THE END IS NEAR
It must be as I find myself mostly agreeing with a Dennis Redovich column.
Do most jobs require higher math skills? No! Perhaps 5% of jobs might require higher-level math skills in Texas and the U.S. Do most jobs require higher-level science skills? No! Less than 10% of jobs “might” require higher science skills. Do most jobs require above average writing and verbal skills? No! Do most jobs require critical thinking skills? No? (Does anyone know what critical thinking skills are and why they are so important?) Are so-called “proficient” level reading skills necessary for most jobs? No! Basic reading skills may be necessary for most jobs. (NAEP proficiency levels used nationally are useless. Everyone who has ever studied the NAEP achievement levels has rejected them)
For me, college was a great ten years (really!). And I couldn’t hold my current job without having had the experience. But it’s not a necessity for everyone. If my kids want to go to college (for an education, not a party) terrific. If, instead, they want to pursue dance or a trade or start a business, just as terrific. As long as they’re working towards something that they truly want, who cares if they have the letters M.S. or Ph.D. behind their names? It’s mostly B.S. anyway.