acrodeo - 2014-05-23 7:05 PM I understand what everyone on here is saying but I will come from a students side. I did not ask nor could my mom pay for my college education. Our lives growing up were difficult and she couldn't save for our college. I graduated with a Bachelors degree in Ag Services and Development. Leaving college I now have around $50,000 in student loan debt. (I know that's small for some) When I graduated I couldn't find a job anywhere and definitely wasn't opposed to moving. I took a job working back where I worked while going through school. The pay was terrible but I couldn't find anything else. Making $20,000 a yr trying to pay for my home and my student loans which are like a house note themselves. I make it work. But responding to a few comments on here, some people are ridiculing someone's decision about their major. We are taught our whole lives to do what we enjoy and want to do for the rest of our lives. I thought Ag was suited for me. I knew jobs may be hard to find but IMO you have to do what you enjoy and sometimes student loans are the only option to get the education needed for certain jobs. I don't feel the parents should pay for everything and sometimes circumstances cause you to take out loans or do things you didn't plan. Now, I've found a better job and do well for myself but I don't think my generation is as bad as some say. The ones who are selfish and victimize themselves are the ones handed everything then asked to work etc... These parents knowingly gave up everything to better their children's future. I'm not saying I would do what they did or go about like that but let's not talk about them when they did what they felt they needed to do!

IB1UKNO - 2014-05-24 2:25 PM I am so pleased that this article has been brought to our attention on BHW. It is truly an outrage that institutions of higher learning are allowed to offer to its students a degree which, in the real world, is not worth the paper it is written on. It is just another failure of this administration and congress should convene a hearing to look into this matter. At the least we need a rule, a law, maybe a constitutional amendment to not only put in place some limits to the outrageous cost of a useless education, but to demand that citizens are not allowed to chose to be stupid. I also read that the father drives a Buick, shameful!!

foundation horse - 2014-05-24 3:03 PM You're funny! snickering I just 'knew' your response would be 'good' and you proved me right! Now really more Government is what is needed in making personal decisions. Yeah right.  Also, are you even familiar with or aware of how a Constitutional Amendment is created and accepted?

TXBO - 2014-05-24 3:56 PM

WTF is music therapy?

acrodeo - 2014-05-23 7:05 PM I understand what everyone on here is saying but I will come from a students side. I did not ask nor could my mom pay for my college education. Our lives growing up were difficult and she couldn't save for our college. I graduated with a Bachelors degree in Ag Services and Development. Leaving college I now have around $50,000 in student loan debt. (I know that's small for some) When I graduated I couldn't find a job anywhere and definitely wasn't opposed to moving. I took a job working back where I worked while going through school. The pay was terrible but I couldn't find anything else. Making $20,000 a yr trying to pay for my home and my student loans which are like a house note themselves. I make it work. But responding to a few comments on here, some people are ridiculing someone's decision about their major. We are taught our whole lives to do what we enjoy and want to do for the rest of our lives. I thought Ag was suited for me. I knew jobs may be hard to find but IMO you have to do what you enjoy and sometimes student loans are the only option to get the education needed for certain jobs. I don't feel the parents should pay for everything and sometimes circumstances cause you to take out loans or do things you didn't plan. Now, I've found a better job and do well for myself but I don't think my generation is as bad as some say. The ones who are selfish and victimize themselves are the ones handed everything then asked to work etc... These parents knowingly gave up everything to better their children's future. I'm not saying I would do what they did or go about like that but let's not talk about them when they did what they felt they needed to do!

docschic - 2014-05-24 1:01 PM Do you mean like all the girls that I see at Career fairs looking for jobs and their major is Equine Science????  I'm sorry but that cracks me up.  We all love our horses and want to be able to do whatever with them and go whereever with them but let's be reasonable.  A degree in Equine Science isn't going to open very many doors to lucrative or at least decent paying jobs except for a select few positions.   (as I'm zipping up my flame suit here)  I really want to look at these girls ( I say girls because 98% are female) and ask what do you want to do when you grow up?

