Want the American Dream? Get Rich Parents or Move to Canada

[MADem]

30. I'm not saying it should be over-the-top expensive, I think it should

be affordable.

And not every student is going to get to attend Cooper Union--in fact, most will never go near the place. Most will be lucky to pay for a local community college experience, or a state school...and there's nothing wrong with those--sometimes I think the state teachers care more than those at private schools.

People 'back in the day' were more appreciative of the opportunity afforded by any advanced education (and by 'advanced,' I mean past the 4th Grade); qualifying for it was, in and of itself, a real prize. Being able to attend any schooling--and not being pulled out by parents and set to work--was akin to a miracle.

I just don't think that intensity of appreciation is held by many students today. It's like basic cable...it's "Meh." If it has a price tag on it, it becomes a thing of value--even if scholarships are offered or low cost loans are provided to students. I think the students investing in themselves, even nominally, makes a difference in how they approach the process.

Unless we're proposing adding on to the high school experience--and I wouldn't be entirely opposed to that, either. I know plenty of kids who aren't fully adults at age 18 (or even age 25) and could do with two years of additional schooling while they continue to work on their maturation.

Perhaps the "associate's degree" should become the new "high school diploma?"