Permanent students.

I think it's questionable if someone spends their entire adult life in education, but at the same time I have way more respect for that person than someone who spends their entire life on the dole without trying.

snickerpuss wrote: »

Also social study leads to social care and social work both of which definitely lead to jobs. There actually aren't enough social workers at the moment.

Mainly due to a hiring moratorium in the public sector.

gossamer wrote: »

I have no issue at all with people who save up and pay for their own masters and PhD or who are awarded a scholarship on their own merit.

It's the people who expect their parents to fund their education post undergrad that bother me, almost as if it's their God given right. A lot of the time a sense of entitlement and expectation comes with it. I watched a girl (woman, I should say) go into a full screaming, crying meltdown when her mother told her she couldn't afford to pay for her masters. To me, it's downright shameful to expect someone else to fund your way in life. It's worrying how prominent that behaviour has become. What happened to taking a few years out and saving up for yourself?

And yeah, for some it is a lifestyle choice. In my own experience college did not reflect reality whatsoever and people didn't want to burst that bubble with a 9-5 job when reality came knocking.

Yeah true. There's some very spoilt and entitled people around. Have a couple of friends who are given handouts on a regular basis. One had money put in to that savings scheme - the 4 for 1 thing? The full amount -Think the ma paid 90e a month or something? had a tidy some of 16k when it matured. They never seemed to realise how lucky they were - it was like 'meh, she wanted to do it and i deserve it'.

Other friend has almost everything paid for by the parents. They do work in fairness but any sign of car trouble, private health care needed or they take a holiday and the ma and da are writing a check. The ma also minds the kids for free. She even has to take her holiday when they do so she'd be available to childmind :rolleyes:

I've never had that and never expected it. I haven't asked my parents for money since i was about 14. Paid for school books and school tour from my part-time job. Not expecting a clap on the back for it or anything but it would gall you to see how easy some people have it and they don't even appreciate it.

Anyone else think that staying in higher education for more than (I only did 4 and **** me if I'm going back) 7 years is a kind of hell?

Deleted User wrote: »

I suppose it depends on how you do it and what you do and what you love.

I discovered later in life - after college - that I was actually much more interested in - and quite good at - many subjects that were completely different to what I actually studied.

If it were not for family and children and other committments I would consider going back to higher education myself to explore some of them. I would love to get much deeper into things like Human Psychology and Biology and Epidemiology and more - much deeper than I already have.

Perhaps in the future our family unit income will be in a state where we could juggle me not being an earner for a few years and I might even consider it. Now is not that time alas.

True. I didn't enjoy my time. I do have a rather hard nosed view to full time higher education. If its not going to be profitable in the long run then its not that useful. Education is never wasted but more time studying does not always equal more money. In saying that if your paying for it yourself and not leveraging on anyone then go for it.

Deleted User wrote: »

I guess so - but only assuming profit is your goal. A lot of people have no interest in profit. So I guess they would be the kind of people more inclined to stay in academia long term.

Spot on. Potential profit/life options drove me into college and their the only thing that could drive me back.
I still get irritated when I think back to certain academic focused lecturers giving BS assignments and saying "This is what its like in industry" only to find industry nothing like that.

I think the point the OP is trying to make is that his relative is jumping from course to course, in different areas of study, probably not completing some of them with no intention of working in any of those areas.

I don't think anyone would object to someone getting the highest qualification possible in their field, maybe even branching out a bit to a slightly different area of interest, so long as they were paying for the majority of it themselves. To study one area for so long shoes passion and the person will eventually give back what they got in taxes.

However I too know someone, who now, at 35, is still in college, and it's so annoying. She has done everything from fetac level nursing and fetac childcare to trying a BA in law and everything in between. The few courses she has finished, she has decided weren't for her and have gone in search of the next one.
She takes up seasonal work a few times a year, normally bar work in summer and retail in winter but as far as I know she's never worked consistently or full time. These courses are paid for by her parents, who she lives with, and grants.

I just think it's incredibly juvenile, after the 5th or 6th course that just 'wasn't for her' she should have sucked it up and tried to get a full time job in one of her areas, but no, on she moved to the next course. I know I certainly couldn't afford to jump from course to course, not finishing them, not progressing, because I have bills to pay, and I'm 10 years younger.

Pursuing the highest education possible in your area is nothing short of admirable but flitting from course to course with no direction or ambition, literally doing it to pass time, is not okay with me and is what would annoy me in that type of situation.

hmmm, wonder if Michael Deans is still involved in SU politics in DIT...:)

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

If the "Eternal Student" is paying their own way what's the problem?

If taxpayers are funding them forever well there is a point to made. When are they ever going to use their education for the good of the country as a pay back?

No problem with re training for unemployed from the taxpayer just to mention.

I don't think any student 100% pays their own way, no matter how much personal responsibility they show.

padd b1975 wrote: »

She was probably hoping to bag herself a doctor or a solicitor.
It's obvious at this stage in her life that she has absolutely no intention of standing on her own two feet.

:rolleyes:

If the aim is to educate yourself to a level at which you are required to have for a particular job, then it makes sense.

The pragmatist in me says that my experience is now worth more than my degree in my particular field, the Phd I could possibly go do is now worthless from an employment point of view.

I may have gotten to where I am a year or two faster if I had gone for the masters/ Phd straight after my degree. But my hear and now situation is that I would not further career any faster with a Phd. So for me, no point.

If I want to change career, then its back to school.