Comments on: New report on who goes to college and where in Georgia http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2009/08/20/new-report-on-who-goes-to-college-and-where-in-georgia/ Your source to discuss and learn about education in Atlanta, Georgia and the nation Sat, 11 Feb 2012 01:49:29 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Daeconomist http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2009/08/20/new-report-on-who-goes-to-college-and-where-in-georgia/comment-page-1/#comment-8459 Daeconomist Tue, 01 Sep 2009 18:19:13 +0000 http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/?p=1195#comment-8459 I am a dean at a technical college, and this week we are having an employer interview our internet web design students for a $39,000 starting position. We have another set of employers who are interviewing next week for a networking position on a military base that is going to pay close to $50,000. The typical arrogance as evidenced by comments on this site only reinforces to me that the elite do not "get" what technical colleges do or have become. While your children go to UGA and proceed to get drunk for the first two years of their lives and waste your money, my child will soon enroll and graduate in a 3D Gaming program with a real job at the end of those same two years. Good luck with your arrogance. I am a dean at a technical college, and this week we are having an employer interview our internet web design students for a $39,000 starting position. We have another set of employers who are interviewing next week for a networking position on a military base that is going to pay close to $50,000.

The typical arrogance as evidenced by comments on this site only reinforces to me that the elite do not “get” what technical colleges do or have become. While your children go to UGA and proceed to get drunk for the first two years of their lives and waste your money, my child will soon enroll and graduate in a 3D Gaming program with a real job at the end of those same two years. Good luck with your arrogance.

]]> By: Old School http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2009/08/20/new-report-on-who-goes-to-college-and-where-in-georgia/comment-page-1/#comment-7578 Old School Fri, 21 Aug 2009 23:46:47 +0000 http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/?p=1195#comment-7578 This topic reminds me of a student I had back in the late 80s. His mom was just aghast that he had chosen to go to an area technical school to take automotive service classes. When asked where her son was in school, she always responded, "Why, he's going to Tech!" knowing they would think she meant North Avenue Trade School. He's now a successful car salesman and loves his job. I don't think she ever came to terms with his school choice. This topic reminds me of a student I had back in the late 80s. His mom was just aghast that he had chosen to go to an area technical school to take automotive service classes. When asked where her son was in school, she always responded, “Why, he’s going to Tech!” knowing they would think she meant North Avenue Trade School. He’s now a successful car salesman and loves his job. I don’t think she ever came to terms with his school choice.

]]> By: HB http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2009/08/20/new-report-on-who-goes-to-college-and-where-in-georgia/comment-page-1/#comment-7566 HB Fri, 21 Aug 2009 21:45:19 +0000 http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/?p=1195#comment-7566 Don't get me wrong, Old School. I think tech school and the option you described of following tech with traditional college are great. I think that would work well for many, many students, and I'm glad there are teachers like you letting kids know that's an option in a era when the usual message is traditional college is a must for everyone. I worry, though, about the students who choose to go directly to a 4-year college but are pressured to have a full plan laid out before starting school. I've known too many kids who felt they needed to have a major picked before going into freshman year but just didn't have any idea what their options were seeing as most majors are not subjects offered in high school. I think many of them would have been less likely to switch majors 2 or 3 times if they had waited to pursue a major after taking some core classes, determining where their strengths were, and really gotten a sense of what the different areas of study are. Of my friends in college, those who came in undetermined, had figured out their major by midway through sophomore year and lost no time by waiting to declare because they had gotten core classes out of the way (usually a couple of which also counted toward the major they settled on). My freshman friends who declared upon arrival and put off core to take upper level major courses early more often were the ones who at some point decided they hated the major they chose in high school, and were floundering around sophomore (and even into junior!) year trying to figure out what they wanted to study. So really, I don't think and you and I are talking about such different paths. We're both suggesting that students take time to try some things out before deciding on a major, whether that is through a tech degree or through exploring a bachelor's core curriculum. Does that make sense? And of course, there will always be those lucky few who know exactly what they want to be when they grow up. :) Don’t get me wrong, Old School. I think tech school and the option you described of following tech with traditional college are great. I think that would work well for many, many students, and I’m glad there are teachers like you letting kids know that’s an option in a era when the usual message is traditional college is a must for everyone. I worry, though, about the students who choose to go directly to a 4-year college but are pressured to have a full plan laid out before starting school. I’ve known too many kids who felt they needed to have a major picked before going into freshman year but just didn’t have any idea what their options were seeing as most majors are not subjects offered in high school. I think many of them would have been less likely to switch majors 2 or 3 times if they had waited to pursue a major after taking some core classes, determining where their strengths were, and really gotten a sense of what the different areas of study are. Of my friends in college, those who came in undetermined, had figured out their major by midway through sophomore year and lost no time by waiting to declare because they had gotten core classes out of the way (usually a couple of which also counted toward the major they settled on). My freshman friends who declared upon arrival and put off core to take upper level major courses early more often were the ones who at some point decided they hated the major they chose in high school, and were floundering around sophomore (and even into junior!) year trying to figure out what they wanted to study. So really, I don’t think and you and I are talking about such different paths. We’re both suggesting that students take time to try some things out before deciding on a major, whether that is through a tech degree or through exploring a bachelor’s core curriculum. Does that make sense?

