This one struck home - dh and I are just like the people you described. I told ds 2 days ago that if he wants to pursue his passion of culinary arts, I'd be more than happy. I don't want him to feel compelled to do something techy-related just because that's what dh and I do; ds is struggling in math yet dh and I thrived on it and ate it up. But ds is not us. I see that. I don't want him to do something he doesn't have a passion for. I hope he finds it; I told him if he's not ready for or interested in college after HS, that's fine; find something he wants to do and pursue it. I just hope he does that, and doesn't feel like he'd be disappointing us...
Interesting but DD has a friend in mech who is quiting because he wants to become an auto mechanic.
It is also my experience that many times it is the most gifted people who do not have degrees. They were square pegs in round holes. It is us "middle of the road", "nothing fantastic" people who tend to get degrees. You know the average IQ of a university grad student is 120. The exception is Physics. The average Phd in physics in about 140. Now, 120 to 140IQs are certainly smart but it is far from being rare.
So, on the smart index, a degree means that the person did the work to earn the degree. But it does not mean they are smarter than those who,for whatever reason, did not go that route. Every year,in the schools, parents are shocked which kids can discovered as gifted (over 136IQ). It is many times not the child of professionals or those with university degrees. Many times it is the child of the delivery man,the truck driver and the furnace repair man.
What you say is not surprising to me. Neither of my parents went to college--my mom was a bookkeeper and my dad had an associats degree--he was a draftsman. He was miserable in the same job he held for 40 years and, while my mom enjoyed hers, she understood the value of a college education. They are/were both intelligent individuals. They are not what anyone would call 'intellectuals'. Somehow they managed to save enough to pay tuition and room and board for all four of us, and we are all immensely grateful to them for that. None of us regrets having gone to college, nor does one personal acquaintance of mine.
I, personally, have not met a single person who went to college who said it was wasted time/money. (And no, not everyone I associate with went to college.) Even my nephew who blew off the first two years, went back after working a couple of years while living with his parents, and is now working toward his masters degree.
All of us have different experiences in our background that help shape our opinions. We choose different religions, different political affiliations, different foods and leisuretime acitvities. That is why we disagree...no big deal. Diversity is a GOOD thing.
I've read the posts and responses- you have a lot of good advice! I thought I'd add my 2cents. My DD attended college for 1 1/2 yrs taking Art -which she does love- but after 1 1/2 yrs she found that school-college was not what she really wanted to do! She too is smart but she really has to work /apply herself- when she does- she does great- when she doesn't- well- she was in the pits!
She had moved into an Apt with 2 friends and got a job at Wegmans Supermarkets in the produce Dept. she has now been there- I believe going on 6yrs! Wegman's is one of the BEST employers in the US- she is now a FT employee she has good pay & benefits. She works well with her manager she even has some management responsibilities: she does orders for the dept (calculating how much/what produce they will need each week) She makes up the Xmas Fruit Baskets each year - she likes working in the store- she likes doing what she does. Yet every time I speak with some family members they ask if she is going back to college to get
Pages
This one struck home - dh and I are just like the people you described. I told ds 2 days ago that if he wants to pursue his passion of culinary arts, I'd be more than happy. I don't want him to feel compelled to do something techy-related just because that's what dh and I do; ds is struggling in math yet dh and I thrived on it and ate it up. But ds is not us. I see that. I don't want him to do something he doesn't have a passion for. I hope he finds it; I told him if he's not ready for or interested in college after HS, that's fine; find something he wants to do and pursue it. I just hope he does that, and doesn't feel like he'd be disappointing us...
Sue
Thank you for saying that, diamond.
Interesting but DD has a friend in mech who is quiting because he wants to become
an auto mechanic.
It is also my experience that many times it is the most gifted people who do not have degrees. They were square pegs in round holes. It is us "middle of the road", "nothing fantastic" people who tend to get degrees. You know the average IQ of a university grad student is 120. The exception is Physics. The average Phd in physics in about 140. Now, 120 to 140IQs are certainly smart but it is far from being rare.
So, on the smart index, a degree means that the person did the work to earn the degree. But it does not mean they are smarter than those who,for whatever reason, did not go that route.
Every year,in the schools, parents are shocked which kids can discovered as gifted (over 136IQ). It is many times not the child of professionals or those with university degrees.
Many times it is the child of the delivery man,the truck driver and the furnace repair man.
What you say is not surprising to me. Neither of my parents went to college--my mom was a bookkeeper and my dad had an associats degree--he was a draftsman. He was miserable in the same job he held for 40 years and, while my mom enjoyed hers, she understood the value of a college education. They are/were both intelligent individuals. They are not what anyone would call 'intellectuals'. Somehow they managed to save enough to pay tuition and room and board for all four of us, and we are all immensely grateful to them for that. None of us regrets having gone to college, nor does one personal acquaintance of mine.
I, personally, have not met a single person who went to college who said it was wasted time/money. (And no, not everyone I associate with went to college.) Even my nephew who blew off the first two years, went back after working a couple of years while living with his parents, and is now working toward his masters degree.
All of us have different experiences in our background that help shape our opinions. We choose different religions, different political affiliations, different foods and leisuretime acitvities. That is why we disagree...no big deal. Diversity is a GOOD thing.
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http://www.pnhp.org/news/2009/october/meet_the_new_health_.php
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQTBYQlQ7yM
I've read the posts and responses- you have a lot of good advice! I thought I'd add my 2cents. My DD attended college for 1 1/2 yrs taking Art -which she does love- but after 1 1/2 yrs she found that school-college was not what she really wanted to do! She too is smart but she really has to work /apply herself- when she does- she does great- when she doesn't- well- she was in the pits!
She had moved into an Apt with 2 friends and got a job at Wegmans Supermarkets in the produce Dept. she has now been there- I believe going on 6yrs! Wegman's is one of the BEST employers in the US- she is now a FT employee she has good pay & benefits. She works well with her manager she even has some management responsibilities: she does orders for the dept (calculating how much/what produce they will need each week) She makes up the Xmas Fruit Baskets each year - she likes working in the store- she likes doing what she does. Yet every time I speak with some family members they ask if she is going back to college to get
Pages