Daily Aid 87: President Obama: finish high school, one more year of higher ed
Daily Aid 87: President Obama: finish high school, one more year of higher ed
Student Financial Aid News
Last night, President Obama remarked:
Right now, three-quarters of the fastest-growing occupations require more than a high school diploma, and yet just over half of our citizens have that level of education. We have one of the highest high school dropout rates of any industrialized nation, and half of the students who begin college never finish.
This is a prescription for economic decline, because we know the countries that out-teach us today will out-compete us tomorrow. That is why it will be the goal of this administration to ensure that every child has access to a complete and competitive education, from the day they are born to the day they begin a career. That is a promise we have to make to the children of America.
It is our responsibility as lawmakers and as educators to make this system work, but it is the responsibility of every citizen to participate in it.
So tonight I ask every American to commit to at least one year or more of higher education or career training. This can be a community college or a four-year school, vocational training or an apprenticeship. But whatever the training may be, every American will need to get more than a high school diploma.
And dropping out of high school is no longer an option. It’s not just quitting on yourself; it’s quitting on your country. And this country needs and values the talents of every American.
Commentary
It’s very interesting to me that the President is calling for all Americans to participate in at least one year of higher education. This may be a boon to the higher education industry, but I’d hope it comes with some suggestions for how to pay for it. I’d love to see an expansion of community college programs, perhaps with a 1 year accelerated degrees in various 2 year degrees, simply because community college is affordable with just federal financial aid like the Stafford loan, as opposed to more expensive forms of borrowing. If the President’s tax credit for service plan is fleshed out and enacted, that may also go a long way towards helping make the degree affordable.
The ultimate question that this economic depression is raising is incredibly valid: what exactly are you getting for a four year degree? More important, what’s so much more valuable in a four year degree that you can’t get from a two year associate’s degree, or an online degree or certificate? The President implicitly asked that question as well – he mentioned one year or more of higher education or career training, not a four year college degree.
When it comes to higher education, when it comes to the value of an education, I question the extra worth and prestige placed on four year degrees. I think they’re important. I think they have a vital place in the education ecosystem. I’m no longer convinced that a four year college degree is the single greatest educational goal that’s appropriate for everyone, or even the vast majority of people.
Some higher education, especially focused in an area of study, is incredibly valuable for the American citizenry at large, while some other people are meant to be academics and dig into the highest levels of study possible. A de-emphasis on a four year degree as a mandate for success in life compared to the higher education that’s appropriate for you is the right tone to strike, and I think the President’s endorsement of some higher education is wise.
What do you think? Leave your comments below.
Scholarship Update
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Focus on Financial Aid
We spend a lot of time talking about money, especially in the form of student loans. That’s natural, since I work for the Student Loan Network. We don’t often spend time on the other aspects of paying for college, especially when it comes to savings and investing. Today’s cautionary tale is about 529 plans.
Here’s the deal with 529 plans. Unless your money is entirely allocated in FDIC insured assets, it’s at risk from the market. If you’re betting on the contents of a 529 plan to pay for college, you need to sit down with a financial planner ASAP and see what your risk exposure is. Here’s some food for thought:
What this graph is saying is that if you had invested your 529 savings in a Dow Jones index fund in May of 1997, today that investment would be worth exactly what you put in. That’s 12 years of no growth. By comparison, if you had put that in CDs or a savings account with meager interest rates, you’d have your same investment plus a little bit of interest earned.
The markets where money like 529 plans are invested are highly unstable right now. Here’s my recommendation – and bear in mind, I am not a certified financial planner so please consult someone who is – if you need the money in your current investment plans in the next 3-5 years, you should seriously think about cashing it out and stashing it in FDIC insured assets. This includes savings accounts, bank CDs, and anything backed up by the FDIC. These are relatively safe havens compared to the churning waters of the stock market and other non-insured investment areas. If your time horizon is much longer – like 10-20 years – then now’s probably not a bad time to be talking to your financial planner about investing for long term growth in safe companies and indices.
