I've been reading the comments (I always do) and I've noticed some people from Germany speaking up on the brief info I provided about their schooling system and how people get separated into different schools after 4th grade as they enter secondary school. Obviously it's challenging dealing with an entire country's education system to boil it down into a few sentences when different areas work differently, as do teachers, and each school individually. The websites I referred to on screen provided the information on the basics of the school system, as did people in the survey. As you can see in the video all the information is shared, including Gezamtschule (comprehensive school), and I was also going to include the fact that private schools are in higher demand over there because parents want to guarantee their kids a better education, education issues faced over there due to funding issues and go more in depth but as this video is so long already - I wanted to keep things brief to give an overview. From what I've read and from your experiences, it is challenging for people to transfer from one secondary school to the other, but it seems that is starting to change in some places which is great! :)

@marafortune3713

4 ай бұрын

Thank you for your for using Germany as a case study and also for your clarification here. Perhaps my observation is slightly subjective and limited to my area, but I wouldn't say that private education increasingly receives more demand. Perhaps it is true that more experimental school forms that do not use the tripartite tracked school system as much e.g. Waldorfschulen (private but also receiving funding from the governemnt) and ans the broader term of Gesamtschulen (which may be cooperative (KGS) or inclusive (IGS) and I think even Waldorfschulen belong to this broad category; also at least my area all Gesamtschulen are public). The more 'traditional' private schools (which are often also boarding schools) in my experience is not perceived as positively as it is often the "trouble-makers" that are send there (at least in my region) and they are considered to help students receive a diploma more easily. However they are I think considered lower in prestige (exceptions of course exist like Schloss Salem). So the more traditional public and local Gymnasien are associated with the most prestige and usually remain the preferred option (again, in my experience). As you can see, even I a German am really hesitant to make any generalising statements about uour system as it is quite complex and diverse (being a competence of the Länder definitely didn't help with that). So thanks so much for at least trying and it seems you got the majority of it already right. And I am sure that even for my part, I may be corrected on some of the things I said 😊

@hobocode

4 ай бұрын

I would love a video about how poverty is considered a critical element in making a "volunteer" military in the USA. We have recruiters from all military branches in public school lunchrooms every single day. They would each have a booth. I feel like that should be illegal. I think it used to be but protective regulations have been cut for decades here in the USA. Like how ads aimed at kids used to be illegal in the USA. I freaking wish that were still illegal. Recruitment practices, beyond that, while they're negotiating the contact, are also predatory and often new recruits are lied to. There will be a deep can of worms to open on the subject of tricking people to joining the military and then it ruining them. My bro is a vet, he joined at 18 and it's still his job. I know i couldn't do it so I used sex work to get by for a while. Then I got married and we can scrape by on just his salary. I was also a member of the VOO (vet outreach org) for years. And I listened. Most talked about how they were tricked by recruiters and by media propaganda.

Many smart people never have the opportunity (or need) to go to university and many not-so-smart people have the privilege to go. I have a university degree and it triggers me when people equate higher ed degrees with intelligence. I saw plenty of students who were there on their parents' money and not their own merits.

@MissMoontree

5 ай бұрын

Depends on the country. Yes, parents that are well off (in more aspects than just money) will always be a huge benefit. But I went to an university that was good an inexpensive. People that were on benefits would be helped financially. Some people even migrated and went there because of these advantages.

@madarawijerathne276

5 ай бұрын

Yeah as missmontree said depends on country, in my country anyone who pass advance levels with enough marks is eligible to go University and get degree free. So it's a related to intelligence

@corimoon3360

5 ай бұрын

@@madarawijerathne276 A degree does not equal intelligence…

@mirabela1344

5 ай бұрын

This!

@madarawijerathne276

5 ай бұрын

@@corimoon3360 I said it's related in my country not that degree equal to intelligence

The worst part is that for POC, especially women POC, going to college is basically a requirement for a decent life in most cases. While the benefits are getting worse for all demographics, it's better than the salary they would have otherwise. The choice of skipping college is still a privilege.

@xstaticgurlxx

5 ай бұрын

I never even thought of this damn!

@BryonyClaire

5 ай бұрын

It really sucks because (as you'll see when you watch the end of this video) so much more is actually determined by the family you're born into these days - even if people are highly educated. This directly impacts BIPOC so much more, social mobility is even tougher now

@gloriajewelart

5 ай бұрын

Doesn’t feel like much of a choice to skip spending a load of money on higher education if you’re poor 😢

@HaleyMary

5 ай бұрын

So true! Attending college and university and tech schools give people more opportunities for jobs and careers, but those with disabilities just might not be able to afford it or might not be smart enough for it. I have a poor short term memory and I tried university and I flunked. It's just not fair that if you're not smart enough for school, you can't have a decent life.

@supervivo7069

5 ай бұрын

I'm a man and I've noticed that people often recommend the trades as an alternative, but those environments are often hostile towards women and especially WOC.

I got a BS in Microbiology with a minor in Chemistry in 2018. It took me 10 months to find a job in an area full of life science related companies. It was at a factory producing catalytic converters for power plants. Years later, I work at a university as a researcher in glaucoma studies. I make less now than I did at the factory and my job could be learned by a high schooler in 3 or 4 weeks. Higher education wasn't meant to produce socially useful jobs. It was meant to produce middle management excel idiots who fake working for 6 hours a day. I'm completely convinced that the American economy consists entirely of scams and healthcare debt

@adams8830

5 ай бұрын

Same. I make about 5 dollars more than I did before my degrees (plural). For me, it wasn't worth it and I would have gotten the same salary at the position I had before.

@IshtarNike

5 ай бұрын

Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber. I'm also convinced that most of the economy is just a shell game at this point. We're not producing anything in most jobs these days. Just fannying about shifting stuff around on computers then sending them off for others to do the same.

@tagtraumerin5077

5 ай бұрын

Science degrees are a scam - or at least they are not as good as their reputation.

@christins.1481

5 ай бұрын

I work in a grocery store as a manager and I make more than most entry level degree positions. I didn't go to high school, was homeschooled nearly my entire life. I got my GED when I was 30 just because I felt like it. Funny thing is, most our college students have no idea the type of math I do for my job. We currently have one young man working with us who's a "Lifer" and has a graduate in Law Degree. He said the job was only temporary while he was going to school and we accommodate school kid's school schedules and school events, which is why we have more kids than adults for us. He graduated but stayed, working in the meat department as a butcher because he ended up liking it. He said it's relaxing, says he works 40 hours getting paid a lot of money to cut meat all day, goes out on the sale's floor a couple times a day, opens and never closes. He can't close since he's a butcher and butchers are needed for the morning shifts to prep for all the fresh meat. *Note: When I was working on my GED four months in the teachers said I knew everything I needed to know and said they didn't know what else to teach me, si I was instructed to grab the works I felt I was weak on and study then come ti them for any questions. Five months in I was waiting in the date for the tests to open. Six months the date was open and cost $100. Before taking my tests, I was told it's OK to not answer every question as hardly anyone can answer every question. I answered every question and had 10-15 minutes if spare time left after each test. Passed my first time. My teachers were shocked I could asnwer every test and they asked me how I was able to do that. I'd been doing inventory for the passed 15 years. I crunch numbers for hours on end and once you start, you can't stop. So my brain is used to sitting down and reading and number crunching non-stop. The tests were easy.

@C.Church

5 ай бұрын

With that much education, one would expect you'd know it is about a changing society and the awkwardness of that shift. Basic studies students know our system is set up to produce bell curve workers, not thinker--OK yes, I remember: More educated isn't the same as smarter. Less smart with more education may lead to conspiracy thinking and appeal to authority fallacy. Moving right along.

