Postponing College Advice: Don't Take the Summer Off!

[DisasterBlaster500]

College should be an OPTION, not a necessity. A person shouldn't need a degree in order to get a good job and support their family.

[prophet840]

What about the exorbitant rate at which freshman drop- or fail-out of their four-year program? My guess is that 99% of them didn't take a year off, and who knows what the outcome would have been, had they gone that route.

Our society is insane in its orientation toward higher education. We should have more respect for electricians and nurses and less for people like me, who got a bachelor's degree to push paper through a big bureaucracy.

[deangelomega]

this advice sucked for me. if you do straight school with no break, there is also a high probability of being burnt out. i went to college in the summer right after high school, 2 full years (including summer school) later i was completely burnt out and almost failed out of college. i believe that students should figure out what they want to do in the summer before taking classes instead of just taking classes in the summer.

[mikeym820]

Very astute.  She is absolutely correct.

[Argonaut22j]

It depends on the kid! If you don't know what you want to do I say TAKE A FEW YEARS OFF.

Spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on four years that you aren't ready for, that you aren't mature enough to handle, and aren't responsible enough to do well during, is a mistake.

Better to work minimum wage for awhile and go to school later, if that's the case. I wouldn't have wanted my little bro to have gone straight to college! Glad he didn't!

[rikku5566]

shes is right cuss my best friend is done w/college and is a lawyer. though u can land a "non college degree job" but its rare and better off w/a college degree. though for what i want to do till i get a degree in Neurology and prosecutor is being a insurance consultant i believe i do not need a degree but its rly hard to get into that field -_-

[rebdomine]

"I've read studies" and "the research shows"

What research? The media's rehash of biased studies? I don't buy it at all!

[rebdomine]

Yep she's dead wrong. My experience was the opposite. I took 3 years off after graduating high school and everyone is different, to give such blanket advice without knowing individual circumstances is just plain ignorant and quite frankly stupid.

[Agogaraxis]

shes wrong the worst thing for me was "jumping the gun" in on this type of thing when i was out of high school. I should have taken time off instead of burning out inside of classrooms and with the clusters of people who are closed minded inside-the-box indoors and uptight type people.

[polkadotbox2]

In 1980 I paid $576 for a full time semester tuition at a State University, in 1995 tuition cost at the same institution was $2,628, in 2008 it was $5,910.

Why bother with a summer job earning $10 an hour, when sitting in a classroom for that time costs $80. If college is your choice, you're wise to just resign yourself to a huge debt, which you'll have to pay off, because "helping out" with a silly job will only take away from valuable study time. A drink-umbrella won't help in a down-pour!

[polkadotbox2]

I've spent 7 years of my life with full time university studies. All of this time, and considerable resources resulted in 2 BA degrees and 18 graduate credits. Very few college freshmen come close to such results. About half never go beyond their second semester.

We should actively discourage students who simply don't have the ability or attitude to successfully finish college. Most don't have what it takes, let's be realistic! Stop the waste of time and money. Life's too short.

[ctcole77]

Wow...that's all fine and dandy if mommy and daddy are rich enough to pay tuition and living expenses, but what about people who need to work the summers to help pay college costs? My parents paid my tuition, but I had to work two summer jobs (60 hrs per week) to cover my living expenses.

[Ev105]

After High School, I went on the road with a band playing bass guitar. Came home, took some intensive lead guitar lessons even while teaching kids and went back out as a lead player for another year. Got it out of my system to a certain degree (Pun?) and then went on to higher education, earning course credits in psych/sociology/criminal justice and Music Theory and Composition since there were last-minute openings. She's free to hold her views, but I wouldn't have been a good 13th year student.

[Secretservicedentist]

Wow, that's great advice! Just keep working or going to school forever, and you might be able to succeed!

[cwilleke09]

BORED? GO WATCH "THE LIFE OF SMEAGOL 2" u will laugh

[marinello6]

I stopped college for over 3 years. My grades surged when I reattended and received my B.B.A.

So much for the advice of a teacher.

[TheRoadHome]

What they don't say is that this is the best advice in general but the best advice may not be the best for an individual.

I could also say it like this: Here's the best solution but based on your current situation it may not be the best for you (as an individual).

Otherwise you are being treated as a statistic and not a human being.

[pnoozi]

"Your math brain turns into a raisin"

Wow, very scientific.  Stupid lady.

[ShivelMoKivel]

That woman can go fuck herself.

I can decide what's best for myself.

[Ev105]

That's not the most articulate argument, but yes, students have to make the best choice for THEIR OWN situation. You can learn a lot rucksacking around Europe, provided you hit as many museums, galleries and historical landmarks as clubs and Amsterdam coffeehouses drinking Absinthe and smoking cannabis! I went on the road in the US playing music. I wouldn't have been nearly as focused if I hadn't gotten some fun times out of my system.

[ShivelMoKivel]

You're a pompous idiot.

No one cares what you have to say, this is internet. Make it short.

[Ev105]

Nothing pompus about it.You can learn more outside of the classroom if you spend your time right. You might even be better prepared for class if you've learned things by taking guided tours.

I had a sociology teacher in H.S. even recommend a year off

The only reason some people "need" comments to be short is that they have a short attention span to begin with.

The max-character count is 500. If you can't sit though 500 characters, get on Ritalin.

That's 468.

[amaye23]

"No one cares what you have to say, this is internet."

I agree. Now stop talking.