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As far as remodeling basic schooling goes, I think most of America would agree that it will have to be done soon. The major problem is that we have a defined system of learning when not all people learn the same way. However, how do you create a flexible, need based program and run it in a government fashion? As for specialized higher education, while I agree that subjects like 15th Century literature are not exactly a must have, I do think that, along with our specialized courses, students should have to take practical arts courses, as Kim M. said, people sitting in big cushy chairs with their PhD’s are not going to be the ones to survive the coming economy.
obama has positive ideas for economy, really trying to help everyone in needs. so i agree with his ideas of helping us
Good article
Higher Education deffinately needs to be encouraged. But he’s right, there’s got to be new ways to pay in this economy.
wow
Its a good start, but how to pay for it is another thing. He has all these great ideas but no money to help make it happen. I go to college myself. I have a 4.0 GPA still and the only finanical aid I have is the HOPE and the Pell and they don’t all the cost. Plus my school doesn’t accepted Federal Loans. Its really hard to afford college no matter what kind or how long you go.
Maybe instead of spending so much for war and the military that money would be spent on improving America, specifically on education, among other things.
Statments in the article are true. I have a close friend who graduated with a bachelor’s in Psychology who is earning $14 per hour. Due to this low pay, she is no longer interested in continuing her education to a master level. Well I told her that it might have alot to with the state she lives in. Well I disagree, as long as you are knowledgable in the field then you are educated to me. People bring down other people about not finishing school this does not exempt one from High School which must be finished. Instead, we need to anaylze people’s circumstances and figure out a solution. Once solution is offered and it is not taken into consideration than that it the person’s own fault. The reward is that you tried and kept peace amongst eachother.
i honestly dont understand why people give up so easily…
i thought highschool was terribly easy, i was able to float through it no problem, and so far college is the same:
in 3 years i will have a degree in mechanical engineering and soon after i will learn more…
people would like to blame the government and society for their own failures in school but i really think people should just be willing to admit their own errors.
if you don’t finish high school or college it would make sense it is because they have a job already. it may not be the best job paying job but a job. those who don’t have any money don’t really have a job, are the ones who need to get into college because they don’t have any jobs or source of income and really need that college degree.
Without a college degree, there are many positions you can’t apply to.
Agree
I don’t like Obama’s new plan for education. Merit pay is unfair, how do you define a good teacher? There are so many aspects that play into it
I do not believe college is for everyone. Just because you have not continued your education after college does not mean that you cannot be successful. I’m not sure if I agree with Obama that we all need to continue education. Perhaps we should have programs to discuss how to make a budget, and money managing that people should go to instead.
I admire Obama’s persuasive speech. He is stating a problem but not showing how he as a president is going to ensure that it is solved. Education is very valuable. I came from a country in which is havoced with poverty and I see the neccessity of education in its simplest form. I am concerned about how Obama is going to ensure that every American is going to have a way to pay for education. In my opinon Obama is placing a very diffucult task for himself and his administration.
Education is the key to success without it you may become a little distressed.
yes!! to higher education!! Everyone should go beyond high school!
I am so ecstatic that education is so important to the leader of our country, because I personally think it is the most important system in that it creates/affects all other systems.
I think it’s great that he is getting so personal in the needs of citizens. Education has been a problem for such a long time and it has been constantly ignored. I love that he cares about something so personal.
I agree that education is very important for a good future. You go oboma
I love how much he cares about this; you can tell how passionate he is. I’m also glad that he feels that this problem is going to need a collaborative effort between the government and the citizenship.
I believe that Obama will change this country for the better. It make take some time, but it’s well worth the wait. It about about time that we come together as a nation.
I believe higher education will make our country better. Did you know that America ranks in about the 50th percentile in education standards (15 out of 31)? Korea ranks 1, Japan 2, and Finland 3.
higher education is definitely important in having a successful career.