Anytime I'm hanging out with a group of people who have advanced degrees, they inevitably ask me where I went to school and what my field of study was. I used to be ashamed but now I just tell them bluntly that I am a community college dropout. Their classism is really grating, and it says a lot that they literally couldn't tell the difference between someone who reads a lot (me) and someone with an advanced degree.

@BryonyClaire

5 ай бұрын

I really can't stand attitudes like that, it's so gross!

@no-one.in.particular

5 ай бұрын

Don't worry, I'm a highschool dropout lol well, I was kicked out of all the highschools in my area that I could afford, because I am disabled and poor, so had attendance issues and I just gave up on formal education entirely..I'm still a giant nerd though, so people always assumed I finished university and talk sh!t about dropouts to me untill I *enlighten* them

@hajxty

5 ай бұрын

@@no-one.in.particular They kicked you out cause you're disabled? The audacity!

@m.h.f3350

5 ай бұрын

Just ask them back, whem they are planning to stop working, with their smart a** degree😂😂

@lionedheart

14 күн бұрын

Im not surprised because the majority of the classist people I’ve met are women. So it makes sense. They care a lot on how much men earn when considering them for a partner Once i graduate with my bachelors in Mechanical Engineering im getting myself a lady from a different country where classism isn’t a common mindset for women. I rather share my 6 figure income with a lady who deserves it versus someone who acts entitled, snobby, classist, looks down on people, and all the above.

It wasn't just "encouraged", the message I was receiving was "if you aren't going to university you're a failure". I'm from Virginia. I also have ADHD and I grew up as an artist. I was an on and off sucky student. I loved learning, but hated doing homework. I pushed myself to go to community college because it was making my parents and other peeps happy or "proud of me". I was also working full time. I was also an art major, people told me I wouldn't make money as an artist. Well not shockingly, I flunked out and wasted all the money I made during my summer jobs, destroyed my gpa so I couldn't get financial aid...I barely completed a SEMESTER, then spent the next 8 years in a dead end low paying job. Finally I discovered trade school and now I'm actually enjoying life. Going to university to get a piece of paper to show you could "do the work and follow instructions" is the loudest bull I've ever experienced. They want to make indentured servants. Edit: 📚

@Jenny-vm3yu

5 ай бұрын

I had exactly the same message (ADHD as well). I ended up going to university slightly later, after struggling for years in jobs that weren’t working for me. However, I felt like I had to do my degrees to earn the love and respect of people around me, especially my family. Higher education helped me but really messed me up mentally. I would be considered a failure by my family if I didn’t though.

@Gorillaluau

5 ай бұрын

@@Jenny-vm3yu what did you end up studying? I feel that... It's like no matter how much psychological pain you endure people praise you for the hardship. But the expectations never end, now the next step is to get married and have children and burn yourself out just like everybody else. My job now is in esthetics, I really enjoy it and it's honestly given me so many ideas about what I could do next. It got me out of retail and into a job where I feel like I am of value. Bonus! I'm also a caricature artist who does live drawing of people at parties and festivals. It was absolutely terrifying to try these unconventional things, but because I did what I thought was right for me I am now financially stable. 😮‍💨 Of course now the cost of living is so high that could change in the blink of an eye.

@BryonyClaire

5 ай бұрын

I'm really sorry you had to deal with that, this is what I mean about the "forced higher education path" because honestly it's not right for everyone, and the learning environment can be really hostile to neurodivergent people. I read your reply comment below and I'm happy to hear you're doing something you enjoy now :)

@Jenny-vm3yu

5 ай бұрын

@@GorillaluauI’m so glad you find a job you enjoy, honestly that’s the best thing for your career rather than prestige. I’m at that point now where I have the job my family always wanted me to have but I’m unhappy in my career . I have no idea what else I can do though. I would advise anyone to go for what makes them happy but also pays the bills/ rent. I studied law and business. I wanted to study other things but my family also made it clear that “Mickey Mouse” degrees just weren’t an option. That you can’t just study whatever you want anymore apparently. Not like in their day when any degree was a good degree (it was also free lol). I see their point but I was quite miserable at times. I really enjoyed my third year and my masters, as I got to pick all my classes. I HATED first and second year, my mental health was so bad. I had a taste of my family’s approval at that point though and I was willing to sacrifice my sanity for more. I plan to never do this to my kids. My family meant well but their attitudes caused a lot of harm.

@Gorillaluau

5 ай бұрын

@@BryonyClaire Thank you, Bryony!! P.S. I appreciate everything you do your videos are a breath of fresh air and I personally love the lengthy ones lol congrats on 50k!!!

I'm an engineering student and currently in Greece we are fighting to keep the universities public, for the last decade they are extremely underfunded and now the government wants to create private unis.The students are protesting , most unis are closed by them to prorest and the exam season is lost. The police has attacked students inside the unis and now our dean and a few other deans will be put through trial because the government thinks they should have done more to stop the protests. It is truly dystopian and i don't think we can save public education...

@roccafille

4 ай бұрын

That is terrible. Europe has really trown Greece under the bus. This reaally is dystopian. Hopefully the people can come together and keep education available for all as it should be!!

@LilyGazou

4 ай бұрын

Terrible for this to happen in one of the important birthplaces of civilization.

@lionedheart

14 күн бұрын

They offer courses in English at the Universities in Greece?

Re. military enrollment you mentioned, I would love a video on this! I find it very predatory. They sell it as easy money and a life of adventure to _kids_ in HS. They're not even old enough to drink or rent cars, and are way too young to sign off years of their future to such a dangerous undertaking.

@QueenCloveroftheice

4 ай бұрын

Not to mention, they prey on schools in low-income areas because they figure the students there are more desperate for a job right out of high school.

@bottomofastairwell

4 ай бұрын

omg, it's SOOOO predatory, the way they specifically target kids, CHILDREN from lower income areas. and kids who often come from unstable home lives, who are not only desperate for a way to get out of the poverty they're raised in, but also desperate to escape tumultuous home lives. they sell these poor kids on a dream that's just not real. and the saddest part is that afterwards, especially if these kids did have to witness conflict, there's few to no resources available to help them cope with the trauma. the way we treat veterans in this country is just sickening, and yet veterans make up such a large percentage of unhoused people or people suffering from debilitating mental health conditions. like i could go on for ages, but yeah, the military in the US is crazy predatory

The chance for kids and young people to have a future here in Sweden is getting worse by each day. Yes, we get to borrow money for housing, food etc. and education is free. But there is hard competition to get into university due to few education spots, even for jobs that we have an extreme labor shortage of. The student loan is no longer covering all expenses in bigger cities, so people are forced to work extra. The biggest reason for student loans not being enough anymore is housing, as student housing is extremely expensive in comparison to normal apartments, a lot of times double the amount for rent, and our government doesn't give a fuck. The worst part is that since 2011 kids graduating from high school will be locked out of gymnasium (age 16-19) unless they have passed a set amount of subjects. The issue is that you cannot get a job in Sweden unless you've gone through gymnasium, not even in retail and other "unqualified" jobs. Most jobs today require studies at higher vocation. Studying something practical, like carpentry, is done at gymnasium level, so if you don't pass high school, you are now locked out of society, unable to get a job, and you're only 16 years old. This has most likely been a huge contribution to the large number of children age 15-18 that are involved with criminal gangs here in Sweden. It is easy for adults to groom children into criminality when the government isn't giving the kids a future. Education is a human right, I just wish more politicians thought so as well, but they are instead planning on building a prison for kids.

@sos2530

5 ай бұрын

Holy shit.

@BryonyClaire

5 ай бұрын

This is terrible, honestly I had no idea! Why on earth has the govt gone down such a guaranteed disaster route? Like surely they could have seen this kind of outcome happening, it's actively hurting the youth (and by extension their future workforce if you want to just think about economics)

@crishnaholmes7730

5 ай бұрын

Wow did not know this

@jy.pisskink

5 ай бұрын

its the exact same in germany. in order to catch up after you drop out of highschool you need to do training for a job for four years or so, then go to a night school to graduate for 2 years, and only if you graduated you can get into uni.