And of course, there will always be those lucky few who know exactly what they want to be when they grow up. :)

]]> By: em http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2009/08/20/new-report-on-who-goes-to-college-and-where-in-georgia/comment-page-1/#comment-7559 em Fri, 21 Aug 2009 20:39:52 +0000 http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/?p=1195#comment-7559 I think these numbers are nothing to celebrate because they beget more questions than answers. After seeing this article and looking at the website, what I find sad is that only 28.8% of students retained their HOPE scholarship after 90 credit hours and 49% graduated with a bachelor’s degree within six years of enrolling. If 64.7% are enrolling in some sort of post-secondary institution, why are more not keeping the HOPE and why are more not finishing? Although we all probably know the answer, that should be the real discussion . I think these numbers are nothing to celebrate because they beget more questions than answers. After seeing this article and looking at the website, what I find sad is that only 28.8% of students retained their HOPE scholarship after 90 credit hours and 49% graduated with a bachelor’s degree within six years of enrolling. If 64.7% are enrolling in some sort of post-secondary institution, why are more not keeping the HOPE and why are more not finishing? Although we all probably know the answer, that should be the real discussion .

]]> By: BG http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2009/08/20/new-report-on-who-goes-to-college-and-where-in-georgia/comment-page-1/#comment-7557 BG Fri, 21 Aug 2009 20:21:13 +0000 http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/?p=1195#comment-7557 UGA is #1 baby! UGA is #1 baby!

]]> By: Terrell http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2009/08/20/new-report-on-who-goes-to-college-and-where-in-georgia/comment-page-1/#comment-7550 Terrell Fri, 21 Aug 2009 19:36:53 +0000 http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/?p=1195#comment-7550 John I'm not sure I get your "real" colleges. Regardless it's still college, and history has shown those that go to thes vocational schools have a better chance in the real world, because they are being exposed to their careers. I took the traditional approach, but to say one college is "real" over another bothers me especially when my brother and sister are at Griffin Tech. The "real" colleges give you more debt, and trust me if you are an employer looking to hire do you go with the person who went to the "real" college and that's all the expereince they have or do you go with somebody who went to a vocational school that was focused on their particular job? John I’m not sure I get your “real” colleges. Regardless it’s still college, and history has shown those that go to thes vocational schools have a better chance in the real world, because they are being exposed to their careers. I took the traditional approach, but to say one college is “real” over another bothers me especially when my brother and sister are at Griffin Tech. The “real” colleges give you more debt, and trust me if you are an employer looking to hire do you go with the person who went to the “real” college and that’s all the expereince they have or do you go with somebody who went to a vocational school that was focused on their particular job?

