Friday, December 15, 2006

The Personal Cost of Education

Robin’s Commentary --

Many who have been frequent visitors to this blog have heard me talk about many times about the lack of quality education at Lane Community College, and that the degree that I received is not worth the paper that is printed on. That opinion is shared by seven other graduates of my class.

When you talk about the cost of education, you have to look at both the direct costs and the indirect cost.

The direct cost for my associates’ degree is $24,000 in student loans. The indirect cost is the $40,000 that this student loan will cost me by the time it is paid off.

Personally, I think the money would have been well spent if I had a realistic chance of getting a job in the profession that I trained for.

To date, I have had two employers voluntarily tell me what they think are of the LCC CIT program during a job interview. They both expressed their disappointment in the quality of education and the lack of knowledge and preparation of the graduates.

For now, I currently have a job that pays the bills, however, to make any real money I'm going to have to go back to my previous career.

However, I do have an associate’s degree.

Maybe that would at least unlock a different door.

6 comments:

Bobkatt said...

Robin, I am sorry that you are finding your higher education lacking employability potential. I am increasingly concerned with the large high tech companies that are lobbying congress to increase the H-1B visas to bring in more and more highly educated foreign labor. This is another area that is rarely discussed by the MSM. If the future of our children requires more and more education we need to insure that they have employment opportunities in the future that will pay them well enough to pay back all these hugh debts they incure getting that education.

Robin said...

it's hard not to feel ripped off for what I paid for.

I think it's criminal

And if I thought I had a chance, I would sue.

Unfortunately, this is another one of those "buyer beware" situations.

Anonymous said...

I believe that you have grounds to sue. If you read the paperwork LCC distributes, I believe you will find that they make 'promises'. You are guaranteed by what is in print to recieve what they offer. Did it not say that you would be able to do specific things when you graduated? If you cannot, and your grades were good , then THEY failed, not you! There are plenty of lawyers who work on commision basis.
I know you well, Robin, your person and your skills. You got SCREWED BIG TIME!!!
It is obvious by the defeat of the LCC bond measure that the rest of the county (not just the community) agree with your disgust.
I say go for the gold!
And don't feel bad about it....you did everything right!

Anonymous said...

Sounds about as useful as a U of O law degree...

MAX Redline said...

Realistically, I don't think it's possible to use the terms "education" and Oregon" in the same sentence, just as you can't really use the terms "driver's license" and "Oregon".

Oregon's become so "progressive" that nothing much other than "feelings" seem to matter.

Well, that and your pocketbook.

Anonymous said...

If you doing the AAOT to go to the U of O, Lane requires you to take classes and waste time and money on courses that will not transfer to the U of O.

It is also not uncommon that when students do transfer to the U of O, they are not prepaired for a real college and fail.