The education con game in america

[trancepriest]

I've noticed some poor folks around my way getting major loans to go to school. These folks are going to school for stuff like web design, photography and videography. These same people don't own a camera, video camera or decent computer. So here's a person spending 30 grand a year to go to the Art Institute and they don't own anything. Now i often think to myself why not just buy a workstation class computer, a pro video camera or a pro digital camera? I even pose the question to these nut cases. I say when you get out of school won't your portfolio be the main thing that lands you jobs? So if you want to be a photographer why not just buy a decent camera and go forth and take pics. If you need more knowledge buy a book. Now these conned students are taking a class to read a book in 5 months. Why the heck would anyone want to stretch out the process of reading a book to 5 months?

I was thinking its pretty funny. I could buy 2 top of the line apple workstations a few vid cameras and some still picture digital cameras... then get a warehouse. Now the total cost would be like 15 grand...then hire a student that just spent 60 grand to a 100 grand to go to the art institute or Full Sail. Will going to schoool teach you to be a better photographer? Web Designer or video producer? I just think these students are wasting their money big time.

My next door neighbor went to school for video production and knows nothing about video formats. He doesn't know the difference between DVCPRO HD or HDV... or between color space 4:4:4: or 4:2:2 or 4:2:0. He doesn't know the difference between a 2/3 inch camera or a 1/3 inch camera. Why are people conned into thinking that they need this form of education to start their careers?

I see web designers that just love what they do.. never spent a day in class for web designing... most of the designers I know never went to school for it. Its just sad to see people waste so much money for something they could do on their own... especially when its money that they don't have. People are conditioned to thinking that they need some form of institutional learning to get a head start... when these people are going to school.. a 14 year old is getting hired to do what they are paying to go to classes to learn.

[coach]

I have noticed that the main criteria for calling yourself a "professional [insert creative career of your choice]" is owning the equipment. Skill, education, or experience does not seem to enter into the equation.

[pod]

This is true. I know jackasses with 1DS MK IIs who treat them like point and shoots.

[trancepriest]

Originally Posted by pod

This is true. I know jackasses with 1DS MK IIs who treat them like point and shoots.

I've noticed that clients go more towards the people with equipment than the people without. Put it this way... have a studio... and some big equipment... the client will think your more of a professional than someone thhat just graduated Art Institute after 4 years with nothing. The more equipment you have the more the client thinks your professional... and the more you can charge. The client is too dumb to understand the technical aspects so they go with what they see and thats way more than just a portfolio. They want to see a studio, equipment and your business in a pro environment.

[V. Barbarino]

Well it's because of the rise in for profit schools. My college (ECU a state school) had one of the best art programs in the country (so I'm told), every art student was not only a wacko, but you knew they were wasting their time and money in school. There were other majors as well such as a foreign language, communications, liberal arts, majors such as Physch that if you didn't plan on getting a masters it was worthless.

I know a girl who spent so much money going to that school in Lauderdale, I can't think of the name, I think it was the Art Institute, anyways, she has loans in the 60k range and never graduated, my school was about 7k a year and I got a 4 year degree from a state school in economics.

The schools are scamming the kids and parents. If you are not sure about your future, do me a favor spend 500 bucks a semister at your local Community College to figure it all out, then transfer.

They did a special on fox about school prices, one girl was in debt 80k, and only got a teaching degree!!!!!!!! Hello, you could have gotten that for 10k, 2 years at community college, then transfer to a state school.

[trancepriest]

Originally Posted by Barbarino

Well it's because of the rise in for profit schools. My college (ECU a state school) had one of the best art programs in the country (so I'm told), every art student was not only a wacko, but you knew they were wasting their time and money in school. There were other majors as well such as a foreign language, communications, liberal arts, majors such as Physch that if you didn't plan on getting a masters it was worthless.

I know a girl who spent so much money going to that school in Lauderdale, I can't think of the name, I think it was the Art Institute, anyways, she has loans in the 60k range and never graduated, my school was about 7k a year and I got a 4 year degree from a state school in economics.