It’s great that Obama sees education as very important. I think everyone should finish high-school and go to college. There is money out there for evereyone!
I agree with the President on the importance of obtaining a higher education, and of education per se; but I think it’s important to look beyond that. As some people already commented, just trying to verbally encourage Americans to complete high school then further educate themselves won’t be enough. It is important to look at the diverse factors behind desertion and at the reality that many people simply aren’t able to pursue post secondary education because of economical reasons. Also, post secondary education isn’t perfect, either. There are a lot more things that need to be looked at than sheer motivation.
It is wonderful what the President is trying to do. Everyone needs to have the experience of pursuing a higher education. There has never been a point where education is not a good thing. Everyone needs to heed to his suggestion. Learn more and live better.
I agree with Meryl. With the new technology used to take classes online, Obama’s idea for everyone to take at least one year of college seems much more possible. Although, I would like an answer for the question of how to pay for that extra education. Can older people going back to college apply for financial aide as well?
Being in the workforce for many years now and returning to college, I do very much appreciate what President Obama is proposing, its great direction for a broken system that truly needs attention. Heading into education, I realize that as a future educator, you have to have the correct approach but most importantly, the passion to want to help these children. Having a son now, I truly never understood that as his father, it has got to start with me first. A child needs all of the support that he can get, and I want to be in a position to help him financially and show him that although life in general throws you off course at times because of poor decision making, I need to lead by example for him always.
The education system isn’t flawed. People learn more from life experiences and what they can teach themselves. Once someone knows how to read, they have the ability to teach themselves anything they want to know. It’s called going to a library and reading books. Shocking thought.
Following a system like those set up in Europe is great… if you want to churn out engineers and medical professionals left and right. The only problem is that not every person is cut out to be a doctor or engineer. What happens to them?? They are left behind in those education systems.
Education is a high priority.
Obama’s plan to make college more affordable and within reach of more students represents a break from the approach that President Bush took” (Toppo, 2009). Barack Obama puts children first. He is for making sure that schools are funded to provide quality education. He would like to see premium teachers and he would like to make sure college is made more affordable to all Americans. He is increasing Pell Grants and offering a $4000 annual credit to use towards college tuition in exchange for community service. In Iluska Ikeda’s comment about home school, Obama has passed measures to provide safe, quality afterschool and summer learning programs for students and will work to expand these programs. http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-02-26-educationbudget_N.htm
further education is extremely important. I am now in college in hopes to better my future and help my family who supported me. I completely agree with President Obama.
I think that a four year degree is very important nowadays. I have my A.A. degree and I can’t get jobs in my field because, one, they’re not hiring at this time and two, if they were hiring they wouldn’t hire someone without a B.A. degree. So the question is whether to take out loans, banking on the hope the economy will right itself and jobs will become available in your field, or take a lesser paying job and save up for when you can afford to attend school.
It seems President Obama is stating the obvious here; if you want to make money, you need an education. However, it is shocking how many people don’t realize this simple truth in America.
This is very much the truth so many high school students today dropout failing themselves and our country. If we only do just enough then we as people and a country will be always running behind. I agree don’t fail yourself the ripple effect will affect us all.
Finally a plan that has potential.
I would have to agree with what he thinks.
I agree with Obama 100%!
I fully support each and every idea brought up. A highly educated nation is a powerful nation!
I agree with obama.
I think Obama’s plan for higher education will greatly help America, as many people in our country are undereducated and without high school degree’s.
thanks alot for the code and more…
Pulling your money out of the market right now is probably the worst thing you could possibly do, especially if you have 3 years or more until you need it. If you look at any previous recession, you would know that the stock market has always rebounded within a relatively short amount of time. Pulling your money out of the market now ensures that you will not only come away with less money than what you put in, it also means that you won’t catch the upswing in the economy. Consider this: The Dow and the S&P 500 are down about 50% from where they were in October of 2007. Do you really think that America is worth half of what it was 2 years ago? Although it is uncertain when it will happen, eventually the economy will recover, and investors will realize that the market is undervalued right now. Removing any sort of money from the market right now locks in your losses and removes any chances of recovering your losses. Of course, I’m no financial advisor either, but if there is anything to learn from the history of the stock market, it’s that it always comes back.
