Can we all dispel the notion that Colleges and Universities are non-profit institutions? They’re non-profit like hospitals and churches are non-profit! Have you seen what those types of organizations are building nowadays! These types of non-profits are not really in business to make a profit, but to grow and keep growing. They don’t have a ‘profit’ for the simple fact is that they spend each dollar on their ‘mission’, which mainly entails continued growth.
Many recent college grads who started college believing a college education was a way to a high paying, or at least a normal paying, career have become disenchanted with this notion. College graduates find it more and more difficult to find good entry level professional employment. Colleges and University marketing machines keep churning out the ‘dream’, though, with little disregard that this graduates can actually get a job. You see, universities aren’t job placement agencies, they are educational institutions. People get confused with this – it’s great marketing. It’s like when that creepy old guy buys the Corvette with the notion he’ll be sexier – he’s not! You bought into the commercial – “Come to our School! You’ll have a great career!” Not necessarily!
By the way, the U.S. Circuit Courts agrees with the Universities. You, college graduate, have no right of an expectation that you’ll get a job from attending a certain university. Here is what the courts have to say:
“The court ruled Tuesday in a case involving a dozen unhappy graduates from Thomas M. Cooley Law School, which has campuses across Michigan and in Tampa, Fla.
The graduates claimed they were fooled by rosy employment statistics published by the school. The appeals court, however, said Michigan’s consumer protection law doesn’t apply, and the graduates put too much reliance on Cooley’s job survey of other graduates.
The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, 3-0, affirmed a similar decision by a federal judge in Grand Rapids…
The graduates who sued Cooley said they had difficulty finding full-time, paid jobs. Shane Hobbs of Pennsylvania graduated in 2010 but has worked as a substitute teacher and at a golf course. Danny Wakefield of Utah graduated in 2007 but ended up managing the delivery of phone books, according to the 6th Circuit decision.The Cooley graduates accused the school of fraud by reporting in 2010 that 76 percent of graduates were employed within nine months. The graduates claimed that should be interpreted as full-time positions requiring a law degree. But it actually included jobs outside law.”
Can you imagine if most companies ran their business like this? Yeah, I know you just paid $30K for that new car to take you to and from work – but we can’t guarantee that will actually happen! Would you buy the car? No, you wouldn’t. What if a university ran a commercial saying:
“Hey! Come to our university and we Guarantee that you’ll get a job in your chosen career path degree, or we’ll give you a 100% tuition refund!”
Would that change where you went to school?
But don’t fret recent grads, if you didn’t get a job with that degree you just got – the university will more than willing to take you back for that graduate degree! Then you’ll really get a job! Or not – there’s no guarantees!
I’m sick of hearing college grads are unable to find work. I’ve found you generally get out of college what you put into it. If someone graduating from Law school can’t find a job, it’s their own lack of initiative. There are lots of jobs where a law degree would be an asset. Many young people go to college w/o a clue what they want to do, take loans they don’t need, party instead of studying, and graduate with a useless degree and poor grades, and huge student loans. This began happening more often when the student privacy law was passed to prevent parents from seeing little Johnny’s grades even though they were footing the bill. Give me a break! Young people need to do better research, study hard and not be afraid to go into fields which require math and science and a little hard work.