How is it possible that only 50% go to college?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In my affluent, UMC community, yes, going to college is the norm (although still not all graduate). But there are a few kids in my kids' friend circle who opted not to go to college, or dropped out after a very brief trial. At 19-22 years old they are...

Working at a real estate office, running their social media, learning the business and working the education they need to get a realtor license

Completed training to get their insurance broker license and works for a relative's firm

Studying/working to become an electrician

Working at a grocery store

an operations job at a large retail chain, has been promoted, and will be using their tuition benefit to do an online college program.

These paths are some combination of kids who hated/were burned out on school, mental health issues, family issues (specifically parents who would only pay for college if they kid did exactly what the parents wanted), or its just the path to what the kid was really interested in (electrician).

Most seem happy with how things are going so far. Some may eventually finish college but they may not. Regardless, they are forging their own paths and they are interesting kids. In an UMC community, actively choosing something other than college takes strong self confidence. Going to college is usually the easy path (barring medical/mental health issues).

Good post, especially “going to college is usually the easy path…”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The only people I know who didn't go to college are family members who don't make much. How could it be that only 50% go? Everyone else I know has at least a bachelor's and usually more.

Because you don't "know and hang around with a variety of people" you apparently work with and hang with other college educated people, who in turn typically expect their kids to attend college (and easier to do when you have support and grow up just expecting that after grade 12 you pick a college and continue there.

Go take a poll at Walmart, your local McD's or any local restaurant/fast food or otherwise, HomeDepot/Lowes/gas stations/etc. Go talk to your train and bus drivers, garbage workers, police, fire dept, etc. There is a whole world out there of people who didn't go beyond grade 12 for education, or at least not much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You live here. My public Ffx Co HS had 98% go onto a 4-year college. And the others mostly still went to community college.

My spouse from the Midwest had only about 50% go onto a 4-year college--and it was a middle class HS.

This!

And I've lived in many smaller towns in the midwest while growing up. Let's see, the HS in the town of 5K (where the nearest large town was 45 mins away and that town has 40K people): there are no AP courses, the highest math is Pre-Calculus.
Had I still lived there when I was in HS, I suspect I might not have found my path to a T10 university. I grew up poor and still wasn't at a Top HS, but at least went to one where 65%+ went to a 4 year college and another 10% went to CC. Thankful My parents moved before I hit MS.

But that city is 5K residence, the median income in 2020 was $25,834 and less than 60% go to any form of college, the vast majority of those are at CC.

It doesn't matter how smart you are, when you spend 18 years not being exposed to antyhgin but basics and being around people that largely do not have college degrees or jobs/careers that need them, you have no role models. And no opportunity. I went there from 3-5th. I recall being bored out of my mind. I was a very smart kid, and math came easily. I was beyond bored in regular math even at that point and usually just sat in class, read my books and let my parents deal with the teachers who got mad I was reading in class. I saw no point in paying attention as I already knew everything they were teaching (especially in math). And this was 35-40 years ago (no computers or google).
The trajectory of my life was changed because I was only there for a few years and my parents valued education (despite the fact they didn't have college degrees). But imagine a kid with 2 parents who both do manufacturing or farming or are Walmart greeters. IOt's good enough for them, why would they even encourage anything else

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A 2022 Fed Survey found that about 37% of Americans could not cover an unexpected $400 expense. How do you think families in those situations (or those doing only slightly better) are going to pay for college?

Tbf, those families usually get the most aid

Yes they get financial aid, but usually only at Top universities. Kids from families like that are not routinely applying to T25 schools. If college is even on their radar it's CC then transfer or a nearby state U if they give enough aid. Most people who cannot handle an unexpected $400 expense are not focused on their kids attending college. They just want them to work and make a little bit of money to help out.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:My large HS had a 40% drop out rate. I have no idea how many who graduated went to college. That was the mid 90s. The area has gotten worse since I moved away with poverty and unemployment. You live in a bubble, OP.

I know a lot of people who had babies or died while we were in HS.

This is transparently insane. If you're not from the ghetto, it's weird not to go to college, period. Unless you're just that stupid.

DP. You are entirely divorced from reality.

No, I'm not. You're just poor.

Maybe. Or maybe I’ve seen a bit more of the world than you have.

Like I said, you're poor.

I dunno. How many times have you dined (privately) with royalty?

Only once for me. If you can better that, I’ll cede the point.

Oh, and I’ve also hung out with illegal bootleggers/cock fighters in the rural South and done damn near everything in between.

I may or may not be poor. But at least I’m not provincial.

This is a great line.