones horizons. Even for non-Ivy League colleges, broadens ones contact/networking
    base.

    4) For graduate who knows what they want, whatever degree is required for their desired career path. For others, a degree that would provide a good "fall back" option (i.e. - graduate doesn't really want to be an accountant or teacher, but figures it would be a good fall back if their career plans don't pan out. For yet others, whichever degree would be "easiest" to get.

    5) That is a loaded question. As others have pointed out, there are fewer "good" union jobs right out of high school now versus 1993. (Such jobs were already on the decline back then). Yet, I know of several recent college graduates who can't get jobs in their desired field- this is higher percentage now vs the 90's. A higher proportion of 1993 graduates very probably have good jobs. From their present position, those early dues paying years after graduation are a distant memory. I guess my short answer should be- college degree is beneficial today, it will just take longer to fully capture the benefits vs the 1993 graduates.
    Last edited by minnow; 05-30-2013 at 09:53 PM. Reason: addendum
    I'm right 96% of the time. I don't sweat the other 5% .......................

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    Featured Member rusdancer's Avatar
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    Default Re: College paper, please help if have a free minute.

    Thanks again, guys! This is a two week project, so if you wanted something to add, please do!

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