My 17 yo son is graduating from high school this year. He is exceptionally smart and could get into any college he wants. Unfortunately, he informed us last night that he has decided to forego a 4 year college in exchange for a technical school. He wants to get a certificate for landscaping and business at the same time. He and a friend have decided its a financial windfall for them to become landscapers. While I have no problem with whatever he wants to do, I want him to get a 4 year degree so that he has better opportunities if this idea does not work for him. I will do whatever I can to help him but this economy has a lot of people doing things like this themselves. He has always wanted to be a teacher and high school coach. I am not sure what to think. Im proud of him and will always be proud of him. I just want him to take advantage of all the opportunities he has in life. What do you think?
The deadlines for many colleges have already passed for next fall. The majority of 4 year colleges have a Jan. 1 cutoff. Has he applied? Can you make a compromise at least, that he will start at a community college? Or have him apply to some colleges that have later cutoff dates.
I told him to go speak to his college advisor and get all the information he can and we would sit down and work out a plan. The four year college he had originally wanted to attend has ta cut off date of April 1 and that is what we were shooting for.
Quoting Not_A_Native:The deadlines for many colleges have already passed for next fall. The majority of 4 year colleges have a Jan. 1 cutoff. Has he applied? Can you make a compromise at least, that he will start at a community college? Or have him apply to some colleges that have later cutoff dates.
I tried to tell him that. This afternoon we are going to go online together and take a look at the statistics for this career. Hopefully he will realize there is more to it than he thinks. I will tell him what you have said as well. I dont care if he wants to be a landscaper. I just want him to have a degree behind it. We will see. thanks.
Quoting tnmommy5:
Landscaping is not an easy job nor is it a highly lucrative business. My Dad and uncle have their own business and a good bit of big jobs but once they pay for supplies and their taxes etc. there's not a lot left over. They both have second jobs just to get by. Also, the customers who have all of the money and want a lot of work done want to pay the least and are very hard to please.
Let him follow his dream; he can always go to a university later.
My nephew wanted to be chef, from the time he was a tot. While his friends were applying to Ivy League and Big Ten schools, he only applied to (and was accepted at, with a huge scholarship) the Culinary Institute of American (the Harvard of Cooking Schools. He graduated with a dual bacheor's degree in cooking and business management, at the top of his class, found a job with an up-and-coming restaurant, and quickly realized that his love of cooking did not translate to loving a hot, teeny, tense kitchen. He started taking classes at a local university, and received a bachelor's in politcal science and started applying to law schools. He is half way through his first year of law school, at the University of Illinois, with a 75% scholarship.
Explain to him that one of the partners should have a degree in Business management & or marketing If they want a successful business.
Thanks Everyone. I want to be a supportive parent but I also want my kid to have all the advantages I can give him. Im still trying to get my degree and I have been out of school for 20 years. Going back is not always easy because life tends to add responsibilities and not decrease them. Ive worked my behind off to get the jobs and careers I have had. Unfortunately, experience isnt enough. These days you need a degree to work retail. Im not letting him know how disappointed I am because ultimately its his choice. I will be there no matter what. Sometimes, it is these moments that make parenting so difficult. You want what is best but you just have to sit back and let them make choices without your input.
Is there no other outside intrest? Tech schools are great if he is hitting a field that is in demand.
If he likes working with his hands, has he considered a union apprenticeship? Many trades unions are looking for apprentices, and will provide paid training, and a job upon completion.
All of the men in my family work in blue collar jobs. My husband, who never went to college, is a maintenance technician and welder, and earns more in his blue collar job, then I have yet to earn with my bachelor's degree. Business is booming at the factory where he works - they make parts for the auto and airline industries, and the military. There's nothing wrong with having a job working with one's hands.
Teaching can be a great career if one can get in, especially given the nice pensions teachers earn. But, in my opinion, the teaching market is oversaturated in many big cities. I know it is here in the Cleveland area. Nearly every school district in the area, city and suburban, is struggling to get levies passed, and cutting programs and laying off teachers left and right. So many new graduates who are trying to get into the teaching field here are getting turned away, because over the oversaturation of grads, plus the schools cutting back on hiring.
As far as the trades go, fewer and fewer young people are going into the trades, with the big push for every young person to get a 4 year degree. My husband is 46 and is actually the youngest guy in the maintenance department where he works. His other coworkers are all well into their 50's and older, and many are getting ready to retire within the next few years, and there's no younger people lining up to take their jobs. There's going to be a shortage in certain trades fields within the next decade or so.
If your son doesn't want to go to a four year college right now, I don't see anything wrong with him learning a trade in the meantime (maybe not landscaping, but another, more in demand trade), and then going on to college when he's ready. There's no sense in squandering financial aid or scholarships (or taking out loans) at a four year college if he's not ready to go yet.
You and he can always go to the Bureau of Labor Statistics website to check out the predicted demand for certain jobs and career fields.
I'm ready to pull the earbuds out of his ears and put them somewhere less comfortable.
- DAHLONEGAMOMMY
on Feb. 15, 2012 at 8:36 AM