The schools are scamming the kids and parents. If you are not sure about your future, do me a favor spend 500 bucks a semister at your local Community College to figure it all out, then transfer.

They did a special on fox about school prices, one girl was in debt 80k, and only got a teaching degree!!!!!!!! Hello, you could have gotten that for 10k, 2 years at community college, then transfer to a state school.

Good point... community college is a much better option for students seeking those type of jobs.

[quote author=coach link=board=6;threadid=31759;start=0#msg365344 date=1157644254]
I have noticed that the main criteria for calling yourself a "professional [insert creative career of your choice]" is owning the equipment. Skill, education, or experience does not seem to enter into the equation.
[/quote]

I've noticed that alot of people that went to school for photography, videography or web design... have an outdated education. My next door neighbor said to me the other day... "my teacher told me that when I'm not finished with a project I should show the client what I have and not to do it in an apologetic way." He was saying this to me like his teacher gave him the biggest nugget of wisdom in the world. LOL. The only thing I could think is that the people that went through that process is the very people I wouldn't hire for an artistic endeavour.

An education by itself doesn't make you a professional in those fields. Its like boxing you can train in the gym for years.. it still comes down to how many fights you've won. In the multimedia world that means who are your clients and what have you done. And I doubt a client would ever ask what school did you go to? Clients want to see your work and they want to see your work in a professional setting.

I hate to say it but being a videographer doesn't require much skill... keep the camera stable and make sure the shots are composed well... a monkey could be trained to do that. Now understanding the limits of your equipment requires some consumer awareness. I often have done jobs like weddings where I gave the video camera to a guy with no expereience while I did the the photography. I just tell em to keep the camera still or place the camera on a tripod before handing it over to them. Now someone that spent 60 grand to learn about shutter speeds, aperture settings, video composition and how to keep a camera stable has been conned big time. Reading the manual and having some common sense could have done that in no time.

[swank]

check this out...

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business...,4861641.story

[trancepriest]

Originally Posted by SWANK

check this out...

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business...,4861641.story

"But Hoenig says the prevalence of degrees and ballooning tuition costs are strikes against the vaunted diploma, as college students are paying more for a diploma that's less marketable because everyone's got one. A degree isn't necessary, he said, if you have the vision, drive or work ethic to compensate for it and withstand employers' scrutiny."

More than quarter of the white pouplaton has a college degree... almost 20% of blacks have a 4 year degree. The prevalence of degrees will bring back the apprenticeship system. I already see it happening with small multimedia boutigues hiring people that they know personally.

[V. Barbarino]

If you ever watched onathan Hoenig or read his articles, you'd know he is super smart, something that gives him a leg up, for him college was a waste of time, he knew what he watned to do and school could not help him..

If you don't go to college, than you are dum, community college costs so little then transfer, you can comd out of scholl 10-20k in debt, but at 2% interest, who the fuck cares.. It's a 100 bucks a month.

[trancepriest]

Originally Posted by Barbarino

If you ever watched onathan Hoenig or read his articles, you'd know he is super smart, something that gives him a leg up, for him college was a waste of time, he knew what he watned to do and school could not help him..

If you don't go to college, than you are dum, community college costs so little then transfer, you can comd out of scholl 10-20k in debt, but at 2% interest, who the fuck cares.. It's a 100 bucks a month.

Heck I see immigrants from the Islands / South America making close to 100k+ a year by having a stall in the swap shop selling caps. The stall is about 600 bucks a month. I'm not knocking the entire education system... just for some careers. Another thing is that everybody and their mama wants a cozy office job now.... the sophisitcated image. Which makes the office labor market overcrowded. Cheap and overbundant labor force. No wonder why certain fields like construction is pleading for more people and increasing hourly wage.

The truth is that the more people that get a college degree. The more the entire class system will break down. If 50% of people in America had a 4 year degree then we would be a miserable nation. Something similar to overeducated developing nations with a plethora of educated people and no jobs. When things get this way a paradigm shift will happen... a shuffling of the class system. This shuffling happens peridodically in history... one is due now. We are now entering into the era of the creative class... not the educated class.