@grazielaalmeida8438

4 ай бұрын

I don't knew about this "side" of Sweeden in my country everything that is from Sweeden is put on a pedestal.

the whole "everybody is a threat thing" really resonated with me-- I'm a high school junior and i talk about university with my friends a lot, and every time we share supposed great news (like getting an internship or finishing a great project), there's this great sense of anxiety that "they're doing so much and I'm not" when the "right" reaction is just to be happy for their achievements. I've talked to them about this feeling and the overwhelming majority of them said they share the sentiment-- just shows that everyone kinda has this imposter syndrome of not doing enough, and even if you did, the stuff you did aren't good enough on a uni application.

I grew up in foster care. My job was to not get pregnant, not end up in the detention center, and to graduate high school. The bar was so low, not one person taught me about what to do once I graduated. I just assumed I'd be homeless like the people I knew. A military recruiter was poster in the cafeteria and I ignored him for a while, until one day he asked me "What are your plans after you graduate?" (Note that I moved around and had multiple guidance counselors...they all assumed the worse and simply didn't want me to cause trouble while at "their" school/turf...another g@ng in my eye lol point is...I signed up for the military out of fear, and lack of knowledge to the benefits for foster kids in higher education/trade school. Yes, I would love to hear you cover poverty, military, and educational opportunities with (lack) success in their futures. I graduated in 2011.

@BryonyClaire

5 ай бұрын

I'm so sorry, I hate how people get treated like dirt like this just for the fact they exist and the way our systems work is to basically toss people aside and assume they're worthless if from a poor background or foster care, this makes my blood boil reading this. I fully understand why you'd have turned to the military, it's really telling how they prey upon poorer areas and poorer kids, it's like they sniff them out on purpose

@NiQ_like_Nick

5 ай бұрын

@@BryonyClaire unfortunately! We were talking about how many people would sign up for the military in case of another war recently...and all O could think about was all the sign on bonuses and debt forgiveness they'd draw people in with! Your video was awesome 🖤

@bottomofastairwell

4 ай бұрын

the military in the US is literally so effing predatory.

My HS was hell and was one of the “Good schools”, aka had funding and did a shit ton of testing. If you were disabled or unable to go to college for any reason it was so bullshite. They hardly mentioned any other options, even trades, and you were basically shamed for trying to find a place that would work out for you or accommodate you. It was VERY stigmatized to want something for you instead of just what looks good. There was also a huge amount of creative artistic students and teachers who hated the whole thing and actually wanted to help students, including a lot of great language teachers too.

I am very lucky that in Romania we don't have to pay to go to university. And we have social scholarships for the students that are below the poverty line and cannot afford to pay for the dormroom and food. Students also have many benefits like free transportation and medical insurance.

@user-qo7vq6yx8q

4 ай бұрын

Yeah we do have to pay. Lol.

I've been looking forward to this one, my time in higher education was massively impacted by my undiagnosed disability and the pandemic. 📚 Looking forward to the next video!

When I was 17 (🤣) and I graduated, I couldn't bring myself to spend that much money when I didn't really know what I wanted to do.... everyone kept telling me that I would figure it out.... I'm really glad they never convinced me.🤷‍♀️

@LynIsALilADHD

5 ай бұрын

📚 I've been stuck on the body keeps the score for like..... a while. Lol!

@BryonyClaire

5 ай бұрын

Yeah it's tough, right? There's still so much to learn about the world and yourself before embarking on a years long journey you have to have properly mapped out otherwise you could be stuck in a position where there's no jobs to even apply for, plus taking on all that debt

@LynIsALilADHD

5 ай бұрын

@BryonyClaire yeahhhhh..... that thought scared tf out of me!! So I was just like maybe I'll keep working at best buy for a year... then maybe... and I just kinda never thought about it again. I have definitely been lucky with my jobs cos I've had at least two that "required" a degree. It was just not for the actual skill the degree was for, but more whether or not a person had that much commitment to finishing it, ya know? And...um... I gave best buy long enough that it's always just looked at as an equivalent thing.... So like... they lied to us, right? It's not completely necessary..... it's just a really expensive way to prove a point. (Unless you're a doctor or something. Def necessary for them.🤔👍)

@ErutaniaRose

5 ай бұрын

For real. Why not wait and not spend thousands of dollars at 18 fresh into adulthood…the idea that everyone HAS to do this seems literally baffling to me.

@ErutaniaRose

5 ай бұрын

@@LynIsALilADHDSame. I’m chronically I’ll and taking a human biology class to get a better baseline, lol.

In America there is no path for most people to get higher education that doesn't put you in debt for the rest of your life. The interest tacked onto student loans is suffocating. You can take out 40k in student loans and end up paying 100k after it's all said and done. America has become a country on;y for the rich. The American dream is dead📚

@misspriss2482

5 ай бұрын

Community college or a technical school. They are cheaper and you can get a higher education that will get you a decent job.

@AuntieMamies

5 ай бұрын

@@misspriss2482 they're cheaper but still very expensive when you're working on a very limited budget. Higher education should be free and it's kind of abominable that in the US it isn't

@salkoharper2908

4 ай бұрын

@@AuntieMamies Nothing is free in the US. When a mother gives birth, they are charged a cost. When you have a heart attack in the street, the ambulance charge you a cost. That is America. You have to pay to be born and to die.

@bottomofastairwell

4 ай бұрын

that's why my solution is to just not pay them. i'm taking my student debt to my grave. they can collect it from my corpse, whatever. and yeah, they did try to garnish my wages for a few years. but lucky for me, i worked in the service industry for a decade. i got $0.00 paychecks for a decade, garnish what fuckers? good luck with that LOL. and yeah, my credit is straight trash now, but it's not like i'm ever gonna be able to afford a house anyway, so i mean... whatever. hell, by the time i COULD actually afford a house (if ever), the climate crisis will have probably gotten so bad that half the damn planet will be unlivable anyway. so like, fuck it all. at this point i've just embraced the nihilism completely, and since everything is going to hell in a handbasket, i figure, fuck it, i might as well go to that concert or wahtever

@AuntieMamies

4 ай бұрын

@@bottomofastairwell I definitely get that. I still try to hope for some change. The IRS is getting hundreds of billions back from rich tax cheats so that's hundreds of billions that won't be paid for by average citizens. It already went to expanding the child tax credit but maybe it'll go to some student debt forgiveness too? Idk. I know there was some billions just forgiven in student debt. Of course this is all if you're in the US. This upcoming election is definitely gonna determine whether I have a shred of hope in this place anymore though. There's gotta be some light at the end of the tunnel. Somewhere

I'm a social worker, in undergrad for my placement year I was working 40 hours/week mostly overnights, in placement working 20 hours/week, and in school 15-18 hours/week. I only slept in 2 - 4 hour blocks for about 8 months. I had already lost my financial aid due to my health so I just kept going. Its been 5 years since I graduated and I've still spent hundreds of dollars on trainings, licensing and supervision (4000+ hours) to get my clinical license in my state so I can even use my masters degree. I love all that I have learned and all that I have done. I make less than my parents and likely will for the rest of my life. I feel lucky to even use my degree in my jobs now but still don't make enough to afford groceries or the medical care I need. I tell every young person in my life that higher education isn't the solution - the only reason to go is if you are so passionate about something that the stress, debt, and potential lack of outcome will be worth the experience, learning, and bonds.