]]> By: mdowney http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2009/08/20/new-report-on-who-goes-to-college-and-where-in-georgia/comment-page-1/#comment-7543 mdowney Fri, 21 Aug 2009 18:17:31 +0000 http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/?p=1195#comment-7543 John, I think that is a good point. There is a great deal of effort now to upgrade the reputation and offerings of the vo-tech schools, but the Census data on income still show that college - even some college - is still the better investment in terms of lifetime earnings. (Now, there is the argument that a college degree will mean less in earnings in the future, but I don't buy it.) John, I think that is a good point. There is a great deal of effort now to upgrade the reputation and offerings of the vo-tech schools, but the Census data on income still show that college – even some college – is still the better investment in terms of lifetime earnings. (Now, there is the argument that a college degree will mean less in earnings in the future, but I don’t buy it.)

]]> By: John http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2009/08/20/new-report-on-who-goes-to-college-and-where-in-georgia/comment-page-1/#comment-7540 John Fri, 21 Aug 2009 18:01:16 +0000 http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/?p=1195#comment-7540 This whole statistical study was a little misleading in that one of the things it compared was the percentage of students from each school supposedly going to college. However, when you read the data, it lumped in the students going to state vocational-technical schools with those going to actual colleges in arriving at the percentages. While I know those schools have been renamed colleges in recent years and I know they do a good job at what they do, they are not true colleges in the same way the universities and even community colleges are. The study showed a high school in the same community as the high school my children attended having a slightly higher college attendance percentage. However, when you look at the data, a huge percentage of the kids from the other school actually enrolled in a vo tech school, while most of the students from my children's school attended real colleges. That is comparing apples to oranges. This whole statistical study was a little misleading in that one of the things it compared was the percentage of students from each school supposedly going to college. However, when you read the data, it lumped in the students going to state vocational-technical schools with those going to actual colleges in arriving at the percentages. While I know those schools have been renamed colleges in recent years and I know they do a good job at what they do, they are not true colleges in the same way the universities and even community colleges are. The study showed a high school in the same community as the high school my children attended having a slightly higher college attendance percentage. However, when you look at the data, a huge percentage of the kids from the other school actually enrolled in a vo tech school, while most of the students from my children’s school attended real colleges. That is comparing apples to oranges.

]]> By: Old School http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2009/08/20/new-report-on-who-goes-to-college-and-where-in-georgia/comment-page-1/#comment-7503 Old School Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:50:44 +0000 http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/?p=1195#comment-7503 HB (from yesterday), I get quite a few of our top students in my ED&D class. Many of them are the ones with no clue about what they will study in college. My department works hard to get as much information to our students as possible about careers, what level of education each requires, and the potential earning power of each. It remains true that 80% of the jobs out there require technical training and only 20% require a 4 year degree. Check with our Department of Labor. It's a real eye opener. Those stats have remained true throughout my 36 year teaching career and I don't see them changing much. Far too many of our students will change their majors 3 or more times after they begin their college studies because they don't have a clear idea of their strengths and weaknesses. Mind you, I speak only about MY school and the students of whom I have direct knowlege. HB (from yesterday), I get quite a few of our top students in my ED&D class. Many of them are the ones with no clue about what they will study in college. My department works hard to get as much information to our students as possible about careers, what level of education each requires, and the potential earning power of each. It remains true that 80% of the jobs out there require technical training and only 20% require a 4 year degree. Check with our Department of Labor. It’s a real eye opener. Those stats have remained true throughout my 36 year teaching career and I don’t see them changing much.

Far too many of our students will change their majors 3 or more times after they begin their college studies because they don’t have a clear idea of their strengths and weaknesses.

Mind you, I speak only about MY school and the students of whom I have direct knowlege.

]]> By: Dr. Craig Spinks /Augusta http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2009/08/20/new-report-on-who-goes-to-college-and-where-in-georgia/comment-page-1/#comment-7471 Dr. Craig Spinks /Augusta Fri, 21 Aug 2009 07:08:48 +0000 http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/?p=1195#comment-7471 When will the GOSA perform and release to The Public the promised analyses? By the way, they don't "promise" releasing the 08-09 GHSGT and CRCT scores until Fall 09. When will the GOSA perform and release to The Public the promised analyses? By the way, they don’t “promise” releasing the 08-09 GHSGT and CRCT scores until Fall 09.

]]>