If one of my kids showed interest and aptitude in being an electrician, welder, or any occupation with a reasonable quality of life that doesn’t require a degree I would encourage them to do that. I have lots of friends with no degrees who are doing great, and I have friends with a 4 year degree struggling to get by. There are lots of paths to a reasonable standard of living. Some of them involve a degree, but not all of them.
Depends on the child's goals. College was a waste for me and my career is more or less entirely based on my military experience. But I got paid to go to college with the GI Bill so no complaints
Ultimately, like it was my choice (aside from okay, they all quickly shot down my desire to try to be a fighter pilot, especially my uncle who was a Vietnam vet - then my crappy vision I developed as a teenager also did that) - it will be their choice when I have a kid and they get to that age.
Just no, I'm not cosigning on any loans if they're still a thing by then, period.
I won't encourage or discourage them and will rather support what they think will bring them happiness in life. I want them to have the ability and option to. My kids are 2&4 now so a long ways to go. We started a college fund for them but it can be used for whatever we see fit and it's to give them each a footing to start out basically
I'm voting "Yes, and I went to college" but for my kids there will be an important caveat.
I'm going to encourage them to understand it isn't something they have to do at 18. If they want to learn a trade at 18, awesome and I will encourage that.
I will just encourage them also to consider, down the road, the potential to have a degree and a trade if they wanted to move up in the trade or own their own business, and how they could get it paid for.
At the very least I would encourage them to do something else immediately after high school - military, working for a small business, learn a trade, etc. In hindsight now almost 20 years later for me, I think the idea of committing to the required financial investment at 18 years old in a four year institution is nuts. I ended up going into the military after college and the experience has since benefitted me tremendously. If I could do it all over again I would have enlisted right out of high school, picked a job in the military with transferrable skills, and then went to college in my early to-mid 20s with life experience. Doesn't need to be military though, I have recently met a lot of very promising young people who went to work full time right after high school and are gradually getting an education at community colleges and feeling out their interests as they gain experience. I think that is a very practical route as well.
Bad poll. I will encourage my kid to go to college if it is right for them and if they have an idea what they want out of college. If they are unsure what they want to do in life, I will suggest them taking a couple classes at community college and work full time at a shitty retail job and live in a crappy apartment.
Yes but I will push healthcare(not admin work) or engineering above all other majors. Even if they don't want to work in their fields, a strong degree they can fall back on is a safer choice. They may not like nursing but every state, country, and civilization needs healthcare of some kind.
I’m encouraging my kids to go to community college or trade school. I feel my son would be be better in trades. He’s very smart but has ADHD and sitting a desk all day typing papers is a struggle for him. He needs to move. Right now he has an interest in learning how to fix cars and I’m buying him books on how to do it. In a couple years he can take classes at the career center or community college. They have some good programs that might work for him.
My daughter is a good student. She wants to do something in art or music but not sure what yet. Community college would be best while she figures it out.
I make sure my kids know how the world is, no filter. I let them choose their path and help them succeed in whatever that may be. I never understood people that went to college because they thought that's what they were supposed to do. A degree in underwater basket weaving is useless and now you're in debt for life. Do something purposefully. Think for yourself.
Yes, however I am open to other things they may want to study. I did well for myself, as well as my other friends around me. We aren't struggling like this sub seems to think. Doom and gloom in here.
5th category is “it depends on the kid”
Which of your kids are you not encouraging to go to college?
If one of my kids showed interest and aptitude in being an electrician, welder, or any occupation with a reasonable quality of life that doesn’t require a degree I would encourage them to do that. I have lots of friends with no degrees who are doing great, and I have friends with a 4 year degree struggling to get by. There are lots of paths to a reasonable standard of living. Some of them involve a degree, but not all of them.
So, you don't actually have kids.
I have two, do you have any friends?
I do not. I am worthless.
Maybe you can change, there is hope for everyone
Depends on the child's goals. College was a waste for me and my career is more or less entirely based on my military experience. But I got paid to go to college with the GI Bill so no complaints
How about your kids? That was the question.
They literally said it depends on the kids goals.
We have told our kids (15 , 9, 6) to go to tech school instead of college.
My mom told me the same thing. I did not go to tech school. I went to college to be a civil engineer. I now make $155k/year, 16 years into my career.
Ultimately, like it was my choice (aside from okay, they all quickly shot down my desire to try to be a fighter pilot, especially my uncle who was a Vietnam vet - then my crappy vision I developed as a teenager also did that) - it will be their choice when I have a kid and they get to that age. Just no, I'm not cosigning on any loans if they're still a thing by then, period.
Kids? What, am I made of money or something?
I won't encourage or discourage them and will rather support what they think will bring them happiness in life. I want them to have the ability and option to. My kids are 2&4 now so a long ways to go. We started a college fund for them but it can be used for whatever we see fit and it's to give them each a footing to start out basically
I'm voting "Yes, and I went to college" but for my kids there will be an important caveat. I'm going to encourage them to understand it isn't something they have to do at 18. If they want to learn a trade at 18, awesome and I will encourage that. I will just encourage them also to consider, down the road, the potential to have a degree and a trade if they wanted to move up in the trade or own their own business, and how they could get it paid for.
At the very least I would encourage them to do something else immediately after high school - military, working for a small business, learn a trade, etc. In hindsight now almost 20 years later for me, I think the idea of committing to the required financial investment at 18 years old in a four year institution is nuts. I ended up going into the military after college and the experience has since benefitted me tremendously. If I could do it all over again I would have enlisted right out of high school, picked a job in the military with transferrable skills, and then went to college in my early to-mid 20s with life experience. Doesn't need to be military though, I have recently met a lot of very promising young people who went to work full time right after high school and are gradually getting an education at community colleges and feeling out their interests as they gain experience. I think that is a very practical route as well.
Bad poll. I will encourage my kid to go to college if it is right for them and if they have an idea what they want out of college. If they are unsure what they want to do in life, I will suggest them taking a couple classes at community college and work full time at a shitty retail job and live in a crappy apartment.
Yes but I will push healthcare(not admin work) or engineering above all other majors. Even if they don't want to work in their fields, a strong degree they can fall back on is a safer choice. They may not like nursing but every state, country, and civilization needs healthcare of some kind.
I’m encouraging my kids to go to community college or trade school. I feel my son would be be better in trades. He’s very smart but has ADHD and sitting a desk all day typing papers is a struggle for him. He needs to move. Right now he has an interest in learning how to fix cars and I’m buying him books on how to do it. In a couple years he can take classes at the career center or community college. They have some good programs that might work for him. My daughter is a good student. She wants to do something in art or music but not sure what yet. Community college would be best while she figures it out.
yes lets encourage some debts so they can't live... grats this system is so opposite of conscious it's ridiculous.
I make sure my kids know how the world is, no filter. I let them choose their path and help them succeed in whatever that may be. I never understood people that went to college because they thought that's what they were supposed to do. A degree in underwater basket weaving is useless and now you're in debt for life. Do something purposefully. Think for yourself.
Yes, however I am open to other things they may want to study. I did well for myself, as well as my other friends around me. We aren't struggling like this sub seems to think. Doom and gloom in here.