@birdyandthebees3077

5 ай бұрын

This makes me sad because of how many sacrifices you have had to make to literally have a career in HELPING PEOPLE 😭

@gogogadget1855

5 ай бұрын

Social work? Yeah most who do that aren't going to pay off their loan. Though you can get it written off by the government if you do years of public service.

@TheSpryngsnowstorm

4 ай бұрын

This is why I dropped out of my MSW. Good on you for continuing.

@gogogadget1855

3 ай бұрын

@birdyandthebees3077 I'm sorry my friend, but there's a lot of people that just like you find happiness In helping others. That means your wages are basically going to be low from the start, but add in the fact that there are rich kids willing to do it free, and you can see the problem.

@lionedheart

14 күн бұрын

Get a PHD. It’s free and you’ll earn more money.

I was unable to go to college due to disability (serious illness, both physical and mental) and poverty. It wasn't really my choice not to go. Universities are just profit-oriented corporations. I have friends that work in academia - they are treated like dirt, the system is wacky, and they dislike their institutions.

University was forced on me by my dad. He learned the hard way by needing to go to uni later in life to upgrade from his college diploma (which is what I was looking at). However, I was also given the freedom to take a gap year after high school and study whatever I wanted at uni. It really was the best thing for me. There is no way I would have accomplished many of the things I’ve done without my bachelor’s degree, even if it is in Fine Arts which is often looked down on. 📚

@BryonyClaire

5 ай бұрын

It's sad it was forced on you, but I'm really glad you're enjoying what you are doing now

@murrvvmurr

5 ай бұрын

That's what parenting is sometimes. You have to make your kids do stuff they don't want to for their own good. As adults we know what is coming and we have the duty of care AND preparation towards the child. Your dad parented you so you could be as ready as you could for the world you would be an adult in. I am not sorry the man did his goddamn job. I applaud him. Be it shitting in a loo rather than a diaper, getting a grip on algebra or imposing reasonable norms, values or expectations for the first 20-25 years of your life your parents can't always be your friend. If you have a reference adult you can trust to guide you to maturity in a way that benefits you (rather than that which makes them feel better, or gets rid of the responsibility of you ASAP) make sure to thank them. Not everyone gets that... clearly.

@lordfreerealestate8302

5 ай бұрын

@@murrvvmurr My dad was abusive and controlling, they don't always act in the interests of their children. So I'd say if your kid wants to work a trade and not go into copious amounts of student debt, there might be a valid reason why a kid would say no. This is a kind of unhinged comment.

I’m so glad someone’s finally talking about this! I love learning,learning things for the sake of learning them is what makes learning enjoyable for me. So my expectations for university were very skewed under the assumption that you could study whatever you wanted. I’m privileged to not be one of those kids where the stakes are incredibly high and university isn’t even a choice for them so I’m not pleased with the system in place currently. As a neurodivergent person it just feels like uni is just paying for a piece of paper that claims some arbitrary social status (assuming you’re not training for a specific skills such as the medical field or law where your skills have very important impacts on people’s lives) I definitely felt pressured to go at first and luckily I’m now in a place where I can follow my own path without social pressures but people coming into adulthood shouldn’t be pressured into something like this they should be able to decide on their own whether university is what they want and/or are capable of and are well informed about how university really works. You don’t owe your parents “success” you owe yourself happiness

I think this is such a great conversation. I went to a private high school that was mostly a ‘prep’ type school ( all though even the kids who went to the local public high school mostly were encouraged to focus on academics). Whenever I mentioned that maybe I didn’t want to go to university I was almost made fun of by my teachers and peers. I was a high achieving kids so everyone was baffled at why I would ‘settle’ for a blue collar job so I was convinced that I really wanted to be a lawyer. I went half way across the country to the hardest school to get into… and I hated it so much. Sure I made some great friends and had some fun experiences, but I really really was miserable most of the time. I was taken away from my one passion and I honestly found out how little I cared about school work for the most part. Just because I was a ‘smart person’ didn’t mean that gave me joy. The last straw for me was working my summer internship at a law firm that I also didn’t love. I liked the people I worked with but it was just so dull to me and thinking about doing that kind of work for the rest of my life made me have s many mental breakdowns. After that I got the courage to transfer to a local school and focus on my sport. I was much happier since in the end you can’t go to school for the job I really want to do. I missed out a lot of practical experiences trying to do what other people wanted, but I am working hard to make up for missed time and have moved out to the farm full time to really dive into it. I LOVE my job so much… even if 99% of the time I am shoving s*💩 and watching grass grow ( then cutting it , baling it and storing it in the storage shed for winter). I am so amazingly happy , even if I have to work so hard that I am physically sore most of the time. It is so fulfilling so I highly encourage people to follow their passions even if it doesn’t afford you a super glamorous life. In my experience the extra money I would have earned wouldn’t have made up for the unhappiness. It all depends on what makes you happy.

I loved going to university and I always knew I would go. I was ''the smart kid'' in my family but I wasn't too pressured to go. It was expected bc I had potential but my family would be happy with whatever I chose, even a trade school. The problem is the post-graduation life. I finished a degree that only got me into teaching jobs and I realised it's not for me. I tried many different things, but my skillset and my motivation is just not in anything that's willing to hire me and look past my ''inadequate'' skillset. I should also note that my university was free for me bc I was able to graduate and finish my semesters on time. It's a differnt ballgame for people who had to work and study. They had it more difficult but it wasn't unmanageable. Another problem is that if you do change your mind, then you have to pay the full tuition for your next degree - the government only supports you with your first choice. Then again, the tuition for public universities is not that high (in my country), at least not compared to the US or the UK, but as in any place low income families suffer the most - their child could get good education if they make a good first choice with their college.

@whutcat682

5 ай бұрын

It is the same in my contry. The stressful part is that we have limited funded places by the government in the university so it make the environment so hostile and bad, is it so stressful. My colleagues will not help me and even will go out of they're way to make me fail so they could make it on top to get the free education. Is really miserable, also the teachers being like "Is oke to fail you will learn from that mistake" sure, but if I fail I will need to pay for my place and most of the place will ask me about my grades :///. I got some bad grades in 2 exams and I feel so bad and such a failure, I need to retake them. But, really I can't wait to be over, I really do not like the competitive market we are making it is destroying the connection you could make with people, like right now I only have 1 friend outside of my uni.

📚 My parents both had PhDs so needless to say, academics were a huge push. Though my mom has come to realize that she had bought into the social mobilization myth of higher education and that in retrospect, she and my dad maybe shouldn’t have pushed college so hard. Not that my brothers and I are doing poorly, but the emphasis was on finding work that was lucrative and would ensure we could take care of ourselves. My dad wanted us all to be engineers. It does make me a little sad though when I hear that there are such things like schools to become a craftsman or artisan, which sounds like a dream to me, especially since my job and degree just feel dead-end and not fulfilling at this point.

@BryonyClaire

5 ай бұрын

That really sucks, it's good that they've come to realize it but it's really sad that you're not feeling fulfilled by your education or job, I know people can take up hobbies to "do what they love" but when jobs take up so much of people's time and the commute sucks the energy out of you too...who can really do that?

@esteemedmortal5917

5 ай бұрын

@@BryonyClaireat least it pays well. And it wasn’t always unfulfilling. But definitely one of those people seeing if I can use my creative talents to get out of the rat race. Not realistic, I know, but one can dream.

@sos2530

5 ай бұрын

@@esteemedmortal5917it doesn’t matter how well it pays if someone feels their very soul being sucked dry.

The one equalizer for women to go in to trades would be tools that fit and augment strength. Jobs that say must lift 50 lbs frequently keep women from applying. It's like asking men to lift 100 lbs frequently. Exoskeletons would equalize us all for the trades and forget paper pushing and caregiving (I lifted a lot of heavy ppl over the years).