Honestly, I don’t know why everyone is making a big deal about President Obamas Inagural Speech. Ok, he is our first African American President, but his speech does not compare to other great Presidents like Abraham Lincolns and John F. Kennedys.
I agree with President Obama, when he asks every American to commit to at least one year or more of higher education. But whatever the training may be, every American will need to get more than a high school diploma.Its something we all have to do and something i am planning to do as a high school student.
James and Jaci are right.
I really agree with James
I agree with president Obama as well. I love his positive attitude and enthusiasm. However, I’m not sure how committed our generation is to higher-education. I think we really need to do something about the number of high school drop outs. It seems that teenagers have lost interest in planning for their future. I hope Obama will inspire them, seeing as a lot of his supporters fall in the younger age groups.
This is a prescription for economic decline, because we know the countries that out-teach us today will out-compete us tomorrow.
i personally totally agree with what obama is saying. as some one from an rough area i must say it can be done if we all put forth the effort
I have always been an Obama supporter, so yes I completely agree with what he is saying.
We are being out competed and today in this economy people really need higher education. But it is discouraging for them because of the expense. So with his effort I think times will get better.
I like his enthusiasm and determination but asking us to spend the money to get one year of higher education is ridiculous. What is it going to do for the individual? They’re not going to get that better job with one year of college. We can’t even do that much with an associates let alone one year of a community college. He’s right though something has to change. Thing is not too many people want to take the risk of paying for school through loans for fear of flunking out or loss of interest. After this happens they are stuck with a hefty bill and no diploma.
I have to say that Obama’s efforts to stay positive is more than commendable, in these times we need hope and patience.
I’m glad that Obama included other options that are available after one graduates from high school. College is not for everyone. If every adult had a BA/BS degree, then the value of it would decrease and MA/MS would be the next thing to get. College is too expensive to fool around in, and if someone’s planning to get a degree that is not in demand in this economy, they better have plans as to what they want to do after they graduate.
Obama has good ideas, but I don’t think he will be able to really help the economy the way he wants to, it’s too far gone. He may help decrease the issue, but not resolve it.
education is key.
I think Obama has great ideas. I think though it is going to be a lot harder then everyone thinks to get things back on track. I don’t think we will start seeing the improvements he is looking for…for at least a year.
On the subject of paying for college and 529 plans — my family invested in a 5-year University plan (so I could graduate with a masters degree in mechanical engineering) for me when I was in the fourth grade — a 529 plan backed up by my state’s legislature. Now [I'm a freshman in college and] my tuition and mandatory fees will be paid by my plan regardless of what the stock market does. The plan is invested by T. Rowe Price. The college has already announced it will raise tuition next year by 5% but because of the state legislative guarantee, my plan will cover the increase too. I only hope the President’s concerns for higher education will work to buttress available state-backed plans and guarantee support for state coffers for students like me who rely on their 529 plans.
im glad he is following through and not cutting back on education like many other politicians have done in the past and still seem to do because they feel like financing education for low income students is part of the economy and or american budget.
I would highly suggest for those that listen to and read what Obama says take into account that he is a politician and goes for style over substance. It’s easy to chime in on common issues that wont offend neither republicans or democrats; who can disagree with bolstering the education system? It’s a good tactic to appease those resisting the socialist packages and huge spending proposals.
I have to say, this is incredible that someone really believes in education of the American people. The fact that Obama doesn’t want to see high school drop-outs, and encourages everyone to participate in higher education is really encouraging.
