Comments on: Let me count the ways http://blog.psaonline.org/2008/05/14/let-me-count-the-ways/ Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:45:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Matt Rojansky http://blog.psaonline.org/2008/05/14/let-me-count-the-ways/comment-page-1/#comment-940853 Matt Rojansky Fri, 16 May 2008 18:45:38 +0000 http://blog.psaonline.org/?p=533#comment-940853 We live in an era when few Americans DON'T expect to attend college. Here's a piece from the latest Atlantic illustrating the reality that we're probably pushing more young and middle-aged people into higher education than either the system or many individuals can bear: http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200806/college The author, "Professor X," even suggests that by so strongly pushing so many folks into college, we're over-burdening already over-burdened working adults, and very likely also setting up for inevitable failure some folks who are just not suited for higher education. If that's the case, maybe we should put options _other_ than college tuition on the table. Yes, it's great to encourage young Americans to seek better skills, including higher education, but it shouldn't be a one-size-fits-all policy. One suggestion might be better and more comprehensive career training within the military, coupled with top-notch outplacement. Who, after all, has better relationships with the private sector than Uncle Sam's biggest contractor? Another option might be making an actual career in the military more appealing by offering working conditions and benefits more comparable to the private sector, and providing better support for older (and more experienced) soldiers with families. We live in an era when few Americans DON’T expect to attend college. Here’s a piece from the latest Atlantic illustrating the reality that we’re probably pushing more young and middle-aged people into higher education than either the system or many individuals can bear:

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200806/college
The author, “Professor X,” even suggests that by so strongly pushing so many folks into college, we’re over-burdening already over-burdened working adults, and very likely also setting up for inevitable failure some folks who are just not suited for higher education.

If that’s the case, maybe we should put options _other_ than college tuition on the table. Yes, it’s great to encourage young Americans to seek better skills, including higher education, but it shouldn’t be a one-size-fits-all policy. One suggestion might be better and more comprehensive career training within the military, coupled with top-notch outplacement. Who, after all, has better relationships with the private sector than Uncle Sam’s biggest contractor? Another option might be making an actual career in the military more appealing by offering working conditions and benefits more comparable to the private sector, and providing better support for older (and more experienced) soldiers with families.

]]> By: Kirsten Derynioski http://blog.psaonline.org/2008/05/14/let-me-count-the-ways/comment-page-1/#comment-938332 Kirsten Derynioski Thu, 15 May 2008 20:40:43 +0000 http://blog.psaonline.org/?p=533#comment-938332 Anyone who goes to their local recruiting station will find that the Army's number one selling point is funding a college education. Serving your country, fulfilling work, adventure, all that stuff comes after money. for. college. There are a lot of people in the military looking to use the GI Bill dollars they do have, but instead find themselves keeping up with the current tempo, which doesn't leave them time for getting their degrees. The argument that an excess of college funding will encourage service members to leave is ridiculous. They're going to leave anyway, so they can fulfill the promises they made to themselves and to their families that they would finish their education. David, I fully agree with you that boosting the funding for the GI Bill is a no-brainer. In my opinion it is a better option to get a college education and THEN enlist with very generous loan-forgiveness options. A college graduate can enlist at a higher level than a high school graduate, and not worry about whether or not the government is going to back up their promises of money for school. This is a win-win, since the military gets a more mature, more highly educated individual. Anyone who goes to their local recruiting station will find that the Army’s number one selling point is funding a college education. Serving your country, fulfilling work, adventure, all that stuff comes after money. for. college.

There are a lot of people in the military looking to use the GI Bill dollars they do have, but instead find themselves keeping up with the current tempo, which doesn’t leave them time for getting their degrees.

The argument that an excess of college funding will encourage service members to leave is ridiculous. They’re going to leave anyway, so they can fulfill the promises they made to themselves and to their families that they would finish their education. David, I fully agree with you that boosting the funding for the GI Bill is a no-brainer.

In my opinion it is a better option to get a college education and THEN enlist with very generous loan-forgiveness options. A college graduate can enlist at a higher level than a high school graduate, and not worry about whether or not the government is going to back up their promises of money for school. This is a win-win, since the military gets a more mature, more highly educated individual.

]]>