@HaleyMary

5 ай бұрын

So true! I work stocking shelves and there are a lot of kitchen appliances I have to leave for the guys who work in the appliances area because I just can't physically lift some things onto the overstock shelves. And, this is even with working out with weights.

@darthowen77

5 ай бұрын

i could lift 100 lbs frequently just saying

I have a BS in Elec Engineering. Male POC. One parent for most of my life. D maths student who worked his way up to a B engineering student. Worked all through university to pay for myself. Graduated 2020. I applied everywhere but it was really rough finding a job or internship during that time period. Not one scholarship, i applied for so many. Not one mentor growing up, no good teachers. Nobody encouraged me and said i COULD do it. Only that i'd be broke if i didn't. Well im still broke. Got laid off last year along with a bunch of other tech workers. Struggling to find another, again. An old classmate though. White gal. Two supportive parents in her life, a science teacher mom and engineer dad. She came into uni with a full ride. We used to share the scholarships in the group chat but stopped. She'd win them all and we needed money too. She graduated debt free (actually made money from college) and had MULTIPLE internships lined up. In 2020?? HOW?? Im not saying she didn't work hard. But the rich and privileged just get richer. She had two parents to support her and pay for tutors while i was wondering if my dad was ever gonna come back.

@lionedheart

14 күн бұрын

How are you not able to get a job with a degree in Electrical Engineer? Are you in a location with a good job market? Because that also has an impact. If you cant find a job, perhaps go to a trade school or certification that has to do with electrical that guarantees a job after completing. After 1 to 2 years of experience apply for an engineering position within your company. You can also join the military (Airforce, Coastguard, Navy) as an Officer and choose your job related to electrical. Officers earn 8k a month starting off give or take. After completing your military contract i am sure you will have many job offers.

Thanks again to everyone who participated in the survey - you're amazing ✨✨ Side note- anyone else try and embody sunshine when they feel like trash to trick your brain into feeling better?

@stellaw3682

5 ай бұрын

I just wanted to mention, that there is no test you take to decide in which school you go to (in Germany), but rather teachers give the parents a recommendation for one of the schools based on the school year. Parents can freely choose if their child goes to Gymnasium, Realschule or Hauptschule.

@nyahtonks3914

5 ай бұрын

if we contribute to the survey now, would our responses make it into the next video? just wondering

@BryonyClaire

5 ай бұрын

@@nyahtonks3914 survey has been closed for a while now sorry

Going to university was a expensive mistake in my opinion , I would either go back choose a different degree AND make sure I do a internship , or just straight up go in a office job after uk college cos I’m 25 and, kid you not, back to square 1 after postgrad

@lionedheart

14 күн бұрын

What did you graduate in?

📚📚📚In the US, many students in healthcare fields aren't just giving free (if highly supervised) labor as a requirement to complete their college coursework, they're PAYING for the opportunity to provide that labor in exchange for that clinical experience. The clinical hours are typically completely inflexible as well, at least for nursing, and can take a full 8hr day. 📚📚📚

@BryonyClaire

5 ай бұрын

That's absolutely ridiculous - no wonder people aren't wanting to go into healthcare, you have to be rich to be able to afford that then you don't even get paid much - and get treated terribly!

I have to add this, I went to community college for a few months, I ended up having a kid at the time and because of that I had to drop out, when I tried to re enroll they told me I couldn't come back, it was because I had a W on my report card, I withdrawed from a class because the teacher wouldn't let me transfer to her online class no matter how much I begged. I didn't know who my counselor was, I had a friend help me with setting up classes because I didn't understand how to do it. I was in special Ed as a kid and needed a lot of help, when I got older the help continued to not come, my special Ed teachers were racist and hating children so it's not like I got help then either. When I found out I was going to have a kid it felt like absolutely everything gave up on me, all the programs is college were unavailable to me, I couldn't get a dx for my ASD or my kids ASD later on. My teachers at college looked at me and gave up, my mother basically saw this coming and told me so. The stark difference is that my sister on the other hand got a full ride and graduated graduate school, she had a lot of help but they knew she was smart from a very young age, I was different. I'll tell you this, I knew I wouldn't make it to higher learning for a very long time, I could never invison myself in college when I was a kid, I thought I'd be dead by then, and do did the school system I grew up in. People give up on kids really quick and for me it was by age 7. My sister definitely got the smart kid pressure and it's definitely not fun to watch at all, it seemed like an impossible task to make my family proud. It's horrifying and it's why I don't really talk to my family. This kind of framework of learning teaches children they are useless at a young age, it teaches kids to find the "useless" ones and punch down at them so they can keep feeling like it's worth it to exist and prosper. My own kid isn't even 10 and she's told by her peers that she's stupid cause she acts different from others, when in reality she's very smart and finishes her work early and sits there quietly. Sometimes it's not even the grades that make a kid feel stupid, sometimes is literally ableism baked into society. 📚

Sadly with the way job advertising and applications work with AI, you need a degree more than ever even for jobs that don't technically need it.

Finally been able to go to classes full time at my community college after having a lot of accommodations in place and just taking things I am interested in. There are still a lot of issues, but I have some good teachers this semester, thank goodness. Edit: I am lucky enough that my parents have put in the work to understand me, do not care if I go to an ivy league, and that I have enough resources to be able to explore a bit to help me settle and figure out what I want to study/major in. Thinking about art history to become an Museum Curator.

@HanhNguyen-uk8bc

5 ай бұрын

Hey just want to let you know that I previously worked at a museum. The industry is shrinking, and it was very difficult to move into a full time job because the positions didn't open very often and generally didn't pay very well. A lot of museum curators are expected to have graduate degrees. Are you willing to continue your education into a Master's and possibly Doctorate's? Something to consider if you end up choosing that route.

@ErutaniaRose

5 ай бұрын

I'd be willing just because I love learning--though funding that is a different question. Personally, I'd like to be able to afford to care more about my education and doing something I love than money--but sadly it probably won't happen. I'm hoping I will have at least enough to live though if I do get into that field. @@HanhNguyen-uk8bc

@ErutaniaRose

5 ай бұрын

Also thanks you! @@HanhNguyen-uk8bc

This is why I’m leaving America after graduation because I’m just sick of it

@savageornah7696

3 ай бұрын

Come to Germany :)

@lionedheart

14 күн бұрын

Just curious, what exactly are you sick of?

Thanks for the kindness and congrats on 50k! I dropped out of my second year of Hairdressing (trade certificate) because while I enjoyed the process, I hated the idea of doing it every day as a job. There was also a huge amount of bullying, classism and racial divide in both colleges I attended. It was hell and I ended up with 14k in student debt.

📚 I had a great time at uni, because I chose a subject I loved. It was still really tough as a migrant child, because there were no funds and I left school with debt. The first few jobs I got didn't pay well either. It wasn't until I became my own boss that I could make good money

I got diagnosed with ASD and ADHD in my forties which explained a lot to be honest. I am a high school dropout (my coutry's equivalent actually but whatever). But I've been having jobs requiring tertiary education my whole life. I have high natural intelligence and learn fast but in the end it is all about who you know and what job you choose. I was working as an editor in the media because I knew people in. And I am now in IT. A lot of companies are in need to find someone to fill the spot and they just don't care about the education. I am currently in the position with very high salary (for my country) and no one asked about my education once. They just need someone with expertize who can do the job. They don't care who you killed to get it.

It is so frustrating. I swear, the system is a carrot dangled in front of a donkey, then it takes away the carrot. I am certain this is the real reason people have had enough. The previous generation climbs the ladder, then puts pand mines in its place. Then they complain about the younger generation being immature and lazy.

