Posted on 10/11/2006 5:50:05 PM PDT by shrinkermd
Six years ago, as his 11th-grade classmates struggled with the college-application ritual, Toby Hughes tried to envision his future.
A Georgia honors student with a 1350 SAT score, he knew he wanted to go into computer science, so he went to local computer companies and asked what they wanted in an employee. "They told me I would be more marketable if I had practical technical training as opposed to theoretical academic training," says Mr. Hughes.
He began taking specialized computer-networking classes while still in high school, landed a $52,000 job after graduating, and now, at 24, makes well past that.
(Excerpt) Read more at csmonitor.com ...
One's tech skills never become dated. They're always learning because they have to, to keep up with their field. They'll go into business themselves or consult. So they really don't need management.
I have an Associate's degree in Health Information Technology and I plan on doing ICD-10 consulting for hospitals and clinics. Going into management is overrated and is really a career-killer, especially today's workforce that doesn't like rigid schedules.
My son never wanted to go to college, didn't even want to stay in HS though he scored very high on all the standardized tests. His problem is he couldn't write a coherent paragraph and feared college. He quit HS early and took his GED, apprenticed himself to a very aggressive appliance repair shop and is looking to eventually buy a piece of the company. The owner, himself, did not finish HS and started out his working life as a handyman. He is very well off now and has a long way yet to go. Continuing education consists in the boss taking and ensuring his techs take all the major manufacturer seminars,training sessions, classes and orientations that come along. My son also takes evening business classes. I have no worries about his lack of college time.
No problem. They could always become mathematicians!
I say that only half in jest. Believe me, you don't actually need to know long division or fractions to do well in mathematics. Mathematics is mostly concepts and theorems, not numbers.
I love going to a store, purchasing a couple of items, mentally calculating the total plus six percent PA sales tax and laying out the exact change before the 20-something young thing behind the counter finishes pushing the register buttons. She'll say "how did you do that?" and I just say, "I don't depend on that thing."
And you shouldn't! Some of the most successful people I know never went to college. They found what they loved to do and did it. Find your heart and follow it. The money will follow. Besides, some of the most miserable people in the world are rich. Many of them only inherited it and have no idea what it means to earn anything.
There will always be a demand for auto techs, plumbers, carpenters, electricians and a thousand other "crafts". High schools and community colleges must get more money for anything but Vo/tech because it gets short shrift here.
My lack of any college didn't stop me from starting a successful business that I have passed on the my son and daughter and we will be adding my 18 year old grandson soon. He has worked after school for 6 years.
I'm glad to hear that your daughter was able to recover from that handicap. If you don't mind me asking, what exactly are you referring to by advanced algebra? If I had to guess, I'd say you're talking about what's sometimes referred to as either Algebra Two (in High School) or College Algebra - I'd have a hard time believing that anyone could get through Calc, let alone abstract algebra, without understanding fractions. But let me know if I'm way off on this.
That said, I still stand by my original statement. In my opinion, you don't belong in college if you don't posess the knowledge one typically acquires in high school - and any high school that graduates students who can't do basic math needs to be shut down, IMO.
Now I understand the need for remedial courses - many people do benefit from them, and this is good and appropriate. What is not appropriate, however, is placing someone in a collegiate setting who is so challenged when it comes to mathematics, that they are unable to benefit from even the lowest level remedial courses - as evidenced by failing those courses multiple times. Essentially what I'm saying is, if you aren't able to learn, you don't belong here. From what you say, that doesn't describe your daughter - or any bright person.
Congrats on getting an A! I do have to wonder though, how do you factor an expression without knowing your multiplication tables?
You do raise a good point though, about doing well in college but poorly in high school. That's actually very common - I had the same problem myself. And I'm absolutely opposed to telling kids that they aren't able to do whatever it is they struggle with - two of the students I tutor told me right off the bat that they have learning disabilities. Neither one of these two students really tries to apply himself; they have a defeatist attitude of, I know I can't do it so why should I try? This frustrates me more than any lack of skills ever could, because I have to coddle these kids if I want to keep my job; I'm not allowed to try and challenge them.
What you say is true, however without the ability to calculate one cannot even begin to understand most concepts in higher maths, let alone establish one's own theories.
The equivalent of Algebra Two.
I'm not disagreeing that there are many who would benefit more from vocational training than from college.
I was just pointing out that skill in math at any given level can be quite dependent upon skills acquired at lower levels. In my daughter's case, one key phase was ineffective and it was crippling her.
What was amazing is that she did not recognize what the deficit was. She just couldn't handle more complicated equations, because she really didn't understand the fundamental arithmetic. Somehow she had found mental shortcuts, I think, in her earlier classes that allowed her to do reasonably well.
Bingo, you are spot on!
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