[seka1986]

Why is this old hag presented as an expert?

[tibsnow]

Not take the summer off? wtf is she talking about. Its summer... you stupid bitch. Get a job if you need one, obviously. But why the fuck would you take math classes in the summer?

Jesus fucking christ.

[VicariousJukebox]

Go take your break and work at McDonald's, "stupid bitch."

[tibsnow]

I'm a junior in college and i have an internship with an awesome indie production company. And guess what... I didnt do SHIT the summer after my senior year of high school except get high and play guitar.

And also work part time for some extra dollars.

The only reason you should take this stupid bitchs advice is if youre retarded. Its summer. Youre about to have 4 years of work and stress. Why the fuck would you spend your summer taking math classes..?

[yearningarrow]

that's so mean...

[lordnoodleman]

What happened to having fun?

[seka1986]

This old hag never had any fun so she doesn't want anyone else to have any fun.

[TheFallibleFiend]

In general the advice in the vid is not bad. The real mistake is HS seniors slacking off in the senior year. Studying thru summer is a fix. All students should have some homework thru the summer - not just seniors (but the schools can't even get this right). It's not necessary to "take classes" in the summer in order to study. And there are other things that students need to do besides studying in order to prepare themselves.

[TheFallibleFiend]

Many students should not go to college at all; they're just not ready for it. Unfortunately, with credential inflation (requiring a college degree in history to run a cafeteria, for example), among other things, these students are hounded into doing something for which they are not intellectually prepared.

[hypemuch]

yeah, that's right. they need to waste more money and get into more DEBT, what a great idea for the schools. bend me over some more please.

[JollyRogerBass]

You HAVE to go to college as soon as possible. Keep pouring money into our system. Why? Because we SAID so! It doesn't matter what You want, just keep going to school and be a good citizen! Nothing to see here, move along.

[hypemuch]

so true

[grandmagrumpy]

There are a lot of online classes available through community colleges. Get one of your gen ed classes out of the way. But if you're already accepted at a 4-yr school, they probably won't let you start until fall.

I was surprised that UCLA has no SPRING admissions except for certain majors: engineering, sciences, etc.

Always be sure the school is accredited or your work may not count for anything.

[consolidatedbits]

everything these admissons and 'outreach counselors' say is to try to get you to go to their school, or not to leave their school. it's all about getting tuition money and filling their dormitories. cha-ching

[johncfl]

R u shittin' me? That is the highest time of their lives. The summer before college should be party time. Hello -- it's summertime!

[penguinslovehockey]

what the heck kind of classes does she expect us to take during the summer?

[moonrice555]

Just take an English class. No matter what degree you get, you'll probably need English 1.

[pheeeel17]

PURE HORSESHIT

[asthmedic]

Here's a better Idea altogether, put four years of your life and 60,000 dollars into a business and fuck college. A college degree is too common to be worth much anymore.

[moonrice555]

Good point. The problem is: most people don't do well with their own business. Most people think having your own business means waking up at noon and jerking off all day because you're the boss. Not everyone can--or should---have a business.

[asthmedic]

You're right on that front. Most people think that's what going to college means too. For the most part everyone shouldn't go to college either.

[jwil2570]

Math brain, maybe. As far as other subjects, the internet changes the whole game my love.

[icemadila777]

I had a 4.0 through most of high school and got into my college of choice, senior year was just about parties and "senioritis". I went to South Africa after graduating high school and was there for some months and came back to the US with a nice "tan"...I Flunked my first year of Engineering, had I been in constant contact with my books I would have breezed through the year.

[ARMOROID5000]

Actualy.... taking some time off after highschool is a good idea.

1st. Work for a while and save some money for school

2nd. Figure out what you really want to do with your life.

3rd. No your brain doesn't turn into a raisin. this person just wants you to rush out and by their product(school). It's just a sales pitch.

4th. Take time to figure out what school is best for the type of education you need.

5th. Waiting to long may cause you to become apathetic and not complete education.

[JadeyChi]

I think #5 was more of what she was trying to get at. The longer you take off, the less you want to go back. A summer seems like a reasonable amount of time off to me, but a couple years is a long time. Man, I have a hard time not becoming totally apathetic after a week off for spring break, let alone a year or so.

[Gyroz9]

I disagree whole heartedly. I was a C student my senior year of highschool due to stress. Now after taking a year off, I'm in college and getting straight As WHILE working a part time job. There is a certain point of your life where you have to make the choice whats best for you. Don't let people scare you into a panic.

[moonrice555]

Yeah---it all depends on the person. There's no point in getting a degree and then finding out you don't even want that job. Maybe some time off is good. Although, I would say some people need to get it overwith as soon as possible. I hate college--and I don't mean I dislike it, I mean I absolutely goddam fucking DETEST it. I cannot wait to be done with this fucking horse shit. I would rather give blowjobs for money, it would be a lot less stressful.

[apatheticrebel]

The alleged outreach counselor mentions a single research study paid for by the new profit mongers of the U.S. education system. Just the fact that this is sponsored by U.S. Blues and World Distort should tell you something. Personally I like to take the higher ground when I express my personal opinion, but for advising young people NOT to take a year off to figure out what they want to do in life and explore the few wonders left in this god forsaken place I have to say, FUCK YOU PROFITEER!

[moonrice555]

"explore the few wonders left in this god forsaken place" ha ha True, very true. It would be nice to graduate, though. I was sick of this shit the day it started.

[jellybeansinc]

no duh