There was a trend on TikTok Mexico where people showed how excited they where getting their university degree and then the next picture was them working at a entry-level job, sad and disappointed of themselves This tiktok trend opened a big conversation on social media about inequality and lack of opportunities in Mexico

I go to a low income hs and we are constantly pressured to try out all sorts of non college career paths! I’m in a dual enrollment program where I can get my associates degree from the local community college so I can graduate college early (not spending as much money) this is fantastic however only the schools in the down county consortium (the poorer side of the county) are really offered these programs as much because it is expected that those in the up county consortium (the richer side of the county) will all go to college

@gogogadget1855

5 ай бұрын

Very smart. Just make sure the credits transfer

I’ve been re-reading the Phantom tollbooth!! I’m currently a community college student. I’m incredibly fortunate for parents who are financially supporting me through this. My mom is hoping that I continue on to get my Bachelor’s at a university. I’m quite anxious about this as accommodations get more complicated and work-load will get heavier. Currently we’re able to pay for individual classes, thus taking 2-3 at a time. Paying for yearly tuition will paint a much different picture.

I'd definitely love to see your take on why people join the military just to receive free education and healthcare. Y'know, things they should get for free anyway... It's truly mind blowing how much a difference money makes throughout someone's entire life.

📚I appreciate you mentioning that people need the financial freedom to have the time for education. Some people have absolutely no understanding of that. My rent and expenses are low enough that I can work part-time while taking a class per semester. I'm very well aware that if my rent was high enough that I had to work full-time, I wouldn't be able to go to school. One of the classes I need meets three days a week for an hour. When you do the math, getting ready, going to school, and being in class, that's 12 hours a week, as opposed to 6 if they merged it into a three-hour class one day a week. A lot of these schools are not made for working students, and at my school, many working, family, and older students have complained to the president about the lack of scheduling options and have even dropped out. This is a school that prides itself on being a working class college. I'm also glad you mentioned how hard it is to work and go to school at the same time, in general. Sometimes you speak to some people and they'll keep mentioning these hypothetical people who work full-time and do school full-time! I think it's from those college commercials in the 2000s telling people they should go to college. The actor was always talking about how they're going to school full-time and work full-time, and if they can do it, you can do it, too. I do understand that collge is not the guarantee people claim it to be, but for me it would put me in a slightly better position. I've been in school working on my Bachelor's for what'll be ten years now. I had some setbacks after my mother died, including some awful academic advisors giving me bad information that wasted my time, energy, and money, a pandemic, and shitty school policies that had me spending 2 years fixing some gpa issues. This isn't so much doing this to make someone else proud, but because I've literally wasted my youth on it, and I refuse to not finish it, but also because I've had several academic advisors and teachers act as if I can't do it. Can you imagine having a B-average gpa, then not doing so well your last year after your mother's death (understandably), but having the people you're paying who are suppose to be your guide through college, act like you're wasting your time or misguided because of one bad year? Being mocked by some teachers about that shitty time, and having other teachers ouright sabotage you? At this point it's a matter of being spiteful. If you wanna spite someone, do well in life. Anyway, I haven't been reading anything outside of some fanfiction. I tried to get through You Can't Go Home Again (I got this and a few other books for free at my school library in the "Can Keep" section). I'm sorry, but the main character was gettin on my nerves. It's a book from the twenties about a writer (like most books were during that time), so if you know, then you know exactly the bullshit I was reading. By the way, I'm sorry for the rant.👀

@BryonyClaire

5 ай бұрын

The way your uni functions with those classes is terrible! Talk about making it a hostile working environment, it's basically acting as a deterrent for people, even though it would make more sense for them to support people to they have higher graduation stats. I'm so sorry to hear of the passing of your mother and how callous they were to you, that's completely unacceptable and in no way should they have treated you like this - nor messed your education up as much as they have.

Congratulations on 50,000 subscribers!! 🥰

📚 I'm currently reading "High Risk: A Doctor's Notes on Pregnancy, Birth, and the Unexpected". I'm actually childfree, but absolutely amazed by what the body is capable of doing. The book is very informative and has a very good writing style - but it's also absolutey terrifying! Anyway, thank you Bryony for a wonderful video once again! I hope you feel better soon!!

Always stoked to see a new Bryony video pop up on my feed! 🙌💖

If you're not born into a position of privilege with wealthy parents with whom you are in ideological lockstep, there is no point in trying to better your life. There is no such thing as economic mobility, and the people in power believe this is right, proper, and even the will of God.

I've only been around about 8 months but I'm so glad you have gotten so many subscribers now, I watch every video because not only do you go into issues I'm already involved in and care about but you also help to give further information which makes sure I still learn more about these topics, your videos are great.

Love the way you explain things and the research you do and share with us. True treasure!!!

Thank you for this amazing overview! I've seen some videos about the same topic from others, but it always felt like they were just covering parts of the aspects or they were extremly country specific. I am in an extremly privileged position (no Tuition fee + monthly allowance covering living costs from my parents), but some of my closest friends come from completely different backgrounds so I'm always trying to educate myself and use my privilege to support them. Watching videos of yours helps me to even further my perspective so thank you a lot!!!!

I look forward to everything you do, but I was particularly looking forward to this series 💕💕

Thank you for bringing up social work’s unpaid field placements!! This is such an important issue that more people need to know about. There was a lot of talk about addressing the “mental health crisis” after the pandemic but pretty much the entire social work profession is broken.

I've had a lot of teachers, mostly recently, flat-out say college is a scam. One of which was my science teacher. Another teacher had said she only became a teacher to get rid of her debt from college. I have had teachers suggest college or assume everyone was going to college, but I've definitely noticed a shift. My high school works directly with colleges to offer college courses, and teachers do encourage students to use those to save money later on.

I've watched a few of your videos and while I don't always agree with your proposed solutions, I appreciate the level of detail you go through in your research to address these topics. You've gained a new subscriber- thanks for your hard work!

I'm from Ukraine, studied in first collage in 2004-2008. My family is not even middle class but it wasn't a stretch at all for my parents to pay for my collage. Midway through I figured finance was not really for me so I wanted to drop out but parent were strongly against it, so I just entered another collage. There's a special form of studying in Ukraine that specifically made for working people, you only spend two to four weeks during a year physically attending collage, all the other time you work on assignments by your own. I was able to pay for my second collage from my side gigs and occasional design commissions, this way I was studying design and developing my portfolio on actual jobs same time. High education is really cheap in Ukraine, but also you can get it for free + you'll be paid scholarship if you're disabled, orphan or from family with many kids (also kids of war veterans now), or you've nailed national test and entering exams. It is absolutely expected of kids to get collage education, but also you can find one so cheap, almost any family can afford it. If you have some health or family issues you can pretty easily get a year off and come back with out any problems. And studying itself isn't that hard, I remember I had probably three all-nighters in total, but then again I was pretty loaded with two collages and freelance work.

My partner makes over $50 an hour and didn't go to college. However, he did serve in the Airforce where he learned how to do what he now does for a career.

The part about financial issues reminded me of one of our professors. Her subject wasn't even one of the "core" ones and we generally scored pretty high in the grades, as it was English related (second langauge for many people in our country). We asked her to schedule our final presentations in a way that would allow us to just come for them, instead of having to waste the whole day waiting for her to draft us in random order, so we wouldn't have to waste the whole day off work. She then told us that working while studying is a PRIVILEGE of those who study in a weekend-based way (additionally paid mode of learning) and that we need to have our priorities the right way. Funny thing the degree I was doing spoke in the marketing materials how it's focused on making students ready for work and cooperates with various companies to make it easier for students to gain experience during the course.

Feel better, Bryony! Thanks for this!

