Why are UMC kids graduating 1 yr early from college?!?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1) A lot of current college students didn’t get into the colleges they wanted, so it’s become a practical thing - get in and get out.
2) College costs a lot, but especially if you hoped to go in-state but got stuck with private or OOS.
3) Few people think about college as self-exploration anymore. It’s a professional boot camp measured by ROI.
4) Tech jobs have paid so well and have so easy to get, staying in school is a huge money waste.
5) If you want to pursue a graduate degree, save some time and money and get on with it.

Personally, I’m saddened by these trends. College has become another checkmark on the way to jobs and riches. I’m not sure how our society will eventually function without any interest in history, culture, or ethics. Most don’t want to consider the soft skills that actually make societies work. Sure, technology is great, but violence and wars, while fought with technology, have their source in human thoughts and emotions.

I so agree. Thank you for your thoughtful post.

[Anonymous]

Why not? I'd rather pay for a year of graduate school. Real UMC make around $200K, not $300-800K+ so cost is an issue especially with multiple kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1) A lot of current college students didn’t get into the colleges they wanted, so it’s become a practical thing - get in and get out.
2) College costs a lot, but especially if you hoped to go in-state but got stuck with private or OOS.
3) Few people think about college as self-exploration anymore. It’s a professional boot camp measured by ROI.
4) Tech jobs have paid so well and have so easy to get, staying in school is a huge money waste.
5) If you want to pursue a graduate degree, save some time and money and get on with it.

Personally, I’m saddened by these trends. College has become another checkmark on the way to jobs and riches. I’m not sure how our society will eventually function without any interest in history, culture, or ethics. Most don’t want to consider the soft skills that actually make societies work. Sure, technology is great, but violence and wars, while fought with technology, have their source in human thoughts and emotions.

I so agree. Thank you for your thoughtful post.

Tech jobs want degrees. Don't kid yourself thinking certificates are ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:and why take unnecessary classes like history in college when an adult has no interest and has to pay money? All of us took mandatory social studies classes at high school.. Isn't 12 years of mandatory schooling sufficient for the society to function? If not, then add in more content for high school so as adults we can all focus on what we want to do vs. "satisfying requirements for a well functioning society"

History in HS and college SHOULD be very different. In HS, especially in AP classes, the focus is on facts. In college, especially in non-introductory courses, it’s about reading and comparing sources and creating your own arguments, or at least that’s the way it is at selective colleges.

Yes, for someone interested in history, they should absolutely take advanced history classes. For my stem kids, high school history is enough to be well functioning members of the society. if they develop interest or feel the need further their skills in “creating your own arguments” they can absolutely take part time or online classes to further their skills. My point is learning is a life long process… learning shouldn’t and doesn’t stop after you graduate from college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:School just isn’t fun anymore. It’s not about exploration or making friends. From one year before they start tracking math in your neighborhood, it’s about executive function and taking all the right classes. And it never ends. You might as well stop spending money and start making money, because you’re not having fun anyway.

This. If your only goal.is to make good grades and get the highest paying job possible, why not finish as fast as possible? College is essentially trade school to these types..

To “types” that aren’t rich, yeah

Actually, it seems like UMC kids who don't need to do this or graduating the earliest. I don't understand it, except that they don't really want to be in school and just want to make $$$ asap.

And the kids who want to graduate early and make $$$, btw by producing tangible work hopefully valued by their employer and society should not be judged harshly compared to a kid who wants to take full four years to dive into history, culture and ethics. In some ways, I believe the kid who graduated early is being a more productive member of the society.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Almost everybody who graduates college early was on track to graduate early the moment they graduated high school. These days, it's not unusual to graduate high school with a year or 2 of college credits under one's belt. If you start college on track to graduate in 3 years or less, then you're not compressing anything by graduating in 3 years. The only instance I would consider graduating in 3 years to be rushing is if you entered college with less then a semester's worth of AP credits, but I don't that's terribly common. I greatly overwhelmed myself by graduating in college in 3.5 years, but that's because I only entered with 6 AP credits. I should've taken the full 4 years.

If you think about it, the kid who was redshirted in kindergarten and graduated in 3 years with a bunch of AP credits is learning the same material at the same age as his father who was not redshirted and graduated in 4.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:School just isn’t fun anymore. It’s not about exploration or making friends. From one year before they start tracking math in your neighborhood, it’s about executive function and taking all the right classes. And it never ends. You might as well stop spending money and start making money, because you’re not having fun anyway.

+1

There isn’t a lot of room for creative exploration in school any more, either at the college or HS level. It is all about the grade grind. That makes it boring and if you are going to grind you might as well get money for it.

Are the kids happier once they start working?

Yes. Working 9-5 with no homework is 100% better

Are they working for minimum wage? What high paying entry level jobs are 9 to 5 these days?

My son is working for $75,000. Entry level professionals are not working for minimum wage. You sound clueless.