I think that it is all good that President Obama is encouraging the American people to attempt in a higher education. The thing is that if everyone does then the nasty jobs some of us feel we are to good for will not get done. Who will pick up our trash, who will clean our streets, who will do the hard jobs that don’t quite pay well but they do it because it is a job. This would be a great thing if people don’t forget that we are never “to good” for anything.
I know that college is very expensive and that’s why you need to start very early in planning for you education. There are many scholarships that you can apply for to help. I think that it will be more expensive to you later in life if you don’t get a college education early.
Money for college should always be one of the top priorities
Is the Federal Government going to increase financial assistance for college, in addition to the tax incentives which are based on the more traditional student verses the increasingly popular accelerated programs geared towards adult students making career changes?
I think that education is very important and with president Obama’s request of everyone to get a higher education, I think it is a new step in trying to advance America. I think that for people to aim to be the best they can and do as much as they can to reach a goal is very important. However with secondary education so expensive, I can see why people are unable to go to school and are forced to find other means of support.
Obama’s speech was awesome! He strongly believes in furthering education…It’s about time that U.S. has a focus not just on today’s issues but on forcasting on the our future and the future generations!
I agree with obama, but college isnt free so where is the money going to come from?
I think he is placing people of our age in a position of having to pay for entirely too much and this will eventually hurt our whole economy.
Education is easily the most important goal that we can strive for… the only problem is with the cost of this education is it any wonder why so few Americans have more than a high school degree. Our systems need to learn to start working with the students instead of forcing the students to work for them. I realize that in the end we want the best educated citizens as possible and the our money pays for the best professors possible but still.
education is great and obama is to be admired to be promoting it so much, but a selfish part of me is wondering how fierce the competition will get if so much more Americans are more educated. i`m partially scared because i know that soon, i won`t stand out anymore and finding a job will be so much more difficult.
I like what he said about quitting or giving up on an education is like quitting our country. So true.
I agree with President Obama, every bit of education counts, even if it is just one year. I think he is trying to improve the United States and taking a focus on education is important because the young generation is the country’s future.
Honestly wow. He sounds like all my teachers, trying to convince a student, who has already decided to dropout, to stay in school. You want this to work…, do something. You can’t just say it and there you go every American is getting an education. Go ahead and say it a million times it’s never gonna work.
I was wondering the same thing as Ashley. Who is responsible and who isn’t?
who are the responsible families obama is talking about, and how will he determine who is responsible from who isnt?
I love what he’s trying to get people to do, learn. I’m glad we finally have someone who values education above oil prices.
I think Obama’s points on education are a key foundation to his entire economic plan. It’s about building America back up and bringing back skilled jobs.
In order to be globally competitive, we need education. I’d like to see more on a plan to provide for education. I’d also like to see a plan on reducing the rate of HS drop outs.
While it may be true that highly specialized jobs are the new wave of education – but I don’t think we should get away from creating learning environments that teach more than just the specific subject. We lose when we do this. While people may be able to go get a job they don’t necessarily have the critical thinking skills that help them become and stay aware of the issues around them.
Our education is important.
Yes we can…redefine education.
The ‘degree’ is a hold over from the days of apprenticeship when a student graduated into the working world by completing their masterpiece. So in 5 centuries or so we’ve progressed more or less linearly culminating in the ‘4-year degree’ barrier to entry to the job market. In the meantime, the nature of skills and work has taken a different track – we need specialist skills in an ever-changing world. A career is no longer singular or even linear – employment is a series of (hopefully cool) projects and assignments. The rite of passage is less relevant today than the ability to contribute immediately. The rise of corporate universities suggests that education on-demand is more relevant and timely than sending people back to school. The big question: What does a degree get you in the job market? It often seems to be a filter that gets applicants in one stack or the other in an HR office. The online schools disrupted the ground schools by focusing on a new segment – adult workers; but still offered degrees. Who will disrupt the ‘degree?’