📚 I’ve never commented on your videos before but I watch them avidly and adore your content and its insight. Never stop doing what you’re doing because you’re brilliant and are a breath of fresh air, both on KZread and in this messed up world 💖✨

📚 thanks for making a video about this. I’m currently going through this right now. It’s depressing and discouraging.

congrats on 50k !!!!!!!!!!!!!! you deserve it, you're a gem

📚 i hope you feel better soon!! Thank you for bringing this into light. Higher education had become so romanticized that i feel like its of utmost importance to graduate from college (include parental and peer pressure!) but oh well, its fine 😅

I was kind of but not really forced to go to college. My dad insulted me, saying I would never get into college. Out of pure anger and just to show him I applied and got accepted to a couple of colleges. More problems came because it wasn’t the college I wanted to go to but because I didn’t want to rely on my parents I took a college that was accessible by train as I didn’t have a car at the time. Then my mother became irritable with me because I was majoring in Liberal Arts for creative writing. I didn’t like my professors, I felt like they were incompetent, I lacked motivation and when I received my tuition fees I just gave up school. I later went to trade school a couple of times and it’s been the best experience ever. I tried college again but working 40 hrs and then having a morning lecture was not functional for me at all.

📚 Love all the research you put into your videos, your topics always give me some fresh perspective ❤

I agree with what you said about how it's hard to even qualify for financial aid. One example is that I'm American, and I live in an area with a very high cost of living. For lots of my friends their parents' "expected contribution" (EFC) to their education was a huge over-estimation because they didn't take that cost of living into account, only looked at their family's income. I just think the whole system is broken, especially in the US.

17:29 as a TA who does a lot of teaching and grading for undergrad students, i cannot comprehend this mindset. beyond it being basic decency, it feels good to work with students so they can succeed within their circumstances. figuring out a solution for students to balance their lives on a holistic level is the best part of the job.

OMG I just realized that you have about 50K subscribers. I've been watching you for months and always subconsciously thought you have at least half a mill. You're definitely going to get there, amazing video as always

The government just sponsors students in some places. I know the NT of Canada, for example- will help students pay for their education; be it undergrad, masters, or trades. I wish it was common everywhere! I’m sure it’s good for society to have more educated people.

I am an American (special education) teacher living in Germany. I work at a Hauptschule. The sectioned out, segregated secondary school system you mentioned in Germany has gone through a lot of changes in the past decade, especially in the state where I live. Parents *do not* have to send their children to the school type that a test type would normally indicate *and* there are other paths to university that are in conjunction with or outside of Gymnasium. For example a student can attend a Realschule, still take the Abitur (uni entrance exam) and go to univesity. There is also the option to to take a smaller test called a 'Fachabitur' and take on specialized job training. Lastly, I would like to say, as someone who works at a Hauptschule, it isn't because of 'Racism' that so many migrant students are at a Hauptschule----it's because many of them arrived in Germany without German language knowledge, massive cultural challenges (for example many parents of girls say that their daughter's education 'doesn't matter'/forced marriage) and many of them *never* had any type of formal education before they came here. They would absolutely fall through in a less intensive school type. These students, especially the boys who don't always take kindly to female teachers, are tough; and all the teachers I know just want to help everyone to the best of their ability. If a student is really driven they can still transfer to a Realschule or Gesamtschule and attempt the Abitur later. If there is something we can be critical of here, it's how long special education integration (aka mainstreaming) takes here, it's happening but slowly and is very behind in comparrison to the English speaking countries.

You've made so many good points and I've related to so much of them thank you so much

You deserve so much more than 50k. Great topics and quality videos ❤

Great video! Really related to a lot of the discussion of pressure from parents being one of the first in my family to go to a big university in the United States. Can't wait for part 2! Edit: Commented right before you mentioned the 📚. I recently read Throne of Glass highly recommend!

@BryonyClaire

5 ай бұрын

That kind of pressure from parents can really hurt their kids, I'm sorry you dealt with that, hopefully you enjoyed your uni experience and are doing something you love now!

📚 I’m so glad to see a video about this topic so young people can be better informed about the decision to go to higher education! I would approach the decision differently today, but hey, that’s what learning is for I guess! Reading Grady Hendrix lately, fun novels

📚 thanks as always for your thoughtful analysis!

📚 excited for part 2! The upper education experience is so varied. I'm a Star Wars fan and just finished reading the Bounty Hunter's series. Now I'm reading Audible's knock off "Bounty Hunter" sci fi series. It's interesting enough to listen to on my commute to/from work.

I went to the gymnasium and I tried 3 different universities. As somene with mental health issues, it was living hell to even try to keep interest in university. I dropped out from all of them and was working customer services/retail my whole life cuz I have education without any specialization. What a wonderful life really!

We all know Bryony deserves that 100k plaque 💕

I ended up finishing my bachelor's degree because I couldn't be promoted in my job unless I had one. My degree was not at all related to my current job and I'd already been doing the work for 5 years, but having that irrelevant piece of paper was required to ever be promoted or get a raise. So yeah, the whole thing is pretty ridiculous.

College was pushed but it was assumed I wouldn't go. I was poor & although I was a good student I wasn't extraordinary enough to get the good scholarships. I went to community college until I was old enough that they didn't count my family's income against me (24). I worked SO hard, cleaned houses around my class schedule, spent hours on the bus, took classes without the text book because I couldn't afford it. I didn't take student loans out until the end because you really weren't supposed to have a job while doing student teaching. Right when I was finishing student teaching my health started declining & it was all for nothing. 📚

@BryonyClaire

5 ай бұрын

😢 this really makes my heartbreak reading this, I'm so sorry

dropped out of college and studied machine stenography instead, now I get paid to attend university classes and do realtime captioning for students with accessibility needs. :) 📚

📚 Thank you for the hard work that goes into your research!!

“To bear children into this world is like carrying wood to a burning house.” ― Peter Wessel Zapffe

@lulael5054

5 ай бұрын

Yet children are the best reason to change things that are messed up 🥰

@thehobbler1349

3 ай бұрын

Zapffe mentioned 🗣💯‼️‼️

I was a "smart kid," so I had a lot of pressure to go to a high-end 4 year university. (Tho in all fairness, the daily morning announcements at my high school called us "future college graduates" so it was def not just the "gifted kids.") Even though I left high school undecided on what my major would be. I said screw that, went to community college, and now I have a great job and no debt (and if I had gone into debt, it would have been significantly less than anyone else I know who went to a 4-year).

i’m a 22 bipoc woman in my first year of uni, i grew up in a low income economically isolated area riddled with violence so i want to practice law

I am kind-of proud to say that I didn’t trap myself in debt with education, but I came out of that scarred. Although a degree 100% would have helped to get a “better” job, I’ve had the opportunity to live life outside of constant work. I’ve always had a soft life despite the horrible trauma I experienced growing up. My mom did everything she could for me, and in return I tried not to be too much of a burden by having good grades and being a good kid. But my first year of college broke me. I wasn’t able to do a lot since I didn’t have a car, and my mom only gave me enough food for money and books that I literally have never read. I was heavily introverted so not only was it hard to make friends, nobody else I knew (or cared about) was going to college AT ALL. Actually, everyone went into the military. Including my bf at the time. I had a mental breakdown that caused me to drop out within 4 months. I was severely depressed about how I would be $36,000 in debt at the lowest. Not even my current car is worth that much, and I use it way more than anything I learned in those classes. Despite my mom judging me for dropping out for a while, I was emasciated from starving myself and had almost attempted something stupid in the middle of a winter night. So dropping out was objectively the best option. I’ve since grown a backbone and I can actually tell people what I will and will not do- and going into way too much debt for something stupid is something I’ll never do again.

