Strapped

In the book Strapped, the author showed a landscape where going to college has become the norm. It’s the new High School, you can’t get ahead and live a life the way your ancestors lived, and high school doesn’t cut it anymore. There is no guarantee high school will get you that edge when you get out there and apply for a decent paying job. In this new world, it’s not about simply going to any college, it has to be the one accepted and respected by the industry. This pressure to undertake a financial responsibility at a very young age eventually lead to several outcomes, with only one of them considered to be the desired outcome–graduation. 

The result of this new mentality is the stratification of society by educational class.  

Though it doesn’t have to be this way.

I’ve chatted with my friend about this asked him why he took the loan to get in the Computer Science program. The answer I got agree to the statement made by the author, that is a diploma is a credential for better employment with the accompanying higher income, though saddled with a loan incurred during the four-year CS program. 

Another observation I made was the reality that college life may be suitable to only those who see value getting higher education, that high school does not really extend to college in a straight easy way. And you can’t traipse your way to graduation either.

I really do understand the predicament of professors in this kind of liberal education environment. I   mentioned this sentiment to my dad that this new environment I am in now is liberal, and the professor can’t do a thing to make it worse or improve the situation. 

Whether you will graduate from college or simply drop-out with a loan on your back rests entirely on your decision. And making that decision should be taken seriously.