Why are 40+ adults so oblivious to the high cost of college and

Present them with the alternative. When they don't accept, do it anyway because that's the only way you'll be able to pay rent when they kick you out.

>>16480676
Go to a trade school. Tell your parents that you know what you want and that a trade school suits you better and they will save money.

what do you think is the solution? to work at mcdonalds for the rest of your life?

>>16480695
See, you probably sound like OP's mom.

>>16480703
that's the idea

just wanted to know what his plans are

>>16480695
Though it's something OP may not have considered himself, I'll point out that pretty much every small business in my town is run on the back of skills which are not necessarily taught by a college education. Nor for that matter is a course in small business administration all that useful. These people are all making good money by way of skills they taught themselves.

Even if we think OP is doomed to entry-level cubicle jobs all of his life, is college going to teach him how to make a well-formatted report and spreadsheet? Mine didn't. Did I miss the part where all students were required to take universal business skill classes like project management? I don't remember having to take that course. A lot of my coworkers definitely seem to have needed it though.

My college education directly landed me in my job. That's not the case for a whole lot of people.

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>>16480709
I'm thinking of joining the Air Force

Hate on me if you want, it's no skin off my bones

>>16480694
You missed the boat on trade schools. The few legit ones that existed before the media hyped them have been drowned out by for-profit enterprises. Unions are still a good choice, but you need a family connection these days. The market is getting saturated like STEM did a few years before.

The trades are highly dependent on the housing market. Remember what happened a few years back with mortgages? They are also utter hell on your body. The money is good when you are young, but you hit your cap early. The only way to get into the 6 figures is to own your own business which is risky. Construction business have the highest rate of failure after 5 years. The owners know their trade inside and out but can't estimate costs or manage projects.

Having done both I would take laboring in the heat over a shitty service job any day. Sitting in an office beats both.

>>16480676
Because costs weren't as high in their generation in comparison to minimum wage.

People of that age went to college during its "golden age".

I swear to fucking god if I hear some one say "they'll be the bet years of your life" one more time..

>>16480752
Yes, but how do you tell them that without them instantly dismissing you?

>>16480794
> "they'll be the bet years of your life"

This, and "It doesn't matter what course you take. Just do what you like doing best."

Holy shit, I was present when a middle aged woman at my work told this to an underling coworker that's still in highschool, and I wanted so badly to interrupt them and tell him that that's bullshit before this kind of talk ruins his life. Later found out he's going to college in a year or two to get a degree in hospitality.