Kim, it’s funny that you mention specialization since so many countries already do it (France, Germany, etc). In many places, once you enter higher ed, you’re in your field and concentrate on learning about your field only. There’s no “pre-law,” just law as a major (which takes longer of course), and the same for medicine just to give two examples. I’m not saying we’d do well to blindly follow them, but just to suggest that it’s worth looking at this approach.
yes Yes YES to a redefinition of “higher education.” I think so many of the requirements involved in my 4-yr degree were not only a waste of money, but a major waste of time. Let’s do a better job of exposing children to all those different subjects in school so they have a better idea of what’s out there. What is wrong w/ actually CONCENTRATING on a subject after high school? Isn’t our society already suffering from mass ADD? I didn’t want to be a jack of all trades, I wanted to master a subject … a big reason I had to spend MORE money on a graduate degree. I don’t regret that decision but it doesn’t have to be that way.
How do you explain to someone from a low-income family that taking “Intro to Religion” and “Sociology” etc. etc. etc. will help put food on the table? or will allow them the “luxury” of owning a reliable vehicle? Vocational training and apprenticeships give people real and useful skills.
I grew up in a rural, working-class town in Upstate NY. I now work mostly w/ people w/ college degrees, many of them PhDs, and I can tell you this … many of these “educated” people would not survive if our society collapsed, so they need to stop looking down their noses at mechanics, plumbers, carpenters, etc. There is no shame in this work & they are the backbone of our society. Not only can we all not have cushy desk jobs, to some that sounds like a fate worse than death.
A 4-yr liberal arts degree for all is NOT the solution. Let individuals specialize in areas instead of giving everyone the same generic education. We’ll all be better for it.
I agree with Buehler to a certain point. Yes, the current system is dead and many kids could do better by not being in it. Be careful, however, to remember that those parents you are talking about are a product of this same education system and are the same ones who only work 4 hours worth of value. What’s to say it will be any different while in charge of their kids education?
Education reform is a hot topic right now, but I think most people are unwilling to think far enough to accomplish true reform. And why does it always have to be a standardized, one size fits all model? Different people learn different ways. I think one of the advantages of home schooling is that the parents know their individual child and can cater to their style, specially since they have that one on one interaction. I also don’t think we give kids enough choice and control over what they learn, and there could be benefits by doing it. Check out this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhp7jN0DZrU&eurl=http://onemindtalking.blogspot.com/&feature=player_embedded
We’re still going by a system that was created during the industrial revolution to churn up good workers, not necessarily good thinkers. Our need now requires good thinkers, but our edu system has not evolved with our econ system.
Chris,
I like the chart in the middle, but the beginning has to move back to circa 1982 which is when the extreme M3 growth began to occur. From there it needs to ramp up at 3-5% per year taking us to about a DOW 3500 level before we see any “real” losses (which we will), but I digress.
Education is the epitomy of America. Fully half of more American adult workers accomplish less than 4 hours worth of value in a 40 hour work week. I’m not here to insult people, just stating what I have seen after visiting a few thousand companies over the past 25 years. People don’t do Jack. The School system mimics this.
A Child at home with a motivated parent will out-do your average school-mill kid 100 to 1 every time. The coming Depression will free up more parents at home to do just this. I hope they are up to the task, because if they aren’t, the rest of the world will walk right on past us. What we accomplish in 12 years of schooling could be accomplished in 5. The whole system is broken.
Like all existing systems however, if you try to “fix” it you will probably make it worse. What 200,000 teachers try to accomplish in a year can be done by 200 teachers with a staff of 200 technicians and YouTube in a few months. Those to be educated will probably appreciate the content far more and the results will likely be more noteworthy.
The current Education System in America is dead. It just hasn’t realized it yet.
With new tech capability for delivering high quality content online, and the type of knowledge & skills required to get one’s foot into tech oriented jobs, it is a bold to consider removing the daunting requirement of 4 years of traditional schooling for young people to get a degree. It creates something more attainable to shoot for… easier to imagine doing it.
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