Reply to WVU cutting 32 majors, all foreign languages

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]It’s pointless to argue about this unless you come to a consensus on the point of a college degree. If you see it as just a means to get a high paying job/job training vs. a liberal arts education.  If the point is just the former, we should just get rid of general Ed classes. If you go to the professors subreddit, you will see though that the vast majority of high schoolers need those classes. [/quote]

The argument is pointless without consideration of cost-benefit.

If college cost nothing, then nobody would object to having to take general ed classes and nobody would scoff at "useless" majors.

But when college costs anywhere from $30k to $80k a year for four years, [i]of course [/i]people don't want to protract that process and [i]of course[/i] people want a return on investment. This is perfectly reasonable.

If you're rich enough that you can afford to pay $300k or more for multiple kids and not even notice it, don't come in here and prattle about valuing "education for its own sake" because that's a hell of a lot of money for people who aren't in the 1%.[/quote]

I am not arguing for or against. I am saying that it's pointless because people see the purpose of college differently. I actually double majored in 2 liberal arts majors (including a language) and then went on to a practical/science field. I think it was an awesome experience. It also was at a time when college did not cost an arm and a leg. I think times have changed. Also-because high school has been watered down for at least the average student-college is following suit. Does it then become a college's function to also make sure students can do basic math and write? I don't think so but it seems like it is heading that way.[/quote]

Times have changed because the price has changed. Most people's views of "the purpose of college" will change as the cost of college changes. People won't care much about the "purpose" of a product if it is very cheap. Now that it is very expensive, people will of course ask "why do I need this, what does it do for me?"

College in this country is inextricably linked to employment status and social advancement. If you did not need a college degree to get a decent middle-class job, very few people would think there was a purpose to going to college [i]even [/i]if it was very cheap. The [i]only [/i]reason a lot of people want their kids in college now that college is insanely expensive is that their kids need it to get a job.

[/quote]
+1  99% of college students need good paying jobs out of college.  How are they going to pay off all those loans?

A lot of DCUM posters live in a bubble of privilege. [/quote]

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