So what is his job and where does he work? Do most entry level folks only work 9 to 5 at this company?

You’re hung up on the 9-5 comment and missing the big picture. Assume a person has to grind 80 hours a week at the job. But hey, he’s getting paid! In school, he was grinding 80 hours a week and NOT getting paid.

Ah, I see. Well, I am coming from a different perspective. I had lots and lots of fun-filled free time in college because I got lots of credit from AP exams, but chose to stay in for 4 years. Perhaps times have changed now -- I graduated from University of Texas with an engineering degree in 1999. I worked way more hours per week after college than during.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:School just isn’t fun anymore. It’s not about exploration or making friends. From one year before they start tracking math in your neighborhood, it’s about executive function and taking all the right classes. And it never ends. You might as well stop spending money and start making money, because you’re not having fun anyway.

This. If your only goal.is to make good grades and get the highest paying job possible, why not finish as fast as possible? College is essentially trade school to these types..

To “types” that aren’t rich, yeah

Actually, it seems like UMC kids who don't need to do this or graduating the earliest. I don't understand it, except that they don't really want to be in school and just want to make $$$ asap.

And the kids who want to graduate early and make $$$, btw by producing tangible work hopefully valued by their employer and society should not be judged harshly compared to a kid who wants to take full four years to dive into history, culture and ethics. In some ways, I believe the kid who graduated early is being a more productive member of the society.

They still have the same graduation requirements

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Almost everybody who graduates college early was on track to graduate early the moment they graduated high school. These days, it's not unusual to graduate high school with a year or 2 of college credits under one's belt. If you start college on track to graduate in 3 years or less, then you're not compressing anything by graduating in 3 years. The only instance I would consider graduating in 3 years to be rushing is if you entered college with less then a semester's worth of AP credits, but I don't that's terribly common. I greatly overwhelmed myself by graduating in college in 3.5 years, but that's because I only entered with 6 AP credits. I should've taken the full 4 years.

If you think about it, the kid who was redshirted in kindergarten and graduated in 3 years with a bunch of AP credits is learning the same material at the same age as his father who was not redshirted and graduated in 4.

How about the kid who graduates HS early with a fall birthday not held back with a bunch of AP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:myob? Maybe they have a good job already lined up? Maybe they want to leave the college years behind and start working?

My super smart DC would rather work than go to school, but they know they need a college degree. They can graduate early with all the AP credits, but they will probably do a +1 masters, so they will probably graduate with a masters and maybe double major in 4 years.

Has she ever been in the working world??

College are the best years and I can't imagine wanting to wish through them. There not anything better waiting on the other side!

I say this as someone who's been pretty happy with my career even.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Almost everybody who graduates college early was on track to graduate early the moment they graduated high school. These days, it's not unusual to graduate high school with a year or 2 of college credits under one's belt. If you start college on track to graduate in 3 years or less, then you're not compressing anything by graduating in 3 years. The only instance I would consider graduating in 3 years to be rushing is if you entered college with less then a semester's worth of AP credits, but I don't that's terribly common. I greatly overwhelmed myself by graduating in college in 3.5 years, but that's because I only entered with 6 AP credits. I should've taken the full 4 years.

If you think about it, the kid who was redshirted in kindergarten and graduated in 3 years with a bunch of AP credits is learning the same material at the same age as his father who was not redshirted and graduated in 4.

I'd still say most redshirted kids graduate college in 3.5 years, not 3 years flat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Seeing/hearing from neighbors, acquaintances & relatives that their 2024 kids are graduating next month instead. WHY? You’re only young once! It’s crazy to me. There’s no way this is a money thing. It’s so sad. And these kids probably stifled their professional prospects due to not having time to do multiple internships. Why such a rush to grow up?

It is a money thing, parents often give the money saved for grad school or something else.
Covid sucked the fun out of college for many of those kids.
Why stay if you have the credits to graduate?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:School just isn’t fun anymore. It’s not about exploration or making friends. From one year before they start tracking math in your neighborhood, it’s about executive function and taking all the right classes. And it never ends. You might as well stop spending money and start making money, because you’re not having fun anyway.

+1

There isn’t a lot of room for creative exploration in school any more, either at the college or HS level. It is all about the grade grind. That makes it boring and if you are going to grind you might as well get money for it.

Are the kids happier once they start working?

Yes. Working 9-5 with no homework is 100% better

Also, they pay you to work instead of the reverse. I don't like it (my college years were wonderful) but I can totally understand why a student/family concerned about loans would try to graduate early. I did start my masters coursework during undergrad, which meant I only had to find funding for one year to complete my masters so I guess that was the same thing, although I still did four years as an undergraduate.

[Anonymous]

To earn money
Take time off

This is what they do in the UK. It’ll be all right.

[Anonymous]

I know several kids that graduated in 3 because of APs and then did a 1 year masters program at same college so they were still there for 4 year

A few other I know graduated in 3.5 years take the spring off and start law school in fall.