10:00 my perspective on the German education system as a German with an lower-middle class and second generation background: You don’t take a test in elementary school, your overall grades and the recommendation from you teacher decide which school you attend. It’s not that rigid, you can still apply and get accepted to an academic school if you don’t get the recommendation. However most stick to that as it reflects the academic potential. Hauptschule is the most basic school. Most of those students later work in a trade such as cook or construction worker. It has the worst reputation. Realschule is something in-between. Typical jobs for that level of education are electricians, medical assistants or bankers. Gymnasium is the school that is the hardest academically speaking. Most of students with “Abitur” (German A-levels or high school diploma) are going to university or learning a trade (banker, nurse…). I know from friends who did an exchange year in the US or Canada that our level is much higher as in the US. E.G. math that high school students learn in the 10th grade is what we would learn in 7th grade. I guess that’s because our school has more performance pressure than the Realschule or high school. There is also Gesamtschule where you can do every diploma, it’s similar to American high school. Most parents want their children to do the Abitur diploma (50% of students) because it has the best reputation and qualifies you to do a university degree. As it is cheap to study and easy to get accepted depending on what you study (at public universities you pay 300-400€ per semester and besides popular degrees like medicine you just need to fill out a form to get accepted) most people do that. I was looked down to go to nursing school after being one of the top students in my Gymnasium because I needed the money. My parents couldn’t afford paying for my uni degree as I’d have to move away. Luckily nursing school payed me about 1000€/month after taxes and made it possible for me to get accepted into medical school. There are many other ways to improve your education even after school. Having learned a trade makes it sometimes possible to choose a uni degree in you field even if you have no Abitur. Our public universities might not be as fancy as most private colleges in the US. I gladly take that over crippling student loan dept.

@tagtraumerin5077

5 ай бұрын

Changing schools is possible and students do that all the time. Many students leave Gymnasium after 6th grade as it’s to difficult and some students attend Gymnasium in 10th grade after their Hauptschul or Realschul diploma. In the beginning they struggle a lot as they are not used to it but they get used to it quickly.

📚 I've started listening to The Will to Change while I do chores. I'm in the US, and have over 95K in student loans, and what you said, yup, it's like that.

great video, especially liked the aotearoa perspective because, well, same. also, the fact that our new government is doing some... interesting things to education shall we say, is kinda concerning too, especially because we're already in a bit of a crisis. and adding onto that, while you can accumulate scholarships in aoteaora, it's often not enough or highly, HIGHLY competitive. i know for certain scholarships, you'll only get about $2k for one year, and while you could get more in your later years, $2k isn't even enough to cover the first year. that, and scholarship exams will only let you get $1k at the worst, and even if you do get any of the higher scholarship exam prizes, you have to maintain a grade average and you'll only be able to "redeem" your prize money on one specific year of scholarship exams (meaning if you get say 1 prize in one year, either you have to wait to do better the next, or you "redeem" it and risk the chance of not getting a better prize later) -- which is frustrating to say the least. but hopefully it gets better

📚 i bought Braiding Sweetgrass a couple weeks ago, I am so excited to start it!!

Great points, and extremely well researched

I had to pause for a moment when one quote said that education in Germany was free xD Nothing in Germany is free, not even the universal healthcare, you're just forced by law to pay for it (ofc still better than in other countries but, you know, it's still a capitalist nightmare). I wanted to study art but you can only do that at a private uni that charges more than twice the amount per month than a whole semester costs at the public uni. So I went to one of the biggest public unis in Germany (Ruhr-Uni Bochum) which was an absolute nightmare. There are literal holes in the floor because the floortiles tip and break frequently (there's a parking lot a few metres below btw), the uni literally looks like the set of a zombie movie and features in multiple "ugliest uni in Germany" videos on Instagram. Anyway, there's so much to be done in education and how we view the different kinds of education, so really loved the video! ❤

I also plan to paint. I often listen to video essays on youtube and I do something artistic. Drawing, painting, diy projects like sewing, and making bracelets

it's interesting how much student accommodation differs from country to country. i (in norway) rent privately (as do most students i know) but many here rent local student housing (there's a serious shortage of student housing all over the country bc of how much the state/universities have relied on the private market to house students). we also do get a monthly stipend from the state if we apply, where i think 60% or 70% becomes a loan after studies are finished. it's supposed to be able to cover rent, food, power, and everything else - but they kinda expect us to be able to work while studying (while the universities expect us to treat university like a full time job). but tbh the stipend really barely covers the necessities, esp with rent on the private market going up and electricity prices increasing, and esp grocery prices.

In the UK you can get quite high student loans. So all of the tuition is paid for (bachelors and most masters). Then you have maintenance loans, which are calculated based on household income. This is an unfair process, as it counts everyone in a household who may contribute absolutely nothing to your life etc. The lower maintenance loan will not cover your rent. I was lucky enough to get an academic scholarship throughout university. That helped cover living expenses. I worked here and there (mostly summer jobs) for some extra cash but my dad paid the rent for my accommodation every year. However, I still didn’t realise just how much debt I would be in. Or how much I would lose out of my paycheque every month. That is even worse if you took out the maximum amount on student loans. I ‘only’ ever owed around 50 grand but I know people who owe double that.

congrats on 50k!!!

Hope you feel better soon! 💛

I am watching this video because I feel like a failure and stupid for taking a C and B grade at 2 exams that I studied so much for. It is so frustrating, I hate how much power and value we put in these grades. For example, in another exam, I got an A, and I do not remember anything useful about it :///. I took Statistics in my first year, got an A, but I do not know wtf is going on anymore as I haven't had practice. It is so stupid 🙄

@BryonyClaire

5 ай бұрын

I know that feeling all too well, and it sucks because it's often rewarding rote learning, which isn't anywhere near as helpful as applying knowledge and critical thinking, because those really ARE valuable skills which should be taught well at school/uni. Please don't feel like a failure - you're not, intelligence and worth is not something standard tests can quantify, and we all have skills in different areas that are valuable

@whutcat682

3 ай бұрын

@@BryonyClaire Thank you so much for your understanding and encouraging words. It’s comforting to know I’m not alone in feeling this way and that others share similar sentiments about the educational system. Indeed, applying knowledge and critical thinking are crucial and should be more valued. I try to remind myself that true value and intelligence are measured by much more than standardized scores. Recognizing and appreciating the diversity of our talents is a step in the right direction. I apologize for the delay in responding; your support really motivates me to continue valuing and developing my unique abilities. Thanks again for your support.

Because there aren’t that many “high skilled” jobs that need doing… most of what makes society work is … physical work. Funneling everyone to college doesn’t magically make jobs for the graduates.

📚… thank you for the video. Really interesting points 😊

As the first in my family to get a degree was massive amount of pressure... taking care of three children unmarried at 24. I felt like a failure.📚Financial aid and other programs for single moms helped so much and not enough at the same time. But I made it🎉 37 now

📚, i’ve been reading the manga berserk recently and i’m obsessed lol. also great video, i left community college when i was 19 and felt like a failure but looking back i’m so so glad i left because i was clueless as to what i wanted out of life!! and i still am!! so why waste the money!!!

10:32 as a german i am not a fan of the school system as a whole, but to seperate and give the different groups a different set of expectations is not a bad thing in my optinion. i was a very smart child, all my teachers adored me and i got away with a lot. i easily went to a gymnasium with the only question being which of the local ones i would choose. but with my undiagnosed and untreated adhd i quickly went from the top of my class to the bottom, had to repeat 2 years and went to the realschule, where i wasnt bad, but not the best. i went into the workforce because i never would have managed to pass higher education. after three years i finished my apprenticeship, have less pressure and a diagnosis with medication and am now pursuing higher education at 22, along with 19 to 30 year olds. due to my adhd as a child i would have been on the bottom of the class anyways, no matter the pressure or expectations. since i love knowing things i am glad i got to soak up whatever i could even tho i failed the tests. its also an interesting class divide and without learning what rich german ppl are like i would have had a way harder time during my apprenticeship. its not the best system by far, and the adults in my life have failed me, but i am glad i went through it and imo we have a good system to try again once we are ready