I have to agree with this, specifically the presidents statements.  I am now attending a technical college, and there are several General Ed classes that are specifically focused on this because, and this is how it was explained to me when I was making the decision to go back to school, they want to give us the best tools to stand out against walls of other applicants.

I am not an educator, as I've said before due to the failings of the educational system and my own natural stupidity as a teenager, I barely graduated.  Now I've done much better than some due to a tenacity and hard work ethic fostered in me by my parents.  I wish it had translated to school, but that's the past.  Hindsight, always so much clearer.

I've done better because I've always been an avid reader and writer, short stories, and currently working on a novel.  Were it not for these skills, I would not have obtained some of the positions that I have.  I have also reach a wall that the High School Diploma and selling myself can't get me over without help.

In my most recent position as an Insurance Agent for a major insurer, I found myself against the wall.  I could not move up within the company without a degree.  To be a simple supervisor, you had to have a 2 year degree, and for Manager, a 4 year degree.  If you want to get past what is essentially middle management you needed a masters or better.  I was told that I had all the qualities needed accept that piece of paper.

In my position prior to that one, same thing, not as severe but nearly, and it also prevented me from imporving my income and job security. 

So I will say this, as someone that has made the decision to go back to school a great many years (18) after High School.  There is no choice at this time because High School just does not prepare kids for anything but flipping burgers, that may seem extreme but it true.  You can't do anything with a high school diploma other then use it to help get you into college.

As well, we need to do something about people that go after degrees of no substance, liberal arts and the like.  Not to say such a degree is useless for certain purposes, but I have worked under many people that had there position because they had a degree such as this and they were the most useless people.  Quick to make bad decisions and blame them on others, quick to jump to conclusions, and quick to act upon emotion in opposition to facts and reality.  It is due to just such a person that I no longer work for that company.

Now since I seem to be on a rant, let me continue on a few other things.

I joined the military because my parents could not afford to put me through college and due to bad credit on their part, loans?  Yeah right, shot down hard!  I made the decision to go Navy and chose a job within the Navy that would provide me some real world skills when I got out, as well as the consideration of the GI Bill.

I got out and easily got a job using those skills and making good enough money to put off college.  I was 23, making 16/hr, and single.  I've made that sort of money since, but I now have a family, and 16/hr is not enough to support them.  Both my wife an I making that much isn't enough, not in southern California, and not in the reality of this country.  We can moved and get similar jobs in less costly areas, we'll also be paid less and be in the same financial situation as we are now.

So here I am, back in school becasue even though I have and can demonstrate the skills needed for a better job that can secure my families future.  I can't get the job because I don't have the peice of paper that says I know what I'm doing. 

I'm also going to be financing my college with loans, banking on the better paying positions I can qualify for once I've graduated.  You see, the GI Bill has this insidious little clause in it that states you only get 10 years in which you use your benefits, no matter how long you served, or you lose them, and I burned up most of that being single and making what seemed like lots of money at the time.

As unfair as that is, to lose a benifit for my education that earned, I have no choice but to accept that.  It is however a serious hole or flaw in such a thing.  just becasue you've served in the military doesn't mean you're ready to go to college once you get out.  You should have the option to use those benefits whenever you see fit, when you are ready for them. 

I'm ready now, if I'd have used them before, I would have been yet another college drop out falling back on the skills I used to make that 16/hr that convinced me not to go in the first place.

I'll call this end of rant.  Thank you for reading.