stayceem - 2014-05-24 9:51 PM I am drowning in student loans... ($500/mo) I know I know it could be worse. My parents didnt qualify for anything and I was the 3rd kid to go through school. I started at a community college and then transfered those into another school for my bachelors. I paid all my summer classes, books, etc out of my pocket. I worked full time and went to school full time for my education. I am very proud of it. I am still trying to get a job in my field but i continue to volunteer on my days off to try and get a leg up. Now what gets me, is as I work my butt off there are other people getting it handed to them. An old friend of mine, is a single Mom. She lives for $17/mo (no typo there) and gets all college free. Books too. She then gets to sell her books after the semester. She's never worked a day in her life and her Uncle told me shes surpassed me in schooling and shes gonna get a better job than I ever could. Shes going on to get her masters in Criminal Justice (hasnt started the program yet). I have my bachelors right now so essentially we have the same degree. My two years at the community college gave me a A.S paralegal degree also. He said shes been in school 6 years... yea well not my fault it took her 6 years and not 4. its not just my generation its people like him who support those living off our assistance programs. How do people expect to get jobs without work experience??!!! Rant over...

foundation horse - 2014-05-24 3:03 PM


You're funny! snickering I just 'knew' your response would be 'good' and you proved me right! Now really more Government is what is needed in making personal decisions. Yeah right.  Also, are you even familiar with or aware of how a Constitutional Amendment is created and accepted?

IB1UKNO - 2014-05-25 10:04 AM Congratulations, Gwyneth would be so proud. You have succeeded in uncoupling from your consciousness!

Chance Of Rein - 2014-05-23 8:20 PM

I'm not part of the current generation, I graduated from college in 2000.  Hard to believe it was that long ago.  My parents couldn't afford college for any of us.  I have a twin sister and a sister that is 3 years younger than we are so our college years were crammed pretty close together.  I really wanted to go to one of the colleges that offered equestrian classes and had partial scholarships for some of them but the bottom line was I couldn't hardly afford community college then the state college I graduated from.  I remember when my twin and I moved away to go to the state college we had almost no furniture or anything else and we'd put a few things on layaway at Kmart in a bigger town close by.  It wasn't much, about $100.00.  When our parents came to visit they actually stopped and paid for it and brought it up for us.  That was a shock that they were able to pay for that.

Pursuing your dreams and pursuing a job to support those dreams are often two very different things.  I was lucky.  I had several scholarships, worked two jobs the entire time I was in college and graduated with high honors.  I had $0 debt when I graduated.  Today I am a home owner with very little other debt than my mortgage.  I am doing most of what I wanted to do when I was younger.  I don't own the newest or most of expensive of anything and I've gotten over the fact that I never will.  No smartphone, car is 10 years old, just "upgraded" to an older horse trailer than what I had.  The upgrade is over 15 years old.  I have nice horses that are competitive and completely cared for and really wanting nothing.  That is what is important.  

In the case of the article, is it any wonder the children think it is ok to put themselves that deep in the financial hole when the parents are the ones who never taught them better?  They were the role models. Not good ones, but models just the same.   I see most of my friends and family raising their children with a work ethic and an understanding that money does not grow on trees so there is hope for future generations.  Sometimes it is ok to tell your kids "no".  I do it all the time.  Mine all have four legs though  

HorseMommyFiveO - 2014-05-23 5:12 PM

I will add: I feel better all the time about waiting a few years to start college. My parents did not pay one red cent on my tuition or living expenses. I chose a major that got me into the field I knew I wanted (Criminal Justice Admin). I now earn six figures and my student loan payment is around $200/ mo. Not bad for coming from nothing. Please people, don't go into hock to avoid teaching your kids hard work and responsibility.
ETA: I eloped to Maui and married the man of my dreams. No resentment over my parents not mortgaging their home for my princess day.